The SIMONE project is making significant strides in Northern Netherlands. SPNA Agroresearch is conducting groundbreaking research and practical experiments through their LivingLab located in the fertile clay areas of Groningen and Friesland.
The SIMONE project is about one year active, and SPNA Agroresearch is the partner that is active for the LivingLab North-Netherlands. Our LivingLab is located in the Northern-clay areas of the provinces of Groningen and Friesland. Relatively light clay and so a unique location for good quality seed potato farming. Because of the positive effect of the Wadden-sea nearby, the virus pressure during the growing season is acceptable: an excellent location for seed potato production. However, the challenges for the future are becoming complex and the farming system needs to change or adapt at certain points. In the SIMONE project we will focus on different strategies of haulm killing and the impact towards future-farming. Last autumn some first demonstrations on-farm-experiments were performed combined with the PootaardappelAcademie Groningen/Friesland, and for the coming years this will be intensified at multiple farmers’ fields and strategies. Next to the effect of the strategy-choice on the sustainability and performance of the farms, also the effectiveness of the strategies will be explored, in order to prevent late virus-infections in the left-over leaf or stem material on the field.
Innovations in seed onion cultivation and weed control
Another crop of importance in the cropping system in our region, is the seed onion. Since the circumstances in the more Southern parts of the Netherlands are changing, this makes Northern-parts of Netherlands more and more of interest for the farming of onions.
One of the aspects towards a sustainable cropping of onions, is effective weed control. Because of changes in the availability of regular herbicides, more and more alternatives are being developed. Mechanical weeding, spot-spraying, robotics and more developments are going on and needs to be optimized for- and accepted by the farmers in the region. For this, in our SIMONE LivingLab we also focus on this topic, by organizing OnFarmExperiments at farmers’ sites and to discuss the pro’s and cons of the specific strategies and also to determine the real effects on both the growing weeds as the onions (quality and quantity).
We hope that organizing these activities and discussions will open doors for farmers in North-Netherlands to make steps towards a sustainable cropping of onions for now and the future.
At the moment (February 2025) the plans for the coming OnFarmExperiments are being constructed and together with the farmers made clear for the combing growing seasons. We hope on interesting experiments, discussions and exchange of experiences and data!
More info
Carina Rietema, SPNA Agroresearch:
- rietema@spna.nl
- +31 657 26 15 89