High wire cultivation
In greenhouse horticulture, there are two different ways in which cucumber is grown, namely traditional cultivation and high wire cultivation.
High wire cultivation has some advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional cultivation. The main advantages are the much higher yield (up to 50% more) and the higher quality of the product. The disadvantage of high wire cultivation is the susceptibility to viruses and the labor costs are significantly higher than with traditional cultivation.
With autonomous robots, those disadvantages are completely removed. That makes the decision to switch to high wire cultivation interesting for many more growers.
Leaf cutting
Leaf cutting involves removing cucumber leaves that no longer contribute positively to crop production. These leaves are typically located in the lower section of the plant, where their contribution to the Leaf Area Index (LAI) becomes limited. Maintaining the correct LAI is essential for balancing light interception, photosynthesis, plant health, and fruit production.
As the crop develops, older leaves in the lower canopy are removed to maintain the desired LAI, improve air circulation, reduce disease pressure, and support efficient crop management.
Although leaf cutting is a routine and relatively straightforward task, it is highly labour-intensive and represents a significant operational cost for many growers.
The CropTeq SmartTrim has been developed to automate this process. The technology is being introduced to the market with an initial performance level that already delivers economic value, while the platform is designed for continuous performance improvements through software, AI, and system development.
The long-term target is a capacity of up to 1,000 leaves per hour with a single robotic arm. At this performance level, the system becomes a highly competitive alternative to manual labour while also providing autonomous operation, consistent execution, crop data collection, and a foundation for future autonomous greenhouse applications.
Beyond leaf cutting, the robot serves as a data collection platform, providing valuable crop insights, enabling short-term crop forecasting, and supporting data-driven cultivation optimization.
