1. Fighting Mildew & Botrytis with fewer chemicals
(Mr. Arne Aiking is the inventor of the Clean Light Technology that has now been adopted by some
innovative rose growers in Latin America. We invited Mr. Aiking to give our readers a summary of
what this technology can achieve, and what it cannot achieve, for greenhouse farms in Mexico)
When I had my own farm in the southern USA, I developed a technology, allowing my workers
to control mildew, Botrytis, and other diseases on the crop, by using specially designed
lamps. In this article, I will explain how it works.
Germicidal UV
The use of germicidal UV to sterilize water, air, or swimming pools is nothing new. UV has
been replacing many chemicals in many industrial processes. For example:
 In many cities, drinking water does not smell like chlorine anymore. Chlorine has been
replaced with germicidal UV. Safer and cheaper.
 In many hospitals, the smell of formaldehyde is gone. Formaldehyde has been replaced
with UV. Safer and cheaper.
However, we know that germicidal UV can hurt the crop. Furthermore, germicidal UV lamps,
such as used in water disinfection lamps, generate ozone and other byproducts that can be
dangerous for the workers and harmful for the crop. Most importantly, germicidal UV can
hurt the eyes of workers. So, we in the farming world concluded, correctly: “In farming we
can not use UV to replace those expensive chemicals”
My invention, The UV Crop Protector Technology, overcomes those barriers. Today, you can
use Clean Light on greenhouse crops, without hurting the workforce, and without hurting the
plants.
Fungus Life Cycle
In order to understand the possibilities, and the impossibilities, of this technology we need to
return briefly to our schooldays. Mildew, Botrytis etc. are fungus species. Fungus has two life
stages: 1) “Spores” (sort of like the seed stage of a plant. They are very small, invisible to us)
and 2) “Mycelium” (sort of like the vegetative stage of a plant. It is the white or gray fluff that
we can see with the naked eye, once it is 24 or 48 hours old).
 If we want to kill the spores, we have to apply a high dosage of UV light. That requires
very strong bulbs, and many seconds of exposure time. Not practical in the greenhouse.
Furthermore, it creates problems for the crop, for the workers, and for the beneficials.
 If we want to kill the young mycelium, just a tiny little bit of UV light suffices (a low
dosage). One second of exposure time is more than enough. That is safe for the crop, safe for
the workers, and safe for the beneficials.
So, by applying this low dosage, on a daily basis, we kill the mycelium every day, before it can
make spores, and before it can penetrate and damage the plant.

2. On The Farm
So, how does this work in the field?
Water disinfection lamps are dangerous. They create all the problems we spoke about earlier
for people, for crops and for beneficials. We have developed UV Crop Protectors, which give a
well balanced low dosage of UV light. Safe for workers. Safe for the crop. Safe for beneficials.
But literally killing the mycelium.
Harmen van Kamp is our partner who has made this technology available for growers in
Mexico. Mister van Kamp focuses on crops like tomatoes and roses. The basic model is a
simple rugged, man operated cart with four Clean Light units mounted on the cart. It looks
like a wheel barrow with Clean Lights. Together we carefully selected the right model Crop
Protector, applying the optimal dosage. So, now your workers can walk through the
greenhouse, normal walking speed, to control mildew, just like they normally do with
chemicals.
The experience from the field is that workers can treat between 2 and 3 hectares in a normal
working day.
Some farms prefer to have a cart with an extension cord. So, one worker walks with the cart,
the other guides the electrical cable (just like he would previously guide the hose). Other
farms prefer to have a small generator mounted on the cart freeing the worker from the
extension cord.
All Fungus Gone?
Of course, the light does not reach all fungus spots, and does therefore not eliminate all
mycelium.
And, please do not forget that this low dosage does not kill the spores. We just prevent the
formation of new spores.
The experience teaches us that daily treatment reduces the need for chemicals dramatically in
crops like tomatoes and aubergines. This technology lowers the use of fungicides and the
chemical bill. Because of reduced spraying the crop will be stronger, more productive and will
produce higher quality. The working environment of the work force will improve and a big
plus is the absence of re-entry time after treatment.