This report is from a field trial with organic peppers at Bioverbeek, a modern, organic horticultural company in the Netherlands. For this experiment their greenhouses used Aqua-4D water solutions on one side and control on the other side. 2Grow's plant sensors were used on both sides. The sensors showed that Aqua4D's method of altering water gave growers the ability to stress plants more and therefore induce generative growth rather than vegetative growth. More: https://www.unityrootscanada.com Report by Olivier Begerem and Maxime Dedecker of 2Grow BVBA. More: http://2grow.earth

1. Communicate with your plant
Results Aqua-4D field trial with organic peppers at Bioverbeek
registered by 2Grow plant sensors and reported by Olivier Begerem &
Maxime Dedecker.

2. Bioverbeek practical trial.

3. Untreated Treated
Concrete path
Practical test setup

4. Contents
• Daily growth.
• Stem diameter variation.
• Effects.

5. Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated
The treated plants have seen more growth over the season compared to the untreated ones.
Comparison of daily growth

6. Treated plants
April - August

7. Untreated plants
April - August

8. Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated
All plants follow almost the same trend.
Treated plants are also more stable,
which causes less stress to the plants

9. Conclusion
• Both plants of the treated side have the same
trend.
• Both plants from the untreated side have the
same trend.
• The treated plants appear to be significantly
more vegetative than the untreated ones.

10. Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated
The treated plants have more variation over the entire season than the untreated ones.
Comparison of daily stem diameter variation

11. Displacement
The untreated plants were not representative of the
movement because they were weaker.
Even after displacement of the sensors to more
representative plants there still seems to be more
variation in untreated plants in general.

12. Effects that
contribute to
this trend
• Earlier recovery of the internal reserves towards
the evening.
• Less rapid usage of the internal reserves in the
plant cells.

13. Effect 1:
Earlier use of internal reserves.

14. HD/VPD
Irrigation / Root pressure
By controlling the pushing force at the bottom of the plant and the
suction force at the top of the plant, we can better guide the plant
in the desired direction.
Root pressure > VPD = Growth
Root pressure < VPD = Shrinkage
How do we make a better recovery?
More water = More root pressure = Growth
Lower moisture = Higher VPD = Shrinkage

15. Untreated
05u00
06u00
The untreated plants have a earlier need to use the
internal reserves compared to the treated plants.
Treated

16. Untreated
04u00
06u00
The untreated plants have a earlier need to use the
internal reserves compared to the treated plants.
Treated

17. Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated
Even in the extremely hot month of July 2019, the
treated plants remain under tension for longer.

18. Some days the treated shrinks earlier. It seems
there is less water available for the plant (=stress).
Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated

19. But the days after there are still clear differences of
the usage of reserves between treated and untreated.
Blue = Treated
Green = Untreated

20. Untreated Treated
07u00
06u00
Although on this day the untreated plant remains under tension for
longer, the treated plant maintain themselves better in the morning.
Seems to have less difficulty with the level of activity.

21. Effect 2:
Earlier recovery of internal reserves.

22. Untreated Treated

23. Blue = treated
Green = untreated
Treated plants show earlier and more recovery
compared to untreated plants.

25. Blue = treated
Green = untreated

26. Lowest point of diameter differ between treated
and untreated. This is the most stressful moment
of the day and is prefered earlier in the day
when the plant is more vital
Blue = treated
Green = untreated

27. Untreated Treated

28. Effect 3:
The sunny day following a dark day.

29. Treated 30/05

30. Untreated 30/05

31. Treated 21/06

32. Untreated 21/06

33. Treated 28/07

34. Untreated
28/07

35. Treated 18/08

36. Untreated 18/08

37. Statistics?

38. 47%
53%
Distribution of daily sapflow
Daily juice flow treats (g) Daily juice flow untreated (g)
Statistics: sapflow
Total distribution of sapflow
Treated: 55800 gr (=47%)
Untreated: 61800 gr (=53%)
There seems to be no significant difference in sapflow
between the treated and untreated plants.

39. Total days of shrinkage:
Treated: 6 days
Untreated: 27 days
Average growth:
Treated: 0.0159 mm
Untreated: 0.01 mm
Total growth:
Treated: 1,895 mm
Untreated: 1,196 mm
Statistics: Growth
Nearby: 1.93 mm
Distant: 2.58 mm
Nearby: 1.03 mm
Distant: 1.78 mm The distant (position towards concrete pathway)
plants seem to show more growth and there is in
general more growth in the treated plants.Nearby: 0.015 mm
Distant: 0.02 mm
Nearby: 0.008 mm
Distant: 0.014 mm
Nearby: 10 days
Distant: 10 days
Close: 27 days
Distant: 29 days
Significantly less shrinkage in both
treated plants.

40. Statistics: Variation
Average variation:
Treated: 0.027 mm
Untreated: 0.031 mm
Nearby: 0.022 mm
Distant: 0.032 mm
Nearby: 0.029 mm
Distant: 0.033 mm
Watch out! This variation also calculates the growth itself as a variation.

41. Average variation
Treated: 0.0115 mm
Untreated: 0.0212 mm
Daily variation - Absolute daily growth
This number expresses how much the plants had to use the internal reserves in order to maintain itself during the day.
Statistics: Real variation
There seems to be a very significant difference (84%) in the variation between the treated and untreated plants.
Actual variation = Stress

42. Conclusion
Plants treated with Aqua-4D water:
- Can absorb water more easily.
- Have a better recovery towards the evening
(e.v.t. less risk of blossom end rot).
- Are less stressed.
- Grow more vegetatively.
=> Adjustments in the current cultivation method are recommended in order to achieve the optimal effect!