The Cleanlight manual in English

1. Crop protection
Manual for the horticulture

3. Index
Page 1
Introduction
How does CleanLight work?
Page 2
Improved quality
Repeat treatment
Spores & Mycelium
Page 3
Viruses & Bacteria
Adjusting the modules
Safety
Page 4
The 10 advantages
Page 5
Ornamental Plants & Flowers
Page 6
Vegetables & Fruit
Page 7
Legal requirements
Certificates
Intellectual property
Rear
Contact information
Distributors

4. Introduction How does CleanLight work?
CleanLight is based on UV technology. We have known that
UV light kills fungi for more than 100 years. However, this early
knowledge concerned very high doses of UV light. If crops
were exposed to this kind of dosage, then people, crops and
biological control would be at risk. So conventional UV disin-
fection is not applicable to greenhouse farming crops.
The CleanLight technique works with a dosage which:
a) Is high enough to kill fungi, bacteria and viruses and
b) is low enough to ensure your crops will not suffer
The CleanLight technique is a clean and effective way of
any damage.
protecting and strengthening the crops. The technique was
developed in 2005 and made its breakthrough in greenhouse
In this respect ‘the spraying of CleanLight’ does indeed seem
farming in 2008.
like ‘the spraying of agents’: the dosage is very important.
Independent research has confirmed that a daily dosage of
Using CleanLight allows horticulturists to realise at least a
between 2 mJ/cm2 and 14 mJ/cm2 is sufficient to protect and
50% reduction in fungicides when combating diseases such as
strengthen the crops.
Mildew and Botrytis. The reduced spraying and daily dosage of
CleanLight makes the plant stronger, more defensible and vital,
The dosage is dependent on various different factors. The
which will also increase the quality of your crops and products.
most important factors are the strength of the CleanLight
module and the speed of treatment. The dosage can be care-
This technique will also save on labour costs when fighting fun-
fully calculated beforehand with these two variables. Once the
gi, viruses and bacteria. The technique offers a re-entry time of
installation has been completed, another measurement can
mere seconds and will prevent Maximum Residue Level (MRL)
be carried out with a certified measurement instrument to
concerns. Plus you will also avoid any excess moisture in your
confirm the correct dosage.
greenhouse or on your crops and the application is completely
free of any residue!
Examples
Please note: an optimal dosage and therefore optimal speed,
will vary in line with the seasons, the cultivation method and
the crops. Always consult a CleanLight crop protection
specialist before you start.
1

5. Improved quality
One important advantage of using the CleanLight technique is
that the plant will become stronger and more defensible. This
will inevitably result in the improved quality of your crops. Spores & Mycelium
Natural UV light, as it occurs in full sunlight, will barely pen-
etrate into the greenhouse. This results in incomplete sunlight The dosage for killing off fungal spores is high for most types
entering the greenhouse and the plant therefore misses out on of fungi. After all, most spores have a thick protective shell.
an important element. A daily CleanLight treatment will make The required dosage would be so high that many of the crops
sure your plant receives the missing light it naturally needs. would also be bothered by the light. So, in summary, CleanLight
Plus the layer of wax on the crops will remain intact, which will is generally not effective for killing off spores.
serve as a natural defense system.
An added advantage is that you will need to use fewer sprays
to combat fungi. Every time you spray you automatically cause
stress and damage the crop.Your crops will grow full of health
and vitality if you spray less often and use the CleanLight tech-
nique on a daily basis.
This will result in your product undergoing a visible quality
improvement!
So how can CleanLight fight off these damaging fungi? The
dosage required to kill off the mycelium (“the fluff”) is low
for most types of fungi. In short, the CleanLight technique will
regularly kill off the mycelium, which will prevent the formation
of new spores, without damaging the crops.
Repeat treatment
Spraying your crops with chemical agents will leave a protec-
tive layer. This will ensure any fungi won’t make a quick reap-
pearance.
CleanLight will not leave a protective layer on the crops. This
means in principle the next fungal attack can happen within a
24 hour period. This is why we usually recommend carrying
out a daily CleanLight treatment.
2

6. Viruses & Bacteria then a daily wash will be required. A weekly wash to remove
any dust will be sufficient if the lights appear to be clean.
The dosage required for viruses and bacteria is relatively low
Please note: make sure the lights don’t get greasy. Grease will
when compared to the dosage required for killing off fungi.
reduce the CleanLight light’s effectiveness.
CleanLight therefore allows you to kill off both viruses and
bacteria, without damaging the crops.
Do make sure you consider the following: CleanLight can only
kill off fungi, bacteria and viruses which are actually present Safety
on the crop. Once the disease has penetrated into the crop,
CleanLight will no longer be able to reach it, or indeed kill The light can cause problems with the eyes: “arc eye”. This can
it off. manifest itself within a matter of hours after exposure to the
light. We would therefore always recommend keeping a mini-
This is exactly why daily treatment is so important! The costs mum distance of 5 meters between yourself and the equip-
associated with the daily treatment really is nothing compared ment when the lights are on. So if there is ever a reason for
to the costs of production loss, yield reduction and/or cleaning you to be closer to the lit lights, then you must use certified
up. safety glasses which offer UV-c protection.
The skin barely notices the light. The light doesn’t penetrate
into the skin.Your skin will therefore not tan as a result of
the light. The light will only damage the very top, dead layer of
Adjusting the modules skin, the epidermis. Having said that, if you need to be within 5
meters of the lights for any prolonged period of time, you will
CleanLight has conducted research for three years and some need to wear gloves and long sleeves to protect your skin.
of the excellent results include the CleanLight modules which
have been especially developed for greenhouse farming. The
modules must be focussed on the fungi, bacteria and/or virus
you want to fight off.
These modules are available in various different wattages, de-
pendent on the CleanLight application. Using these modules is
safe for you and your crops, providing the correct protocol is
applied. It’s therefore always advisable to obtain advice from a
CleanLight crop protection specialist or your trusted supplier.
The modules should be wiped clean with BioCleaner on a
regular basis. If the modules or lights look like they are acquir-
ing a green layer because they are in contact with the leaves,
3

7. The 10 advantages
1. Saving on sprays (at least 50%)
2. Improved crop quality
3. No residue on the crops
4. Less stress for the crops
5. No resistance
6. No re-entry time
7. Dry and clean technique
8. Any biological control agents are not inconvenienced
9. Heat and CO2 savings
10. Also effective against viruses and bacteria
4

8. Ornamental Plants & Flowers
Mildew
Mildew grows on the leaf and reduces the rose’s vitality and commercial value.
Mildew can be controlled with a daily CleanLight treatment. As flowers are a
dense crop, some mildew areas can survive in the ‘shadow’ of other leaves. So
you may still need to spray using a chemical agent after a few weeks, to ensure
all those little corners are reached.
Botrytis
The Botrytis fungus grows on dead plant material and from there can also come
into contact with live material. This can result in major damage. Some of the
Botrytis effects include an undesirable discolouration and deterioration of the
flower or the death of a young plant. These effects can be combated with a daily
CleanLight treatment.
Please note: The CleanLight technique should be used 7 days a week for a suc-
cessful fight against Botrytis, as Botrytis can strike within 24 hours.
Quality Improvement
Your crops will be doing visibly better by reducing the amount of spraying and
as a result of the strengthening effect of a daily CleanLight treatment. This means
your crops will boast a better colour, more flowers and plants will form part of
the A class and you will suffer fewer failures. Plus the crops will be more defensi-
ble both during cultivation and transport.
5

9. Vegetables & Fruit
Mildew
Mildew is a natural phenomenon on leaves. When conditions are right, Mildew will
parasitize by getting carbohydrates out of the leaves and thereby lowering produc-
tivity. This is easy to combat by using a low dosage of CleanLight every single day to
kill off the mycelium.
Botrytis
The Botrytis fungus grows on dead plant material and from there can also come
into contact with live material. This can result in major damage. Some of the
Botrytis effects include a deterioration of the fruit or plant itself. It can even lead
to complete failure with young plants. These effects can be combated with a daily
CleanLight treatment.
Please note: The CleanLight technique should be used 7 days a week for a succes-
sful fight against Botrytis, as Botrytis can strike within 24 hours.
Botrytis in tomato cultivation
The Botrytis fungus usually penetrates the plant via the small wound which is cre-
ated after leaf picking. It’s therefore important to ensure the lights are adjusted in
such a way that the fresh wound with the developed mycelium is well lit, before the
fungus gets a chance to penetrate the stem and subsequently be able to protect
itself against CleanLight.
Even if the fungus has managed to penetrate the stem, it would still be advisable to
continue to treat the stem with CleanLight, as this will inhibit the growth of Botry-
tis and will slow down the spread to other plants.
Pepino and Clavibacter in tomato and cucumber cultivation
These viruses have a low CleanLight tolerance. Daily CleanLight treatments will al-
low you to stop the spread of viruses or bacteria, or at the very least slow it down.
Mycosphaerella in cucumber cultivation and Fusarium in pepper cultivation
We have successfully managed to tackle Mycosphaerella and Fusarium with the
CleanLight technique. However, fighting off Mycosphaerella and Fusarium demands
a different use of the CleanLight technique than the common method. Please con-
tact one of our CleanLight crop protection specialists for more information.
Quality Improvement
Your crops will be doing visibly better by reducing the amount of spraying and as a
result of the strengthening effect of a daily CleanLight treatment. This means your
crops or your fruits will be of better quality and you will suffer fewer failures. Plus
the crops will be more defensible both during cultivation and transport.
No residue!
One of the biggest advantages of the CleanLight technique is the fact that it leaves
no residue behind and can be used as often as necessary. This means you can use
the CleanLight technique right up to the harvest period without worrying about
Maximum Residue Levels (MRL’s).
6

10. Legal Requirements
CE
The CleanLight modules satisfy the CE requirements.
ARBO (Occupational Health & Safety)
The ARBO legislation in the Netherlands stipulates
how much UV light employees may be subjected to
each day. This legislation was developed for the sl-
aughterhouse world, where UV light is used in similar
conditions and where personnel need to work under
the lights.You will satisfy the ARBO requirements if
your personnel keep at least 5 meters distance and
wear certified safety glasses and protective clothing
when near CleanLight.
Certificates
SKAL
The CleanLight technique is permitted by SKAL.
CTB
The College Toelating Bestrijdingsmiddelen (College
Permissible Pesticides) has confirmed that the Clean-
Light technique isn’t an “agent” but a form of “lighting”,
which means CTB approval isn’t required.
Intellectual Property
Both the design of the modules and the technique
used are described in CleanLight B.V.’s international
charters and patents. This means copying the techni-
que without first obtaining CleanLight B.V.’s written
permission is not permitted, plus you can be assured
of using a protected and safe technique with the Cle-
anLight products.
7

11. Notes

12. Contact information
Head Office
Address Postal address Internet
Bio Partner Center Postbus 271 www.cleanlight.nl
Nieuwe Kanaal 7L (ingang 2) 6700 AG Wageningen info@cleanlight.nl
6709 PA Wageningen
Office America Office Asia
Innovation & Technology Centre 137-070 B1,
4890 Victoria Ave. No. Seoil B/D, 1626-5
Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0 Seocho-dong, Seocho-gu
Canada Seoul, Korea
Copyright © Clean Light B.V.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or otherwise, without prior written
permission of the copyright holder. The information contained in this publication is not part of any quotation or contract, is believed to be accurate and reliable and
may be changed without notice. Despite the fact that the copyright owner the utmost diligence in compiling this publication, no liability for damages of any kind also
accepted that the direct or indirect result of actions and / or decisions (partly) based on the information contained in this publication. By the publication of this issue
is by no means a license granted in respect of patents or other intellectual property rights.