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Automated Card Hanging System (ACHS) trial

Automation of biological pest control in greenhouses

A field trial has been conducted at the Tomatoworld field lab to investigate the automation of biological pest control in greenhouse horticulture. In collaboration with RoboHouse, Octiva and Koppert, the Automated Card Hanging System (ACHS) has been validated: a robotic system that deploys biological control agents accurately and reproducibly within the crop. This development contributes to scalable and data-driven applications of integrated pest management (IPM).

From manual deployment to robot-controlled precision

Traditionally, cards containing beneficial insects are hung in the crop by hand. In this trial, this process has been automated using a robot equipped with vision technology. The system navigates autonomously through the greenhouse, determines the correct position within the crop and places En-Strip cards containing parasitic wasp pupae precisely at plant level via a controlled arm.

This approach makes it possible to:

  • Deploy biological control agents consistently and accurately

  • Reduce labour and standardise processes

  • Make biological control more scalable

  • Validation under real-world conditions

Following earlier tests in a controlled environment, the ACHS system has been validated at Tomatoworld under realistic greenhouse conditions. The assessment focused on positioning accuracy, reliability and applicability within an operational growing environment.

The trial has now been completed. The results and next steps are currently being analysed, with the aim of further optimisation and practical implementation.

Relevance to greenhouse horticulture

The pressure on the labour force, combined with the need to reduce the use of chemical crop protection products, calls for innovative solutions. Robotics and automation offer concrete opportunities in this regard. By combining biological pest control with autonomous systems, a new step is taken towards efficient, sustainable and data-driven cultivation systems.

Collaboration within the ecosystem

This field trial was conducted as part of the RoboCrops programme, which forms part of the National Growth Fund Programme Agrifood | NXTGEN High-tech. Within this programme, technology partners and crop specialists are working together on the development and validation of robotics in the greenhouse.

Tomatoworld acts as an independent field lab where innovations are tested, validated and demonstrated in a realistic growing environment.

Find out more or experience it for yourself

Would you like to discover how robotics and biological pest control come together in practice? Get in touch or arrange a visit to the Tomatoworld field lab.