Tomaten
Tomatoworld
Tomatoworld biedt onderdak aan de nieuwste technologieën voor de tuinkassen van Westland.
Heliospectra has long worked with research institutions and controlled growing environments, where precise spectrum control and system reliability are essential. Multi-channel LED fixtures have been part of the Heliospectra portfolio since 2010, followed by the introduction of the helioCORE™ lighting control platform in 2015. Heliospectra originally developed these technologies to support research applications requiring flexible spectrum control, repeatability, and stable system communication.
As multi-channel lighting has increasingly been adopted in commercial greenhouse production, system requirements have also evolved. Larger installations involve longer communication distances and more fixtures. They also include additional control groups and more complex integration with climate computers and other systems. Ensuring stable communication and reliable performance at this scale requires continuous validation and refinement under real operating conditions.
Tomatoworld provides a unique environment as an independent fieldlab for data-driven greenhouse innovation, where new technologies are tested, validated, and demonstrated in a fully integrated cultivation setting. As the partnership enters its second year, the installation continues to play an important role in validating system performance and testing software updates. It also supports further optimization of wireless communication and control. Through this ongoing collaboration, both companies can continue to develop and refine solutions based on validation in real greenhouse conditions, supporting both research environments and commercial greenhouse installations.
Supporting advanced monitoring and research activities
Tomatoworld’s greenhouse hosts a wide range of technologies, including camera-based monitoring systems, robotics, and advanced sensors. These systems rely on stable and consistent lighting conditions to collect reliable data.
For this reason, the installed spectrum contains a relatively high proportion of white light. Tomato production often focuses on maximizing efficiency with highly red-dominant spectra such as B5, G5, R90. The Tomatoworld installation also considers the needs of imaging systems and monitoring technologies and therefore uses B7, G11, R81, and FR1. The slightly higher proportion of blue and green light contributes to improved crop visibility and supports accurate measurements for cameras and sensors.
Another important aspect is lighting stability. The MITRA X fixtures use DC-based dimming, which means the output current is lowered. Unlike other dimming methods, such as PWM dimming, where the light is switched on and off at around 1000 Hz, DC-based dimming does not produce flicker. While this is not visible to the human eye, it can be detected by high-resolution cameras. Heliospectra’s lighting supports stable operation of cameras, sensors, and other monitoring technologies, enabling Tomatoworld’s work with automated systems and data-driven cultivation.
Testing lighting control under real greenhouse conditions
The lighting installation at Tomatoworld consists of 108 fixtures. To further challenge and evaluate the control system, these fixtures have been divided into 26 control groups, whereas a typical tomato greenhouse is usually controlled as a single group. This creates a more demanding communication environment than is typically required in commercial tomato production.
The setup allows Heliospectra to evaluate wireless communication performance, control responsiveness, and system stability under realistic greenhouse conditions. Testing in a live cultivation environment provides valuable insights that cannot be fully replicated in a laboratory setting.
Through this collaboration, lighting control software and system updates can be validated in practice. This helps validate system performance under commercial greenhouse conditions. It also allows Heliospectra to test the latest software updates to support smooth implementation across installations, as customers receive all new updates free of charge. At Tomatoworld, Heliospectra is also able to evaluate how updates within the platform perform when the system is fully integrated into a climate computer, as it is in the Tomatoworld greenhouse.
Developing plant-responsive lighting with helioSENSE
Tomatoworld also provides an important environment for testing Heliospectra’s new biofeedback sensor, helioSENSE, which will be launched at GreenTech 2026. This chlorophyll fluorescence sensor measures the photochemical efficiency of plants, providing insights into how plants respond to light conditions.
HelioSENSE is currently being field-tested in young plants, Phalaenopsis, pot plants, and tomatoes this winter (in earlier years, the sensor has also been tested in lettuce and cress cultivation). In tomato cultivation, one of the field tests is conducted at Tomatoworld and another at a research centre in Canada.
By monitoring plant signals, the sensor can help determine optimal light levels and support growth tracking throughout the cultivation cycle. While the technology has already been tested in crops with horizontal canopies, Tomatoworld offers the opportunity to further evaluate its application in high-wire tomato cultivation.
Evaluating different sensor positions and setups in this environment helps improve data interpretation and supports the continued development of plant-responsive lighting strategies.
A platform for collaboration and innovation
As an innovation centre, Tomatoworld brings together technology providers, researchers, and growers to explore the future of greenhouse cultivation. The environment also provides the opportunity to work closely with other companies in the industry, connecting lighting, climate computers, sensors, robotics, and other technologies within one integrated greenhouse system. By linking lighting systems with climate control platforms and comparing data with other sensor technologies, new solutions can be evaluated under real cultivation conditions.
Through this collaboration, Heliospectra can continuously refine lighting systems, control software, and sensor technologies, while Tomatoworld benefits from access to advanced lighting technologies that support its research, demonstration, and innovation activities. Insights from these tests contribute to the development of practical solutions that can support growers, researchers, and technology companies working on data-driven greenhouse cultivation. Together, the partnership contributes to the development of reliable, well-tested technologies that support the next generation of greenhouse cultivation.
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