Apr 12, 2018

Dümmen Orange Introduces New Rooting Technology

At California Spring Trials, Dümmen Orange will be introducing Basewell, a new rooting technology that  uses an off-shore propagation process to deliver high quality bare-root cuttings directly to the grower.

A new product form, Basewell bare-root cuttings feature advanced root development and no growing media. This allows Basewell product to ship to growers from off-shore production locations, ready to transplant directly into the finish container.

Perry Wismans, Global Head of Floriculture Innovation at Dümmen Orange, says, “We are excited to bring this innovation to the market. Dümmen Orange is setting the new industry standard for propagation, giving customers around the globe access to an improved supply chain.”

Basewell technology delivers multiple benefits for the grower:

• Simplifies processes: The bare-root cutting form allows the grower to order rooted product directly from the production farm, decreasing order lead time and maximizing program planning flexibility.
• Optimizes space: The grower receives a product that is ready to transplant directly into the finished container. Consequently, more production turns can be completed and propagation space can be converted into finished production space.
• Saves labor: Basewell is available in two configurations, including full strips and individual cells that are compatible with automated sticking methods. The individual cells are also suitable for non-automated production, where workers can quickly transplant the product by hand into the finished container.

Basewell technology has been trialed on various annual and perennial crops across North America to evaluate performance against unrooted and rooted cuttings. Results show that Basewell bare-root cuttings finish in equal or less time than an equivalent rooted cutting.

LJ Contillo, vice president at Costa Farms in North Carolina, shares that his “first impressions of the performance of Basewell are very good. We tested Basewell technology on our SunStanding Quick Turn cuttings, and we are now set to begin testing many more varieties.”

Available to ship for the 2019 season, growers in North America will have access to a wide range of crops. The technology will be expanded to more products and available in other regions in the coming years.

Harry Kloppenburg, chief commercial officer, says, “Basewell is a revolutionary technology that brings our customers more efficiency and more value. First, we launch this toward our North American customer base. In 2019, Basewell technology will become available in more regions, including Europe.”

Hans van den Heuvel, Managing Director R&D at Dümmen Orange, says, “We are very proud to launch Basewell. Several years of R&D investments in plant physiology have led to this innovative product form. The Basewell technology secures the resilience of a whole plant into a cutting.”

Growers can order a free trial to experience the benefits in their own production environments at Basewell.DummenOrange.com.