Presenting Greenhouse Grower’s 2026 Technology of the Year Finalists
June 26, 2026 
Greenhouse Grower will give out several awards at the Evening of Excellence during Cultivate’ 26 on July 13. Here’s your chance to get to know the finalists for this year’s Technology of the Year award before the winner is announced.
Air Tray Technologies (Blackmore Co.)
Air Tray Technologies gives growers a practical way to improve root quality, crop uniformity, and production efficiency without revamping growing system completely. It targets a core issue in our industry: inefficient root development due to continued use of the traditional round container which causes roots to circle. By encouraging air-pruned, fibrous root system, Air Tray helps plants establish faster after transplant, recover more consistently, and use water and nutrients more efficiently.
By promoting air-pruned, fibrous, non-circling roots, Air Tray helps create a more efficient plant from the beginning of production. It improves oxygen exchange in the root zone, reduces overly wet conditions, and supports more consistent establishment after transplanting or shifting. The technology is also flexible, with multiple tray and container sizes that apply across horticultural and agricultural crops, including ornamentals, trees, shrubs, citrus, and viticulture.
PARPerfect Shading System (Svensson)
PARperfect advances greenhouse light management from fixed or reactive shading methods to dynamic, precision-based control of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). It enables continuous adjustment of shading levels in response to changing outdoor radiation and crop requirements, and uses a dual screen configuration that pairs a highly diffusive Harmony PARperfect climate screen with a variable shading screen, allowing gradual control of screen positions from approximately 20% to 100% throughout the day.
This design enables growers to stabilize PAR levels while avoiding spikes of direct sunlight that can cause crop stress, leaf damage, or uneven development. Over the past several years, adoption of PARperfect has supported improved light uniformity, higher usable cumulative light, and more consistent growing conditions, particularly in floriculture crops that are sensitive to light extremes.
Pot-in-Tray Machine (BOLD Robotic Solutions)
The Pot-In-Tray Machine is an efficient, reliable solution to one of the industry’s most repetitive, time-consuming tasks. By automating the task of loading pots into trays at high-speed, BOLD has helped greenhouses cut back on unproductive overhead and operational volatility.
The Pot-In-Tray Machine’s compact design maximizes tight workspace efficiency without sacrificing power, delivering a high-speed output of up to 15 trays per minute. Fast modular changeovers allow for effortless transitions between sizes, creating a streamlined workflow that requires minimal manual intervention. The machine also offers an open-access design that simplifies maintenance and ensures the mechanics are always easy to reach and service.
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