The third ECONUTRI Hackathon was successfully held in the Netherlands by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and LTO Glaskracht Nederland (LGNL) under the title “Optimizing irrigation to prevent pollution in soil-bound horticulture.” The hackathon focused on the Virtual Lysimeter Decision Support System (DSS), a tool designed to support irrigation management and help minimise nutrient losses and pollution in soil-based horticultural systems. The three-session format took place on 13, 20 and 27 March 2026, combined with a three-week open-access online support period for questions, comments and feedback.

Hosted at the World Horti Centre in Naaldwijk, the hackathon brought together students, farmers/growers, water coaches, advisors, researchers and other stakeholders in a hands-on process built around practical problem-solving and real-life irrigation challenges. The first session introduced participants to the Virtual Lysimeter and the overall hackathon challenge, the second session focused on a workshop around the assignment, and the final meeting was dedicated to discussing results and collecting suggestions for further improving the tool. Throughout the hackathon period, participants also remained connected through an online Teams environment.

At the center of the hackathon was a practical assignment using the Virtual Lysimeter to optimize irrigation strategies. Participants worked through the platform step by step, comparing scenarios across crops, soil types and growing conditions, and interpreting key parameters such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, drainage and pF values ​​to identify approaches that keep crops close to the target pF while limiting unnecessary drainage and pollution

Presented as an innovative alternative to physical lysimeters, the Virtual Lysimeter uses irrigation and greenhouse climate data to simulate water content and water flows in different soil layers. The hackathon showed how this digital tool can support more precise irrigation decisions, while also creating a strong link between research, education and practice through collaborative testing and user feedback.

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