What is a greenhouse?
A green house refers to a building designed for the protection and growth of plants that may not be currently in season or are exquisite in nature to a particular location. A green house helps in protecting the plants against excessive cold and heat as well as pests and pathogens. The origins of a green house structure can be dated back to the 17th century where ordinary bricks were used with a small portion of ventilation space with a few added means of heating.
With a progression in technology and development in the agricultural landscape the green house structures have become much more sophisticated with the use of glass, wood or metal frameworks. Later, the green house technology advanced into automation and developed from mere environment control to creating an artificial environment that is extremely conducive for plant growth.
There are various types and sizes of green houses. It can be commonly stated that large green houses are more actively used for agriculture, horticulture and botanical science study and research while smaller greenhouses can be used for domestic planting by hobbyist, home gardeners and collectors.
A greenhouse traps heat and light hence creating a warm temperature for the air, water and nutrients. Naturally, the light of the sun is allowed to flow into the greenhouse. If the heat provided by this thermal energy is more than what is required, the cooling systems that are installed are activated. However, if this thermal energy is not enough even after being trapped and reflected using aluminum panel, the artificial heating systems that are installed can be activated. Both these options help in creating the perfect temperature for the plants to grown in.
What is a poly house?
A polyhouse refers to an enclosed structure that helps in promoting plant growth by creating an artificial environment extremely similar to the environment of the natural growth habitat of the particular plants that are cultivated in them. A polyhouse is a subset of the green house concept where specifically a polythene sheet is used as a covering material within which crops can be grown are in either a partial or fully controlled and automated environment.
Since this method of farming using only polythene sheets and gives the desired output very similar to a glass structure of green houses, it is more commonly used and available in India. The materials of making for a polyhouse are much lower as compared to a greenhouse and is hence preferred by most farmers.
However, the durability and strength of a polyhouse is relatively lower than a green house, which give the green house an advantage of having a longer life and sustainability that polyhouses. Green houses can be entirely automated while there a certain restriction for the same in a poly house.
Choosing if a poly house or green house is better for the farmer is based on various factors such a budget, maintenance expenditure, locality, labor costs etc. It is best to seek professional guidance about choosing the right mode of farming based on these external factors.
What is Poly house farming?
Poly house farming refers to the process of cultivating plants in a controlled environment providing the right quantity of heat, cold, humidity, air temperature, nutrients etc. to the plants in order to promote conducive growth. The primary objective of a polyhouse is to create an artificial environment that will boost plant growth and ensure the output is of optimum standards.
Crops suitable for poly house farming:
• Vegetables: Capsicum, Cabbage, Radish, Chili, Tomato, Bitter gourd etc.
• Fruits: Papaya, Strawberry, Blueberries etc.
• Flowers: Marigold, Orchids, Rose, Carnation
How to start polyhouse farming?
There are various steps that need to be completed before poly house farming can be actively practiced by a farmer. India is among the top rankers for protected cultivation with 10.10m ha actively practicing the same. While poly house cultivation has paved the way for off season fruits and flowers to be grown comfortably, there are certain concepts to be kept in mind for a successful yield:
While polyhouse farming is a cost effective and budget friendly process, it is also highly dependent on various external factors during the initial stages. Installing the right kind of poly house will ensure that there are no unwanted costs that may lead to dissatisfaction among farmers.
Why is greenhouse automation important?
Greenhouse automation refers to a process where an added external control system is used to monitor and measure certain specific aspects of a greenhouse. A greenhouse provides plants with a high degree of protection against unwanted pests and pathogens, adverse weather conditions and external factors that disrupt plant growth. The external factors directly affect how the conditions inside the greenhouse should be adjusted and maintained to provide the exact micro climate for plant growth.
There are optimum conditions in which plants thrive and creating that right environment can be tricky due to the various environmental variables like light, thermal energy, wind, humidity, rain, perspiration etc.
Advantages of greenhouse automation?
There are innumerable benefits to automating a greenhouse that can be summarized as follows:
What can be automated in a greenhouse?
The level of automation in a greenhouse id often dependent on various factors such as the size of the greenhouse, structure of the greenhouse and average external affecting factors for the greenhouse. Various automations can be done in the following areas:
• Heating systems
• Cooling systems
• Ventilation systems
• Temperature monitoring
• Lighting systems
• Humidity control
• Carbon di oxide levels
• Irrigation systems
• Vents and roof systems
Complete control in a greenhouse helps in achieving the perfect conditions for plant growth that will help farmers reach their target quantities and quality. Farmers can rely on greenhouse automation equipment to reach the desired artificial micro environment. Its best to get in touch with a profession who can help in finding the right automation tools that will boost the greenhouse instead of being a liability and added expense to the farmers.
Most common greenhouse automation options:
Regardless of the level of automation, greenhouses have already proved to be extremely profitable across the globe. Adding automation to the greenhouse cultivations boosts the profit margins and gives room for farmers to learn about the latest technology and innovations in their fields. The automation process adds value to a greenhouse and ensures that there is no wastage but maximum utilization of resources with the greenhouse.
What is green house farming?
Greenhouse farming refers to an agricultural practice where crops are grown in a sheltered structure that is covered by a transparent material like glass, plastic films etc. The main purpose of this is to provide the crops with a conducive external environment to grow in regardless of the climatic conditions prevailing naturally in that location.
Farming using greenhouses has various advantages and disadvantages that can be listed as:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
What is a cold chambers?
A cold chamber refers to an enclosed structure that helps in the ripening process of plants and vegetables and increasing the shelf life of the fruits, flowers and other crops stored within the chamber. These chambers help in bulk handling perishables like fruits and vegetables in the line from production to marketing. It ensures that the produce stays fresh and consumable for longer periods by manipulating and controlling the temperature, humidity and lights inside a cold chamber system. It is however, important to ensure that the temperature is not extremely low or else the produce may go into a cold shock and end up being damaged.
A cold chambers was first created with bricks, sand and an enclosed roof made out of coconut leaves or grass. Sand was filled in between the brick walls and watered every day in the mornings as well as evenings. This is a zero-energy cold chamber that can be easily constructed for small farms and has proven to be as effective as an automated cold storage, that will cost much more to local farmers.
Advantages of cold chambers:
• Produce that is ripened in a cold chamber is much firmer as compared to produce that is ripened under external ambient conditions.
• The shelf life of the produce can also be increased drastically and the rotting process of the produce is decreased. Example: the shelf life of grapes can be increased to over 60 days if stored in a cold chamber as compared to just 8-12 days of shelf life if stored in ambient conditions.
• Reduces internal water loss and wilting of the produce
• Farmers can negotiate the right prices of the produce with middle men or even sell the produce directly as they will have enough time before the rotting starts and they do not have to come under the techniques of pressure sales and end up losing profits.
• Increase in preservation rates of vitamins of the produce and hence the quality of the produce can be maintained for longer periods of time.
• Zero energy cool chambers for small scale operations and other cool chambers that are built keeping in mind the cost and budget will actually consume very less energy but would prove to advantageous in the long run by solving the problem of reduced fresh fruits.
• Reduce the chance of attacks by micro-organisms or degradation caused by enzymes.
• A group of farmers can pool together and install a common cold chamber for all their individual produce and this can boost a positive co-operative operation and prove to be pocket friendly as well.
Features of a cold chamber:
• Temperature: The temperature inside a cold chamber can be automated and controlled based on the needs of the plants. It can vary even on a day-to-day basis and can reach as low as 4 degrees Celsius in certain high-power storages.
• Energy efficient: Cold chambers are extremely energy efficient if installed at the right size based on the quantity of produce. There are various models that can be adjusted to a certain degree to suit the needs of the farmers.
Pre cooling chamber:
Pre cooling chambers are designed in such a way that they help in removing excess heat from fruits and vegetables. Pre cooling chambers generally have evaporating units that suck cold air through perforations in boxes of the produce in order to attain the appropriate temperature within a few hours. Rapid cooling is achieved by maintaining the high levels of humidity within the chambers that promote a retention in the freshness of fruits and vegetables and also helps in avoiding fibre and weight loss in the same.
Pre cooling has various benefits like:
There are various factors that determine the right kind of cold storage and it is extremely important to understand the needs of the produce. It is best to gain professional help and decide upon the right variation of cold chambers that will not only be beneficial to the produce but also prove to be cost effective and pocket friendly.
There are various revolutionary changes in the Indian Agricultural system with a development in technology, markets and institutions that have an extremely important role to play. The green revolution brought about a massive change in the agricultural sector in the late sixties and early seventies which was a not-for-profit movement by the public sector. The mindset has recently been shifting to a for profit movement by the private sector that is not only boosting the income status of the farmers but also giving them an opportunity of development and advancement from traditional farming techniques.
The traditional farming techniques give them lesser yield which in turn leads to lower profit. If the farmers adopt the automation advancements, they have higher yield, higher profits which gives them a higher opportunity for development. The agricultural sector in India is extremely large contributing to about 15 percent of the total GDP and giving employment to more than half the Indian population. In this century, Indian overtook the United States to being the largest producer of milk in the world and is also amongst the largest producers of pulses, lentils, rice and wheat.
Credit for this growth can be given to automation developments such as irrigation systems, greenhouses and polyhouses. Greenhouses are considered to be the future of high-tech farming and have become extremely popular across the world. The Indian agricultural landscape has adopted the green housing mode of agriculture recently and has seen a lot of positive response through higher automation, lower labor force and higher yield.
Greenhouse farming refers to a process of growing crops in a greenhouse. A greenhouse is a closed structure that helps in creating an artificial micro environment that is conducive for the growth of that particular set of plants/ crops.
Automation in a greenhouse can be achieved by controlling the humidity, temperature, light and ventilation externally. This control allows the farmers to create and provide an environment that will boost the plant growth. A greenhouse that is installed based on the type of crops grown, size of requirement and other properly measured external factors can also help in preserving energy, reducing production costs and prove to be extremely pocket friendly to the farmers. They can also help farmers in exploring the growth of a wider range of plant and provide higher profits with the production of exotic fruits and vegetables like strawberries, blueberries etc. in India.
Apart from these benefits greenhouses prevent pest attacks and pathogen infestations giving farmers a certain level of surety with the production and output levels.
Keeping in mind all these advantages, the Indian greenhouse market has been growing at a phenomenal rate and has currently reached a market valuation of USD 190 Million and is estimated to grow even more. The increase in population and hence in food demand has on some level, forced the Indian farmers to search for better, sustainable and independent modes of farming and move away from the traditional modes. Greenhouse farming satisfies all the criterion for Indian farmers and is a rising entrepreneurial field with government backing.
What is a mist chamber?
A mist chamber refers to an enclosed structure system where relative humidity is maintained artificially with the help of mist instillations which spray water under pressure at a high level. The formation of fog induces acclimatation and rooting for the plants. Nursery plants that are propagated by cutting are grown in mist chambers. The high humidity levels ensure that the root initiation process is complete and the cooling effect within misting chambers ensures that the cutting is not dried out.
The use of mist chambers results in faster rooting for the cuttings and creates an optimum micro environment in which the root initiation is better. This helps in faster development of the plants and higher success rates with the cuttings. The mist chambers can be automated as the light, temperature and humidity levels can be externally and remotely controlled ensuring that the plants have a conducive environment for growth at all times.
Mist chambers are generally used for vegetative plants and seeds apart from research purposes. These chambers help in reducing the plant moisture loss and can also be extremely supportive in facilitating rooting of leafy cuttings. The size of the mist particles can vary between 50 to 100 micrometers.
Mist chambers can help in rooting of plants such as eucalyptus, bamboo and other medicinal plants and the hardening of tissue culture plants.
Advantages of mist chambers:
• Mist chambers facilitate a faster growth of cuttings and the rooting process
• They help in creating an optimum and appropriate micro environment for the root initiation and development process
• Ensures that the plants are not subject to a pest infestations, pathogens and insect attacks
• They have proven to have higher success rates in the propagation of hard wood cuttings
• Automation and external control of temperature and humidity ensure that the relative humidity can be maintained easily and remotely
• The mist chambers have a long life if installed and maintained properly and can be an extremely successful investment that gives returns quickly
Controls of a mist chamber:
A mist chamber has 5 main control mechanisms that operate together to maintain the relative humidity within the chamber:
Components of a mist chamber:
A mist chamber consists of various parts as listed below that work together to provide the right micro climate for a conducive process of plant growth:
Hardening of plants in mist chambers:
After rooting in the mist chamber, it is important for the rooted cuttings to be hardened for better field existence. Misting should however not stop once the cuttings are rooted as this may lead to death of young plants due to dehydration and drying in accordance with scorching. The weaving off process should be continued and gradually reduced in which the misting system still operates but the number of sprays reduce.
Another method of ensuring the plants survive in a conducive micro environment is by moving them to a greenhouse or a fog chamber where the temperature is maintained at higher degrees and the relative humidity is lower. Whichever mode is chose, the hardening process should be done in a phased manner in order to ensure that the rooted cuttings are planted in permanent locations.
What is plant health?
Plants provide about 80 percent of food for humans and are the only source of nutrition for livestock. Plant health refers to the well being of the plants in an area as well as the health of the ecosystem in which it is habituated. This includes the protection of the plants and the legal framework that helps in controlling the pest infestations and other pathogens. In a healthy plant the leaves are firm and the flowers, fruits, root systems are well established. They are not pest infested or disease filled. Pests and diseases can affect the plants and their signs can include change in color of leaves, wilting or curling leaves, disformed fruits and flowers and death of roots and stems.
Any damage caused to the plants will reduce the efficiency of photosynthesis and directly effect the output of the plants. Pests can directly harm the plants and show external signs. The most common pests found are snails, caterpillars and white butterflies. Diseases however, are caused by bacteria, fungus or viruses and they may not show direct external signs but they interfere with the plant growth and development process.
Why is plant health important?
Plant health is the most important factor that largely impacts food security.
• Over 10 percent of harvest is lost due to damage by pests globally and food production is attacked by over 1,000 species of pests. With a proper implementation of plant health about 50 percent of the plant yield can be saved.
• Positive plant health promotes global food trade as it directly affects food accessibility, availability and surplus that promote the import and export of crop yields.
• Plant health also reduces the risk of food safety in consumable crops and horticulture plants. Having impactful plant health measures in place can promote food security and safety making the crops better for human consumption.
• Plant health provides financial security to farmers and contributes to food affordability as the losses incurred by farmers due to poor health of plants is minimized. By reducing pest damage and effective use of pest management solution, plant health can be boosted and the net economic benefit for farmers can be increased drastically.
Plant health equipment’s:
There are various plant health care steps that can be followed by farmers to reduce pest attacks and increase the quality and quantity of the crop yields. Framing equipment’s like groundskeepers, diameter tapes, tree injectors, root control systems and inspection drills can be used by farmers to reduce, measure and control the chances of pest attacks. It is easy to predict the type of infestations that may occur based on the ecosystem, genetics of the plants and other external factors that are generally well known by farmers.
Creating a toolbox for plant care is the easiest way to maximize plant health. The toolbox can contain pumps, nozzles, hose’s, measuring cups and cylinders, pesticide and fertilizer spray cans and any other equipment that may be required for the specific plant.
Proper trimming and chipping is also essential and tools specific to these tasks can be commonly found. Identifying the host plant from which the infestations have been initiated can be a crucial step in monitoring the overall plant health of all the multiple crops present in one field.
What is environment monitoring?
Environment monitoring refers to a process where special tools and techniques are used to observe an environment and define its quality. It helps in identifying the effect of activities and their impact on the environment as a whole.
The main objective of environment monitoring is to manage and minimize the negative effect of various activities on the immediate external environment. It helps in controlling the pollution levels and helps in identifying new trends to achieve the same motive. This is done to protect to environment which directly influences the health and positivity of humans, plants and animals.
There are 3 main types of environmental monitoring activities which are globally recognized and practiced:
Other environmental monitoring equipment’s:
• Smart sensors
• Automatic samplers
• Buoy Mooring
• Data Loggers
• Online Data centers
• Sondes
• Meters
• Temperature profiling
• Flood warning systems
• Stream and River Monitoring systems