l Floriculture Today March 2017
March 2017
Floriculture Today l
l Floriculture Today March 2017
March 2017
Floriculture Today l
Contents 8
Editorial
v Indoor Plants 10 Bromeliads An Exotic Touch to The Interiors — S.M.Sailaja, Dr.Yogesh.Saitwal
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14 Fuschia An Outstanding Indoor Plant — Mamta Bohra, Amit Visen and B. P. Nautiyal v Dry Flower 18 Wood Rose An Exquisite Natural Dry Flower — Bathineni Vimala, Scientist, Dr YSRHU, Upputuri Pavani, Horticulture Office, AP v Interview 20 ‘We Intend to Go Through Fifty Years’ — David Z. Yarkoni, Montiplanta v Nanotechnology 22 A Way Forward for Enhancing the Efficiency in Agriculture — Bir Pal Singh and Baswaraj Raigond v Greenhouse 28 Growing Greenhouse Roses at Pune: Challenges and Solutions — Avinash Dandekar 32 New Paradigm in Greenhouse Lighting — Pitam Chandra, Former Director, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 35 New Greenhouse Projects Implemented in South Bulgaria
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v NEWS 38 “High-power LED Grow Light Cuts Energy by 40%” 39 Cooling the Greenhouse: Chalk or Liquid? 40 “Bright Future for Horticulture in Asia” 41 The Benefits of Fertigation and Irrigation Control 42 Ireland: Organic Grower Compares Edible Flowers with Slow Food 42 South Korea, Qatar Join Hands in Vertical Farming 43 Vietnam Wants 15,000 Cooperatives by 2020 43 Malaysian Startup Promotes Indoor Farming 44 “Carbon Gold’s Biology Blend most Effective in Reducing Root Mat Disease” 44 Aquaponics Takes Root in Namibia
March 2017
Floriculture Today l
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March 2017 2017 l Floriculture Today February
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Edit orial
ose lovers were in for a pleasant surprise when they visited the Mughal Gardens in the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the national capital, kept open for the public for the annual Udyan Mahotsav. They could see for the first time rose plants named after the Indian President and his wife, along with older varieties named after other celebrities like ‘Abraham Lincoln’, ‘Queen Elizabeth’ , John Kennedy’ and Jawaharlal Nehru. Both these rose plants, developed by two West Bengal-based plant breeders, are expected to bloom in the first week of March. ‘President Pranab’ will display its bright yellow colour, while ’Suvra Mukherjee’ will bloom in a mix of purple and pink. The rose garden is one of the major attractions in the sprawling Mughal Gardens. It has about 140 varieties of roses, many of them named not only after famous world leaders, but also characters from epics like Mahabharat -- ‘Bhim’ and ‘Arjun’ – and also well known monuments – ‘Taj Mahal’ and ‘Eiffel Tower’. The Mughal Gardens, built originally as a combination of Mughal and British styles of architecture, attracts lakhs of visitors every year. Besides roses, a big attraction there is the tulip garden. About 14,000 tulips in full bloom are a feast to the eyes. Varieties of bougainvilleas in different hues, choice seasonal flowers, floral art, floral inscriptions, manicured lawns, water ways and fountains make it most enjoyable experience for every visitor, young or old. With air pollution posing a major problem in the capital, the garden authorities have done well to devote one section exclusively to display of air-purifying plants. This would surely enthuse many plant lovers to look for similar ones in nurseries and shops that sell them so that they can keep them in their homes and offices to improve the ambience. Other attractions in the complex include the herbal garden and the Spiritual Garden, where trees and plants that have special significance to diverse religious in this country are grown and their names displayed. This being the main season in India for roses and flowers, it provides an ideal setting for conducting a host of flower and garden shows across the country. The most prestigious among them is the 12 th International Flora Expo, held this time in Pune. The calendar of events is replete with exhibitions galore -- a floral fiesta, which flower lovers would not like to miss. To cite a few of them, we have chrysanthemum shows, the 45th Rose Festival at Zakir Rose Garden in Chandigarh, which is an international exhibition, the Delhi Flower Show, held at the historic Purana Quila premises and Lalbagh Flower Show in Bangalore, held twice every year on the Republic Day and Independence Day. The event in Bangalore, jointly organized by the Department of Horticulture and Mysore Horticulture Society, has been one of the most awaited events in the Garden City. One of the popular events in Delhi is the Garden Festival in the Garden of Five Senses near Mehrauli Heritage area. The three-day festival in this garden, spread over 22 acres, draws participants from horticulture departments as well a number of private and government agencies. One special feature of this year’s festival is free Ayurveda and naturopathy consultancy. The garden, having 500 species of plants has such attractions as Court of Palms, Court of Cacti, herbal garden, tree museum, topiary garden and Zen garden, besides a separate butterfly zone, which is particularly popular with children. These garden and flower shows that attract increasing number of visitors every year underscore the fact that garden tourism, reflecting love for flowers and plants, is on a growth path in India. Comments are welcome at: editorialmtpl@gmail.com
Views expressed by individuals and contributors in the magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Floriculture Today editorial board. Floriculture Today does not accept any responsibility of any direct, indirect or consequential damage caused to any party due to views expressed by any one or more persons in the trade. All disputes are to be referred to Delhi Jurisdiction only. .....Editor
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Floriculture Today l
Indoor Plants
Bromeliads An Exotic touch to the Interiors — S.M.Sailaja, Dr.Yogesh.Saitwal Few cultivated species
Gazumania ligulata
Vriesea cannes grande astrid
Gazumania ligulata
Combination of species
Bromeliads belonging to Bromeliaceae family, commonly called as air plant, blushing bromeliad, pink quill, queen’s tears, rainbow star, scarlet star, vase or urn plant, zebra plant. Their colourful bracts last several months, making them ideal house plants, particularly for a warm conservatory or glasshouse. Flowering occurs any time during the growing season. Bromeliads are able to live in a vast array of environmental conditions due to their many adaptations. Bromeliads have developed an adaptation known as the tank habit, which involves them forming a tightly bound structure with their leaves that helps to capture water and nutrients in the absence of a well-developed root system. Bromeliads also use CAM photosynthesis to create sugars. This adaptation allows bromeliads in hot or dry climates to open their stomata at night rather than during the day, which reduces water loss. Description Bromeliads foliage takes different shapes, from needle-thin to broad and flat, symmetrical to irregular, spiny to soft. The foliage, which usually grows in a rosette, is widely patterned and colored. Leaf colors range from maroon, through shades of green, to gold. Varieties
may have leaves with red, yellow, white and cream variations. Others may be spotted with purple, red, or cream, while few others have different colors on the tops and bottoms of the leaves. The inflorescences produced by bromeliads are also regarded as considerably more diverse than any other
Gazumania ligulata
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Tillandsia cyanea
plant family. Some flower spikes may reach 10 m tall, while others only measure 2–3 mm across. Upright stalks may be branched or simple with spikes retaining their color from two weeks up to 12 months, depending on species. In some species, the flower remains unseen, growing deep in the base of
Billbergia nutans
the plants. Root systems vary according to plant type. Terrestrial bromeliad species have complex root systems that gather water and nutrients, while epiphytic bromeliads only grow hard, wiry roots to attach themselves to trees and rocks. They are not parasitic but simply use the structures
Aechmea fasciata
Indoor Plants water. Empty and refill it every one to two months. Compost should be kept damp in summer and water only when it dries out in winter.
as perches from which to gather sun and moisture. Cultivation Light and Temperature Position plants in bright light, shaded from direct summer sun, such as on westor south-facing windowsill. Summer temperatures around 210C (700F) induce flowering but once the buds form, cooler temperatures 120C (550F) will help flowers last longer. Plants require minimum temperature of 100C (500F) in winter They do even better in shallow pots and may grow in low soil mediums such as orchid mix, a blend of bark, sphagnum moss and other organic amendments. Watering and Feeding v Species with a rosette of leaves should be watered by topping up the cupped rosette or ‘well’ with rain
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Non-rosette species such as Aechmea and Tillandsia should be kept moist at all times but never wet and good drainage is essential.
v
Maintain humid conditions, particularly in summer, by placing the plant on a large saucer three-quarters filled with gravel or clay pellets and keep the level of water just below the surface of the gravel. Mist the plant in hot weather.
v
Nutrients are most readily absorbed through the leaves so mist non
Ananas bracteatus Cryptanthus Novistar
Vriesea splendens
rosette plants with high nitrogen foliar feed at
Tillandsia ionantha
monthly intervals from spring to autumn.
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Indoor Plants v
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Rosette plants can have half-strength, general-purpose liquid feed that contains a high proportion of nitrogen, added to the water, during the growing season. Feed the plants with a half strength fertilizer every month in the growing season.
Potting and Compost Most epiphytic bromeliads can be
grown in a soil-less growing media made up of fine composted bark (or an orchid compost), perlite and coir fibre in equal proportions. Another alternative is to mix half fine composted bark (or an orchid compost) with half multipurpose growing media, including peat. Never use soil when potting your bromeliad. Cymbidium orchid compost can also be used. The key is to achieve a very free draining media Plant in 7.5–12.5cm (35in) container, larger plants may become
top heavy or the rosettes overcrowded and need to be potted into a 17.5cm (7in) container. Propagation After flowering, the rosette from which the flower was produced will die. However, most plants produce offsets from the base of the plant called “Pups� before flowering and these will form new plants. Plants purchased in flower seldom have offsets but, if you continue to water old plants, basal shoots usually form. Old plants can be kept for two to three years, producing offsets at intervals. v With a single offset, remove the old rosette after flowering and re-pot using fresh compost and a smaller container. v
Where several offsets form, allow one to grow on naturally as above. Use a sharp knife to remove the other offsets from the crown in April or May, when about a third of the size of the mature plant
v
Trim away any part of the old crown and insert singly into small containers using any of the free-draining mixes mentioned (see potting compost)
v
Place in a propagator with bottom heat or cover with a polythene bag and place in a warm, well-lit position out of direct sunlight.
Bromeliads for interior use Bromeliad plants are popular flowering plant choice for those who seek a beautiful addition and an exotic touch to their interior decor which bring a sense of the tropics and sun-kissed climates. Growing a bromeliad as a houseplant is easy and brings interesting texture and color to the interior garden. The plant is prized for its thick foliage that grows in a natural rosette. Near the end of its life, a bromeliad plant may produce an inflorescence or flower whose form and color vary widely among each variety. n Authors: S. M. Sailaja, M. Sc. (Hort.) (Floriculture & Landscape Architecture), Dr. PDKV, Akola. Dr. Yogesh. Saitwal, Assistant Professor, College of Horticulture, Mulde, Dr. BSKKV, Dapoli
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Indoor Plants
Fuschia An Outstanding Indoor Plant — Mamta Bohra, Amit Visen and B. P. Nautiyal
Indoor gardening is simply defined as growing of plants inside and in front of the house. It’s one of the major advantages that it is never out of seasons. It solve the problem of nature lovers who have a limited space and wants to enjoys natures beauty in busy schedule of their daily life. In indoor gardening growing of plants in pots is the most popular and easiest way of decoration. As most of the indoor plants are of foliage types so gardener always have quest to grow unique type of flowering plants in pots. For this, growing of Fuschia is the best choice.
Fuschia Flower
F
Prepared cuttings of Fuschia Bunch of Fuschia flowers
uschia is herbaceous perennial ornamental flowering plant. The genus Fuschia consists of more than 100 species. It belongs to family Onagraceae. The plant height varies from 25 cm to 1.5 meter or more depending
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upon the species and cultivars. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate and green in colour having serrated margin. Flowers are the most beautiful part of the Fuschia plant. They are magnificent, lantern like, drooping or hanging in nature and their
colours ranges from pink, magenta, dark red, white and purple etc. Flowers may be single type, semi double and double type in nature. Single type Fuschia have four petals, semi double have 5, 6 or 7 petals and double having 8 or more petals. Flower consists of pedicel, tube, calyx corolla, filaments, anthers and pistil. The flowers are just resembles like a dancing girl and even some time attracts humming birds also. So, keeping it near the house is invitation to the birds which make the place more lively and pleasant. Fuschia flowers are also known as lady’s Eardrop for their graceful dangling flowers. Flowering occurs during summer and autumn season. Fruits of Fuschia are also edible although taste varies with species and cultivars, some are tasteless and unpleasant while some have citrus and pepper flavours and are used in jam preparation. Growing environment Plants performed better in partial and shady situation compared to sunny situation that’s why it is ideally suited as indoor plants. It thrives best at temperature ranges between 18- 25 0C. Hot summers and cool winters have adverse effect on the plant growth. The plants are also susceptible to frost condition. The growing media should be well drained, aerated, having good water holding capacity and fertilized. The potting media should be rich in humus and pH should
Indoor Plants be lies between 6-7. Potting media consist of one part of garden soil, sand, leaf mould and farmyard manure is ideally suited for growing of plants. One can also use locally available material as a growing media. Before planting of plants in pots, growing media should be sterilized for avoiding soil borne diseases. Nowadays readymade prepared growing media are also available in the market. Pots of plastic, cement, ceramic and earthen are more popular. Earthen pots are cheap and more suitable during summer season as they have capacity to keep soil moist for long duration of time. Bottom of the pots should have one or two holes for proper drainage of water. Before filling growing media holes are covered with small pebbles. Propagation It can be easily propagated by tip cuttings. For early rooting, cutting s are treated with growth promoting hormones i.e., IBA and NAA. Thereafter, cuttings are placed in moist media containing sand and peat moss under partial shade. Rooting occurs almost after 4-6 weeks. Once sprouting is complete, plants are transplanted in pots containing suitable media. Watering Fuschia plants love moist condition throughout the growing season. Hot and dry media kill the plants, as well as too wet condition is also not preferred by plant. Once later the blooming is over, watering is stopped for few days to perform wintering operation. Fertilizers and manures Fuschia is a heavy feeder and therefore use of organic manure i.e. farmyard manure, leaf mould, vermicompost, poultry manure and compost etc. are more beneficial because they release nutrients slowly and have good water holding capacity. One can apply small amounts of basic fertilizers like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the form of foliar spray as and when needed. Pruning and training Fuschia can be trained as a bush,
“
Fuschia is a heavy feeder and therefore use of organic manure i.e. farmyard manure, leaf mould, vermicompost, poultry manure and compost etc. are more beneficial because they release nutrients slowly and have good water holding capacity
standard, espalier and fan types but most common types are bush and standard ones. For getting bushy growth pinching operation is done. Pinching helps in encouraging side branches and number of flowers but it delays the flowering time. First pinching is done when plants attain 3-4 sets of leaves, it will encourage side branches. Simultaneously pinching of side branches is also done at 3-4 sets of leaves. This operation remain continue till the desired bushiness and shape is achieved. In standard type training, Fuschia are further divided in to four types on the basis of length of the plant namely mini standard (15-25 cm), quarter standard (2545 cm), half standard (45-75 cm) and full standard (75cm- 1 m). Plants takes at least 1 to 1.5 year time to attain full standard shape whereas six month for mini and quarter standard. For standard type training, plants allow to grow at a standard height. The removal of side shoots allow the main shoot to grow without removing
leaves. Provide support to the plants with the help of bamboo or stick and tie the stem with the help of available thread. If plants needs repotting to achieve the standard height, allow three sets of leaves to develop and pinched of the top portion and do similar procedure which is done in bush type. Repotting Repotting is done when roots are protruding outside of the container or if the soil become compact and water stand in pots for some time. In repotting, root balls are removed very carefully and extra roots are cut without disturbing main roots and growing media is changed with new one and if size of plants become larger than choose container of appropriate size. Pest and Disease control White fly, aphids, red spider and thrips are major pest of Fuschia. As we are growing the plants in pots so it’s easy to protect the plant from the pest by picking and removing their eggs and larvae and by use of biopesticide like neem based products. If pest population become out of control then apply chemical fertilizers. There are less chances of disease as we are using sterilized soil media and disease n free planting materials. Authors: Mamta Bohra1, Amit Visen2 and B. P. Nautiyal3 1 Teaching Research Personnel, 3Dean (College of Horticulture, Uttarakhand University of Horticulture & Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal), 2Assistant Professor (I.F.T.M. University, Moradabad UttarPradesh) Email: mbohragbptu@gmail.com
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Dry Flower
Wood Rose An Exquisite Natural Dry Flower — Bathineni Vimala, Scientist, DrYSRHU, Upputuri Pavani, Horticulture Office, AP
Dry flowers have a significant demand both in Indian and International Markets. From India dry flowers are exported to countries like USA, Japan and Europe. India stands foremost in dry flower exports owing to the accessibility of variety of plants. Dry flowers doesn’t mean only flower parts, but also includes dried shoots, seeds, barks etc. Export of dried flowers and plants from India is about Rs. 100 crore per year. The industry exports 500 varieties of flowers to about 20 countries. They are widely used to make handmade paper, lampshades, candle holders, jute bags, photo frames, boxes, books, wall quilts, topiary, cards and several gifts. The use of dry flowers in the making of these products enhances the appearance and beauty. As the wood rose itself is a dry flower we have to concentrate mainly on this type of plants, so that money and energy can be saved. One of the popular uses of the wooden seed pod is in all sorts of flower displays. It is a beautiful plant and it quickly covers the atrocities in the landscape. The plant makes a great cover for patio or trellis if kept in check. Scientific Name : Merremia tuberosa Synonyms : Ipomoea tuberosa, Operculina tuberosa Common Names : Woodrose, Spanish Arborvine, Hawaiian Wood-rose, Wood Rose, Yellow Morning-glory, Spanish Woodbine Family
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: Convolvulaceae
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T
he plant is a perennial heavy Vine; naturalized ornamental garden plant native to Mexico and Central America. It is a tall vine growing up to a height of 10m. The plant can take little or much watering and much abuse. The vine flowers from second or the subsequent years. The leaves are green, hairless, alternate, and palmately lobed with usually 7 lanceolate of elliptic lobes with pointed, tapering tips. The central leaf lobe is the largest. The stems are slender, hairless, twining, and green near the tips and woody near the base.
Full plant Leaf showing 7 lobes
Flowers The flowers are like morning-glory, funnel-shaped, surprisingly large, teardrop-shaped fruiting capsules and 2 1/3 inches (6 cm) across. The flowers are followed by distinctive, shiny, light
Dry Flower brown, wooden rose-like seed capsules containing 4 large, black seeds.
Flowers on the vine
Flower description Actually, the genus Merremia lies very close to the morning-glory genus Ipomoea, so the single style arising from the ovary at the corolla base, the spherical stigmas, and stamens of unequal length all could be Ipomoea. However, the anthers are brownish banana-shaped on top of the twisted slender filaments with “glandular hairs” at the filament bases. The unusual kind of flower with rare characteristics looks like a Rose dried on the plant itself with thin-walled, capsular fruits subtended by much enlarged, dried-
out, stiff, irregularly i n c i s e d sepals. Inside each egg-size capsule, four black fuzzy seeds of size 18mm, are suspended w i t h o u t touching the capsule’s walls. The exceptional seed capsules are used in dried flower arrangements. The seeds of the wood rose are poisonous and hairy and can germinate quickly n a week or two. Note: Due to its spread and weight it is not advisable to grow near the houses and buildings, it covers the roof and may lead to collapse of the building. Keeping an eye on the plant, regular pruning is needed, so we can curtail the growth of the plant otherwise it is not advisable to grow. n
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Interview
‘We intend to go through fifty years’
— David Z. Yarkoni, Montiplanta
Montiplanta company is located in the area of Montijo near the center of cut flower production in Portugal. The breeding and selective strategies employed by Montiplanta served them 20 years of success in the field. David Z. Yarkoni, the pillar of the company Montiplanta, did his graduation in B.Sc. Agriculture from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1981-1983). From 1984 to 1987, he served as the Director of Auction Department Aviv Packing House Flower Board of Israel, responsible for 450 flower growers advising and logistics. In the year 1995, he established Montiplanta, Lda - Breeding and propagating cut flower plants for Portuguese market and export. He led a joint venture between Montiplanta, Lda. and in-vitro lab Arcadia agro, India (2005-2015). Working with Montiplanta Lda. of Portugal, Arcadia bred varieties of Gerbera flowers which thrived in high solar exposure areas, like those usually found in India. From then onwards, he also led the joint venture between Montiplanta, Lda. and Montiplanta India. They became a remarkable service provider of nursery plant services including trading and supplying of gerbera flower plants. Presently, David Z. Yarkoni, is functioning as the Advisor for big flower and vegetable farms in Portugal and Managing the company Montiplanta who shared some of his thoughts about the business known worldwide. Excerpts: What kind of business do you have? My wife Tali and I, breed and produce young gerbera plants. It has been 25 years since we are doing this work. Work is our life. We increase our sales every year. This year, for example, we brought salmon-colored gerbera to the market, which is very difficult to locate in any place. If you have such a different color and the quality is good then there is a professional satisfaction. After that comes the commercial satisfaction. We hold lots of work and see it as a privilege to be able to do what we do. To whom do you supply? We supply to professional growers in Portugal, Spain and India. India is a big market with the availability of cheap labors. Flowers are important in Indian culture, especially in the Hindu religion. In India we do the multiplication of our gerbera in an in-vitro lab (Arcadia Agro, India). No, we do not supply to Dutch growers. Although they are competitive, they stick together and opt for the Dutch breeders. I have no problem with that. I think it to be good in itself, it is a good thing. We do not want the whole world to be conquered. In Portugal there is a popular lingo saying : “The sun shines for everybody, not only for you.” Now we are having a tricky conversation, the sun often shines in Portugal. Have you always worked in the horticultural? I am originally from Israel and my
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David Z. Yarkoni
University training included subjects related to flowers and plants. I first worked as a Director at Aviv packing house and was responsible for sending flowers to the auctions in Netherlands. After that, my wife and I left for Portugal. That was for a year, but now we are staying in Portugal for almost thirty years. My wife has enjoyed training in breeding so we complement each other well. That’s our key to success. What do you do when you’re not working? We don’t have time, we always work. No, that is witless. We have children and
grandchildren and procure hobbies like gardening, sports and travel. Right now we do travel a lot. Will your children follow you? My son is in the university. He is pursuing genetic engineering, nothing related to plants or flowers. My daughter is an architect. My children have their own dreams. And that’s totally acceptable. Everyone has the right to choose what he or she wants to do. Moreover, we are planning to continue another fifty years. So we are not engaged in the subject of succession. Whatever will be, it will be. n
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Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology A Way Forward for Enhancing the Efficiency in Agriculture — Bir Pal Singh and Baswaraj Raigond
What is Nanotechnology? The term ‘nanotechnology’ was based on the Greek word ‘nano’ meaning ‘dwarf’ and in scientific terms its 10-9 or one billion of a metre. In general, a material is termed as nanomaterial only if the particle size ranges between 1-100 nm. Nanotechnology evolved from the discipline of Physics, especially Applied Physics. It is complex to provide technical and shared definition, so each organization involved give their own definition of nanotechnology. For example, the definition could be ‘A natural, incident or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate and where, for 50% or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is the size range 1nm – 100 nm’. With respect to product development, nanotechnology
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can be involved directly (final product) or indirectly (during the process). Therefore, the economic impact of nanotechnology can differ depending on the specific product. History of Nanotechnology From time immemorial human have used this technology in making painting, steel and vulcanizing rubber but this concept was only mentioned in 1867 by James Clerk Maxwell. To see particles that have sizes less than a wavelength of light, Richard Zsigmondy used an ultramicroscope since it employs the dark filed method. In 1959, Richard Feynman gave after-dinner talk describing molecular machines building with atomic precision. The first system classification which was based on the size of the particle was developed by
Richard Zsigmondy. Of course the term nanotechnology, as we known it today, was first defined in the year 1974 by Norio Taniguchi, Professor, in Tokyo University of Science. The history of nanotechnology traces the development of the concepts and experimental work falling under the broad category of nanotechnology. Although nanotechnology is a relatively recent development in scientific research, the development of its central concepts happened over a longer period of time. In 1977, Dr K. Eric Drexler explained in depth about the Nano scale Technology and its significance through his speeches and the book, Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology and Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation. The emergence of nanotechnology in the 1980s was caused by the convergence of experimental
Nanotechnology advances such as the invention of the scanning tunnelling microscope in 1981 and the discovery of fullerenes in 1985, with the elucidation and popularization of a conceptual framework for the goals of nanotechnology beginning with the 1986 publication of the book Engines of Creation. The field was subject to growing public awareness and controversy in the early 2000s, with prominent debates about both its potential implications as well as the feasibility of the applications envisioned by advocates of molecular nanotechnology, and with governments moving to promote and fund research into nanotechnology. The early 2000s also saw the beginning of commercial applications of nanotechnology, although these were limited to bulk applications of nanomaterials rather than the transformative applications envisioned under this technology. Importance of Nanotechnology The processes and products that are precise and impossible to achieve through conventional systems can be achieved by atom by manipulation using nanotechnology. It has great potential in creating new materials with enhanced properties and a great number of products are finding applications in industries such as medical devices, imaging, sports, biosensing, electronics, drugs, environmental cleanup, cosmetics and sunscreens agriculture, textiles, foods, etc. In future, the global economy will be influenced by more products with the intervention of nanotechnology. Hence, the potential of nanotechnology can be utilized to address the challenges and concerns of Agriculture to enhance the productivity by many folds to meet the mounting demand of growing population in the scenario of declining land, water and climate change impact. Why Nanotechnology in Agriculture Indian Agriculture has made big strides, passing through various revolutions – Green, White, Blue, Brown, etc., thereby converting the country from acute food deficit to a state of self-sufficiency. We are to achieve all time record production of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, cotton and sugarcane and appreciable increase in production of Horticultural produce, fish,
milk and eggs. However, this progress, especially during last one decade, in the context of new challenges that Indian Agriculture is likely to face in coming years are enormous. They include, plateauing of yield, declining factor productivity, emergence of new biotypes of pests and pathogens, degradation of natural resource base, ensuring food and nutritional security including hidden hunger, mitigating the impact of climate change and producing more from declining land and water. The predictions are that with the current annual average growth rate of over 1% in food grain production, we may not be able to meet the demand of food grains as well as other ancillary food products – vegetables, fruits, meat and fish etc. in the years to come. Various strategic approaches including the use of biotechnological tools have been employed to overcome yield stagnation yet, the problem continues to be there. Therefore, we have to look for other cutting edge technologies which can address these problems and can help in sustaining the food production commensurate to our future requirement. In this context, Nanotechnology is one such cutting edge technology which can provide.. “a way forward for enhancing the efficiency in agriculture” in many ways like early detection and management of pests, diseases and nutrient deficiencies, enhancing input use efficiency and, avoiding/reducing spoilage of food items including fruits & vegetables through smart packaging. Nanotechnology: Indian Scenario In the year 2001 under the leadership of Prof. C.N.R. Rao the Department of
Science and Technology (DST) launched Nano Science and Technology Initiative (NSTI) with a focus on research and development in the area of nanoscience and technology. The Government of India approved Rs.1000 crore under Nano Science and Technology Mission (Nano Mission) during the Eleventh Five-year Plan period. The mission has helped the country to establish stateof-the-art infrastructure facility at 11 centers across the country mostly in IITs, IISc, Engineering Universities, National Physical laboratories and conventional universities. However, the investment on biological science including agriculture was less than 5% where only one project has been sanctioned with a budget outlay of Rs.64.26 lakhs to Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore which is 0.09% of the total investment. In order to harness the potential application of nanotechnology in agriculture and also to address the challenges in the field of agriculture, initially we need to train our manpower (HRT), establish infrastructure (State-of-the-art facility) to carry on nano science and finally we need to generate biosafety protocols and policy frame work. The Government of India is now looking towards nanotechnology as a potent technology which on its own and/or complementing biotechnology can provide further strength to Indian Agriculture. In this context, a “National consultation (Brainstorming session) on use of Nanotechnology in Agriculture” was organized at CIFE, Mumbai during March, 2010. The participants were unanimous on usage of Nanotechnology for improving the Agricultural
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Nanotechnology Productivity. It was brought out that this technology has already been exploited for detection of plant viruses with great success where gold nano particles were used for development of dipstick assay for detection of plant pathogens at field level. Hence, it has become imperative to develop a Network on use of Nanotechnology in mission mode approach encompassing agriculture, veterinary and fisheries. Accordingly, it was decided to have a platform on Nanotechnology to address the problems related to agriculture sector. To give a shape to Nanotechnology Platform, second National Consultation meet was held at CIFE, Mumbai during October 7-8, 2011. The meeting helped in identifying the theme areas and objectives of the platform. Looking into the huge response of various laboratories a third National Consultation meet was organized at TNAU, Coimbatore during 11-12 November, 2011, that led to the identification of Thematic areas, objectives and programmes, Two subsequent meetings were held at NASC Complex New Delhi as well as at ICAR-CPRI, Shimla wherein the aspects like Budget, Instrumentation, Development (HRD) etc., were worked out wherein a final shape to the Nanotechnology Platform has been given after its SWOT analysis. SWOT Analysis Strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis of any concept or technology is very important in order to understand its overall usefulness to the society. Nanotechnology is very important technology with its wide and robust application potential in various fields. In this context, SWOT analysis of the application of this technology in the field of agriculture was done as described below: Strengths: The nanotechnology has the potential to address most of the major issues related to Indian agriculture. These include: (i) An early detection of pests, diseases, nutrient deficiencies and food contaminants through this technology which has serious economic and social implications (ii) Precise application of agri-inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides etc., through the smart delivery system. It will not only enhance efficiency of these inputs but also help in mitigation of environmental
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pollution due to evaporation, run-off and leaching of agricultural inputs (iii) Smart packaging of food material will help enhancing shelf life of the food materials eventually saving a lot of money on account of reduction in spoilage (iv) Alternation in plant physiology with the help of nano-stimulants has an important prospect of raising potential yield of crops (v) Removal of contaminants from two vital agri-inputs viz. water and petroleum (vi) Smart delivery system under the domain of nanotechnology can be used for delivering drugs in animals at the targeted site for higher efficiency and efficiency and (vii) The technology is a potent tool for cleaning of fish ponds. Weakness: Although, nanotechnology is the most talked about branch of science these days yet its applications in Indian agriculture is not free from possible shortcomings. They include (i) The concept being new and innovative, we lack in trained manpower with limited or no past working experience on the subject (ii) The concept has tremendous potential benefits to deliver, however, lack of available infrastructure for nanotechnology research in agriculture under Indian conditions is an important weakness (iii) We still lack the required policy framework for carrying out nano-technology research in India (iv) Since the technology is of a recent origin with a short history, it holds an important risk of obtaining lower than expected output from nanotechnology applications in agriculture and (v) Risk of high cost of nano based products/ processes that are likely to enhance cost of cultivation for poor Indian farmers (vi) Lack of well designed and developed biosafety protocols for carrying at the nano research. Opportunities: Nanotechnology possesses tremendous opportunities to be seized in the fast developing countries like India. Same of the very important opportunities of this technology are (i) Nanotechnology
led growth in farm and industrial sectors would produce a multiplier effect that will further generate income and employment opportunities in the economy and providing impetus for sustained growth (ii) Application of nanotechnology in food packaging system will give rise to the development of safe value added products and establishment of efficient supply chains of agri-products, leading towards a journey to be a developed economy and (iii) Exploitation of nanotechnology would help us ensure food and nutritional security in the country at a time when impending shortage of food is a immense concern in the country. Threats: However, the technology does pose some threats that have been described in the following text. (i) The technology may cause environmental risks due to the release of nano-particles into the environment (ii) Presence of nano-particles in food chain may create health risks to human beings and other living organisms (iii) Social groups may pose resistance to nano-technology based foods on the lines of phenomenon experienced in the case of GM foods and (iv) Application of nano-technology may adversely affect beneficial flora & fauna and other non-targeted organisms in the ecosystem. Finally, ICAR-CPRI has initiated a “Consortium Research Platform� (CRP) on Nanotechnology funded by ICAR, New Delhi under its XIIth Plan. The platform is multidisciplinary and partnering fourteen ICAR research Institutes and SAU’s with an aim to develop (i) nano-based diagnostic kits/sensors for detection of diseases and nutrient deficiencies at field level, (ii) nano-biosensors for detection of food contaminants, (iii) nanopheromones/nanosensors and nanobioformulations for the management of pest and disease,(iv) nano-agriinputs and smart delivery systems with enhanced input use efficiency (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides), (v) growth monitoring sensors, (vi) nano-chips in identity preservation tracking, (vii) nanocomposite films for improving the shelf life of agri products (vegetables, fruits, flowers), (viii) encapsulated functional ingredients for targeted delivery and to address (ix) biosafety protocols and to have policy framework as well.
Nanotechnology Status and Success Stories of Nanotechnology in Indian Agriculture Application of nanotechnological development in the field of Agriculture is of recent happening. GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar has developed a nano-gold based lateral flow immuno-dipstick assay using and teliospore antibodies for detection of Karnal bunt. The dipstick assay is very sensitive to detect the antigens of even five teliospores. Central Potato Research Institute has also developed dipstick assay based on nanogold particles for detection of potato viruses at field level. Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore has initiated nanotechnology research in various fields of Agriculture. There are reports on developed nano-fertilizers using naturally occurring clay minerals and zeolites by reducing them to the size of nano dimensions. Nano-zeolites retain nutrients due to extensive surface area and release slowly for an extended period of releae of NO3-N more than 40 days while nutrient release ceases to exist beyond 12 days. The release pattern of slowly diffusion PO4 ion is altered by the surface modified nano-zeolites. Nano-herbicides have a potential to overcome the traditional problems of lack of moisture in soil etc. To overcome the issue a method wherein herbicide molecules are encapsulated in polymers that breaks open only when the soil moisture is present. Remediation of herbicide residues, which is potential source of ground water pollution, has also been successfully achieved using nano particles of FeO. Similar work has also been done to remediate insecticide residues from soil using nano-encapsulation. On the other hand, gold particle, which have antibacterial and antifungal properties have been employed to control plant diseases by using nano gold particles. Temperature and moisture responsive nano polymers have been developed to increase seed germination under temperature and water stress conditions. Lot of research has gone into Nano-biodegradable packaging and antimicrobial nano packaging have been developed which can be used to reduce food spoilage and environmental pollution. Besides, concept of intelligent packaging based on nanosensors has been introduced to detect leaks in the packaging. Nano-encapsulation of functional foods is another area
where application of nanotechnology is being actively persuaded. Nanosizing of sulphur particles resulted in enhancement of fungicidal potential of sulphur particles which is two times more effective than the commercial formulation. Nanohexaconazole has also been developed which is 2-6 times more active than the commercial formulation against different Rhizoctonia solani isolates which cause sheath blight disease in rice. Dr Sastry and co-workers, further worked out trends in nanotechnology development. Results revealed that more than 60% of records were on R & D efforts to enhance plant/animal productivity followed by research in food processing and food packaging. Nanoparticles was the most widely researched area followed by nano-filteration methods/devices and nanocapsules. Formulations like capsules and particles are known to enhance target delivery, after better control and increase overall functional efficiency of agri-inputs. Detailed analysis of two R&D indicators, publications and patents indicated a wide range of applications for harnessing the potential of nanotechnology for enhancing productivity, efficient use of water resources and for remediation processes of soils unfit for cultivation. In addition, there are early stage researches being undertaken to enlarge the scope of value addition of processes in food industry and thereby increasing the nutritive and keeping quality of processed foods. Scope and Way Forward of Nanotechnology in Indian Agriculture The Nanotechnology is expected to develop different hand held simple diagnostic kits and devices that would help in early diagnosis of the problems and consequently better crop management. Wherein, farmers would be able to detect and diagnose pathogens in 25-30 days early as compared to laboratory techniques. In case of animals, birds and fish, diagnostics would help in reducing the mortality
by 20-25%. Nutrient deficiency and food contaminants can also be detected using nano-sensors. Nanotechnology may help in developing a “Smart Delivery System� that would have capability to detect and treat diseases, nutrient deficiencies or any other malady before appearance of visual symptoms. Seed is subjected to various abiotic and biotic stresses that limit its potential. So, nano molecules and polymers that can invigorate the seeds thereby, resulting in enhanced seed germination and better vigour. They can also provide protection from various seed and soil borne diseases. It is also excepted to yield nano-agri inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides that would reduce the cost of cultivation and improve yield of crops to the tune of 1015% in long run. It can reduce the residual effects and usage of insecticide by having nano-pheromones or nanosensors for better and green management of pests and diseases. It has very wide application in food packaging – nano-biodegradable packaging, anti-microbial nano packaging, intelligent packaging concepts based on nano sensors and nano encapsulation of functional foods. Nanotechnology can also reduce post-harvest losses upto 20% by enhancing the shelf life of fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, meats and fish products. Environmental safety can also be addressed by nanotechnology through waste water treatment, and air purification based on nano-chemistry. The scope of nanotechnology in agriculture is unlimited and therefore, it can be exploited to bring about a new dimension to Indian Agriculture. n
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Greenhouse
GROWING GREENHOUSE ROSES AT PUNE: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS — Avinash Dandekar
T
he greenhouse rose industry in Pune is passing through a critical period of uncertainities of nature and tough economic competition within and with other flowers.There are two phases of development of this industry especially in Pune region.Phase 1 is before year 2005 and Phase 2 is advent of Floriculture park and small scale growers after 2005.During Phase 1,commercial cultivation mostly remained with big companies having area from 4 to 10 Hectares.As the times passed,most of the companies were wiped out due to labour problem and tough international business. By 2005,many small scale growers started polyhouse cultivation of roses which led to the development of Floriculture park in Pune. I shall discuss the challenges,opportunities and solutions faced by the industry in terms of the
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growing part and the marketing part. 1. Greenhouse Structures Type of greenhouse structure (design part) and direction of greenhouse are the challenges which the grower is little aware about.In my opinion, the straight wall designs having gutter height of 4 meters are suitable for all types of climate over hockey type as the later creates more heat on two sides in hot climate and curtain management becomes cumbersome in rainy season.The slope of the land and wind direction will dictate the direction of greenhouse. 2. Bed Preparation It has been a great misconception that roses can only be grown in red soils !!! The result is tonnes of red soil is being excavated and imported from other areas which disturbs the mother nature ecosystem of that area.The requirement
of growing is well drained soil having soil pH 5.5 to 7 and having less salt percentages.You may add only top 5cm of red soil,if required.People are growing roses in all types of soils around the world and within India as well.A lot of money is being wasted on importation of red soil. Instead , the same money can be utilized in putting well decomposed farm yard manure.Mixing of such good quality manure will pay off the money invested. The availability of well decomposed farm yard manure is a challenge,however,it is worth spending time and money to get a better crop. Bed size of 75-80 cm , height of 2530cm and path of 60cm is enough to grow good rose crop as it will provide better ventilation and working space.Following techniques may improve rose quality and quantity.They are :a) use of one row planting,b)late bending, c)use of mulching
Greenhouse
to avoid cost on weeding and conserve moisture. 3. Planting material The most important parameter in production and quality is planting material. “Shudha Bijapoti phale rasal gomati” — Saint Tukaram (If we sow quality seed, we shall harvest good produce). He is the one who identified the importance of planting material 400 years ago !!! Two things are necessary for planting material 1. Root stock and 2. Bud wood
Root stock: The quality of root stock is really compromised while making budded plants.One must use disease free,healthy( not older than 3 years),juicy and pencil size thickness rootstock for budding or grafting.Now which type of root stock is to be used is big dilema. Uptill now in Pune,mostly,multiflora is being used.However,oflate it is observed that some varieties are not performing satisfactory to present hot weather conditions(temperature above 35 degree). The second option is Natal briar which is being exclusively used in Banglore area because of even climate condition. In Pune,Natal briar can be used only from October to march for budding. Time has come for Pune growers to shift their focus from multiflora to Natal Briar to get good quality and thrive well under hot weather conditions.There is visual difference between multiflora and natal briar plants in terms of thickness,quality and performance. The present day rose growers are underestimating the importance of quality plants. We invest a lot of money in Greenhouse structure,Red soil,Irrigation equipments and we compromise on planting material which is really a pity. Bud wood: It should be also used from disease free and healthy plant population. However,it is observed that plants are being prepared without taking the above prerequisite for root stock and budwood. The result is poor yield and quality. How many growers visit the budding Nursery? How many of them know the difference between multiflora and natal briar? It has been observed that,good quality plants have produced up to 1314 years in Pune and Banglore conditions. 3. Soil Analysis Though it is costlier to carry out
soil analysis,one must analyse atleast pH and EC of the soil once in three months. Here the challenge is which laboratory to be used for analysis?It is unbelievable that if same soil sample is given to 4 labs ,the results are completely different !!! Therefore to avoid confusion,it is advisable to buy one’s own pH and EC meter(5 people can buy on sharing basis)to follow the results. 4. Plant Protection Prevention is better than cure. Prevention is a big challenge. Following factors invite pest and diseases.1.Lack of scouting methods,2.proper cultural practices on time,3.spot sprays 4.Proper preventive spray interval and 5.Curtain management.Most of the growers underestimate the nature and importance of pest and diseases and go for curative measures which ultimately increases the cost and reduces the quality.The pesticides are being indiscriminately used which further adds resistance in the pest or disease.The pesticides are being sprayed in the high dosages without knowing the chemistry of the group or even sometimes used in mixtures which are not compatible. It results in scorching and developing of resistance faster. Pest and Diseases can be managed easily by devising good scouting methods to detect disease early and advocate proper methods. Preventive sprays with proper interval, Proper humidity by hosing, curtain management, weeding on time, balanced fertilizer application, use
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Greenhouse of biocontrol agents, use of traps or stick plates will help to manage disease and pest in an economic way.
3.Desuckering at proper stage 4.No petal and leaf damage 5.Uniform bunching and 6.Vase life up to 10 days.
5. Nutrient Management How much to feed and when? Is a challenge!Many growers have their own feeding schedules.The observation is actually that the plant stage will guide or direct his own requirement.The plant actually speaks to you,it is for you to lend your ears on time.However,many times we are engaged on mobiles instead of listening to plants.Improper and overuse of fertilizer will deteriorate the soil structure much faster.Remember soil is not replaced easily.We must care for our soil.In this context,Jeevamrut treatment to soil has shown partial to full replacement of chemical fertilizers.How many of us measures the EC and pH of drip line solution?
7. Market Because of royalty issues and cold store facility,small scale growers can not export their produce to European or Japanese market.The farmers are producing very good quality,however,they do not make money for this quality in the Indian market due to dependence on middlemen or agents.To get good price for his quality is a challenge.These are some probable solutions: 1. Farmers can collectively develop niche markets. 2. Make people addict,particularly high end customers like IT industry,Corporate offices,Banks by value addition. 3. Produce more 50 cms roses as 60cm does not have year round market. Most of the flowers sold are used in decorations and they are cut to 15 cms,therefore it is difficult to understand why retailers need 50 and 60cm flowers!If they only need 40cm flower with bud size of 4cm ,grower can easily produce the same in a large number.
6. Post Harvest This is of utmost importance if grower wishes to export his produce or to send it to longer distance within the country.It is a pity to observe that growers work for 45 days to produce good quality flower and destroy it due to poor post harvest handling within no time.To have cold store for small scale grower is a costly affair.However,it can be arranged on co-operative basis or sharing cost basis. Some basic concepts must e followed to maintain good quality of flower to achieve good vase life at the customer end.
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“
Preventive sprays with proper interval, Proper humidity by hosing, curtain management, weeding on time, balanced fertilizer application, use of biocontrol agents, use of traps or stick plates will help to manage disease and pest in an economic way
1.
The harvested flower must be put in water as early as possible and transported to the cold store. 2. Grading and bunching operation must be finished within 30 minutes . 3. Follow first in first out concept for delivering the flowers to the market by putting different colour code tags on different days. Good quality parameters are :1.Correct opening stage 2. Free from pest and diseases
8. Labour Labour availability and skilled supervisory staff remains a big challenge for the industry.Even if the workers are available the replacement ratio is very high.The skilled nature of the job is highly affecting the cultural operations and post harvest handeling.Here Human Resources management plays an important role to maintain good working atmosphere and work satisfaction of job to supervisory staff.Some kind of incentive based approach may give good results. Farmer has to make his own survival with all above challenges and fighting against changed climatic conditions and stiff market competition.We must commend and appreciate his efforts and encourage him to produce good quality roses for which they deserve good profits. It is only then that greenhouse rose n cultivation in India will survive.
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Greenhouse
New paradigm in greenhouse lighting — Pitam Chandra, Former Director, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Light in greenhouses is regulated for photoperiod control and supplemental lighting. As is known, greenhouses should be used to grow any crop at any time and at any location. The greenhouse structural and environment control design parameters depend upon the crop and location details. If a photosensitive crop is being grown, requiring long day length in winters, lighting requirements for photoperiod extension in greenhouse need to be met. However, if natural lighting conditions in a greenhouse are sub-optimal for a crop, supplemental lighting is essential for meeting the quality and timeliness of the produce, says Dr Pitam Chandra.
A
s the lighting technology has been evolving, greenhouse lighting solutions have also been changing. When only incandescent lamps were available, both the requirements were being met through incandescent lamps of different wattages. Supplemental lighting in those days created excessive heat which requires ventilation/cooling. When fluorescent lighting technology came in use, the supplemental lighting requirements were met through fluorescent lights because of lower wattage and better matching of the light and crop spectra. Subsequently, more efficient lighting technologies, such as sodium lamps, halogen lamps, became available for greenhouse supplemental lighting. LEDs and Greenhouse Lighting The LED is a solid-state semiconductor device. The LEDs emit nearly monochromatic light. White light can be achieved with LEDs in three ways. One is phosphor conversion, in which a phosphor is used on or near the LED to convert the coloured light to white light; second is RGB systems, in which light from multiple mono-chromatic LEDs (red, green and blue) is mixed, resulting in white light; and the third is a hybrid
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method, which uses both phosphorconverted and monochromatic LEDs. The LED lights contain no mercury or other toxins and emit no harmful UV rays and
More recently, a spin-off from space technology, Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps have become available such that the cost of lighting for photoperiod control as well as supplemental lighting is cost of LEDs is expected to come down, the investment should pay for itself within a few years and the advantages that should be possible in influencing yield and quality of the produce should begin to become clear in the next few years. It is not only the money but also the climatic resilience of LED lighting which should lead to a policy for promoting the application.
less CO2 than standard incandescent bulbs. The LEDs are a practical replacement for halogen or standard lights as they have a lower energy consumption, longer life time, improved brightness, smaller size, faster switching, and greater durability and reliability. A standard 50W halogen lamp turns 90% of electricity used into heat with only 10% into light. The LED lights use only 15% of the energy a standard halogen used and provides up to 85% of the light output, making them very energy efficient. The benefit of LED lights is that they are an eco-friendly form of lighting as they do not contain mercury or other harmful gas or emit any harmful UV rays. For example, a 13w LED light emits 68% less CO2 than a standard 40w incandescent bulb running 10 hours per day. The LED useful life is typically based on the number of operating hours until the LED is emitting 70 per cent of its initial light output. Good quality white LEDs in well-designed fixtures are expected to have a useful life of 30,000 – 50,000 hours or even longer. A typical incandescent lamp lasts about 1,000 hours and a comparable CFL lasts 8,000 – 10,000 hours. The LEDs may seem new, but they were invented in the 1920s. However, a
Greenhouse visible light (380 nm – 780 nm) unit was not developed until the early 1960s and it was red (~660 nm) in colour. Additional wavelengths were developed through the 1970s. The first high-brightness blue LED was developed in the early 1990s. It has been estimated that in 2008, LEDs accounted for 7 per cent share of the global lighting market. By 2020, LEDs are estimated to account for 75 per cent of global lighting. The colour of light emitted by a LED is determined by the type of semiconductor material and the impurities used to form the LED. With the addition of a phosphor coating to the blue LED, the white LED was created. In addition to being short waveband specific, LEDs offer many positive attributes over traditional lighting sources. LEDs are more efficient than incandescent and fluorescent lamps and are essentially equivalent to high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps as far as luminous efficacy is concerned. White LEDs are less efficient because the phosphor coating must interact with the base colour to create white light. There exists potential for significant cost savings with LEDs over current incandescent lamps. Unlike traditional lamps, LEDs generally do not “burn out”. Instead, the LEDs “lifetime” is the time (in hours) required for the light output to drop below a percentage of the original maximum intensity under optimal operating conditions. Growers will generally replace LEDs when the light output drops below 90 per cent. For example, a Philips’ Green Power LED flowering lamp will provide a lifetime of approximately 60,000 – 100,000 hours at 90 per cent and operate on 16-18 Watts of electricity. The long operational life of LEDs reduces the procurement, disposal and labour costs associated with bulb replacement. LEDs also offer the advantage of turning on and off unlike compact fluorescents. LEDs emit little or no radiant heat. Unlike fluorescent lamps,
Incandescent, fluorescent, metal halide, and other such light sources have different conversion ratios of electricity into light. Also called luminous efficacy, a light bulb’s quality is measured as emitted light (lumens) divided by power it draws (Watts). A bulb that is 100 per cent efficient at converting energy into light would have an efficacy of 683 lm/W. To put this in the present context, a 60-100-Watt incandescent bulb has an efficacy of 15 lm/W; an equivalnt CFL has an efficacy of 73 lm/W, and current LED-based replacement bulbs on the market range from 70-120 lm/W with an average efficacy of 85 lm/W. Photosynthesis and plant growth, however, is determined by moles of photons. It is thus important to compare lighting efficiency based on photon efficiency, with units of micromoles of photosynthetic photons per joule of energy input. LEDs do not contain mercury. For photoperiod extension it is not the amount but just the presence of light that is necessary for the required duration to achieve the result. Photoperiod is the duration of light in a 24-hour period. A small change in photoperiod can mean the difference between vegetative and reproductive growth in many flowering species. When plants flower as a response to a photoperiod shorter or longer than a particular duration they are said to be short- or long-day plants, respectively. The perennial Chrysanthemum and the Poinsettia, which flower in the autumn, are examples of short day (long-night) plants. They fail to flower when the day length, or period of light, is extended beyond a critical value. Long day plants, such as the China Aster and Tuberous Rooted Begonia, flower only with a day length longer than a critical value. Lighting is used to extend the natural photoperiod in greenhouses. When plants are exposed to just 10 foot candles (107 lux) of light, the photoperiod extension requirement is fulfilled. In this case, an incandescent lamp is adequate. These lamps are affordable, effective and easy to install. Incandescent lamps are also
effective at inducing a photoperiodic response. These lamps are rich in far red (700 – 800 nm) light and have a red/far red ratio of 0.4 – 0.5. In some crops, the low red/far red ratio causes stem elongation. Use of LED lights for photoperiod control, though technically right, is not economically justified at present even though about 80% electricity is saved as compared to incandescent bulbs. The proposition becomes expensive when the need for supplemental light is to be met. The most efficient lighting system would be the one that converts 100% of electricity into light with the spectral distribution matching with the
Light source Lifetime (hours)
Luminous efficacy, Lumen/Watt, (lm/W)
Photosynthetic photon efficiency micro-mole/J
Incandescent
750-2,000
10-17
0.4-0.7
Halogen incandescent
3,000-4,000
12-22
Not Available
Compact fluorescent (CFL)
8,000-10,000
50-70
0.8-0.95
Metal halide
7,500-20,000
70-115
1.25-1.45
Linear fluorescent
20,000-30,000
100-110
Not Available
High-power white LED
30,000-50,000
90-130
0.89-1.70
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Greenhouse photosynthetic spectrum of the crop being grown. Clearly, this is not the case; large wastages of electricity, therefore, are incurred in lighting systems. The photosynthetic spectrum for a typical plant is given in Fig. 1. Even solar radiation has considerable portion of its light that does not contribute to photosynthesis; only about 48% of sunlight is termed as photo-synthetically active radiation (PAR). The LED light, as seen in Fig 2, has almost 100% of its light in the PAR region. Chlorophyll absorbs mainly in the blue, green and red parts of the spectrum. LEDs permit customization of light sources do not permit this customization. Comparison of Artificial Lighting Sources of Greenhouses Consumers all over the world are increasingly demanding high quality and niche horticultural products all year round, even when the local climate does not permit the cultivation. Under these situations greenhouse farming provides a feasible solution. Environmental control in greenhouses is the key to maximize the crop productivities and the environmental control costs could be about one-third to half of the total production cost. Reduction in the input cost directly translates into increased profits. Therefore, cost reduction in greenhouse lighting leads to higher profitability. Life time characteristics of different light sources are given in Table 1. While the light sources are selected
The life-cycle costs of traditional high pressure sodium lamps were compared against those of LEDs for greenhouse lighting. The cumulative cost of high pressure sodium lamps surpassed to that of LEDs after just seven years. Although high pressure sodium lamps are individually cheaper than LEDs, they need to be changed every year compared to every 15-20 years for LEDs. LEDs use considerably less electricity, wasting little as heat. High pressure sodium lamps emit light across the entire visible part of the spectrum as well as into the infrared. By contrast, LEDs can be adjusted to emit light in very specific parts of the spectrum. on the basis of initial cost and the life time, luminous efficacy is pertinent where human performance is concerned. Higher luminous efficacy with higher life time provides better solution. In case of plants, however, photo-synthetic photon efficiency is of greater relevance. In greenhouses, therefore, a light source with longer life and higher
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photosynthetic photon efficiency should be a preferable solution. The LEDs at present are expensive. Suppose 16 hours/day is the average lighting time (during winter) in greenhouse. The electricity rate is assumed as Rs.6.00/kWh. A 150 WHPS lamp would consume 2.4 kWh/day, whereas a 14 W LED lamp would consume only 0.22 kWh/day. The annual electricity cost for lighting will then be Rs.5256 with the HPS lamp and Rs.482 with the LED lamp. In spite of such high benefit, greenhouse growers have been slow to make the change from traditional light sources to LEDs because of the light initial cost of LEDs. The most efficient HPS and LED fixtures had equal efficiencies, but the initial capital cost per photon delivered from LED fixtures is five to ten times higher than HPS fixtures at present. The high capital cost means that the fiveyear cost of LED fixtures is more than double that of HPS fixtures. If widely spaced benches are a necessary part of a production system, LED fixtures can provide precision delivery of photons and then LED can be a more cost effective option for supplemental greenhouse lighting. The LED undoubtedly is a superior lighting technology. But a lot of customization for greenhouse applications is required. Next decade would witness specific solutions for photoperiod control, supplemental lighting and replacement lighting requirements in greenhouses. The initial costs of LEDs would come down to affordable levels. The LED based solutions are more environmental friendly since the total electrical requirements are reduced considerably and energy dissipation in the form of heat is reduced. n Dr Pitam Chandra is currently Professor (Food Engineering) at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM), Kundli, Haryana. He superannuated from ICAR service on July 31, 2014 where he last held the position of Director, Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal. His R&D efforts have been in developing suitable greenhouse technology for Indian conditions for which he received the Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award.
Greenhouse
New greenhouse projects implemented in South Bulgaria
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n the last two months a multitude of greenhouse construction projects have been approved by the competent inspectorates at the Ministry of Environment and Water of Bulgaria. The majority of projects involve the cultivation of tomato and cucumber plants. Other projects include: a snail breeding greenhouse and the cultivation of planting material. Blagoevgrad Province A complex of three-block greenhouse projects will be constructed some three kilometers away from Sandanski on a stretch of 12.7 decares. It will have a glass and steel carcass design. The investor is planning to grow seasonable tomato and cucumber plants. The projects will have no additional heating. A small scale greenhouse project will be launched in the Municipality of Sandanski on the land of the village of Leshtnitsa. The facility will be built upon
a stretch of open country of 3.3 decares out of a total investment area of 5.5 decares. It is a steel greenhouse carcass with polyethylene foil roofing and it will use pellets for heating. The greenhouse is designed for planting and growing cucumber and tomato plants. In-vitro Technology Industrial Plants are planning the construction of a greenhouse for growing planting material for essential oil crops, which includes a variety of strawberries
and perennial plants in the Municipality of Kazanlak. Last year the Agrobio site has announced that the company has developed an in-vitro technology for growing planting material from Oilyielding roses: a White oil-yielding rose and Rosa Sentifolia (Rosa Stolista). The greenhouse will be equipped with a gas boiler heating system. It is designed as a greenhouse carcass with polyethylene foil roofing. A polyethylene tomato plant growing greenhouse has been built in the village of Ghinot, the Municipality of Straldzha, spreading over a stretch of 2.4 decares. The estimated tomato plant yield is 20 tonnes per decare. A snail breeding greenhouse utilizing the curtain method (snail farming with help of a structure of vertical nests) will be built nearby the village of Vesselinovo, Municipality of Tundzha. This unusual investment (the curtain method is not very widespread) is done by Mr. Dimo
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Greenhouse Iliyanov. The greenhouse will have a polycarbonate carcass covered with a glass roof spreading over 540 square meters. Despite the relatively small square surface, the investor estimates a snail harvesting of approximately four to five tonnes of snails per snail’s life cycle, which usually lasts for eighty days. It provides possibility for the investor to stage production based on three to four life cycles of the snail per year. Snails are estimated to consume 1.2 tonnes of fodder in order to yield one tonne of snails. The snails will be ready for harvesting on attaining the weight of 15 to 25 grams – as described in the investment application. Hydrophonic Technology The company of BROD 2013 is planning the construction of an energy efficient electro technical complex of two greenhouses, with a total floorage of 13.3 decares. It is a steel multi sheds connected greenhouse that will have hot dip galvanized roofing made of double polyethylene, further engulfed by an air bag. The facility is to be built in the village of Susam, Haskovo Province. The greenhouse project provides for
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a ventilation installation, a system – thermoshield screen, hot water buffer and irrigation water reservoirs. The greenhouse will be used for growing cucumber and tomato plants based on a hydrophonic technology. Rock-wool will be used as a soil substitute. Estimated cucumber plant yields are 42-50 kg/sq.m., while tomato plant yields are 35-40 kg/ sq.m. A vegetable and fruit crops growing greenhouse project will be implemented in the village of Kalekovets, Plovdiv Province, based on the method of growing plants without soil, (hydroponics greenhouse factory). The greenhouse will be equipped with a heating system of boilers with a built-in burner for pellets. It is a polyethylene carcass with photovoltaic panels installed on the roofing for selfsufficient electric power generation purposes. Happy Fruits is planning the construction of a complex of greenhouses with additional fruit and vegetable storage, and a separation and packaging hub on the land of Kurtovo Konare, Plovdiv Province. The greenhouse is equipped with a
hydroponic lettuce growing system. The technology is implemented for lettuce growing without soil, making use of water basins of 30 cm deep, 12 m wide and 65 m long. The basin water will circulate with the help of an analysis system; it will be fertilized by an automated feed hub. The project provides for no water drainage. Water basins will be refilled with specific quantities of water on a daily basis (depending on the volume of water turned into vapour) in order to maintain the right water level. Another greenhouse is planned in the Plovdiv Province. Intended for the cultivation of leafy vegetable crops (greens, rucola, lettuce, peppermint, parsley), the greenhouse will stretch over 2.2 decares in the village of Vedrare, Karlovo region. It will make use of a hydroponic system with various water basins over an area of 1,312,24 sq.m. of 0,40 m in depth and 0.90 m in height on zero elevation. The greenhouse will have a steel and glass carcass construction and will be equipped with fractional thermal panels. It will include a pellet burning heating system installation. Investor: Snail LTD. n Source: agroplovdiv.bg / Agroberichten Buitenland
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News
“High-power LED grow light cuts energy by 40%”
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lessey, a developer of award-winning LED technologies and manufacturer of solid state lighting products, has launched the Hyperion family of high-power horticultural LED grow lights. Designed specifically to provide supplementary lighting in greenhouses, the Hyperion 1000 and Hyperion 1600 units deliver greater returns for commercial growers through increased productivity while achieving a 40% energy saving compared to equivalent 600W and 1000W sodium grow lights. “Hyperion is the world’s most productive grow light,” said Jonathan Barton, Plessey’s Director for Grow Lights, adding, “As the only LED manufacturer to make LED grow light fixtures, Plessey has been able to use its LED design and engineering skills to create a superior solution that delivers a great commercial return for growers by also ensuring the lowest overall cost of ownership.”
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Building on the success of its recently launched Attis range of grow lights, these initial Hyperion grow lights respectively deliver photon fluxes of 1000µmol/s and 1600µmol/s, and are ideally suited for growing vegetables, flowers, young plants and medical marijuana. They are directly equivalent to standard 600W and 1000W sodium grow lights. Hyperion units can be used to add to or replace existing installations. Plessey’s Hyperion grow lights provide a variety
of spectrums to enhance yield, quality and consistency by controlling the speed of plant growth, flowering and fruiting – possibly extending crop production and product shelf life. The 1:1 equivalence between Hyperion 1000 and Hyperion 1600 grow lights and the familiar 600W and 1000W sodium lights that growers, greenhouse builders and installers have been using for years, offers numerous benefits in evaluating, installing and using LED lighting. Comparisons between LED and sodium grow lights have previously been difficult because of the need to use more LED lights to match the light output of sodium lamps. For a given installation, the same number of Hyperion units can be used to directly replace sodium units, which would be far fewer than any competitive LED solution. The Hyperion units can also be installed on the existing greenhouse trellis.
News
Cooling the greenhouse: chalk or liquid?
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owadays, liquid greenhouse coatings are replacing chalk applications more than ever. These coatings are easy to apply, easy to remove and provide uniform shading. Coating with ReduSol is a good choice for people who have little or no experience with liquid coatings. The best way to keep heat out of the greenhouse is by repelling external heat radiation. For this reason, growers have traditionally sprayed their greenhouses with chalk or repelling the heat by using an external shade-cloth. A more modern option is to apply wear resistant ReduSol on the outside of the greenhouse. ReduSol reduces heat radiation and is a more practical alternative for chalk or the installation of shade-cloths.
For glass and plastic greenhouses ReduSol can be applied on glass and on all plastic materials. If ReduSol is applied to a plastic greenhouse, the lifetime of the film is extended because the coating blocks part of the harmful UV rays. Applied to a sidewall, ReduSol is a good way of reducing the radiation on that particular side. The coating is easy to apply and to remove manually or by
machine if available (through a contractor). To remove ReduSol, Mardenkro has developed ReduClean, a mild cleaning product that is safe to use on glass or plastic film and will, after application, allow the rain to wash off the coating. Custom ReduSol Liquid coatings, such as ReduSol, can be applied in multiple layers. It is possible
Easy to use ReduSol has been on the market for over 25 years and many ornamental plant growers have very positive experiences with this coating. The product is easy to use. It is already liquid, therefore easy to mix with water and causes no clogging of the spray equipment. Moreover, ReduSol is easier to remove from the greenhouse than chalk. Together with growers and through research, Mardenkro further developed the technology of liquid coatings though research and input from growers. Currently a series of coatings with advanced properties is available, like light diffusion or reflecting certain wavelengths of the light spectrum. An average of 5 degrees less Applying a liquid coating to the greenhouse roof changes the light circumstances in the greenhouse. This has an impact on the growth and development of the plants. If you have no experience with the ReduSystems products, the application of ReduSol on the greenhouse roof is a good way to experience the effect of a liquid coating. ReduSol provides full protection and is resistant to rain. A layer of ReduSol on the greenhouse roof reduces the average greenhouse temperature by as much as 5 degrees C. This benefits both the plants and the employees working in the greenhouse.
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to increase the shading as needed when the light intensity increases. ReduSol can also be reapplied in places. The two layers mix together well, resulting in a lasting uniform layer on the greenhouse roof. ReduSol can be mixed in multiple colours. Garden centres can, for example, mix a black colour through the liquid coating in order to apply a dark coating
on the greenhouse in December, thus creating a Christmas atmosphere. Another application is the mixing of a green pigment for a better integration of the greenhouses into the landscape. This is done in Germany and other countries. The added colours of the coating have no effect on the removal of ReduSol.
“Bright future for horticulture in Asia”
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he Asian horticulture market is transforming to meet with the fast growing demand and will see a significant growth in 2017 which is believed to be the trend onwards from 2018 to 2020. Farmers and owners are developing their products and adapting to solutions that will boost their businesses. Horticultural experts share knowledge to one another creating a strategy for Asia’s bright future. Susumu Tanaka, Chief Executive Officer of Salad Bowl, stated that “Important strategy requires focus on 5 important factors: marketing products,
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production establishments, product management, distribution, and sales promotion. Not only have these five factors, but you also need to balance the related layers per factor: greenhouse, varieties, and marketing and management methods.” As one of the senior players, he encouraged young professionals to join this great industry to learn the management approaches, other than just learning growing methods. At Horti ASIA, there is a meet of the key growers, buyers and related industrial professionals. The show will on
held March 15-17, 2017 at BITEC Bangkok, Thailand.
News
The benefits of fertigation and irrigation control
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rrigation – the process of artificially applying water to plants – has been in practice since as early as 6000 BC. There have been many advances in irrigation since then, and today’s technologies have made it easier than ever to control water flow as well as fertilizers, nutrients, and other chemicals. What is irrigation control? Irrigation control is a technique used to manage an irrigation system. Irrigation control systems manage electric valves that regulate the flow of water through piping systems. Automatic irrigation controllers allow water to flow to specific crops, or zones, based on triggers such as time, soil conditions, solar radiation accumulation, environmental controls, and other algorithms. This type of automation can be complex, since water must be applied to plants in specific volumes over varying amounts of time.
What is fertigation? Fertigation is the process of running fertilizer through irrigation water. The practice of running plant nutrients through irrigation systems has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. As careful water management and sustainability become more common issue, the need for high yields of superiorquality crops has increased. Because of this, more growers are exploring the advantages of combining their water and fertilizer applications.
The benefit of a fertigation system Fertigation increases efficiency by delivering water and nutrients directly into the root zone, where they’re most needed. This results in the need for less fertilizer and water. Other potential advantages of fertigation include flexibility, saving on labor and energy costs, and the ability to add nutrients that may be otherwise difficult to apply. Properly automated commercial greenhouses, hydroponics operations, and agricultural fields will reduce their costs for chemicals and labor while increasing crop yields and health. Hanna has three customizable options to fit any size facility. The Hanna HI10000 Fertilizer Injection System can accommodate flow rates from 1 gallon per minute (GPM) to 350 GPM (or 5 GPM-750 GPM with an expanded manifold) while the HI5000 and HI2500 are available for growers with smaller operations.
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News
Ireland: Organic grower compares edible flowers with slow food
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umblebee Flower Farm, based in Castledonovan, Drimoleague, supply their organically grown edibles to the city’s prestigious Greene’s restaurant on MacCurtain St, as well as more recently to fine foods specialists La Rousse. And Mags Riordan and husband Steve Davies feel so passionate about what they do, and are so keen to share the health benefits of their ‘power flowers’ that they are also considering a cookbook, as well as welcoming group tours to their farm. After a little research she found she was already growing lots of munchable
options, including the humble dahlia, rose, Sweet William and common marigold. A Women in Business course, run by the West Cork Enterprise Board, literally changed everything, says Mags, ramping things up a gear and turning their efforts into a viable operation. Mags and Steve now grow their blooms from six tunnels, and outdoors on their two-and-a-half acre farm. Huge numbers of bees feed off their crops, which gives the family great pleasure. Mags compares their growing ethos to
the slow food movement – which ironically had a slow take-up - and urges people to be as concerned about the provenance of flowers as they are with food.
South Korea, Qatar join hands in vertical farming
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outh Korea sees vertical farming as a promising area of cooperation with Qatar in relation to the country’s greenhouse farming projects to enhance food security, ambassador Heung Kyeong Park has said. The South Korea ambassador said cooperation in vertical or indoor farming, among other sectors, is one of South Korea’s plans this year to strengthen
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bilateral relations with Qatar. “Considering the Qatari government has been making every effort to achieve balanced developments through economic diversification policies, we would like to help Qatar pursue its goal of a ‘sustainable economy’ by expanding South KoreaQatar bilateral cooperation from energy and infrastructure, construction to healthcare, smart farms, manufacturing, and so on,” Park told Gulf Times. “In relation to Qatar’s greenhouse farming projects to enhance food security, i n d o o r f a r m i n g or vertical f a r m i n g requires advanced agricultural techniques a n d experience, LED lights and IT technologies, all of which I believe South Korea possesses. “I visited a commercial indoor farm in Al Khor,
which is producing mushroom, fruit, and vegetables all the year round. I think our bilateral cooperation could facilitate a sustainable agriculture, overcoming adverse weather conditions in Qatar.”
News
Vietnam wants 15,000 cooperatives by 2020
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he Department of Cooperative Economy and Rural Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam has set a target of having 15,000 cooperatives nationwide by 2020, with 45% of them operating efficiently. The department announced the goal at a conference held in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province on February 21 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to review the 2016 performance of cooperatives and discuss the 2017 plan for the sector. A report of the department says that the nation had had 11,000 agricultural
cooperatives by the end of 2016 with 30% of them doing well. The average number of members in a cooperative was down from 600 to 400 and is forecast to drop to below 100 in the future. According to the department, the decrease in cooperative members will help improve efficiency and increase incomes of members. Currently, the average revenue of a cooperative is about VND1.1 billion (48,000 USD) per year while profit reaches around VND200 million (8,800 USD) per cooperative. Average monthly income is VND1.5 million (66 USD) per member. Data of the department reveals only 3% of the cooperatives get access to bank
loans while 60% of them are in need of funds. Therefore, the Government should adopt a policy to back cooperatives to easily access funding sources.
Malaysian startup promotes indoor farming
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he idea of farming, even just growing vegetables to feed your own family is seen as something that is done in the countryside by humble farmers and to some urbanites, embodies unrewarding physical labour.
This is the stigma that CityFarm team Jayden Koay, Johanson Chew and Looi Choon Beng are fighting to dispel in their startup journey. Johanson was the first among the team to wet his toes in urban farming,
but eventually all three of them built their own farms in 2015. “Initially, there was a challenge where it was difficult to find hydroponics equipment and supplies,” said Jayden. “This triggered us to form an entity to
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help all urban farming enthusiasts.” “We soon realised that there is a bigger purpose behind urban farming. Soon there will be food source crisis due to rising population, pollution and climate change.” Now being aware of the environmental impact that urban farming could have in
helping the populations in the future, the team determined to take action. So over one casual teh tarik session between the three friends and urban farmers, they decided to join forces and form an urban farming business, which led to CityFarm’s launch in July last year.
“Carbon Gold’s Biology Blend most effective in reducing root mat disease”
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he AHDB released the results of trials it carried out on tomato root mat disease. According to the AHDB, this disease affects 90% of tomato nurseries in the UK and costs growers an average of £29,000 per hectare per year. The key objective of these trials was to identify biological treatments that suppress the disease. Results show Carbon Gold’s Biology Blend as the most effective product to
reduce the symptoms of root mat in rockwool. Delighted by the outcome,
Carbon Gold comments: “We welcome this groundbreaking research into root mat disease, an infection which affects nearly 90% of tomato nurseries in the UK and threatens significant crop losses. Carbon Gold hopes that these trials will encourage grower confidence in our biological products for ensuring healthy, more productive plants - thereby reducing losses and maximising yields.”
Aquaponics takes root in Namibia
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novel aquaponic gardening method that infuses urban gardening with climate change responsiveness is set to feed households while providing income to struggling dwellers in the Namibian capital. The aquaponics gardening system “uses 5 percent of recycled water compared to traditional soil gardening, with plants
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growing from charcoal cones sticking out from the bed of polystyrene afloat water,” explained Thomas Karumendu, group leader of the Aquaponic Gardening project. This is a model of farming that could be adopted by city dwellers struggling to make ends meet, a difficult life that Karumendu knows too well. Karumendu recalls the times he battled to make ends meet and struggled to establish a garden in Windhoek. But like many city dwellers, access to water and land for farming was a challenge. As luck would have it for him, he was introduced to aquaponic gardening, which he ran at a primary s c h o o l grounds in the city’s Katutura suburb.
“Although the garden is not in my own yard, I am happy to be introduced to a new method of hands-on and urban gardening”, he said.
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Date of Publishing 25-26 Every Month Date of Posting 3-4 Every Month
Postal Regn. No. DL (S) - 17/3212/2015-17 R.N.I. Regn. No. 63761/96