Submitted to: Dr. Parveen SharmaSpeaker: Harmanjeet Singh(A-2015-30-075)

Protected Cultivation Of

Vegetable crops

CONTENT• Introduction • Protected cultivation• Need of protected cultivation • Present scenario• Protected cultivation in hills• Potential crops for protected cultivation• Area and productivity of vegetables under protected cultivation in H.P.• Principle of polyhouse• Site selection• Types of polyhouses• Production systems and media for protected cultivation• Problem management in greenhouse cultivation

INTRODUCTION

• With globalization of markets, shrinking land and climate change, the protected cultivation of high value crops has emerged as the single most important technology for ensuring:

high productivity

improved quality and

profitable returns

Protected cultivation on commercial scale is undertaken in over 50 countries across the globe.

First modern greenhouses were built in Italy in the thirteenth century.

In India, green house technology started in 1980 and initially it was used for research only.

In India, first polyhouse was designed and set up in 1985 at Leh (J & K).

In Ladakh , greenhouses are being built for extending the growing season of vegetables from 3 to 8 months.

In India greenhouse cultivation is mainly in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Utarakhand , J&K.

Protected Cultivation

• A technique wherein the

microclimate around the plant is

controlled fully, partially or modified

to protect the crop from adverse

weather.

• Protected cultivation ensures:

Conservation of soil moisture

Efficient use of energy mainly

solar

Higher yield Year round cultivation Better quality Off-season production Assured production Generate self employment for the educated rural youth in the

farm sector Least pesticide residues Controlled pollination Vagaries of weather Easier plant protection Weed free cultivation

Need of Protected Cultivation

Present Scenario

Country ha (‘000)

China 81.0

Spain 70.4

South Korea 47.0

Japan 36.0

Turkey 25.0

India 25.0

Italy 16.5

Protected Cultivation in Hills

Hilly topography of the region limits the possibility of increasing cropping area and intensification of cropping systems.

Therefore, polyhouses can make small holdings viable by producing maximum from limited land, overcoming vagaries of nature and diversification to high value vegetable crops.

It can also stabilize production system in addition to quality improvement through utilization of vertical space and precision farming.

Further, these structures can facilitate crop production in areas where vegetable production during extreme weather conditions is not possible.

There is a great variation in agro-climatic conditions in H.P. These ranges from sub-humid sub tropical to dry temperate.

Due to these climatic variations, variety of crops are grown during different periods of the year.

Majority of cash crops mainly vegetables grown in the Himachal Pradesh are exported and consumed by the neighbouring states of plains.

There is lot of demand for off season vegetables grown in the Himachal Pradesh and also there is a great export potential.

Himachal Pradesh has more than 300 hectare area and productivity = 18.9 t/ha.

In H.P. maximum area under protected cultivation is in Bilaspur followed by Kangra ,Una and others.

In production Kullu is leading followed by Bilaspur

In Kangra, area under protected cultivation is approx. 37 ha.

Anonymous,2015

Area and Productivity of vegetables under protected cultivation in H.P.

Crop Area (%) Avg. yield(q/100m2)

Tomato 19.6

3.37

Capsicum 57 4.42

Cucumber 5.5 4.58

French bean 6.6 1.70

Others 11.0 -

Anonymous (2015)

POTENTIAL CROPS FOR PROTECTED CULTIVATION

Greenhouse technology is more suited to vegetables crops (such as tomato, capsicum, cucumber, french bean, cabbage, chillies, spinach, cauliflower etc.)

Flowers (like rose, gerbera, carnation etc.) and nursery for all vegetable crops, because of their small life-span.

This technology is mainly suitable for commercial farming, as it requires investment in setting up the entire framework.

Tomatoes Under Protected Cultivation

Principle of Polyhouse

SITE SELECTIONA good site can make all the difference in the functional and

environmental operations of a polyhouse.• The soil should have pH of 5.5-6.5• Availability of continuous source of quality water. • The pH of the irrigation water should be 5.5-7.0• Good supply of electricity. • A ground slope for drainage is an important factor to divert surface

water way from the green house.• Greenhouses should be located away from the buildings and trees to

avoid obstruction to sunlight. And should be pollution free.• Facility of good road transport to near markets.• Easy and cheap availability of labourers.• Communication facility should available at site.

OrientationOrientation of the

greenhouses could be in any direction when they are in single spans.

Multi-span greenhouses should be oriented in north-south direction only, to avoid continuous shading of certain-portions of the greenhouse by its structural members.

TYPES OF POLYHOUSES Low cost or Naturally ventilated polyhouses

Medium cost or Partial climate controlled polyhouses

High cost or Fully climate controlled polyhouses

Plastic low tunnels

Net houses

Plastic mulches

Low initial investment

Constructed with locally available material such as bamboo, timber etc.

No specific control devices for regulating environmental parameters inside the polyhouse.

Suitable during cold weather, especially in hilly areas.

LOW COST OR NATURALLY VENTILATED POLYHOUSE

The structural frame is made up of galvanized iron pipes

Exhaust fans are used for ventilation, these are thermostatically controlled

Cooling pad is used for humidifying the air entering the polyhouse

These are suitable for vegetable cultivation during mild winter and mild summer for the low hills in NW Himalayas

MEDIUM COST OR PARTIAL CLIMATE CONTROLLED POLYHOUSES

Consists of sensors.

Frame is made up of iron or aluminum

Designs are dome shaped or cone shaped

These are highly durable, 5-6 times costlier

Growing medium used in these type of greenhouses are Peat, Perlite, Vermiculite, Rock wool

In India coco fibres and rice husks are used as growing media as these materials are cheaper

Fertigation and pesticide sprays are done by fogging machine

HIGH COST OR FULLY CLIMATE CONTROLLED POLYHOUSES

HIGH COST OR FULLY CLIMATE CONTROLLED POLYHOUSES

Miniature form of polyhouse

Protect the plants from rains, winds, low temperature, frost and other vagaries of weather

Provide the best way for off season vegetable nursery production by modifying the microclimate around the plants

Nursery bed of size 3x1x0.15 cm

A portable low plastic tunnel of size 3.5x1.20x1.0 m size with polythene sheet of 120 GSM is put on the nursery bed

PLASTIC LOW TUNNELS

Seedlings germinate faster and

their hardening is done

simultaneously by removing the

portable tunnels during day

time or when the weather

conditions is favourable.

Can be transported from one

place to another with ease. Hardening of Seedlings

Simple framed structure or small row like structure

Nets of 40 and higher mesh are effective

Control entry of flying insect Save crop from viral disease Netting to maintain an

environment which also provide isolation from insect borne pollen

NET HOUSES

Mulching is a practice of covering the soil around plants to improve crop growth and development.

Mulch material may be organic (leaves, straw, grass etc.) or synthetic (plastic).

Now a days plastic mulches are commercially used in protected cultivation.

Black plastic mulch used in winters.

White plastic mulch of 30-40 used in summers. Yellow plastic mulch- reduction of virus incidence in several vegetables like Solanaceous crops.

PLASTIC MULCHES

Tomato under different coloured plastic mulches

PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND MEDIA FOR PROTECTED CULTIVATION

1.) Soil System or Geoponics: crops grown in natural soil.

Disadvantages :

Presence of disease, insect and weeds in the soil

Excessive nutrient level could leach into ground water tables

Flooding of irrigation water cause high water table which reduces aeration, thereby root growth

2.) Soil less culture: growing of vegetables in the media other than soil.

Media used are: Cocopeat, perlite, vermiculite, saw dust, rockwool,

peanut hulls, rice hulls or the mixtures.

3.) Hydroponics or water culture: system of growing plant in nutrient solution, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral solution only, or in an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel.

4.) Aeroponics : it involves the growing of plants in a trough or container in which the roots are suspended and sprayed with a nutrient mist. The rooted plants are placed in a special type of box with computer controlled humid atmosphere. It is a relatively new production system used especially for research purpose.

Hydroponics

Aeroponics

Healthy nursery of potential crops for protected cultivation

cucumber Tomato

capsicum

Fibrous root growth

CLIMATE CONTROL

• Maintain humidity 60-80%

• Maintain optimum temperature 18-24oC (avoid >35 and <12 oC)

• Use agro shade net to control temperature and light

• Ensure sufficient air circulation around the plants

• Ensure carbon dioxide concentration >300 ppm

Fertigation is the application of fertilizers, soil amendments, or other water soluble products through an irrigation system.

OBJECTIVES OF FERTIGATION

Maximize profit by applying the right amount of water and fertilizer.

Minimize adverse environmental effects by reducing leaching of fertilizers and other chemicals below the root zone.

ADVANTAGES:

Relatively uniform fertilizer application Less fertilizer used Reduced costs

DISADVANTAGES:

Potential contamination hazard from equipment malfunctionsCareful handling of liquid fertilizers required

Problem management in greenhouse cultivation

The troubles which arise in the culture of crops in the greenhouse may be divided into several groups :a) failure to supply the essential factors for optimum growth such as light, moisture, carbon dioxide and heat in amounts necessary for each individual crop b) fertilizer deficiencies c) fertilizer excesses d) toxic gases e) attacks by insects, animals, and allied pests and f) susceptibility to fungus, bacteria and virus troubles.

IMPORTANT INSECT PEST AND DISEASES OF POLYHOUSE

Insect Insecticide

White fly Acetamiprid

Thrips Metasysstox

Aphids Roger

Spodoptera Spodocyte

Mites Dicofol

Nematode Carbofuron

Diseases

Fungicides

Bacterial wilt

Captan(2.5gm)+bavistin (1gm)

Powdery mildew

Carathane (1gm/lt)

Damping off

Indofil M-45 (2.5gm/kg seed )

Alternaria leaf spot

Blitox (3 gm/lt)

Fusarium wilt

Carathane (1gm/lt)

Blossom end rot

Calcium chloride (5gm/lt)