Greenhouse Technology And Management

Translation of the second ed.: Invernaderos de plaastico: tecnologaia y manejo.

The change in greenhouse operation and technology in the last 20 years has been unprecedented. Photoperiodic control, mist propagation, green house cooling, clean stock programs, CO injection, to name a few, have 2 all been inaugurated as regular greenhouse practices in this time. The introduction of new markets, new production centers, shifts in public attitudes, and the realization that greenhouse production is not simply growing crops, but the management of an enterprise in which people work, h~ve combined to make this agricultural practice a challenging and rewarding vocation. The greenhouse grower, manager, and student who are training for this vocation have not had an up-to-date text book for many years. It has been our goal to bring both published and unpublished work together in this book, and to provide a bench mark from which we can continue to move forward. It is not until a process of writing a text begins that one fully realizes how far we have come-and where we need to go. It is with some sadness that we realize that this book is not likely to remain long as an expression of the state-of-the-art. We do not expect it to be easy reading; for new terms, new technology, and new ways of doing things are not always easy.

While working on the second edition of this book, an attempt was made to make this text book more valuable to the students and teachers as well. The whole book received a complete change in layout and presentation. Several new illustrations were added and many old illustrations were modified to give students a better understanding of the subject. Also based on the feedback by the students and teachers, more worked out examples were added. Answer keys to the exercise numerical problems were incorporated for the benefit of students. Additional information on Greenhouse Heatin (12th Chapter) with numerical examples is also included to provide insight to the engineering graduate students on different possibilities of heat requirement calculations of greenhouses.

Resource added for the Landscape Horticulture Technician program 100014.

A current and invaluable source for agricultural scientists, researchers, vegetable growers and professional entrepreneurs enabling them to understand the fundamentals of greenhouse technology applicable to vegetable production, crop drying, poultry farms, space heating etc. Imparts systematic information about the historical background, importance and reviews work in a global perspective. It provides design, construction, instrumentation and error analysis in greenhouse. The basic tools like knowledge of solar energy, solar fraction and heat transfer has also been elaborated upon, as well as different heating / cooling concepts used to control a favorable environment condition inside greenhouses, including information on constituents of inside environment, root media, various crop production, thermal modeling, energy analysis and economic aspects of greenhouse technology.

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Classification of Greenhouses Chapter 3 Plant Response to Greenhouse Environment Chapter 4 Environmental Control Inside Greenhouse Chapter 5 Greenhouse Ventilation and Computerised Control Systems Chapter 6 Planning of Greenhouse Facility Chapter 7 Greenhouse Construction Materials Chapter 8 Greenhouse Covering Materials Chapter 9 Construction of Typical Greenhouses Chapter 10 Construction of Low Cost Wooden Framed Plastic Film Greenhouses Chapter 11 Greenhouse Cooling Chapter 12 Greenhouse Heating Chapter 13 Environmental Requirement of Crops and Pest Control Chapter 14 Greenhouse Irrigation Systems Chapter 15 Greenhouse Utilisation in Off-season Chapter 16 Simplified Protected Agriculture Techniques - Plastic Mulches Chapter 17 Simplified Protected Agriculture Techniques-Row Covers Chapter 18 Advanced Protected Agriculture Systems-Uquid Hydroponics Chapter 19 Advanced Protected Agriculture Systems - Aggregate Hydroponics Chapter 20 Economics of Greenhouse Production Bibliography Index

Greenhouse horticulture is one of the most intensive agricultural systems, focusing on the production of high-value products. This book presents current research findings that cover a wide range of new technologies and novel agricultural practices, which are preconditions for successful production in a very competitive global environment.