Growing

Plants, especially trees, are by far the tallest organisms on Earth. Height growth is made possible by a specialized vascular system. This system conducts water from the roots to the leaves with high efficiency, while simultaneously - thanks to extremely strong cell walls -providing stability. Through a…

It is important to conduct water and nutrient solution analyses on a regular basis to ensure hydroponic tomatoes are receiving the proper level of nutrients. Making sure that hydroponically-grown tomatoes receive the proper nutrient levels requires testing water and nutrient solutions. Growers also need…

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various irrigation water (W) and nitrogen (N) levels on growth, root-shoot morphology, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency of greenhouse tomatoes in spring–summer and fall–winter. The experiment consisted of three irrigation water levels (W: 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 80%, and 60% of full irrigation) and three N application levels (N: 100%, 75%, and 50% of the standard nitrogen concentration in Hoagland’s solution treatments equivalent to 15, 11.25, 7.5 mM). All the growth parameters of tomato significantly decreased (p < 0.05) with the decrease in the amount of irrigation and nitrogen application. Results depicted that a slight decrease in irrigation and an increase in N supply improved average root diameter, total root length, and root surface area, while the interaction was observed non-significant at average diameter of roots. Compared to the control, W80N100 was statistically non-significant in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. The W80N100 resulted in a yield decrease of 2.90% and 8.75% but increased irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) by 21.40% and 14.06%. Among interactions, the reduction in a single factor at W80N100 and W100N75 compensated the growth and yield.

LED and HPS luminaires affect leaf and air temperature differently, which can have a profound effect on your crop. Learn more on the differences between these two technologies and how it might affect the outcome of your plants at bit.ly/2Jrq58T pic.twitter.com/jOU093X5Gr

Posted by P.L. Light Systems (PLlight) on Wednesday, January 20th, 2021 1:13pm

Greenhouse production of hydroponic tomatoes is increasing worldwide every year. The reason? All the advantages provided by these growing systems! The principal advantages of hydroponic controlled environment agriculture (CEA) include high-density maximum crop yield, year-round production, more efficient use of water and fertilizers, consistent crop quality, minimal use of land area, and suitability for mechanization, […]

In winter, low temperatures, high humidity and a lack of light can lead to the appearance of pathogenic fungi or to problems caused by the degradation of the plants' root system, mainly due to inadequate irrigation. Although the meteorological conditions that affect the crop are not the same in summer as…

Nivola presents a new solution for climate control under 100% closed screens in existing and new greenhouses. The need for light shielding by growers is continuously increasing. Last Monday, Hortidaily posted: ‘’Passed on December 8th, 2020 by the municipality of Leamington, the “Greenhouse Light…

Although your plants may have been checked for pests and even treated with pesticides during propagation, there may still be one or two unwanted visitors when they arrive on site. Transplanting provides a good opportunity to check each plant individually, as it is placed in its growing position, and take…

Next year, Van der Knaap Groep and Wageningen University & Research will start a new trial. The trial will examine the negative effect of sodium on the production and quality of pepper crops.   Van der Knaap has developed a sodium remover that complies with the new regulations for 2026. “We want to demonstrate the benefits…

This year many events took place in a digital setting, including the Global Berry Congress. The Italian Molari Berries & Breeding also attended the special event. "It is interesting to see how, despite the pandemic, the sector was able to keep up with a remarkable trend. Consumers' lifestyles have…

In greenhouse horticulture air is often brought in from below. In utilities, this is the other way around. There, the air is always brought in from above. It ensures effective air movement and a good indoor climate for people or business processes. Growers also want an optimal climate, but for the plant.…

Every tomato grower wants to optimise production and quality, especially in wintertime when prices are often highest. Despite applying additional HPS or LED lighting, PAR light is the main restricting factor in this period, so the art of growing now is achieving optimal light use efficiency (LUE) and a…

Quiz: Can you recognize which #nutrient deficiency is pictured in these #greenhouse #cucumber plants ? #horticulture

greenhousecanada.com/signs-your-gre… pic.twitter.com/s1izDGxPFu

Bright red, tasty and healthy, that’s how we know and love bell peppers. In a first, the team headed by Professor Sacha Baginsky from the Chair for Plant Biochemistry at Ruhr University (RUB) has deciphered in detail, at the protein level, what makes them turn red as they ripen. At the heart of the project are the so-called…

Mission Produce, Inc. addresses the niche market need for sophisticated avocado ripening. "Experts in all things avocados, Mission Produce’s ripening program is led by experienced specialists at state-of-the-art ripening centers that focus solely on avocados," a release from the company says. A sensitive…

Stomata, the microscopic pores surrounded by a pair of guard cells on the surfaces of leaves and stems, play an essential role in regulating the gas exchange between a plant and the surrounding atmosphere. Stomatal development and opening are significantly influenced by environmental conditions, both in the short and long term. The rapid rate of current climate change has been affecting stomatal responses, as a new balance between photosynthesis and water-use efficiency has to be found. Understanding the mechanisms involved in stomatal regulation and adjustment provides us with new insights into the ability of stomata to process information and evolve over time. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in research on the underlying mechanisms of the interaction between environmental factors and stomatal development and opening. Specific emphasis is placed on the environmental factors including light, CO2 concentration, ambient temperature, and relative humidity, as these factors play a significant role in understanding the impact of global climate change on plant development.

A large number of studies on salinity in hydroponic systems have been carried out, but few of them have evaluated the interaction between salinity and nutrient solution temperatures. In Brazil, two experiments were carried out in a randomized block design from January to February (Experiment I) and June…

Biotechnology company 2Grow and 30MHz have joined forces to develop smart data tools that provide growers, breeders and researchers with even more detailed insights into the health and needs of their plants. This year they developed a new application: 2Grow Plant Insights. The app will become available…

Irrigation scheduling and programming are very effective tools for efficient water use in a plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL). In order to confirm optimal irrigation schemes for the production of cucumber scions and rootstocks in a PFAL, in this study, four different start points of irrigation were applied by measuring the weight of the plug tray to compare the growth of cucumber scions and rootstocks cultivated in a PFAL. Additionally, the growth characteristics of cucumber seedlings grafted with scions and rootstocks cultivated between in a greenhouse and in a PFAL were investigated. Although the growth of cucumber scions and rootstocks was highest when irrigation was conducted at 70% of water content in a medium, the growth of grafted cucumber seedlings before and after transplanting was not significantly different among the irrigation treatments in a PFAL. However, water use efficiency (WUE) during cucumber scions and rootstock production in a PFAL was higher at 60% than at 70%. Considering seedling growth and the efficiency of irrigation such as WUE and irrigation schedule, the optimal start point of irrigation during the production of cucumber scions and rootstocks in a PFAL was determined as 60% of water content in a medium.

Biostimulants play an important role in the development of management practices able to reach adequate productivity to meet the food demand of a growing world population, while following a sustainable agriculture model. This work aims to evaluate the effect of a protein hydrolysate derived from legume seeds by enzymatic hydrolysis on plant growth and also to verify its ability to mitigate Fe deficiency, a widespread problem significantly limiting plant growth and crop productivity. Experiments were performed with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.—cv. AKRAI F1) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.—cv. EKRON F1). The plants were grown hydroponically under adequate or limited Fe supply. Changes in shoot and root fresh weight, leaf relative chlorophyll content and the accumulation of macro- and microelements in shoots and roots were measured. Plant ability to cope with Fe deficiency was measured by evaluating the activity of root Fe3+-chelate reductase. Our results indicate that the foliar treatments with the protein hydrolysate did not significantly affect growth parameters when plants were grown in full nutrient solution. However, the biostimulant was able to improve the growth performance of Fe-deficient plants. Therefore, the protein hydrolysate can be a powerful tool to stimulate crop growth under Fe-deficient environments, leading to reduced fertilizer inputs with related environmental and economic benefits.

BioSafe Systems is launching a new product, CalOx FT, an advanced liquid nutritional and crop enhancement product for a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. The unique, patented CaT technology in CalOx FT to improve calcium mobility and distribution beyond traditionally applied calcium…

In the greenhouse of the Turkish propagator Altin Fide, humidity could be a big issue - either an excess or a lack of it would both harm the youngplants being propagated at the company. A greenhouse air handling unit (GAHU) turned out to be the solution. The installation is designed to eliminate fungi,…

In Part 1 of this series we learned that, as autotrophs, plants crave carbon dioxide to feed themselves through photosynthesis. In general, the more CO2, the more photosynthesis, the faster and bigger plants will grow. Knowing this relationship, greenhouse growers and indoor farmers often enrich the plant environment with CO2 to maximize yields and increase product output. Crop productivity is even greater when elevated levels of CO2 are co-optimized with light intensity, air temperature, VPD, and fertilizer.

In just 6.5 meters wide, the typical width of an Huelva-type macro tunnel, ten cultivation gutters are installed. This is done thanks to the new cultivation system of NGS, the Rotational NGS System. "This translates into 15,300 linear meters of cultivation gutter per hectare."  "We've designed this new cultivation system,…

Guillermo Gonzalez and Thomas Roos speak to Carlos Borja about the use of Jiffy Growbags in a successful greenhouse operation. Carlos is a pepper grower at Villaserre, Mexico. This interview is to talk about Villaserre, pepper grower in Mexico, and about the use of Jiffy Growbags in a successful…

With the holiday season almost upon us, it’s time to turn our attention to Spring bedding crops. Although here for a brief window, the diversity of these crops means you’re bound to encounter some sort of disease and insect problems.

One way you can head off issues is to plan and prepare now.  This post from January 2020 has important tips on sanitation for common spring crop diseases, dips and early sprays to prevent key pests, as well as tips on where to spend your biocontrol dollars.

Introduced about two and a half decades ago, the idea of using a sharp temperature drop to encourage fruit production is still a source of contention. As a teacher of the “HNT (Het Nieuwe Telen) Learning Groups”, an educational program where Dutch growers are taught the principles of Next Generation…

The more pellets that are placed in the mould, the denser and stronger the seedling tray. In cheaper trays, there tend to be slightly bigger gaps between the expanded pellets, and fine plant roots can enter these, making it difficult to pull out the plants.

Damping off organisms can also lurk in these small spaces, and the growing plants can become infected and die. One of the Pythium species (fungus-type pathogens) is usually the main culprit, but it’s not the only one.

I have used horse manure compost as a medium for 23 years and have never had damping off problems. This may be because the medium is a rich source of beneficial organisms, which suppress development of pathogens. I also never get powdery mildew on Brassica seedlings.

Once the pathogen has appeared, the trays must be sterilised, or the problem will keep cropping up and possibly cause major losses.

The most effective way of sterilising trays is in a heat chamber. To save cost and effort, some growers wait until damping off starts before using heat sterilising.

Another solution is to use a commercial dip containing copper; this will also reduce the penetration of roots into the fine gaps in the polystyrene.

If you are a small grower, you can use a simple, home-made steriliser such as bleach mixed with water at a 10% solution, or hydrogen peroxide at 3% concentration. Leave the trays suspended in the solution for 20 minutes, then rinse and dry them.

Growers, researchers and lighting suppliers agree, far-red is the 'x-factor', but when this x-factor should be deployed, that is a different story. At the Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt (testing station for vegetable cultivation) in the Belgian town Sint-Katelijne-Waver, they are conducting research…

Bamboo poles have been used to facilitate vertical farming of tomatoes. This method of farming seems to have changed the look of the farm.