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THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MARCH 2017
system; for example, water and nutrients are delivered
automatically and recirculated, ensuringmaximum efficiency
and nowaste or threats of nutrient run-off.“
Using thismethod of controlled growing has also succeeded
in eliminating pythium and other root zone fungal disease, he
says.
Growing pak choi using this system is also proving highly
successful: commercial production and crop trials repeated
over several seasons have produced consistently high quality,
premium grade crops.
“One of themajor benefits is the reduced crop cycle time,
which helps enhancewinter production and results in an
additional 2.5 crop cycles each year. “
Valefresco, one of theUK’s leading salad growers, has
increased yields from 3kg/sq. m to 11.5kg/sq. per crop cycle.
NickMauro, director of Valefresco, says: “We are producing
nearly 100 per cent clean, saleable crop year round and doing
our best to keep it completely chemical free.
“We sell to some of theUK’s biggest processors and retailers
and they absolutely love it – in fact we’re negotiating a new
contract off the back of it.
“We are looking at rolling it out for all our pak choi production
and are trialling it for our premium lettuce too.
“We are really happywith the payback figures; it makes the
investment muchmore attractive.”
Mr Fisher adds the potential for high-value herbs such as basil
is huge, with trials producing premium quality, with significant
yield improvements and a shorter crop cycle thanwith
conventional grower.
Mr Fisher says: “If you shorten the growing cycle from45 days
to 35days, you gain ten days, and over the length of the year
this builds up to threemore crop cycles, which canmake a
significant difference to the bottom line.”
SATURN BIOPONICS •
In addition, the trials showed single-cut yields doubled in size,
reaching 3.25 kg/sq. m comparedwith 1.6 kg/sq. m using a
gutter system.
The company is focused on compact greenhouse crops, such
as leafy salads and vegetables, herbs and is also trialling dwarf
peppers and chillies, edible and cut flowers. Other oriental
vegetables have shown significant potential in early trials, adds
Mr Fisher.
“Hydroponic systems have been around for many years, and
have been very successful in the tomato, pepper and chilli
sectors but have not really succeededwithmore compact
crops.
“However, with the savings in labour and resource use,
alongside the huge yield increase, our modular system
improves profitability to such an extent that a grower can
expect a payback of between sixmonths and three years.”
Mr Fisher believes the systemwill increase profitability in
commercial cropproduction through:
• Yield increase per unit area of land three to four times
greater
• Savings inwater, nutrients and energy through use of
recirculating irrigation, enablingmuch tighter control of
resources than is possible for conventional horticulture
• Reduction in labour and operating costs through simplified
planting, maintenance and harvesting procedures; for
example, there has been a saving of 16per cent of pak
choi costs of production.
• Extended growing seasons, and growth in extreme
temperatures using targeted, energy efficient temperature
control systems and through remote control, the company
can apply root zonewarming or cooling.
• Minimal andmore controlled use of pesticides and
fungicides, leading also to improved environmental
outcomes. This is thanks to the elimination of root zone
fungal disease and healthier, more resilient plants.
Vertical farming towers: Towers canoffer potential
yield increasesof up to 300per cent.
Aeroponicmethods canpromoteoxygenuptakeby
the root, says JasonHawkins-Row.
