Greenhouse Vegetable Production:Sweet Bell Pepper (Capsicum annum L.) culture in Leamington

Ontario

Lecture Presented by:

Dr. Ozair Chaudhry, Ph.D.,C P Ag. (USA)., OCT ( Canada)

Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute (NS) Con.Ed. Toronto, Ontario

and

Dr. Muhammed Saeed, Ph.D.,(UK) CPH (USA)

Kapital Produce Ltd. Leamington, OntarioSeptember, 2008

Copyrighted. Users advised to quote author’s reference.

Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Sweet Bell Peppers (Capsicum annum L.) culture in Leamington, Ontario

Bell Peppers Production in Gutter Type Greenhouse

Introduction Structure Operation

Planting Harvesting & Packing

Production Economics

Phases of Study

Sweet Bell Peppers(Capsicum annum L.)

IntroductionFocus on controlled, intensive production of high quality, fresh market produce under very diverse conditions Optimum use of controlled variables;Air & root zone temperature, Vap.pressure deficit, Fertilizer, CO2 enrichment, Suitable growing media, and plant maintenance.

Management Goals

Intelligently control greenhouse operational variables to,

Maximum yield and profit,

To simplify the decision-making on dynamics of the crop-environment interaction.

Part-1Greenhouse Structure

Topic - 1 (Greenhouse Structure)

Gutter-connect-design offers expansion (“bays”) compartment,

Roof has many arches, each cover one bay,

Arches connected with Gutters where 1 bay meets the next.

Typical Gutter type greenhouse(Structure conted.)

Gutter Type (Side view)

GH Structure Conted.

Lower part of roof are gutters (the point where adjacent arches begin or end).

Single bay greenhouse 240 m2 (2500 Ft 2) can be expanded by addition of bays to cover 1Ha (2.5 Ac)or more

GH Structure Conted

Advantages of Gutter Types:Accommodate taller indeterminate cultivars (e.g. pepper attains 3.5m 12 Ft.provide larger air mass easily optimize Env than smaller air mass per unit area of greenhouse

GH Structure Conted.Material

Glass Panels (24 %)*

PLASTIC (76 %)*

Polycarbonate PanelsPolyethylene Skins*As in 2006-07

GH Structure conted.Material

Double Polyethylene Skin has 2 layers, pressurized air filled in between provides rigidity(4 yr.)

Allow light, conserves energy, reduce heat loss in winter

Newer material selectively exclude wavelength, reduce insect / disease

Average Growers & GH Size in Ontario 2006-07

Cucumber 42 %Sweet Peppers 25 %Tomatoes 33 %______________________0-2 Acres = 32 %2-5 ---- = 28 %5-15 ---- = 29 %15-50 ---- = 10 %50 + ---- = 0.8 %

Part - 2GreenhouseOperation

Greenhouse (GH) Operation conted.

Heating Options as in 2006-07:

Boiler 42 %Steam 27 %Hot water 19 %Natural Gas 5 %Forced Air 4 %Air applied heat influence canopyFloor applied influence root zone

GH Operation conted.

GH Heating Fuel

Natural gas 55 %# 6 Bunker 20 % # 2 Light oil 19 %Wood 3 %Others* 4 %

________________________________*(Biomass heavy oil, Furnace oil, propane, saw dust etc.)

GH Operation Boiler: compressed Air

Hot Water Distribution Header(compartment of header zone)

GH Operation conted.(Primary Heating)

Boiler delivers heat by (5 cm or 2//

pipe) run on the floor between rows

Return pipe run parallel to one another forming “rail” used by the cart run up and down, help pruning and harvesting.

Heating Rails GH Heating system

Rail Track /Cart

GH Operation conted. Importance of Plant Canopy Air Heating

Target temp. 18-21 0C,

Temp. below 15 0C is sub optimal for root zone,

Irrig. Temp. above 23 0C injurious to roots,

Summer temp. can be 25 0C if grown in saw dust or rock wool slab.

GH operation conted.(Secondary Heating)

2 // pipe run under the top gutter to heat the roof for snow melt down in winter

provide precise temp to optimize pollination, promotes early fruits & leaf

GH Operation conted.(Ventilation & Air Cooling

Ventilation helps:

air circulation, uniform climate by heat distribution from system, dehumidifying,

In winter warm humid is exhausted and cool dry air brought in.

Summer ventilation aid cooling the crop

GH Operation conted.(Relative Humidity)

Measure of water vapour contents in air,Maintained below threshold point to avoid diseasesHumidity RH α transpiration rate+temp + light intensity

High humidity increase VP in GH air mass*VPD measured by sensors used to control transpiration rate for sustained yield.

__________________________________* Measurement units vary: milibar or Kpa, g/m3

Hot Water Supply pipesAir Inflation Pipes

GH operation conted.(Cooling System)

During high light intensity, ventilation is insufficient

Increased GH temp. also lowered with pad & fan evaporative cooling system

Fan & Pad Evaporating Cooling conted.

GH Operation Conted. Floors & Potting

Concrete floors expensive but ideal for nursery,Seedlings rooted in rock wool slabs or bags with growing media,Small water *channels run between rows,

These channels allow drainage from irrigation from one end to holding tanks for re-circulation.

_______________________________________*( channel sized 6x6 inch width x depth)

Growing Media ( as in 2006-07)

Rock Wool Slabs 57 %Coconut 39 %Peat moss 1 %Soil 0.6 %NFT 0.5 %Others (Foam) 2.2 %

Floor & Rooting

GH Operation conted.CO2 Supplementation

Co2 diffused pipes are placed below the gutters

Co2 Source: Natural gas combustion contains impurities

In summer temp hike so, hard to maintain ambient level of Co2, it requires extra cooling

Liquid Co2 clean but costly

GH Operation conted. (CO2 Supplementation)

Optimum GH CO2 conc. Ranges 700-900 ppm.

Rubp Enz. Fix either ------> CO2 : O2

Higher conc. CO2 will favour CO2 fixation

CO2 limit photosynthesis rate

GH Operation conted. (CO2 Supplementation)

On high ventilation, cost efficient conc. of CO2 is 350 ppm, just above the ambient. There won’t be net exchange of CO2 via vents,At higher temp.25 OC, Photosyn. declines, CO2 suppl. beyond this point is cost inefficient,Younger nursery plants have expon. Gth. than older. CO2 enrichment benefits.

Liquid CO2 Tank & Vaporizers

Liquid CO2 at 20 0C, passes through Vaporizers & converted to gas before fed on plants)

GH Operation conted: (Irrigation / Fertigation)

Water & Fertilizer has control on delivery to plants,Both are precisely programmed, delivered as frequently required,Both pumped from supply tanks in header house via hoses to aisles,Small spaghetti tubes supply equal rationing from hose to each plant.

Nutrient Control System

GH Operation Conted.Nutrient Control SystemElectrical Conductivity (EC) gives indirect measure of nutrients / ions conc. to be delivered to plants

Greater the ions dissolved in H2O, greater the current flow and hence, high EC value

EC unit mili mohs/cm or mili Siemens/cm, or micro Siemens/cm

Automated Nutrition Delivery system

Water & Nutrient supply source

Spaghetti Tubes

GH Operation Conted. (Environmental Control)

Computer Integrated manipulation provides optimal plant growth,

Internal Env. contact with Sensors installed in aisles records Temp, RH, Light & CO2 level,

Sensor quality, maintenance and proper placement in vegetation records accurate and reliable reading.

Environmental Sensor Box for Temp./ RH

GH OperationEnvironmental Control System

Part- 3Sweet Peppers Productiona. Plantingb. Harvest & Packing

Topic 3-a Production Conted.Bell Peppers Planting

Greenhouse peppers are Indeterminate cultivars therefore, plants continually develop and grow from new meristems that produce new stems, leaves, flowers and fruit.

These cultivars require constant pruning to manage their growth, optimize yield, a balance between vegetative & generative growth.

Seedling Planting

Seedling Progressing

Bell Peppers Production conted.Pruning / Training of Bell peppers

Production conted.Vertical Growth of Indeterminate Bell Peppers

Bell peppers Production conted. Biological Growth

GROWTH

Associated with gth of leaves and branches Generate Carbohydrates

Vegetative Growth

Associated with flowers & fruits Assimilates Carbohydrates

Generative Growth

Increase in Biomass

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Effect of light intensity on Growth & Development

Corrective environmental actions: ( light, Temp, RH, nutrients) trigger balance between Veg. & generative growth.

Light promote and limit photosynthesisLight intercept = latitude,canopy geometry, row orientation

At 340 L, N-S orientation gets high intercept At 500 L, E-W maximize light interception.

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Effect of light intensity on Growth & Development

Leaf Area Index (LAI) ratio of leaf area over the land that leaf covers,Crop productivity increases with the increase of LAI. (LAI 8 is the max value for GH crops).

Highest LAI for Bell Peppers= 6.3, Cucumbers= 3.4 and Tomatoes= 2.3

White plastic floors reflects light to canopy ( add 9 % intensity).

Bell Peppers Production conted.

Effect of light intensity on Growth & Development

In North American winter (Nov-Feb) light is limiting, 16-20 Hrs photoperiod is supplemented.

120-180 W/m2 intensity applied from 400 W sodium light

Bell Peppers Production Conted.

Effect of Temperature Regime on Growth & Development

*24 hrs mean temp. manipulation for consecutive days direct either veg. or generative gth.

Day temp 21-23 0C is optimum for photo-synthesis of GH pepper, (1-1.5 variation Lower-->Veg & higher --->generative gth)

For pepper fruit set, night temp 16-18 0C is optimum.

_______________________________________* Vary within crops and cultivars

Bell Peppers Production Conted.

Seedling/ Transplantation

Seed to seedling ready 7-10 DAP*Receives 1st transfer to bigger rock wool blocks 10x10 cm when difoliate, 2 WAE**Receives 2nd transfer to production GH at 6 WAE, 10 inch tall

__________________________________*[DAP=Day After Planting, **WEP=Week After Emergence]

Bell Production Conted.Seedling/ Transplantation

*Pre-filled rock-wool slab ( 100x20x7.5 cm) has EC 2.5-2.8 m S/cm 21 0C has 6 planting slots on the top,

After rooting in to slabs, cut 2 slit on the bottom for drainage.

_____________________________________*D/N 20/21 0C, RH 70-80, VPD 3-5 gm/cm3, CO2 800-1000ppm. Post-establ. E C= 4-4.5

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Green House Plant Production

1 *WATp maintain **D/N 21/16-17 0C. As such plant is directed to set flowers, maintain opt. Veg. Growth and opt. fruit & yield.

Each plant pruned and thinned to 2 strong stems, twine hung from overhead support wire

Ensure least damage on main stem._____________________________________[* WATp= Weeks After Transplant, ** D/N= Day/Night]

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Green House (Flower & Fruit Set Control)

Opt. Temp. flower/fruit = 17 0C-----------------------yield = 21 0C[poor pollination cause fruit flattened / button if <14 0C N temp.pointed fruit due to hormonal imbalance.

In early winter, precise head heating pipes are lowered on canopy for optimized temp.

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Green House (Flower & Fruit Set Control)

Fruit set reduced > 270C and low RH,

Increased light intensity reduce fruit size[Can be overcome by 10 % shading of GH ].

Lowering Rt. Zone Temp (15 0C) directs plants remain Vegetative,conversely, floral/ fruit abortion.[low light intensity also abort flowers]

Bell peppers Production conted. Heat / Temp Stress

Bell Peppers Production Conted.Insect Pest & Biological Control

Aphid sps. Myzus persicae is the most common and is controlled by wasp parasites: Aphiduscolemani & A. ervi. Aphids become silvery brown with small whole in back when parasite emerges. [Lady beetle is alternate predator used in some cases]ORThe larvae of midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza feeds on most aphids.

Thrips sps.controlled by predatory mites Amblyseius cucumeris.

Aphidoletes midge larvae Lady beetle feeding on aphidsfeeding on aphids.

Thrips Biological Control ( predatory mite:Amblyseiuscucumeris is used to control thrips)

Humidity related disease Powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica)

Part - 3-bBell Peppers Harvest & Packing

Bell Peppers HarvestSeason: Jan-Dec or Dec-Nov.

Mature fruit size= 3.3 , 2.5-2.9, 2.2-2.4 Inches diameter,

Ripens in flushes or waves 2-3 picks/warmer week,

Avg. 3 fruits picked/plt./each harvest,

Avg seasonal yield: 22-28 Kg/M2 (acre = 4047 M2)

Bell Peppers in Greenhouse (Grading & Packing)

Bell Peppers Grading in Header House

Bell Peppers processing conted.Q/A,Grading, Packing and shipment

Post-Harvest Processes for storageRapid forced air cooling after harvest increase shelf life,

Optimum storage 0T=10-12 0C, RH= 90-95 %,[Below 70C cause chilling spots on fruits, also avoid above 130C it increases ripening].

Avg packing 11 pounds (5 Kg/ corrugated carton),Storage life 2-3 weeks,

Post Harvest/ Packaging conted.(Shipment ready in header house)

Part-4Economics: Cost Benefit of the GH Grown Bell Peppers Production System

Cost Benefit Summary ( as on 2007)

Category Total Dollars $/Sq MA. Gross Revenue = 372324.00 92.00B. Operating Cost = 299964.00 74.12C. Invest. Cost = 25698.00 6.35D. Building/Equip = 38649.00 9.55depreciation

E. Production cost = 364311.00 90.02[B + C+ D]

Revenue over Op. cost [A-B] = 72360.00 17.88Return to Management = 8013.00 1.98

Thank You

Authors contact: ozair.chaudhry@tel.tdsb.on.camsaeed@kapitalproduce.com

Courtesy of Kapital Produce Ltd. Leamington, Ontario is appreciated