Author：Yu-Hua Wang¹, Ming-Hwi Yao^2,4, Wei-Min Hsiang³

¹ Associate Researcher, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, COA
² Researcher, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, COA
³ Researcher, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, COA
⁴ Corresponding author, e-mail: mhyao@tari.gov.tw

Abstract：

    The main problem of vegetables production in Taiwan is the high temperature causes the crop physiological disorder in summer, and the input of energy for greenhouse cooling makes cost increase and decrease the competition of products. In this research, utilizes the cooling system to regulate the temperature of canopy zone of crops with the minimum energy input during hot weather, want to decrease the temperature and produce the high-quality vegetables in plastic greenhouse in summer. Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.) is a goal crop always produces in chilly winter in Taiwan.

    The cooling technique was tested eight growing season from June of 2012 to July of 2013. In order to increase light integral for vertical production in greenhouse, We used T5 and LED lamp as supplemental lighting source, to light the crop planting on lower floors of the culture rack, could enrich the illumination to 500 to 600 μmol-m^-2-sec^-1 PAR. After 4th growing season we controlled the illumination around 200μmol-m^-2-sec^-1. As well as the cooling systems could decrease the highest temperature of vegetables canopy to a degree, between 25 and 30 oC in the daytime, and the root zone temperature was between 23 and 26oC.

    The sun light was extremely unstable in the greenhouse, and it is influenced by climate. It is clear that supplemental lighting was needed throughout the year in order to provide the plants with a consistent daily integrated light level. In the recent four seasons we grown crops with a light intensity between 200 and 300 μmol-m^-2-sec^-1, and got good crop development as well as crop production.

Keywords: Plastic greenhouse vegetables production, Vertical production, Greenhouse environment control