ISHS Acta Horticulturae 614: VI International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate: Product and Process Innovation
A SIMPLIFIED MANAGEMENT OF CLOSED SOILLESS CULTIVATION SYSTEMS |
| Authors: | F. Giuffrida, V. Lipari, C. Leonardi |
| Keywords: | Hydroponics, recirculating nutrient solution, environment, tomato |
| Abstract:
In order to overcome the environmental and economical problems that open soilless cultivation systems involve, it is advisable to adopt recirculating nutrient solution systems. The management of such systems generally requires the use of sophisticated methods for the control of nutrient solutions which do not seem to adapt to the low technological level of greenhouse cultivations under mild winter climate. In this condition the set-up and the validation of simplified closed systems is advisable in view of its widespread use. With regard to this, two different criteria for the substitution/reintegration of recirculating nutrient solution were studied in comparison to an open cultivation system, as a control. The first criteria considers a rise of 35 % of electrical conductivity of nutrient solution (from 2.3 to 3.3 dS m-1); the second an increase of the concentration of sodium up to 18 meq l-1. Both closed systems managed according to the above criteria have determined, in comparison to the open system, a significant reduction of the yields (-15 %). On the other hand, a remarkable reduction of the nutrient solution lost in the environment was associated with such an effect (-65 % of the sum of N, P, K). Slight differences were observed between the considered closed systems; therefore the method related to the rise of the nutrient solution EC for the substitution of recirculating nutrient solution, due to its better feasibility, is more suitable for applications under conditions of Mediterranean protected cultivation. | |
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