Wednesday, December 4, 2013

US: High Tunnel, open-field production systems compared for lettuce, tomato

Scientists in western Washington use crop enterprise budgets to evaluate production practices

In the mild coastal climate of western Washington, agricultural growers are learning more about the advantages of growing popular fresh-market vegetables in high tunnel production systems. High tunnels can offer many benefits for delicate vegetable crops, including protection from environmental stresses such as hail, frost, excessive rainfall, and high wind. Despite these obvious benefits, the use of high tunnels for growing both lettuce and tomato is currently limited in the region--estimated to be only 50 acres for tomato and less than 20 acres for lettuce. According to Washington State University researchers Suzette Galinato and Carol Miles, the adoption rate for using high tunnels is low in the region due to a lack of in-depth knowledge about specific high tunnel production practices for tomato and lettuce, the high tunnel structures best suited to each crop, potential returns, and the capital investment needed to initiate and maintain high tunnel production.

Results of the scenarios showed that, for lettuce, the labor cost per square foot of growing area was found to be six times greater in a high tunnel than in the open field. For tomato, labour costs were ten times greater in a high tunnel than in the open field. Total labor cost comprised more than 50% of the total production costs of lettuce and tomato in both the high tunnel and open-field systems. Given the base crop yield and average price, economic analysis showed that growing lettuce in the open field is 43% more profitable than in the high tunnel, while in contrast, high tunnel-grown tomato was three times more profitable than open-field tomato production.

Galinato and Miles' new study published in HortTechnology contains specific information about effective regional production practices for tomato and lettuce, variable and fixed costs of production, and potential returns based on defined assumptions about high tunnel or open-field production of each crop.The researchers convened focus groups of three to four growers in western Washington between April and November 2011. The groups were then tasked with developing crop enterprise budgets. Each focus group addressed one crop (lettuce or tomato) and one production system (open field or high tunnel). "We selected the focus group participants based on their experience in growing lettuce or tomato in open field or high tunnel, and their management practices," Galinato said. To develop each crop enterprise budget scenario, the groups designed a hypothetical farm situation; the types of inputs were itemized based on the production system.
"The expected marketable yields of tomato and lettuce are higher when grown in a high tunnel as compared with the open field," the authors said. "However, the higher crop yield achieved in a high tunnel was not sufficient to offset the increased costs of production for lettuce."

The researchers noted that expected crop yield should not be the primary driving force in choosing a high tunnel productions system over the open-field system. "Instead," they suggested, "crop yield in addition to market price of the crop as well as production costs must all be taken into account when examining the profitability for any crop and production system."

The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnologyelectronic journal web site: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/23/4/453.abstract

Italy: Hydroponic Cultivation of Tablegrapes

by: F.lli Lo Giudice (Gela - Sicily)

"Soilless cultivation of table-grapes means we can start producing much quicker than with normal techniques. Because it is a new experience, we are cautious, but we believe in this type of cultivation," says the F.lli Lo Giudice company located in Gela (Sicily), which has two soil-less cultivation modules with a pearlite and coir substrate for tomatoes (two consecutive seasons) and table grapes.

"In regards to grapes, we have started cultivating the Victoria, Black Magic and seedless varieties this way only this year. It is a little known method that we are trying out thanks to the technical and scientific assistance of Dr. Carlo Gambino and professor Rosario di Lorenzo from the University of Palermo," explains Antonio Lo Giudice (in the photo). The project is entirely funded by the company.

"At the moment, Victoria and Black Magic are the better known on the market, but we believe that seedless grapes will become more popular in the future, especially in Northern Europe."


 

"We also produce classic Italia table grapes under tents, and we cover the vines in order to hasten the campaign, so that we can have excellent table grapes in August. Obviously we use all of the suitable cultivation techniques to reach the best quality."

The entire production is marketed by the company, "Therefore we try to diversify the production period too, so that we can stay on the market longer and with more products. We must say that the early grape market is the most profitable."


The soil-less table grape campaign began in March and started producing in July, a little later than usual.


"In March we also planted some vines that are now lignifying for the campaign that will start in December. It will be the first year we will sell this type of cultivation. We will be able to make an assessment in May 2014."

As regards traditional table grapes, and the Italia variety in particular, it was already possible to harvest before August 15th. Nonetheless, the company waited because of the period of stall in both commerce and harvesting. "We are a month and a half late with respect to our usual production. Of course this meant higher management costs, because we had to cover the vineyard again to protect it against bad weather."

Antonio explains why he thinks this year started badly also at a price level. "It is all due to a delay of the Victoria variety, because it was at least a month late and reached an excellent quality. The problem was we had both Victoria at low prices and Italia, whose price might barely cover production costs. The fluctuation in prices affects both producers and consumers."


 

Antonio concludes that "growers have to deal with weather and production problems as well as cultivation mistakes because they are part of the job. The main challenge is at a commercial level though: a minimum threshold must be guaranteed to producers and all of the non-essential passages that still exist between producers and consumers should be avoided."

source : http://www.hortidaily.com/article/4527/Italy-Hydroponic-cultivation-of-tablegrapes

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

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