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AAssssoocciiaattiioonn

HANDBOOK

JamaicaGreenhouseGrowersAssociation

RADABuilding,CaledoniaRoad,Mandeville,JamaicaW.I.Email:jgga01@gmail.com

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BasicPrinciplesofLowCostGreenhouseProductioninJamaica

By:DerrickSmith

Editedby:JervisRowe

Introduction

TheTechnologyofproducinghorticulturalcrops ingreenhouseshasbeenaroundfordecades.Greenhouseproductionprovidesgrowerswiththeabilitytoachievesignificantlyhigheryieldsthanopenfieldproduction.Thisismainlyduetotheenclosedstructureandprotectiveantiviralnettingwhichprotectsplantsfrompests,diseasesandharshelementsaswellastheuseofdripirrigation and a fertilization program that ensures good plant nutrition and an increasedcapacitytobearmore.Thetechnologyalsoinvolvestheuseoflesslandareacomparedtoopenfieldproduction,moreefficientuseofwaterresources;andfarlessuseofchemicalstocontrolpestsanddiseases.

Greenhouse productionwas introduced to Jamaica on awidescale in 2005. A few farmersplanted lettuce,tomatoesandexperimentedwithothercropsbefore.AsaformofProtectiveAgricultureithasshowngreatpromisehere.

TwoTypesofLowCostGreenhouse

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Management

This type of operation is intensive and needs dedication to be successful. A Low CostGreenhouse is one which costs below U.S. $30.00 per square meter. The minimumrecommendedaltitudeis400metersabovesealevel,whenantiviralnettingisused.Belowthiselevationantiviralnetting shouldnotbeusedunlessadditionalequipment forcoolingetc. isadded.

GrowingMediums

Thesearepresentlyinusehere.

a. Soil[direct]b. Soilwithgravelinbagsc. Coird. Perlite

BasicEquipment

a. Phmeterb. ECmeterc. Thermometerd. ElectronicScale5lbs.capacity.e. MeasuringCylinderf. RelativeHumiditymeter

Water

Availabilityandqualityofwatershouldbechecked.Accesstogoodqualitywaterisoneofthemost important inputs forgreenhouseproduction.At theirearlystage,crops requireat least0.75 to1 literperplant,perdayand this increasesat theblooming, fruiting,andharvestingstages.Highyieldingindeterminatetomatoesbeforeharvestmayrequireupto2.5to3.00litersperplantperday.

GrowingintheSoil

Thesoilshouldbeproperlypreparedtoallowforexcellentdevelopmentoftherootsystem.ItisbesttouseRaisedBedswhichensureslesscompactionandroomforworkerstomanoeuvre.Bedsshouldbe1.7meters fromcentre tocentreofbeds.Thesuggestedplantingdistance is

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tworowsperbed,40centimetersbetweenplantsalongthebedand50centimetersbetweenrowsstaggeredfortomatoandsweetpepper.

]

SeedlingProduction

SeedselectionTomato Alboranisoneoftherecommendedindeterminatevarieties.

Beverleyisnematoderesistantandisgainingpopularity.

SweetPepperEarlySunsation[yellow]

KingHenry[Red]

Lexington[Red]

Theuseofdiseasefreeseedlingsisamust,soseedsshouldbesowninaprotectednursery.

FORA600SQUAREMETERHOUSE:

Sow2000seeds.

Tofill16seedlingtrays[128cells]

Mix25lbs.ofgrowingmediumwith300grams12610[MAP],50gramsTrichozamin10litersofwater.ProperwateringwithgoodPestandDiseasecontrolshouldbefollowedupuntiltheseedlingsarereadyfortransplanting.

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50 DripLine

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Transplanting

Duringtransplantingselectyourseedlingsaccordingtothelength,thicknessandturgidityoftheplant.StarterSolutionisusedduringtheprocedure.Thesolutionismadebymixing5lbs.DAP[18460]fertilizerin80gallonsofwater.Apply200ccofthesolutiontoeachhole.Transplantwithin5minutes.

TransplantingTomatoes

Whenthesolutionhasbeencompletelyabsorbedbuttheholesarestillverywet,thatiswithin5minutes.

DripIrrigationSystem

TheComponentsare:

a. WaterTanks

b. WaterPumpselectricorgas

c. Elevatedstandofabout5feettosupporttanksforgravityfeed.

d. FilterSystems.

e. Pipes

f. DriplinesorSpaghettisystem[MicroTube5/3]

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Irrigation

Thequantityofwaterusedisdependentonthesoil,theweathercondition,growthstageoftheplantandthepressure.Therecommendedpressureisbetween812psi.Forthespaghettisystem[MicroTube5/3]anelectricpumpisused,givingapressureof15psiatthedripper.Alsowhenusingbagse.g.6x11x14twodrippersareusedperbag,withadripperoneithersideoftheplant.

DripMaintenance

a. Cleanorcheckallfiltersdaily.Wheregravelorsandfilterisused,backwashbeforefillingtanks.

b. Phosphoricacidormolassescanbeusedinthecleaningprocess.Usingoneofthetanks,addphosphoricacidtolowerthephofthewatertoph3.Thissolutionisappliedtothegreenhousedripsystemwhereplantsareinthesoil,todissolvemanganese,ironandcalciumprecipitateswhichhaveaccumulatedinthelinesanddrippers.Allthisprocessshouldlastforapproximately30minutes.

c. Thelinesshouldbeflushedweekly.

FertilizationProgram

Plantsarefertilizedeverytimewaterisaddedexceptonceperweekwhenthesystemiscleaned.Itisbesttouseindividualsolublefertilizerswhenavailabletomakeyourmixture.Thisisafterachemicalanalysisofthesoilisdone.Theoptimumphrangeforthenutrientsolutionis5.6to5.8.MostofJamaicaswatersourcesarealkaline,phosphoricacidisrecommendedtocorrectthisproblemtolowertheph.Addtheacidtothemixtureandnotbefore.

AttachedaregeneralfertilizationprogramsforTomatoandSweetPepper,changeswillhavetobemadedependingonthelocation.

PlantSupportSystem

Thiscanbemadefromanyaffordablematerialavailablee.g.bamboo,woodandmetal.Thewireatthetopofthesystemshouldbeabout2.5metersaboveground.

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TrellisingorPlantTraining

Thecordandwiresshouldbeinplaceimmediatelyaftertransplanting.Whiteistherecommendedcolorofthecord.Planttrainingisdoneasrequired,possiblyweekly.

SweetPepperPruningandtrellising

AttachedisSweetPepperpruning.

Tomatopruninginvolvesthreeoperations:

a. SuckersToberemovedtwiceweekly.

b. FruitsToberemovedweekly(doneduring(a)developmentalstage(b)tofacilitatemarketablefruitsize).

c. LeavesFivedaysbeforeharvestremovethelowerleavesuptothelowestfruitbearingcluster.Oncethelowestfruitshavebeenharvested,continuethepruningbyremovingthoseleavesthatwereabovetheharvestedclusterandthatarenowbelowthenextlowestfruitbearingcluster.

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Pollination

Tomatoesareselfpollinated.Inthegreenhousetheflowersmustbevibratedforthepollentobeloosenedanddustedontothestigma.Pollinationintomatoisachievedbyvibratingtheclusterfor1to2secondsbyshakingthetrellisingsystembyhand,byusingamistbloweroranelectricvibrator.Thishastobedoneatleasteveryotherday,between10:00amand2:00pmorpreferablewhentherelativehumidityisbetween60to70percent.Withoutpropervibrationpoorfruitquality,shapeandsizewillresult.Theoptimumtemperatureforpollinationiswithin70to80degreesFahrenheit.

SweetPeppersneednooutsideassistance.

Temperature

Adaytemperatureof70to82degreesF.isoptimum,whilenighttemperatureof62to64degreesF.isoptimumforgreenhousetomatoes.Avoidtemperaturesabove90degreesF.becauseat86degreesF.lycopenenolongerdevelops.

PestandDiseaseManagement

Pests

a.Miteswillbepresentevenwiththeantiviralmeshespeciallyonsweetpepper.Thecropshavetobemonitoredatleasttwiceperweek.

b.AphidsandWhiteFlies.

Withantiviralmeshtheseshouldnotbepresentbutincaseuseaninsecticidewhichisrecommendedforgreenhousecondition,andalsocheckforplantswithvirus.Thesemustberemovedanddiscardedimmediately.

FungalProblem

ThesecanbesoilborneorontheFoliage.

SoilBorneThemostcommonaretheDampingOffcomplex[Phytophtora,PythiumandRhizoctonia],FusariumandSouthernBlight.

TreatmentsToavoidthisproblemuseresistantvarietiesoruseTrichoderma[beneficialfungus]fromtheseedsowingstage.Ifthefunguspersistsitwillhavetobeidentifiedandtheappropriatefungicideapplied.Applythemaximumrecommendeddosage,aweeklaterreapplyTrichoderma.

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FoliarFungalDiseasesThisismoreprevalentwherethereishighrainfall,highdaytimetemperatureandcoolnighttimetemperature.ThemostcommondiseasesareAlternaria[EarlyBlight],Phytophthora[LateBlight],Botrytis[GreyMold]andPowderyMildew[Leveillulataurica].

Treatmenta.Startwithgoodqualityseedlings

b.Applyproperfertilizationprogram.

c.CheckwithRADAorJGGAforadvice.

Basicallytherearethreemainbacterialproblemswhichaffectthesecrops.

a. BacterialSpotXanthomonascampestrisThesymptomsaredarkbrownwithayellowishring,spotsabout2mm.indiameter.Ithasasoaked,oilyareainthemiddlesectionofthespot;withinafewdaysthisareaoftheleafwilldieandtheplantdropsalltheinfectedleavestoprotectitself.

TreatmentUseresistantvarieties.

Goodqualityseedlings.

Usecopperbasedfungicides

b. BacterialSpeckPseudomonassyringaeSymptomsaresimilartobacterialspot.Itcanonlybedifferentiatedbythesymptomsonthefruits.

TreatmentSameasbacterialspot.

c. BacterialWiltRalstoniasolanacearumThisdiseaseisseriousintomatobutpeppersarenotassusceptible.Thediseasehasgainedimportanceinprotectedcultivationwheretemperaturesareusuallyhigherandcroprotationisnotproperlyperformed.Itusuallyoccursinfociassociatedwiththeaccumulationofwaterinlowspots.Commonsymptomsarewiltingofupperleavesespeciallyonhotdays,thewiltedleavesmaintaintheirgreencoloranddonotfallasthediseaseprogresses.Underfavorableconditionforthedisease,theentireplantwilts.

TreatmentNone

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Virus

Atthefirstsignofaninfectedplantpullitoutastheinfectedplantcannotbecured.InJamaicathemajorproblemisaphidtransmittedvirus,sothebestdealistopreventtheaphidfromfeedingandtransmittingthevirustoanotherplant.

Belowaresomebasicpreventionmethods.

a. Treatseedlingswithsystemicinsecticidefromthenurserystage,eg.Actara.

b. RemovebroadleafweedsfromthegreenhousesurroundingsespeciallythosefromtheSolanaceaefamily.

c. Keepatleastoneoftheentrancedoorstothegreenhouseclosedatalltimes.

d. Scoutinsidegreenhousedaily.Useclearstickytrapsinsteadofyellow.

RootKnotNematodesinTomatoesThesearesoilborne.Thesenematodes[Meloidogynespp.]areverysmallandwormlikewhichinfecttherootsystemoftheplants,damagingthetissueandreducingthecapacityoftherootstomovethewaterandnutrientstotheleaves.Theplantwilldieeventually.

Symptomsincludeelongatedswellingsoftherootlengthforminggalls,poorgrowthoftheplantandwiltingduringthehottimeoftheday.

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RootKnotNematode

Treatment

a. Useresistantvarieties.

b. UseanematicidesuchasVydate.[ContactJGGAorRADA]

c. DonotallowvisitorsintheGreenhouse.

d. UseFootbathwithadisinfectantsuchasbleachoriodine.

PostHarvest

Usefieldcratestoharvestinordertoavoiddamagestothefruits.Cleanthefruitsafterreapingandstoreinacoolenvironmentuntilmarketing.Additionally,cleanthehousebyremovingallfallenfruits,leavesandbranches.

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HurricanePrecautions

Jamaicaissituateddirectlyinthehurricanepath.Regardlessofthedesignormaterialusedforconstruction,withoutexecutingprehurricanepreparationmeasures,thegreenhousescanbedestroyed.Theseareminimumpracticestobeadheredtointheadventofahurricane.

a. Plasticandnettingshouldbeinstalledtothegreenhousebymeansofatypeoflockingdevicewhichwillenablethequickremovalofthepiecesofthesematerials.

b. Removeplasticandnettingfromthegreenhousestructure.

c. Afuelpumpandstandbygeneratormaybenecessarytosavethecropafterthehurricane.

d. Watertanksshouldbefilledwithwaterorremovedtoaprotectedarea.

e. Ifbagsorpotsareusedforgrowingtheplants,theplantscanberemovedtoasafeareaorlayonthesideswithalightcovering.

f. Ifgrowingdirectlyinthesoilremovetheplantsfromthetrellisingsystemandlaythemflat.

g. Arrangetogetenoughlabourtocarryoutallthesemeasuresquickly.

Conclusion

Greenhousefarmersheretendtoemphasizeonlythegreenhouseconstructionandforgetallaboutthegoodagriculturalpractices[GAP].Thereistheneedtoapplyallgoodpracticestogethighyields.Tomato20lbs./treeandSweetPepper8lbs./treepercrop.

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READYFORSALEAND

HARVESTING

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BasicPrinciplesofPruningandTrellisingSweetPepper

SweetPepperplantsareindeterminateplants,whichmeantheycontinuallygrownewstemsandleaves.Inordertomaximizeproductiontheplantshavetobeprunedandtrainedregularlytoensureabalancedgrowth.Pruningalsoimprovesaircirculationaroundtheplantwhichhelpstoreducediseases.

Thereareseveralrecommendedwaysofpruningalthoughsomefarmersevensuggestnopruning.

Asnewleavesandlateralsideshootsdevelopfromtheaxilsofthenewnodesonthegrowingstems,theyhavetobeprunedtomaintainthe2,3,or4mainstemarchitectureoftheplant.Thepepperfloweralsodevelopsatthenode,thatisthepointofthestemfromwhichleavesalsoarise.Whentheplantdevelops23stemshootsatthefork,theplantshouldbeprunedtoleavethetwostrongeststems.

Astheplantgrowsanotheroneortwoshootsmaybechosen,togivethreeorfourstems.Thisdependsonthevigouroftheplantwheretwo,threeorfourstemsarechosenforthelifeoftheplant.

ChoiceoffruitsSomefarmersallowfruitsfromallnodestomaturewhileothersallowalternateones.

Trellising

Eachstemwillgrowtoaheightofupto12feetandrequiresupportinordertoremainupright.Twinehungfromtheoverheadsupportwiresisusedtosupporteachstem.Thetwineistiedtothemainstemabout10inchesupfromthesoilorgrowingmedia,onelengthoftwineperstem.

Itisimportanttokeepthepruningcurrentwiththedevelopmentoftheplant.Thestemisbrittleandeasilysnapssopruningandtrellisingmuststartpromptly.Alsoproductionwillsufferiftheplantsresourceswereallowedtogointounnecessaryleafandstemproduction.Itmustbeemphasizedthat

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peppersareprunedtotwostems,andifpossiblemaintainsixfruitsperstemtomaintainvegetativeandfruitbalance,evenifthefruithasminordamage,eg.ablossomendrotaffectedfruitshouldnotberemoveduntiltheotherfruitshaveemerged.

Unliketomatoespollinationofpepperflowersoccurssuccessfullywithoutanyoutsidepollinationassistance,althoughBumblebeecanimproveflowersetandeventuallyyieldandfruitquality.Pruningisdonebyusingthefingersorcutterstoensurepreciseremovalofthelateralsandavoidinganydamagetothemainstemormainstemgrowingpoint.

Asuggestedmethodofpruning

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