Design and development of fully controlled environment greenhouse for the production of selected temperate crops in lowland tropics.

摘要

The Malaysian import bills on food products indicate a high demand on temperate agricultural products. Thus assuring a large market value for it. Temperate crops have been grown locally in the highlands but the production is insufficient to meet the large market demand. This is due to limited production areas and problems associated with highland conditions. To overcome this, a study was conducted on the development of an environmental control system for selected temperate crop production in the lowland tropics. It involved the design and development of a fully controlled environment greenhouse system to provide year-round summer conditions suitable for temperate crops. The design of the controlled environment system was based on the principles of internal air space strata specific conditions and temperature gradients. It has generated a suitable growth environment that satisfies temperate crop requirements through the application of mechanization and automation systems. The temperate crops selected for production trial under this system were those having good adaptability and high commercial value, including broccoli, cauliflower, iceberg lettuce, brussels sprouts, strawberry and chrysanthemum. The parameters that are controlled and monitored include dayight temperatures, humidity, root temperature, light, day-length, CO2 level, nutrient composition and power consumption..