Vegetable production in cold desert of India: a success story on solar greenhouses.

摘要

India has 74hin809 km2 of cold desert area in the states of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The region is characterized by high altitude sandy mountains, extremely low temperatures and short cropping season (May-September). It is difficultto grow anything here in winter. Different greenhouse structures viz. glasshouses, polyhouses, local mud polyhouses and trenches (underground greenhouses) were evaluated for vegetable production at Field Research Laboratory, Leh (Ladakh). Data on maximum, minimum temperatures and crop yield were recorded in different structures. Suitability of structures in terms of cost of cultivation and production of crops was worked out. Higher diurnal temperature was observed in glasshouses as compared with polyhouses. Higher night temperature was observed in trenches followed by local mud polyhouses. Growth of leafy vegetables was better in trench es than in other structures. Polyhouses and trenches in Ladakh were found to help in raising vegetable seedlings, production of early vegetable crops, extension of the growing season and vegetable production during winter freezes. Leafy vegetables can be cultivated in the trenches and polyhouses in extreme winters when land gets frozen and nothing grows outside. Trenches were the most efficient and economic greenhouse structure for vegetable production.