Research in greenhouse production in Finland - theory and practice

1. Research in greenhouse production in Finland - theory and practice Mona-Anitta Riihim�ki Martens Tr�dg�rdsstiftelse Foundation for Greenhouse Production � research and education

2. Research in greenhouse production in Finland Greenhouse production in Finland Research facilities & financing Ongoing research Research and growers? Project: Martens� Center of Knowledge in Greenhouse Growing Future in greenhouse research in Finland

3. Greenhouse production in Finland (ha)

5. Research institutes Universities University of Helsinki, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry MTT Agrifood Research Finland Horticulture, greenhouse growing Finnish Glasshouse Growers' Association Martens Tr�dg�rdsstiftelse

6. Financing Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Academy of Finland TEKES � Finnish funding agency for technology and innovations EU Foundations dedicated to research of agriculture Organization for Greenhouse Growers

7. Current research in Finland Questions: Growing methods year around production substrates Techniques artificial lighting alternative energy solutions closed greenhouse systems Integrated pest management

8. Lack of communication exists. Results from basic research and the newest technical innovations are commonly difficult to be directly applied by the greenhouse growers and/or the investments needed and economical risks are too high. Research Growers ?

10. Martens� center of knowledge in greenhouse growing

11. Financing2004-2007 The County of Southern Ostrobothnia - �sterbottens f�rbund (EU) The City of N�rpes Martens Tr�dg�rdsstiftelse The Cultural Foundation for Swedish speaking minority in Finland - Svenska Kulturfonden

12. Project - Growers ? The planning of an experiment to Martens began with a meeting with tomato growers and greenhouse growing advisors from the area. Discussions Wishes Ideas The best possible use of the research resources Regular meetings with growers 2-3 times / year, with greenhouse advisors once a month.

13. Research at Martens Plan for 2005-2007 Interlights Interplanting Grafted plants New varieties New growth substrates

14. Interlights Interlights were installed into the whole research greenhouse at Martens Foundation based on the research result by MTT, where researchers observed 16% increase in the yield in tomato with interlights + top lights compared with only top lights (N�kkil� J & Muranen M 2006). Glasshouse Growers� Association, where the installation of interlights was studied (Murmann 2005). 

15. Interlight installation

16. Research greenhouse

17. Tomato varieties in Norr�s

18. Interlights The yield stayed high and stable also through the darkest moths of the year. The fruit size was good through the winter months. Mean size in �Encore� did not drop below 80g.

19. Interplanting Results from the first year showed that highest yield was obtained from the control plots. However, we were forced to empty the greenhouse because of aggressive white fly invasion to assure good start for the second year of production. The termination of the experiment was done just at the time when the young plants from interplanting in April were beginning to give yield. In October 2007 careful calculations of economics of the studied growing techniques will be presented together with final results from two year experiment.

20. Interplanting

21. Topping and de-leafing experiment Topping in relation to interplanting with 2 and 1 week intervals. We did quite radical experiment by de-leafing the old plants down to 6 or 4 in three weeks around planting. The fruit quality was observed along with yield observations.

22. The effect of the timing of topping

23. De-leafing A common method of de-leafing is to have ~13 leaves on a tomato plant after topping. We decreased the number of leaves down to 6 or 4, when interplanting was done. Yield, outer and inner fruit quality were observed during the experiment. Radical de-leafing to 3-4 leaves did no harm to the yield compared with traditional plants with ~13 leaves. BUT less leaves gave far better growth conditions for the young, interplanted tomatoes.

24. Grafted plants

25. Growers opinions? Regular meetings with the tomato growers and continuous, basically daily, communication with the growers has been very fruitful � for the both sides! Growers have been adapting methods experimented during the project. For example the use of interlights and de-leafing during planting. A general opinion has been that the gap between growers and research has become smaller when the project has brought the research to the middle of practical greenhouse growing.

26. Future Energy! Alternative fuels Energy saving solutions Closed / semi closed greenhouses New, more energy effective lighting solutions (LEDs) Integrated pest management

27. Financing? MTT, Agrifood Research Finland, horticulture section, most likely continues to have good resources for basic research in greenhouse growing. Their research is directly supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The applied research at Martens foundation is dependent on project money from local authorities, foundation itself and possibly from organization of greenhouse growers. The future of The Center of Knowledge in the Greenhouse Growing is open after the end of 2007.

28. www.martens.fi