Prospects of Protected Cultivation Technologies

Pitam Chandra1 and K.V.Ramana Rao2

1: Former Director, CIAE 2: Sr. Scientist, CIAE
Introduction

Due to vagaries of climate in India, the traditional farming has become most challenging. At the same time it has been
realized by some of the farmers that the vegetable cultivation is a viable alternate to the traditional crop cultivation as
vegetable crops give high returns per unit area as compared to traditional crops. However, the basic problem of
extremities of the climatic conditions forcing the farmers to think twice before taking vegetable cultivation as a
business proposition. Though, some of the farmers are cultivating the vegetables after monsoon season, the returns
they fetch in the market is low, as the produce comes bulk in the market. During the months of may to September in
every year the Indian consumers are experiencing the shortage of vegetables coupled with high price of the produce.
Therefore, for the producers, the off-season cultivation of vegetables would definitely fetch high market value as
compared to seasonal production. The general reasons for not cultivating vegetables during these months are due to
high incidence of pests and diseases, erratic rainfall, poor drainage facilities, poor quality of the produce etc.
Cultivation of vegetables under covered conditions has been proved to be the techno-economically viable alternate
for meeting out the demand of vegetables during these months by protecting the crop against the erratic rains and
pests & diseases with quality produce. Covered cultivation or protected cultivation means some level of control over
plant microclimate to alleviate one or more of abiotic stress for optimum plant growth which can be achieved in poly
house/net house. In the recent past the protected cultivation technologies are gaining momentum all over the world
but the level and extent of their use may be different among different countries. As the production process of
vegetables are protected from adverse environmental conditions such as temperature, hails, scorching sun, heavy
rains, snow and frost the farmers from different agro-climatic regions are showing interest in adopting these
technologies. Cultivation of vegetables such as capsicum, brinjal and tomato is recommended in net houses and
capsicum, tomato and cucumber (exotic) are generally recommended in poly house conditions.
Plants in the open fields experiences a number of abiotic and biotic stresses with the result, the plant performance is
much less than the potential. Therefore, the plants are provided the necessary protection to ward off the stresses.
Basic principle involved in most of the protected cultivation technologies is greenhouse effect. Cultivated area is
covered with plastic or glass, which are transparent to incoming short wave radiation from the sun, but opaque to the
resultant outgoing infrared radiation, thereby, trapping the heat. Thus, enclosed space maintains higher temperature
than ambient. However, after sunset it starts loosing stored heat through conduction, convection and radiation.
Options in protected farming are many but important ones include polyhouses, tunnels, clocthes and mulching
coupled with micro-irrigation better still fertigation. With the advancement of science and technology as well as
institutional innovations, there is greater scope for promoting profitable protected cultivation in the North-western hills
of the country on a larger scale.
Historical Background
Off season cultivation of cucumbers were made available to Roman emperor Tiberius Caeser during first century A.
th
D.(Dalrymple, 1973). During the 16 Century several techniques were used to protect horticultural crops against the
cold. These included glass lanterns, bell jars, cold frames and hot beds covered with glass. In the seventeenth
century, low portable wooden frames covered with an oiled translucent paper were used to warm the plant
environment such as plastics row covers do today. In Japan, straw mats were used in combination with oil paper to
protect crops from the severe natural environment. Greenhouses in France and England during the same century
were heated by manure and covered with glass panes. The first glasshouse in the 1700’s used glass on one side
only, as a sloping roof. Later in the century, glass was used on both sides. Protected cultivation was fully established
with the introduction of polyethylene after World War II. The first use of polyethylene as a greenhouse cover was in
1948 when Professor Emery Myers Emmert at the University of Kentucky used the less expensive material in place of
more expensive glass. In Asia, China started protected cultivation in 1990’s for vegetable production. As per the
recent estimates, the total area under green house cultivation in China is about 2.5 m ha. More than half of the
vegetable produced in China comes out of playhouses. In India, area under all forms of protected cultivation is
reported to be around 25,000 ha only despite the efforts of National Horticulture Mission, National Horticulture Board
and other developmental programmes of different states. In 1969 Indo Petro Chemical Limited was established with a
view to promote and encourage the use of plastics in India. With the establishment of twenty two Precision Farming
Development Centres by National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture Crops, the farmers are
being educated about different protected cultivation techniques across the India.
Types of Protected Cultivation Methods
The following are the major modes of protected cultivation.
1. Mulching
2. Low tunnels/row covers
3. Cloches
4. Shade net houses
5. Greenhouses

Mulching
Mulching is the practice of covering soil around plants with an
organic or synthetic material to make conditions more favourable
for plant growth, development and crop production. The change in
soil environment could be favourably controlled by selection of an
appropriate mulching material. Natural mulches such as leaves,
straw, saw dust, peat moss, compost and gravel have been used
for centuries to control weeds, hold moisture and conserve More
recently, paper, petroleum and plastics mulches have been tested
for soil environment control. The most versatile of all the mulches at
present is, however, plastics mulch which is manufactured in
different film colours, thickness and widths. These plastics film
mulches are generally made from low density polyethylene or linear
low density polyethylene. By a proper selection of plastics mulch
composition, colour and thickness, it is possible to precisely control
the soil environment.
In properly managed fields using plastics mulches, crop yields could be significantly higher, i.e., 10 % to more than
100 %. Several studies in India over the past decade have confirmed the results obtained elsewhere in the world. A
large variety of crops could be brought under the plastics mulches. All fruit crops, vegetables, sugarcane, cotton,
plantation crops, groundnut and tobacco have been successfully mulched with plastics films. The thickness of film is
less for seasonal crops (30 microns) and it is more for annual and perennial crops (100 microns). Alternatively, photo
and bio-degradable plastics mulches are being developed world over to find a solution to waste plastics disposal.
Low Tunnels
Also called miniature greenhouses, low tunnels generally cover rows of plants in field and, therefore, they are also
known as row covers. Clean plastics films or nets are stretched over low (upto 1.0 m high) hoops to provide
protection to the plants against frost,
winds and insect/pest. The hoops are
made of steel wires or bamboo strips
or cane. Polyethylene films of 50
micron thickness with ventilating holes
(4% surface area), are used to cover
the hoops. PVC is another material
which is used for low tunnel glazing.
Use of non woven/spunbonded fabric
materials which are porous and much
lighter is more recent. Low tunnel
provides a passive control of plant
micro-climate, i.e., use of a specific
plastics material to control radiation
environment and provision of natural
ventilation. Plastics mulches and drip
irrigation may be used in conjunction
with low tunnels. There are several methods of low tunnel formation and operation. The low tunnels permit early yield
for spring crops with significantly higher total yields. The crops which have been generally grown commercially under
low tunnel conditions are melons, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, pepper, beans, squash and sweet corn.
Cloches
A cloche is a protective enclosure, consisting of a structural frame and a
transparent/translucent glazing material, for one plant. Cloches are generally
employed to provide protection to young transplants in fruit orchards and forests.
Once the young seedlings are well established and/or the harsh season is over, the
cloches are removed. Cloches could be used to provide protection to potted plants
also. LDPE and PVC films are common glazing materials. Provision for natural
ventilation under clear sunny conditions should be made to avoid excessive
temperature build up.

Shade net houses:

The structure is made up of wooden, stone, bamboo or GI pipes. When the wooden
or bamboo are used, the poles are
treated with turpentine and tar at one
side before being used for erection.
Cladding material used on the top and
sides of the structure generally is a
shade net, however recently the
farmers are using insect proof nets at
the sides and shade net at the top.
The shade nets are available in
different colours with different
percentages of shade factor. Suitability
of colour and shade factor are location
and season specific, however, in
general white colour shade nets with
50 per cent shade factors are found
better for vegetable production.
Greenhouses
A greenhouse is a framed or inflated structure, covered by a translucent material to maintain optimum light levels for
partially controlling micro climate inside the structure.
A greenhouse, depending upon the transparency of the glazing material, admits sunlight which is absorbed by the
crop, equipment, structural members and floor. These object in turn emit thermal radiation which is only partially
transmitted out of the greenhouse.
Infact, a glasshouse does not let any
heat radiation out. Resultantly, a part
of solar energy is retained in the
greenhouse giving rise to a
temperature increase. This natural
temperature rise in the greenhouse is
utilized during winter to grow crops
with or without supplementary heat.
During summers, the greenhouses are
needed to be cooled as per the crop
requirements.
The closed boundary of the
greenhouse permits enrichment of the greenhouse air with carbon di-oxide to improve greenhouse crop productivity.
Air humidity in the greenhouse can also be increased or
lowered. In addition, favourable light conditions for crops, in
terms of quality and quantity, can be created by providing
supplementary lighting and shading systems. In general,
crops in greenhouses are either grown on raised beds or in
pots irrigated by drip systems. Practically any self-pollinated
crop can be grown in greenhouses as long as the
economics of the operation is favourable. Off season
vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants and nursery
raising are usual remunerative activities in the
greenhouses. However, banana, grapes, strawberries, peaches, plums, etc. have also been grown in the
greenhouses.
Profitability of protected cultivation of vegetables- case studies in India
Kumar and Srivastava (1997) studied the influence of plastic coverings on the temperature and relative humidity
under low plastic tunnels in tomato field during the winter-spring season in 1990-1991 at horticultural research centre,
G.B Pant university of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The minimum and maximum temperature and relative
humidity were significantly increased inside the polyethylene tunnels of all gauges viz. 200, 300 and 400 as
compared to no cover in all the weeks. The 300 and 400 gauge plastic always proved superior to lower gauge. The
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100 perforations/ m always showed highest minimum temperature where as, maximum temperature continuously
from 50 perforations to 150 perforations. In most of the weeks, perforations had no significant effect on relative
humidity.
Ganesan, M, (1999) found that the UV stabilized plastic film covered green house recorded higher day temperature
than the open environment but relative humidity at 8 am was lower inside the green house except from May to
August. The light intensity inside the green house was lower than in the open. Height of the tomato plant, number of
nodes, internodes length increase under green house conditions as compared to open field condition. The fruit yield
inside the green house was nearly two times more than in the open field condition.
Cheema et al. (2002) found that the production of off-season tomato crop under net house conditions studies was
initiated at the Vegetable Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (India). In the first year (2001-02),
hybrids Avinash - 2 and Naveen and a variety CLN 2026D were evaluated for total yield, earliness/other fruit
characters and incidence of insect pests. The results revealed that net house cultivation has extended the fruit
availability of tomato from last week of January to first week of June. Negligible fruit damage (1.43%) by S. litura was
recorded after following non-insecticidal methods of control. While, incidence of Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) and
aphid, Aphis gossypii was nil which otherwise are serious pests of tomato crop in open conditions. These studies
have offered the possibility of raising off-season crop of tomato and enhancing the fruit availability period by using
non-chemical methods of pest control.
Singh et al (2002) conducted a study on sustainable technology for peri-urban areas of northern India. Protected
cultivation of vegetables provides the best way to increase the productivity and quality of vegetables especially
cucurbits. The yield of some cucurbits like cucumber can be increased manifold compared to open field cultivation.
Normally the economics of protected cultivation directly depends upon the initial cost of fabrication of the protected
structure, its running cost and the available market for the high quality produce. Therefore, low cost protected
structure, which can generally be fabricated just like naturally ventilated green houses, walk in tunnels and plastic low
tunnels are very suitable for off-season cultivation of vegetables and highly economical for peri-urban areas of
northern plains of India.
Singh and Asrey (2005) studied the performance of tomato and sweet pepper under unheated green house. The
production of tomato and sweet pepper under medium cost green house was found top the tune of 93.2 and 76.4 t/
ha respectively. It was of excellent quality as compared to outside where the crop could not survive due to prevailing
low temperature. Among the three cultivars of tomato. Neveen (93.2t/ha) out yielded the other cultivars Avinash-II
(71.2 t/ ha) and Akash (73.7 t/ha). Thus, the studies have indicated that cultivation of tomato and sweet pepper under
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green house would not only help in getting higher productivity but also fetch better returns (Rs.7-8 per m per season.
Dixit (2007) studied the performance of leafy vegetables under protected environment and open field condition.
Green house crops yield several times more than the yields obtained from outdoor cultivation depending upon the
cropping system and the degree of environmental control. Because of environmental control, any crop can be grown
at any time of the year and even one type of the crops can be raised round the year if needed. An experiment was
conducted on leafy vegetables (Spianch, amarathus, fenugreek, and coriander) at horticultural research farm, Indira
Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur(C.G), to see the performance of leafy vegetables under protected environment
and in open field condition. The study revealed that the green house cultivation showed superior yield and yield
attributing characters as compared to open field condition.
Singh and Sirohi (2008) examined that protected cultivation vegetables offers distinct advantages of quality,
productivity and favourable market price to the growers. Vegetable growers can substantially increase their income
by protected cultivation of vegetables in off-season as the vegetables produced during their normal season generally
do not get good returns due to large availability of these vegetables in the markets. Off-season cultivation of cucurbits
under low plastic tunnels is one of the most profitable technologies under northern plains of India. Walk-in tunnels are
also suitable and effective to raise off-season nursery and off-season vegetable cultivation due to their low initial cost.
Insect proof net houses can be used for virus free cultivation of tomato, chilli, sweet pepper and other vegetables
mainly during the rainy season. These low coat structures are also suitable for growing pesticide free green
vegetables. Low cost green houses can be used for high quality vegetable cultivation for long duration (6-10 months)
mainly in peri-urban areas of the country to fetch commensurate prices of produces. Polytrenches have proved
extremely useful for growing vegetables under cold desert condition in upper reaches of Himalayas in the country.
Engineering interventions and payback period in protected structures:
In majority parts of India, due to non-availability of assured power supply and high initial investment involved in
constructing the forced ventilated poly houses, the farmers are mostly adopting naturally ventilated polyhouses for
vegetable and flower production. The ridge height of naturally ventilated structures should invariably be above 6.5 m
with gutter placed at 4.0 m height. In multi span green houses if the wind direction is from west to east, the longest
length of the structure should be in north-south direction. The ridge-vent openings should be as per the prevailing
wind directions with one vent for entry of air and remaining vents for passage of air from the structure. The structure
should withstand wind velocities up to 150 kmph. The structures made up of GI should be corrosion resistant and the
cladding material needs to be fixed with aluminum locking profile using anti-rust (carbon-steel) zig-zag spring. The
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foggers must be anti leak foggers operated at 6.0 kg/cm pressure. A shade net preferably of thermal net or white
colour net with 50 per cent shade factors is to be fixed just above the foggers height for controlling the temperatures
during summer season. Controls such as temperature, humidity, CO 2 levels, Soil moisture and PAR controls, if
installed in the system would help in enhancing the production under green houses. When GI pipes are used for
structure, telescopic foundations are recommended. The selection of cladding material is very important for cultivation
under poly houses. For vegetable cultivation, the properties of cladding material should be diffused, uv stabilized, anti
drip, anti dust co-extruded poly film of 200 microns. However, for rose cultivation the cladding material should have
additional property of anti sulphur. The water used for drip and foggers installed in poly houses should be free from
impurities. The area selected for polyhouse should be free from waterlogging. The crop cycle and economics of
cultivation under polyhouses is given in table 1.0 and table 2.0.
Table 1.0 : Crop cycle under poly houses
Name of the crop Crop duration/Crop Cycle

Transplanting Harvesting

Tomato Round the year cultivation is possible

Capsicum and bell pepper October-November June-July March-May August-
September

Cucumber (Exotic) November-December April-May March-April October-

November

Nursery Seedlings Round the year cultivation is possible

Table 2.0. Cost Benefit Analysis for vegetable production under greenhouse (500 sqm)
Cost of production for vegetables under Greenhouse

Crop Capsicum and Tomato :Plant to plant spacing 45 cm and Row to row spacing 45 cm

Tot Cost
Croppin Yiel Rate/k al of Total cost including Profit /
Yea Crops g d g revenu productio greenhouse (Rs.) Loss(R
r period (kg (Rs e n s)
Capsicum Jan-May )
850 .)
3 (Rs
255000 (Rs
52500 492500 -237500
1st 0 0 .) .)
Tomato June- Nov 900 1 90000 54000 54000 36000
0 0
Capsicum Jan-May 850 3 255000 52500 52500 178500
2nd 0 0
Tomato June- Nov 900 1 90000 54000 54000 45000
0 0
Net profit (Rs) 22000

Pay back period = 22-23 months

Source: NCPAH, New Delhi, 2010.

The studies reviewed above have highlighted that the vegetables are more economical for production under covered
cultivation structures. India is the second largest vegetables producer in the world next to China. With increase in
population of our country the consumption has been improved. People realize the importance of vegetables in their
diet. Per capita per day availability is well below 175 g whereas the recommended consumption is 284 g. The
vegetable crops in India occupy only 2.8 percent of the total cultivated land, producing 93.9 million tonnes of
vegetables annually from a cropped area of 6.3 million hectares. Also in present scenario the cultivable land area is
decreasing due to rapid urbanization, industrialization and shrinking land holdings. Therefore, off- season vegetables
under protected conditions is alternative to use the land and other resources more efficiently.
India has a wide range of diverse agro-climatic condition, especially in northern plains, the soil are highly fertile but
extremes of temperature during the year. It does not allow year round outdoor vegetable cultivation. In present
scenario, protected structures are used to over come low temperature in temperate regions or high temperature in the
countries having tropical climate. The need of protected structure directly depends up on the climate of the region,
growing season and kind of crop to be grown. Protected cultivation technologies are being utilized all over the world
but the level and extent of their use may be different in different countries. To conclude, the proved technology of
protected cultivation technologies would overcome the reasons for the shortages of vegetables in particular seasons.
REFERNCES
Cheema D S, Kaur P and Kaur S (2004) vii International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild winter climates:
Production, Pest Management and Global Competition. ISHS Acta Horticulture. 659.
Dixit A(2007) Performance of leafy vegetables under protected environment and open filed condition. The Asian
Journal of Horticulture 2 (1): 197-200.
Ganesan M (1999) Effect of Poly- Greenhouse on plant micro climate and fruit yield of Tomato. M S Swaminathan
Research foundation, Tamilnadu.
Kumar and Srivastava (1997) Influence of plastic coverings on the micro-climate under low plastic tunnels.Veg.Sci.
24(2): 83-86
Singh B and Sirohi N P S (2008) protected cultivation of vegetables in India: problems and future prospects. Acta
Hort.710
Singh B, Kumar M and Sirohi N P S (2002) Protected structures: A sustainable technology for peri urban areas of
northern India. Acta Hort 731-36.
Singh R and Asrey R (2005) Performance of tomato and sweet pepper under unheated green house. Haryana J Hort
Sci. 34 (1-2) 175-175.