Final Report
1 January 2006-31 March 2008
Funded by:
Horticulture New Zealand - Fresh Tomato Produce Group
and Sustainable Farming Fund, MAF
| Horticulture NZ PO Box 10232, Wellington Contact: Ken Robertson email: Ken.R@hortnz.co.nz |
MAF – Sustainable Farming Fund Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry PO Box 2526, Wellington web: www.maf.govt.nz/sff/ | |
| Technolutionz Ltd (now CropHouse Ltd) P.O.Box 521, Palmerston North web: www.CropHouse.co.nz Contact: Elly Nederhoff |
Summary
This project ‘Improving Sustainable Greenhouse Vegetable Crop Production’ (SFF 05/155) ran from January 2006 until 31 March 2008. It aimed at increasing energy efficiency by increasing the ratio of production and energy consumption in greenhouse crops. We worked with growers to develop a system of ‘crop-recording’. The output of this project is two new unique software products for the greenhouse industry named CropRecord™ and CropAdvice™, plus a wealth of new information that is now easily accessible. Version 2 of CropAdvice (spreadsheet) & CropRecord (website) are available for free to greenhouse vegetable growers, consultants and other interested parties in NZ. These software tools will assist growers with improving production, energy efficiency and profitability of greenhouse crops.
Introduction
Energy efficiency in greenhouses can be improved by reducing the energy consumption, and also by producing more harvestable product for the same amount of energy. Greenhouse growers must achieve the highest possible production in order to recover the high investments in their greenhouse set-up. The production of tomatoes in NZ can vary from 35 kg/m2/y to 65 kg/m2/y, while much higher production is achieved overseas. The production is not necessarily related to the energy input: some growers put a lot of energy in and get only a low production out. The difference in production between growers is largely due to differences in management: climate control, irrigation, plant nutrition, pest & disease control, plant management, and much more (of course also due to type of greenhouse, variety, etc). A grower can make improvements by scrutinising input and output; analysing the processes, and finding out where improvements can be made. This projects provides the tools to do that.
Project objectives
The objective of this project is to increase crop productivity and hence energy efficiency and profitability, by analysing greenhouse and crop processes and finding where improvements in management can be made. This project aims to provide the tools to greenhouse growers to achieve these objectives.
Approach
We developed a system of so-called ‘crop-recording’ whereby growers intensively monitor their crop and learn how to steer it towards high production. ‘Crop-recording’ (or ‘crop-registration’) was developed in the 1990s in Europe and is now common practice in many countries. For crop-recording, the grower carries out measurements on the plants, and enters these plant measurements together with data on growing conditions into a computerised system, e.g. our ‘CropRecord’. CropRecord then produces tables and graphs showing interactions and tendencies. This helps the grower to understand how the crop is doing and helps identifying problems. The grower can then use our advisory system, ‘CropAdvice’ (www.cropadvice.co.nz) to correct the problem and achieve optimal crop performance.
Research and development
This project consisted of two main parts. The first was developing the spreadsheet CropRecord (with the help of six growers), and testing it in many real-life greenhouse businesses during two seasons. The second part was building the website CropAdvice (www.cropadvice.co.nz), as well as compiling new knowledge, distributing it (via articles) and incorporating it in the website.
For the first part, we needed growers who aimed to improve energy efficiency; were willing to invest time & effort; wanted to learn and progress; were medium-sized; were moderately to well advanced; located in Auckland or Christchurch; with planting dates mid-year. We selected six growers and set up crop-recording plots, each consisting of 10 plants. Each grower measured a range of plant characteristics in the recording plots every week. Each grower also collected series of data from the climate control computer and the irrigation system. Crop-recording started immediately after planting and continued until the plants were pulled out. During the project we (together with the growers) found out which observations were most relevant and practical for NZ growers. These observations are now programmed into the CropRecord spreadsheet. For this first part we regularly visited the growers. The second part was done as a desk and computer-based study.
What is CropRecordTM?
CropRecord is an excel spreadsheet to record and analyse data. The grower enters data on crop growth, energy and growing conditions (climate, water, nutrients). CropRecord then calculates ratios and trends, and displays tables and graphs. Analysis of the plant measurements enables growers to ‘read’ their crop. CropRecord is programmed for tomatoes and capsicum and (less particularly) for cucumber, and also has unlabeled fields for other crops. It is universal (covering all sorts of situations), robust, protected, and user-friendly. We thoroughly tested CropRecord to make it user-proof. We made CropRecord self-explanatory, with instruction in i-cells instead of in a manual.
Growers who have used CropRecord are generally content with how it worked for them. Nearly all growers who use it this season intend to continue using it next season.
What is CropAdviceTM ?
CropAdvice is an internet-based advisory system (www.cropadvice.co.nz), consisting of text and photos. It is meant to help growers making decisions on greenhouse and crop management. By clicking on the appropriate option, the grower is led from a problem to a solution. We have compiled a vast amount of agronomic information and green-finger knowhow from a range of sources (overseas and local). This information was first disseminated via articles in the Grower, and later uploaded in CropAdvice. The website now contains the newly compiled info on plant management & steering, as well as info on greenhouse climate control, energy input, fertigation and more. A series of 42 articles on Energy Efficiency in Greenhouses (related to project SFF 03/158) was also placed in CropAdvice. CropAdvice also explains the grower why and how to do crop-recording. The website is protected by a password access system to block access from overseas.
New growing season
Version 2 of CropAdvice & CropRecord are launched now, well in time for the new growing season. (Most greenhouse crops are planted between May and August). We have prepared an e-newsletter for NZ greenhouse growers to announce the new products. Growers can order CropRecord and receive it by email or get us to install it. Growers can register for CropAdvice and get access in 24 hours. Hosting and technical maintenance of the website is secured for two years from now. We endeavour to maintain the website content for that period.
Concluding remarks & recommendations
- This project has been successful in producing two unique end products (CropRecord & CropAdvice) that are now available to growers.
- CropRecord and CropAdvice together can coach the grower how to steer the crop to achieve a higher production and better energy efficiency.
- Growers who have been using CropRecord in the test phase are keen to continue using it.
- It is important to advertise and promote CropRecord and CropAdvice to NZ greenhouse growers.
- We have noticed that growers did better with CropRecord if they got some assistance and guidance. Hence we recommend that interested growers get support.
- Like all computer-based systems, CropRecord and CropAdvice have potential to grow. We endeavour to maintain and upgrade the website CropAdvice.
- Over the course of this project, we wrote ten articles about ‘Plant control’ in the ‘Grower’ magazine. The information in these articles was new at the time, and many growers have taken at least a part of the knowledge on board.
Appendix I: Project break-down in stages
Actions and achievements until 31 March 2006
- The formal start of this project was 1 January 2006, but our activities started in August 2005, when Grower 1 planted the first crop. We set up two recording fields, and did the first plant measurements. A range of plant data and growing conditions were recorded in a prototype crop recording system.
- Then it occurred that the growing medium was of a very poor quality. Hence the crop had to be pulled out and a new crop was planted in November 2005. This gave us the opportunity to start again with CropRecord and make some improvements. We were involved in solving the technical problems.
- Our system helped discover that the plant density was incorrect. The grower had used overseas guidelines for plant density for many years, but we now found that changing it increased the yield.
- The nutrient recipe that we had given at the start worked satisfactory, and there was no need for a nutrient analysis.
- Grower 1 was very satisfied with CropRecord. It gave reliable information that proved to be useful for crop steering.
- We developed CropRecord further so it would be ready to be tested by more growers.
- We started writing ‘directions for use’.
- We wrote an article for the Grower with examples of graphs from CropRecord.
- Improving energy efficiency in greenhouses by crop recording, by Nederhoff, Houter & Schreuder. Grower 61(4), 2006. p.34-35. (In attachment, article 1).
Actions and achievements in period 1 Apri-30 June 2006
- In April 2006 we had a staff change: Roelf Schreuder left and Bert Houter arrived.
- Some decisions were made:
- focus on tomato and capsicum first, and do cucumber later
- which plant measurements must be recorded
- CropRecord must be robust, fool-prove and user-friendly
- more refined testing was needed at six growers in the 2006/2007 growing season.
- Bert visited 14 growers in the Auckland & Christchurch regions and selected six suitable growers. They had to be: aiming for improved energy efficiency; interested in crop-recording; willing to invest time & effort; keen to learn and progress; medium-sized; moderately to well advanced. Their planting dates had to be mid-year. The six selected growers were: in Auckland area: 2 capsicum, 1 cherry tomato, 1 round tomato grower. Around Christchurch: 1 tomato, 1 capsicum grower.
- We wrote instructions on how to measure the plants & how to use the spreadsheet. The system is meant to be used by all growers, and must be self-explanatory.
- We decided on the format of the advisory system (CropAdvice) and its documentation. It is logical to put it into a website instead of video. It must be accessible, self-explanatory and user-friendly.
- We collected & summarized a vast amount of agronomic information and ‘green-finger’ knowhow from a range of sources (overseas and local) to be put into CropAdvice.
- We talked with suppliers (overseas and local) that already provided some sort of crop-recording systems. But these systems were either unsuitable for NZ, or very expensive, or coupled to certain goods or services. Discussion with these businesses was necessary to avoid re-inventing the wheel and making mistakes.
Actions and achievements in period 1 July-31 October 2006
- CropRecord was implemented at the last of the six selected growers, and they all did their plant measurements and crop-recording. Energy use was recorded as well.
- Bert Houter visited the participating growers in the N.I. every 2-3 weeks, and those in the S.I. every 6 weeks. This was to see how the growers used CropRecord, and to test and further develop it. It became clear that growers needed support from Bert with getting started with crop-recording, and to overcome obstacles.
- It proved that CropRecord helped the growers’ decision making in the field of crop management, greenhouse climate control, nutrient supply and pest & disease control.
- We worked further on CropRecord and CropAdvice.
- We wrote two articles for the Grower.
- Controlling plant growth in greenhouses, by Houter & Nederhoff. Grower 61(9), October 2006, p. 34-35.
- Controlling plant growth, part 2. Using greenhouse temperature for plant control, by Houter & Nederhoff. Grower 61(10), November 2006, p. 47-50.
Actions and achievements in period 31 October 2006-28 February 2007
- The six participating growers (three tomatoes, three capsicum growers) continued testing CropRecord version 0.6. Bert Houter visited the growers on the North Island every 2-3 weeks, and on the South Island every 6-8 weeks.
- All growers were very content with it (see article in the Grower, April 2007). Only one grower is not making optimal use of it due to data incompatibility and time constraints. We took their critical comments and suggestions on board and change a lot in CropRecord and CropAdvice.
- Version 0.8 of CropRecord ready. It could record and process the following data: crop growth, production, growing conditions, energy, water, nitrogen, while there is a logbook for pests, diseases, IPM and other features.
- The new version of CropRecord (0.8) has two variations: one for tomatoes and one for capsicums. When growers get CropRecord installed, either one of the two variations is activated.
- The tests showed that many things can go wrong and needed to be ‘protected’, ‘safe-guarded’ or ‘hidden’. We made the set-up of CropRecord more flexible and universal, to accommodate the fact that data from various climate control computers are very different.
- A lot of our effort in the last three month was focused on making CropRecord robust and as ‘user-proof’ as is practical.
- CropRecord now contained ‘i-cells’ with detailed instruction of how to use CropRecord. We believe growers would not read a separate manual, but they will use the ‘i-cells’. Writing the instructions and loading them in the spreadsheet cells required more time than writing a manual, as planned.
- The new version (0.8) was already installed at one tomato grower. This required transferring data from the old to the new version. Five more growers will get the new version in the following months.
- Text on how to do crop-recording is being written. It will become part of CropAdvice, together with a lot of technical information.
- Preparations were started for two seminars, one in Auckland and one in Christchurch.
- Instead of a report, we wrote two new articles for the Grower on the topic ‘Plant control’:
- Controlling plant growth, part 3. Plant balance: ‘vegetative’ or ‘generative’, by Houter & Nederhoff. The Grower 62(2), March 2007, p. 42 – 44.
- Controlling plant growth, part 4. Growers’ experience with CropRecord, by Nederhoff & Houter. The Grower 62(3), April 2007, p. 28 – 29.
Actions and achievements in period 1 March-30 June 2007
- Testing CropRecord over a whole season with the six participating growers was completed. The growers helped us a great deal making the system very practical.
- Completed version 1 of CropRecord (excel spreadsheet)
- CropAdvice was set up in DreamWeaver, as an html file to be distributed via CDs, but with the structure of a website. Version 1 of CropAdvice was completed.
- It was decided earlier that further testing by growers was not needed anymore, and that instead the systems would be installed on semi-industry-wide scale.
- Version 1 of CropRecord and CropAdvice were launched, both on CD. They were available in time for the new growing season.
- Held a seminar in Auckland on 30 May 2007, attended by 60+ people, to launch and explain CropRecord.
- Held a seminar in Christchurch on 21 June 2007, attended by 35+ people, also to launch and explain CropRecord.
- Received over 30 orders for installation of CropRecord and CropAdvice (until 30 June)
- Installed/delivered CropRecord and CropAdvice at nearly 20 growers (until 30 June)
- Presented the progress and discussed some issues with the Fresh Tomato Product Group Growers Committee of Horticulture NZ on 27 April at the HortNZ office in Wellington. The committee decided to give 50% subsidy to growers who require help with installation of the systems, plus to contribute to the travel costs.
- Published two new articles in The Grower between March and June 2007. One contains new technical knowhow on plant management. Another article announced the release of CropRecord and CropAdvice. The articles replaced reports, as we believed that articles were a much better way to reach growers.
- Controlling plant growth, part 5. Steering plants in generative or vegetative direction, by Houter & Nederhoff. Grower, May 2007.
- Controlling plant growth, part 6. Plant management for generative or vegetative steering, by Houter & Nederhoff. Grower, June 2007.
Actions and achievements in period 1 July-31 October 2007
- CropRecord™ and CropAdvice™ (version-one) were installed in July/August 2007 at over thirty growers, most tomato growers, some capsicum growers, spread from Whangarei to Oamaru and West Coast. Nine of them installed the software themselves; all others had it installed by Technolutionz, with HortNZ subsidising the travel costs.
- We have been in contact with some of the growers, and most are using CropRecord every week and are content with it. The programme is stable and does not cause problems, thanks to the intensive testing.
- Also a Seed Company, a Supply Company and a Training Centre have installed CropRecord™. Northern Flower Growers would like to develop a modified version.
- We made further improvements to CropRecord™. We added recording of daily data of irrigation, added some specific fields for cucumber (on request), and some blank fields for ‘other’ vegetable crops. Other technical features have been boosted. Version 2 of CropRecord™ is now completed.
- CropAdvice™ is now converted to a real website (instead of running from a CD). It contains registration and password control to exclude overseas web users.
- In CropAdvice, new web pages on ‘Climate’ and ‘Energy’ are added, but the content has to be written and uploaded.
- CropAdvice is parked on a server. We proposed to reserve the website for two years and arrange maintenance, starting March 2008.
- We contacted many of the growers who had the software installed. Most are using CropRecord™ every week and are content with it. They have not experienced any problems, thanks to the intensive testing phase beforehand.
- We wrote a short report to the Fresh Tomato Research Committee and met with the committee briefly at the HortNZ office in Wellington (16 October).
- This project was scheduled to finish in December 2007, but we proposed we continued adding new content to the website, and complete the project by 31 March 2008.
- Some more articles were written and added to CropAdvice:
- Controlling plant growth, part 7. Steering plant balance by irrigation control, by Nederhoff & Houter. Grower 62(10), p. 46-47. November 2007.
- Energy in greenhouses, part 41. Temperature strategy in greenhouses: some common pitfalls, by Nederhoff & Houter. Grower 62(6), p. 34-35. July 2007.
- Energy in greenhouses, part 42. Improving humidity control in greenhouses and saving energy, by Nederhoff & Houter. Grower 62(7), p. 54-56, Aug 2007.
Actions and achievements in period 1 November 2007-31 March 2008
- New functionality was added to the spreadsheet CropRecord, and final testing was carried out. Version 2 is now completed.
- New information was uploaded to the website CropAdvice, mainly on energy and climate control. We reviewed and updated 42 articles on Energy Efficiency in Greenhouses that were written in relation to project SFF 03/158, and uploaded them in CropAdvice. Version 2 was now completed.
- CropRecord is now being installed or dispatched to growers for the new season (2008/2009).
- We published two articles in the Grower, wrote an e-Newsletter for growers, and prepared a final report to stakeholders.
- Controlling plant growth, part 8. Tools for plant balance control prioritised, by Nederhoff & Houter, 2007. Grower 62(11), p. 32-33.
- Controlling plant growth, part 9. Information at your fingertips with CropRecord™ and CropAdvice™, Nederhoff & Houter, 2008. Grower 63(2), p 38-40.
- e-Newsletter announcing CropRecord and CropAdvice.
