This document summarizes the benefits of greenhouse technology. Greenhouses create a controlled environment that protects crops from extreme temperatures, wind, pests and diseases. This allows for year-round cultivation and higher yields compared to outdoor growing. Common greenhouse structures discussed include even-span, quonset and lean-to designs. The document also discusses greenhouse cultivation in Ladakh, India, where greenhouses have led to increased food production and economic benefits for local farmers in that harsh climate.

1. GREENHOUSE TECHNOLOGY & ITS BENEFITS
Dr. Raghwendra Singh
Senior Scientist
IIVR, Varanasi

2. Solar heat conversion
Open air Greenhouse
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3. • Science of providing favourable environment
conditions to the plants.
• Creates an ideal micro climate around the plants.
• It is a framed or inflated structure covered with
transparent or translucent material large enough
to grow crops under partial or fully controlled
environmental conditions to get optimum growth
and productivity.
Greenhouse Technology

4. GREEN HOUSE TECHNOLOGY
1. Protection from
 Extreme temperatures
 High wind velocity
 Insect-pest & diseases
 Torrential Rain fall
 Snowfall
2. It augments
• CO2 Concentration
• Humidity
• Nutrient uptake
• Soil health
• Photosynthesis
3. Resulted in
• Increased Productivity
• Improved quality
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5. Principles of protective cultivation
• The sunlight comes in the
green house and is absorbed
by the crop, floor and other
objects which in turn emit long
wave thermal radiation
• The solar energy remains
trapped in the green house
• This condition of natural rise in
green house air temperature is
utilized in the cold regions to
grow crops successfully
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6. Crop cultivation under open Sun Crop cultivation under greenhouse
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7. Advantages of greenhouse cultivation
• Gives higher yield (5-17 times) than outdoor cultivation
depending upon the type of greenhouse, type of crop,
and its environmental control facilities
• The reliability of crop increases under greenhouse
cultivation
• Ideally suited for vegetables and flower crops.
• Year round and off season production of floricultural and
vegetable crops
• Disease-free and genetically superior transplants, can be
produced continuously.
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8. • Efficient utilization of chemicals, pesticides to control
pest and diseases.
• The water requirement of crops are very limited and easy
to control
• Maintenance of stock plants and cultivating grafted
plantlets
• Hardening of tissue cultured plants
• Production of quality produce
• Modern techniques of Hydroponic (Soil less culture);
Aeroponic are possible only under greenhouse
cultivation.
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9. Area under greenhouse(s) in different countries
Country Area (ha)
Netherland 89,600
China 51,000
Japan 40,000
Spain 28,000
South Korea 21, 000
Italy 19,500
Israel 18,000
USA 15,000
Turkey 12,000
India only 100 ha (1995) 5,730 (2012)
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10. Types of Green house structures
Detached Greenhouse Attached greenhouse
Even-span greenhouses Lean-to
Uneven-span greenhouses Ridge and Furrow
Quonset greenhouses Barrel Vault
Saw tooth type Greenhouse
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11. Even-span Greenhouses
This is the most common
greenhouse in India
For single span type the
span in general, varies from
5 to 9 m, Length: 20-25 m
and Height: 2.5-4.3 meter
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12. Uneven span type greenhouse
• One roof wider than
the other.
• Different pitch angles.
• Used on hillsides.
• Wider roof faces
south for maximum
solar gain.
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13. Quonset Greenhouses
• Framework consists of curved bars or tubes.
• No span.
• Often covered with white, polyethylene film and used to
over-winter nursery stock.
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14. This type of design is used when a greenhouse is to be
constructed against the side of an existing building, so the
plants can make the best use of sunlight and owner can
minimizes the requirement of roof support
Lean to type greenhouse 13/43

15. Ridge and furrow greenhouse
• Consist of many even-span structures placed one after
another forming a range of greenhouses.
• Gutter connected.
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16. Barrel vault greenhouse
• Several quonset
type greenhouses
connected together
forming a range.
• Gutter connected.
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17. Saw tooth type Greenhouses
• There is provision for
natural ventilation
• Specific natural
ventilation flow path
develops in a saw tooth
type greenhouse
• This design is used in
areas under high
temperature
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18. (i) Glass:
• Provides good transmission of light.
• Glass transmits about 84-87% of available visible light.
• Maintenance cost is very high
(ii) Acrylic:
• It has a long service life (> 20 years).
• Good light transmission (81 %).
• It is inflammable and expensive
(iii)Polycarbonate:
• Service life upto 10 years.
• Light transmission (77%).
• Expensive
Covering material used in greenhouse
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19. (iv) Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Panels (FRPs):
•It consists of polyester resins, glass fibers.
•Can have minor amount of other resins, stabilizers, etc.
•Service life is 4-5 years
(v) Polyethylene:
• UV stabilized Low density polyethylene (LDPE) is used .
• It has good transmittivity (80-90 %) and can be used for 3-4
years.
• It is most widely used .
• Basic LDPE without UV stabilizers last for 4-6 months
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20.  Greenhouses should be located in order to receive maximum
sunlight.
 Orientation north south.
 Deciduous trees should be placed strategically around the
greenhouse to shade from the intense afternoon sun, but do
not shade the house in the morning. (North)
 Access to greenhouse should be convenient for utilities as well
as people.
 A separate storage area should be set aside for supplies, as well
as a workplace for potting plants, etc.
Locations 19/43

21. LADAKH : GEO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
• Region of strategic defence importance due to border areas
(China & Pakistan)
• Snow bound rugged terrain with very meager natural
vegetation
• Remains landlocked during winters (Nov to May)
• Least fertile soil with low water holding capacity
• Less oxygen availability with low humidity
• Temperature ranges from - 300 C to + 350 C
• Precipitation as snow i.e. 9 cm (Leh) & 24 cm (Kargil)
• Average wind speed : 70 nautical mile /hr
• Short agricultural season ( May-October)
• Fragile ecosystem
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22. Land Statistics of Ladakh
• Total area : 45167 ha
• Total area under cultivation : 8750 ha
• Area under vegetable cultivation : 246 ha
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23. AREA UNDER GREENHOUSE CULTIVATION IN LADAKH
• Greenhouses developed by DIHAR : 17000 m2
• Polyenches /Ladakhi Polyhouse : 70670 m2
• FRPs from other agencies : 9096 m2
• Trenches : 30560 m2
• Total : 127326 m2
(12.7 ha)
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24. Constraints of High Altitude: Ladakh
Low vegetation
Less Oxygen and CO2 availability
Reduced fresh food availability during winter
(Oct-April)
Remoteness and technological backwardness
• Acute Mountain sickness
• Anorexia
• Sleep disturbances
• Reduced physical efficiency
• Frostbite
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25. Advantages of High Altitude: Ladakh
S ep Oct Nov Dec Jan F eb Mar Apr May June July
Months
Hours
Sunrise and Sunset with Hill and Elevation correction
S ep Oct Nov Dec Jan F eb Mar Apr May June July
Months
Hours
Sunrise and Sunset with Hill and Elevation correction
S ep Oct Nov Dec Jan F eb Mar Apr May June July
Months
Hours
Sunrise and Sunset with Hill and Elevation correction
More Sunshine Hours/day
(9 hours to 13 hours)
Clear Sky for more than
310 days in a year
Photo intensity
Summer 120000-190000 Lux
Winter 95000-140000 Lux
70000 – 150000 Lux midday (Plains)
UV Radiation
Summer 8900- 12000 µ W/cm2
Winter 4300- 5900 µ W/cm2
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26. 25/43

27. TYPE OF GREENHOUSES EVALUATED at DIHAR
Glasshouse Polycarbonate
PUF Greenhouse Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Panels
(FRPs)
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28. Trench
Low poly tunnels
Poly-house (Out-side)
Polyench (In-side)
Polyench (Out-side)
Poly-house (In-side)
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29. LADAKHI POLY HOUSE
Suitable for: Leafy vegetable
and early nursery raising
Made from locally available
unbaked bricks and wooden
ballies
It enhances 7–10 0C temperature
and regulates diurnal variation
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30.  Semi underground double walled
greenhouse
 Suitable for: Cultivation of round the year
leafy vegetables (Swiss Chard, Kale,
Lettuce, Endive etc.)
 Working on the principle of zero energy
chamber made from locally available
unbaked bricks and wooden ballies
 It enhances 11–12 0C temperature and
regulates diurnal variation
 50% subsidy to local farmers for
construction
 The cost benefit ratio is 1:4
POLYENCH
Polyench
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31. TRENCH
Size 30’x10’x3
 Suitable for: Early Potato, Zucchini, Garlic etc.
 It is an underground structure covered with
transparent UV stabilized polythethylene (200
micron thick) during day time to harvest
maximum solar energy and extra cover of black
polythene at night time to check the heat loss
during extreme winters
 It regulates average 7–8 0C higher temperature
than open
 Cost benefit ratio is 1:3.5.
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32. Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Panels (FRPs)
• FRP greenhouses of size 100x30 ft
were installed at various locations of
‘L’ sector along with technical
knowhow and inputs to ensure round
the year availability of fresh vegetable
• Cost: 4 Lakh
• Ensured 200% cropping intensity with
nursery raising
CROPS
Tomato, Capsicum,
Cucumber, Chilli, Radish,
Swisschard
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33. Temperature(⁰C)
Months
Monthly diurnal variation in open and protected environment
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34. Graph showing average maximum and minimum temperature of Trench, Polyench and
Polycarbonate green houses during cropping season
Month
Temperature0
C
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35. PROTECTED NURSERY RAISING
ADVANTAGES
• Ensured quality planting material
• Enhanced crop duration
• Early production
• Higher productivity
• Enhancing number of vegetables
Onion nursery
Cole crops’ nursery
Nursery distribution
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36. HYBRID TOMATO PRODUCTION IN GREENHOUSE
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37. Fruit / truss Fruits /
plant
Height (cm) Fruit wt. / plant (g) Yield / plant (kg)
Main plot
Polycarbonate 3.8 53.9 219 47.6 4.18
Polyench 2.9 41.5 166 33.6 2.19
Trench 2.3 36.0 131 26.1 2.26
LSD (P=0.05) 0.3 2.1 18.6 1.4 0.11
Sub plot
‘NSX-6868’ 6.4 90.3 216 62.6 5.28
‘Tolstoi’ 6.2 87.6 257 82.9 6.03
‘Pusa Ruby’ 4.8 41.7 180 48.6 2.30
‘Shalimar’ 3.7 21.4 66 52.3 1.23
‘Pusa Uphar’ 3.3 44.8 190 62.4 2.69
‘Cherry’ 10.8 129.7 97 7.9 0.95
‘NSX-99’ 3.9 83.5 222 61.9 5.04
‘P. Chhuhara’ 5.2 65.6 136 63.9 1.46
LSD (P=0.05) 0.4 4.5 19.4 3.7 0.23Singh et al. (2009)
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38. Structure Total
cost
(Rs.)
Life
span
(Yr.)
Area
Covered
(m2 )
Cost
(m2/Yr)
Prod
Cost
(Rs/m2/
Yr
Crop
Yield
(Kg/m2 )
Value of
produce
@ 15/kg
Profit
(Rs/m2/
Yr
Glasshouse 115200 10 40 288 288 3.3 49.5 -238.5
Ladakhi
Poyhouse
5240 3 50 35 35 5.4 81.0 46.0
Polyhouse 17500 2 70 125 125 2.7 40.5 -84.5
Trench 1956 6 24 14 14 6.3 94.5 80.5
Tunnel 6241 2 140 23 22 2.2 33.0 11.0
Cost of Production of Palak in Different Greeenhouse /m2 / Year (Rs.)
Dwivedi et al. (2001)
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39. YIELD POTENTIAL (Kg / m2) OF SUITABLE CROPS IN FRP &
POLYCARBONATE GREENHOUSE
Crops Open FRP Polycorbon
ate
Tomato 6.2± 0.49 19.7± 1.71 24.8± 3.10
Capsicum 2.1± 0.41 4.3± 0.65 6.8± 0.70
Chilli 1.8± 0.55 3.8± 0.51 5.7± 0.61
Cucumber 6.5± 0.60 11.7± 1.01 14.8± 1.52
Capsicum Cucumber
Tomato
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40. Crops Yield (q/ha) under different conditions
Open Polyench Polycarbonate National
Average
Sponge gourd 70±5.6 295±38.6 460±46.4 150-200
Ridge gourd 55±4.4 170±9.2 335±18.6 150-200
Bitter gourd 38±3.1 166±12.9 280±24.3 150-200
Okra 5±0.7 170±11.8 80±10.6 60-65
YIELD PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT CROPS UNDER VARIOUS
GREENHOUSES
Sponge gourd Ridge gourd
Bitter gourd
Okra
 Sponge gourd, ridge gourd and bitter gourd performed
better under polycarbonate
 Okra yielded maximum in Polyench
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41. 40/43

42. Location Average yield (Kg)/year/greenhouse
2005 2006 2007
Nubra 987± 30.4 1098±42.4 1846±58.3
Leh 1098± 33.6 1246± 45.8 2589± 65.8
Kargil 1013± 34.6 1139± 49.8 2497± 53.1
• Increased productivity is due to:
Improved agronomic practices
Enhanced soil genesis and fertility
Performance of green houses at different locations 42/43

43. Location Average yield (Kg)/year/greenhouse
2005 2006 2007
Nubra 987± 30.4 1098±42.4 1846±58.3
Leh 1098± 33.6 1246± 45.8 2589± 65.8
Kargil 1013± 34.6 1139± 49.8 2497± 53.1
• Increased productivity is due to:
Improved agronomic practices
Enhanced soil genesis and fertility
Performance of green houses at different locations
DEFENCE INSTITUTE OF HIGH ALTITUDE RESEARCH-LEH

50. My Team at DIHAR