The Effect Greenhouse Have on Plant Growth

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What impact does green houses have on plant growth? Objectives * To differentiate between planting in greenhouses rather than planting in fields. * To outline the factors that affect plant growth in fields. * To assess the benefits of having a green house. Literature review Protected Agriculture (PA) can be defined as ‘the modification of the natural environment to achieve optimum plant growth’ and can take a variety of forms, such as, greenhouses, tunnels and shade houses. This document deals only with greenhouses. Greenhouse production of vegetables has enabled many countries to increase agricultural production. Greenhouse production, which is more intensive than in open-field agriculture (OFA), is particularly important for Caribbean smallholders, many of whom have restricted access to land. A greenhouse can provide an optimum growing environment, crops can be grown out of season, and under controlled conditions; there is potentially a faster crop growth rate with higher yields and better quality, insects and diseases can be eliminated or reduced and, crop growth can be manipulated. Also, the use of agrochemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) can be more easily monitored and controlled and, problems, such as, “run-off” can be reduced. Therefore, greenhouse production systems could present attractive returns on investment opportunities, possibilities for environmental conservation and marginal land utilization. Greenhouses are used in many tropical regions of the world for the production of vegetable crops. The greenhouse offers the ability to manage the growing environment in order to increase control over quality and productivity. It is possible to build, with relatively simple means, greenhouses in tropical areas, in which plants are protected and can grow in temperatures and other environmental conditions that produce higher yields and
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