The Commercial Growers’ Magazine Going Dutcwhww ...hydroponicsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/PHG_144_June1… · The Commercial Growers’ Magazine J U N E 2 0 1 4 ISSUE

AEROPONIC POTATOESPast, present and future

EMERGING HYDROPONICS INDUSTRYInternational research report assessment

HOME HYDROPONICSLatest technological innvovations

AUTOGROW SYSTEMS20 years of innovation

FERTIGATION & DOSING SYSTEMS

The Commercial Growers’ Magazine

JUNE 2014

ISSUE144

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Going Dutch. . . Flavorite Expansion

http://www.powerplants.com.au

Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses . June . 2014. 3

Digital magazinesfor Baby Boomers

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Since becoming a digital-only magazine, reader feedback has been excellent, mostlyfrom ‘Generation Y’ and ‘Generation Z’ readers, many of whom have neverexperienced the pre-internet world. Many will go on to become tomorrow’s

commercial growers, suppliers and industry researchers. However, for many BabyBoomers and ‘Generation X’ readers, transitioning from paper to digital magazines can befrustrating. Despite all the merits of digital publications, reading content on screen is notas ‘fluid’ as paper magazines. The main complaint is that it’s frustrating to zoom, read andscroll between double pages without interrupting the flow of information. For those readers unaccustomed to keyboards and touchpads, the best solution is to

download the single-page PDF file onto your PC, laptop or tablet for offline reading. Toaccomplish this task, open the online digital magazine, go to the vertical left-hand iconmenu and select the ‘download’ icon. Press the PDF option and save the magazine to yourhard disk. You will be pleasantly surprised how easy the PDF magazine is to read and scrollwithout interrupting the flow of information. Like the online version, all links are ‘live’. It’s asimple matter to create your own offline library of magazines.

These are the words I delivered in my keynote presentation at the InternationalConference on Soilless Culture held in Singapore in 2005:

The sustainable development of the planet and the ways we feed and clothe the populationare major issues confronting the world today. As a global community, we need to advanceour expertise in plant production, food technology, sustainable management of naturalresources, as well as how we use the natural environment for recreational activities.Agriculture and horticulture specialists will face some of the greatest challenges in the21st century. They will need to assist in the supply of food and fibre products for a growingpopulation that is expected to number 8.9 billion people by 2050. The main challenge willbe to supply safe products that are needed for a quality of life while maintaining a healthyplanet (ISHS Acta Hort. 742).

Today, this fundamental message is repeated by leading agronomists and in researchstudies on the future of hydroponics and greenhouse technology. These studies havebeen undertaken by a wide range of people, from government institutions anduniversities to nutrition clinicians, urban planners and wastewater specialists, eachlooking for solutions to modern-day and futuristic problems. The latest internationalstudy by Manifest Minds, a US-based team of independent analysts focused onsustainable technologies, breaks down the reasons why hydroponics can be one way outfor some of today’s top issues such as climate change, healthy-eating and labour.However, it is not the end-all solution, say the analysts. There are not only barriers to beovercome, but also potential pitfalls such as more investments and higher need oftechnical knowledge. The report, reviewed in this issue, provides a competitiveassessment of the hydroponic food production market, the forces shaping it and thetechnologies and skill sets involved. It covers important issues and trends affectingagriculture and food security that make hydroponics a viable and growing market. Thereport concludes that the economics of greenhouse/hydroponic food production shouldcontinue to be one of the main drivers for global industry expansion. It also warnsprospective growers and investors not be blinded by the fundamental fact thathydroponics is not magic; that its success is the result of technical proficiency and yearsof experience. Importantly, the report does not advocate hydroponics at all costs, in allsituations, that agricultural intensification and efficiency takes many paths to solvingfood production issues.

Steven Carruthers

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.coastguardnetting.com.au


TRADE DIRECTORY

Agnova . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Aquarius Technologies . . . . . . . . . .47

ASN Events Pty Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Autogrow Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Besgrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Brown Grow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Coast Guard Netting . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Dosing Systems Australia . . . . . . . .45

Exfoliators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Extrusion Technologies Int. . . . . . . .19

Faber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBC

Faber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Galuku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

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Millingtons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

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Peet van Ruyven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Pestech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC

Priya Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Stealth Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Van der Hoeven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

ISSUE 144 :: JUNE 2014 :: THE COMMERCIAL GROWERS’ MAGAZINE

Casper Publications is a member of Publishers

Australia, an association for specialist and

business publishers.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this magazine whether

in editorial matter or in feature articles or in

advertisements is not published on the basis that the

Publisher accepts or assumes liability or responsibility

to any reader of the magazine for any loss or damage

resulting from the correctness of such information.


A Magazine forCommercial Growers

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Emerging Hydroponics Industry

Aeroponic Potatoes

Going Dutch . . . Flavorite Expansion

Home Hydroponics

FeaturesEmerging Hydroponics Industry...............18

International research report provides a

competitive assessment of the hydroponic

food production market, the forces shaping it

and the technologies and skill sets involved.

Aeroponic Potatoes ..................................22

Past, present and future of aeroponic potato

seed and mini-tuber production to mass

produce pathogen-free planting material.

Going Dutch ..............................................32

An increasing number of Australian

growers are turning to the latest

technology from Netherlands-based

greenhouse builder, Van der Hoeven, to

enhance greenhouse production capability.

PracticalHome Hydroponics ...................................26

Latest technological innovations that

streamline home hydroponic growing

operations and enhance production.

Fertigation & Dosing Systems..................38

Basic components of fertigation and dosing

systems. Includes popular systems

available on the market.

Autogrow Systems ...................................48

Autogrow Systems celebrates its 20th year

of providing smart, reliable and economical

automation solutions for greenhouses and

hydroponic growers worldwide.

DepartmentsFrom the Editor ..........................................3

Reader Inquiries.........................................7

News & Products......................................11

Cover Image: New Flavorite Tomatoes

greenhouse expansion, Warragul, Victoria.

FreeEventsHome

INQUIRIESREADER

ArticlesFree Subscription DigitalFree

INQUIRIES

Reader IndexArticle Articles

ShopAbout InquiriesReader

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We want to know about it. Reader Inquiries is intended to not only help the inquirer, but

also help other growers who may have the same problem.We welcome your letters and emails.

(Letters and emails are published anonymously)

Do you have a hydroponic or nutrient problem?

Postal Address: PO Box 225 Narrabeen NSW Australia 2101 Ph: +61 (0)2 9905-9933 Email: [email protected]


6 . Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses . June . 2013

http://www.hydroponics.com.au



Question How do I manage sodium in ahydroponic solution?

Just wondering, what is the best way tolock up sodium? I'm having big sodiumissues in my hydroponics. Thank you.

AnswerYou give no indication of what type ofsystem you have. Some description ofyour system would allow me to makesome specific suggestions, however, Iusually also seek to widen my answersto make them applicable to a broaderrange of readers. Other questions worth asking you

are: what are your actual problems andwhy do you think that the cause issodium? Assuming that you haveaccurately diagnosed the cause of your

problems as too high a level of sodiumions in your nutrient solution, what canyou do about it? (Sodium has thechemical symbol Na, from the Latinword natrium. Sodium ion is a cation,that is, has a positive charge. In thiscase it has a single charge, with thesymbol Na+.)My column before last (PH&G April

2014) went into some detail aboutmanaging the influence of raw water.I’ll now look only at sodium build up inyour system.First, we need to consider—where is

the sodium coming from? One possibility is your medium,

especially if you are using cocopeat.Cocopeat comes from coconut husk,which already contains substantialamounts of sodium. Manufacturerstreat it through a process called

‘retting’, where it is held in fresh waterto leach out most of the salts, especiallysodium. Quite often this does notremove most of the sodium. Consequently, you should only buy

from a reputable supplier and testevery new batch you receive. Wet asample of the medium (1 ½ volumes ofdistilled water to 1 volume of expandedcocopeat). If the test solution EC ishigher than 3 mS/cm I’d advise acommercial grower to have the samplechemically analysed.It is advisable to flush any cocopeat

before use. Be aware that someunscrupulous operators ‘ret” with seawater instead of fresh water, resultingin the sodium levels being inflated highenough to kill anything planted directlyinto the unflushed media. Another possible sodium source is

Reader InquiriesReader Inquiries

Rick Donnan

The Nutrient Handbook is an authoritative, entry-level text on the hydroponic nutrient solution.

In six chapters, this book looks at the difference between liquid and powdered nutrients, single-

packs or twin-packs, grow and bloom formulations, and organic nutrients. The author

examines nutrient concentrations and the availability of nutrient elements to plants, and looks

in detail at chemical tests, reverse osmosis, disinfestations of water, and the importance of

aeration. The author explores the importance of nutrient solution temperatures, nutrient strength

(electrical conductivity), and the acidity (pH) of the nutrient solution. The author also describes in

detail a non-chemical method of pH control for the nutrient solution.

Nutrient solutions develop imbalances over time - there is no nutrient solution that will not do

this. The author outlines 10 steps to determine nutrient deficiencies, and examines common

nutritional disorders. He also provides expert advise on how to correct nutritional problems.

Well illustrated throughout with photographs, charts and tables, this book is as much for the

beginner as it is for the seasoned grower.

Carl Barry (B.App..Sc. Dip.Ed.) has worked in the hydroponic industry for

nearly 20 years as a grower and nutrient formulation chemist. After

graduating with a science degree from the Western Australian Institute

of Technology, he worked in the Biochemistry Department at the

University of Western Australia for four years before entering the

hydroponics industry. Carl joined Growth Technology in Fremantle in

1989 where he is mainly concerned with the development of plant

specific and general purpose nutrients.Photo

to come

Nutrient_Cov

er_02:Layout

1 22/04/2010

6:30 PM Page 2

Nutrient HandbookA Guide for Beginners

by Carl Barry

www.hydroponics.com.au/buynow

An authoratative, entry-level text on the hydroponicnutrient solution. Well illustrated throughout with

photographs, charts and tables, this book is as muchfor the beginner as it is for the seasoned grower

http://www.hydroponics.com.au/buynow

fertiliser, however, this will not be thecase with reputable greenhouse gradefertilisers.The most likely ongoing source of

sodium (and chloride) is raw water. Ifusing a town water supply, the waterauthority should be able to give you ananalysis. (Also check wether they havedifferent sources of supply and whethertheir analyses differ significantly.)

Your possible management choices

Locking up nutrientsThe ability of a medium to bindnutrients is known as ‘cation exchangecapacity’ (CEC). In general, organicmedia, such as cocopeat, have relativelya high CEC; and most inorganic media,such as rockwool, have a very low CEC.Which is better is largely a matter of

personal preference. However, it isimportant to keep the CEC in mind foryour nutrient management, especiallywhen first planting a crop.When first being used, a high CEC

medium will ‘load up’ individual cationsuntil those retained within the mediumreach their maximum. In a high CECmedia-based, dripper-irrigated system,this maximum will be reached withinone or two weeks, or earlier if themedia is pre-conditioned. Thereafter,the medium can’t lock up any more ofthat cation. In your case, if any extrasodium locks into the medium, thiswould only be for the short time until itwas fully loaded. If you are usingcocopeat, it is more likely that sodiumwould be released into your solutionrather than taken out.This is not a management option.

Choice of system managementBy this I mean how a system isoperated.Any system which recirculates is

most vulnerable to sodium build-upwithin the recirculating solution.Some relief may be obtained bybleeding from the recycle ordiscarding more frequently.If the sodium levels are still too high,

then you have two choices if you have adripper-fed, media-based system withrecycle. One choice is to convert fromrecovering and recycling to operating asa free drainage (open) system. Thesecond choice is to remove the sodium(and all other dissolved solids) byinstalling reverse osmosis (RO)equipment. If you have a continuouslyrecirculating system such as NFT(nutrient film technique), your onlychoice is to install RO.When operating a free drainage

system, increasing the percentage run-off may help, but at a financial andpossibly (but hopefully not)environment cost. The only choice thenleft is to install RO.

Choice of cropCrops vary widely as to their sensitivityto sodium chloride. Table 1 shows thesensitivities of a range of species. Apossible major choice you could makeis to change to growing a lesssensitive crop. b


Sensitivity of plants to sodium chloride

vveerryy sseennssiittiivvee sseennssiittiivvee ttoolleerraanntt

bean cucumber tomato

anthurium capsicum spinach

cymbidium egg plant endive

lettuce carnation

gerbera chrysanthemum

alstroemeria gypsophila

rose freesia

Table 1. 'Sensitivity of plants to sodium chloride. Adapted from Sonneveld C, de Kreij C, van der Wees, "Normen voor waterkwaliteit in deglastuinbouw", Research Station for Floriculture and Glasshouse Vegetables, the Netherlands.


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New Biosecurity plant portalA new online resource of plantbiosecurity information has beenunveiled that will improve Australia’sability to manage the risks associatedwith plant pests and diseases andprotect the valuable primary industries. Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby

Joyce, welcomed the development of theBiosecurity Portal and said thatmanaging information in a smarter moreefficient manner is key to reformingAustralia’s biosecurity system. “Maintaining our favourable disease

status plays a huge role in the futureproductivity and market accessopportunities of our agricultural sector,”Minister Joyce said.“Currently, there are many databases

of biosecurity information held bygovernments, industry and communitygroups but each tends to be isolated,limiting their usefulness.“Our ability to share information

through a single gateway will bringsignificant benefits to Australia’sbiosecurity system by making importantbiosecurity information accessible byrelevant stakeholders.”Developed by Plant Health Australia

with funding from the Australian

Government, the Biosecurity Portalallows plant health professionals acrossgovernment, industry and thecommunity to readily access informationon surveillance, diagnostics, training,technical information, tools, nationalpolicies and strategies and legislation.“Biosecurity means managing the risk

of pests and diseases to the economy,the environment, and the community,”Minister Joyce said.“The data will be standardised and

quality controlled, maximising itsusability. Bringing it all together willprovide an improved basis for nationalpolicy setting.”The Biosecurity Portal is overseen by

the Portal Management Committeeconsisting of representatives from theDepartment of Agriculture and PlantHealth Australia, the national coordinatorof the government-industry partnershipfor plant biosecurity in Australia.

To view the portal visit:www.biosecurityportal.org.au

New website for crop protectionsolutionsAgNova Technologies Pty Ltd is aninnovative Australian company thatsources, develops and distributesspeciality crop protection and productionsolutions for agricultural andhorticultural producers.An easy-to-use reference for growers

and retailers alike, agnova.com.auintroduces the range of specialistherbicides, fungicides, insecticides andnon-chemical products marketed inAustralia, and includes labels, MSDS’s

and other important technicalinformation detailing their use.The new website also provides more

information about AgNova, anAustralian-owned and operatedcompany that works closely with localagricultural producers and theirsupporting rural networks to identifymarket gaps and develop real solutionsto difficult problems. A growingcompany with an expanding team oftechnical staff, specialist expertise andstrong distribution networks, AgNova isfocused on commercialising niche andspeciality products.AgNova has recently launched a

number of new products including Flute,the new mode of action fungicide forcontrol of powdery mildew in grapes andcucurbits. Flute is a highly effectivefungicide which is active at five stages ofthe powdery mildew life cycle, and dueto its unique mode of action, will controlstrains of powdery mildew resistant toother fungicide groups. With an excellent product portfolio

and a full and exciting new productpipeline, AgNova is strongly placed tocontinue to develop value-addingsolutions for agricultural andhorticultural producers in Australia wellinto the future.

News & ProductsNews & Products



For further information contact:Andrew Glover, Business Manager,Agnova Technologies Pty Ltd, PO Box2069, Box Hill North VIC 3129AustraliaPh: 03 9899 8100 Fax: 03 9899 8500Email: [email protected]: www.agnova.com.au

Legro expandsLegro is growing beyond Dutch borderswith the sale of coco steadily increasing.The company has engaged anInternational Sales Manager. Legro hasalso made one of its experts specificallyresponsible for the import, export andproduction of coco.Legro Potgrond is one of the biggest

suppliers of substrates and growingmedia in Europe. It supplies custom-made blends to tree nurseries, growersof cuttings and seedlings and growers ofvarious kinds of soft fruit. The Legrogroup, which consists of Legro Potgrond,Legro Transport and Topterra, iscurrently run by the 4th generation of thefounding family. It has three productionfacilities in the Netherlands, one inGermany, one in Belgium, one in India,and one in Latvia. Its sales offices arelocated in the Netherlands and Australia.Topterra specialises in casing soil formushroom growers worldwide, andLegro Transport reliably handlesdeliveries to customers. The International Sales Manager,

Brenda van Diejen, has many years ofinternational experience in horticulture,including experiences she gained at theGreenery, and during her work in theornamental plant sector. She has anintimate knowledge of the internationalmarket. She is now going to pave theinternational way for Legro, whichgladly welcomes customers fromoutside the Netherlands; they just haveto find their way to the company. That isnow Brenda van Diejen’s task. The product coco calls for specific

expertise, and so does its import andexport. That’s why Legro has taken onPieter Jan Lourens. In his capacity asLegro’s Product Manager for Coco, he isresponsible for ensuring coco of thebest possible quality and forcoordinating the company’s import andexport activities. Legro guaranteesquality by managing every aspect of itsproducts’ production itself. Its own

coco, its own staff, within and outsidethe Netherlands.

For further information contact:Ted Buis, Commercial DirectorPh: +31 630060060Email: [email protected]: www.legro.nl

Watertight pipe-to-tank sealTUS-based TOPP Industries, Inc. is anoriginal supplier of Uniseals, a positivepipe-to-tank watertight seal for flat orcurved surfaces, even for pipes atangles as great as 15°. These Unisealsare excellent for hydroponic growers,aqua pond suppliers, and reef andmarine industries. Uniseals quicklycreate a secure watertight seal withoutany adhesive, hardware or threads andcan be used through the walls of anycontainer or filter box. TOPP Uniseals are ideal for use with

PVC, galvanised steel, copper, EMT, rigidconduit, fibreglass and polyethylenepipe. Features include easy installation,tight seal requiring no adhesive,hardware or threads and a tough, pliablethermoplastic material construction. Various models are available for

accommodating 3/8” piping (through 1”hole) up to 6” piping (through 7” hole).Uniseals also provide resistance to mostchemical compounds, petroleumproducts, methanol, ethanol and mostsoil compounds. TOPP also offers Uni-Slick lubricant,

which is designed to ease the


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installation of Uniseals. This lubricant isused to coat the interior surface of theUniseals and the exterior of the pipe,drying with very little residue. Silapreneadhesive is also available for apetroleum resistant bond between theUniseals and fibreglass, polyethyleneand metals.

For more information contact:TOPP Industries, Inc., PO Box 420Rochester, IN 46975, USA Ph: 800-354-4534 or +1 (574) 223-3681Fax: +1 (574) 223-6106Website: www.toppindustries.com

Lumenex Solar system The Lumenex® Solar System developedby BOAL Systemen, is a self-supportingstructure specially designed for theintegration of solar panels in Venlogreenhouses.With over ten years’ experience in

integrated photovoltaic solutions, BOALSystemen takes solar-specificrequirements into account in designinga durable solution for solar panels. Thereliability of the system deservesspecial attention given the value of solarpanels. Besides avoiding damage to theglass or electric system, it is alsoimportant to avoid continuous water onthe sides of the panel. Encapsulationmaterials that protect and support thesolar cells and electricalinterconnections, are namely watersensitive. Also, the heat intake of solarpanels must be taken into account. Theroof system needs to cope with hightemperatures and large ventilatorsmust meet the cooling requirements ofsolar panels. The Lumenex Solar System offers a

safe and durable solution for integratingsolar panels on greenhouses: the risksof direct damages are minimised with afour-sided imposition on rubber andbolt-tightened covers; standing water atthe sides of the solar panel is avoidedwith extra drainage in the gutter; hightemperatures are sustained withaluminum cover-strips; and the coolingrequirements are answered with acomplete range of ventilators availableon the system.As a standard, the Lumenex Solar

System is delivered for a roof-width of3.20 meters and continuous ventilation

on the ridge. The system is suitable forpanels of 4 to 5.5 mm and a deflectionof 1/120. Features of the Lumenex Solar

System are:• Well protected solar panels withfour-sided imposition on rubber andsecured cover-strips

• Avoidance of water damages withextra drainage system at the bottom-sides of the panel

• Heat resistant cover-strips andcontinuous ventilation for cooling.

For further information contact:BOAL Systemen BV, PO 150, 2690 AD, 's-Gravenzande, NetherlandsPh: +31 (0)174 316 100 Fax: +31 (0)174 418 221Email: [email protected]: www.boal-systemen.nl

Maylasia expands commercialhydroponics The New Straits Times (Malaysia) reportsthe state government is allocating RM1million for agricultural cooperatives,area farmers' organisations (PPK) andfarmers to adopt hydroponics andfertigation technologies. It comparedthese modern techniques to countrieslike China where production hasincreased compared with traditionalmethods, using less space.Johor Agricultural and Agro-based

Industry executive committee chairmanIsmail Mohamed said, initially, the stategovernment would introduce thesemethods to the members of agriculturalcooperatives and PPK.He said research showed that they

were suitable for suburban and ruralareas where land was limited.He added that they involved the use of

greenhouses and resulted in higheryield and better quality produce, thusimproving farmers' incomes."We have found that these methods

are suitable for our country, even whenthere is a draught or during rainy season

because the plants are more resilientand can produce continuously."These methods are different from

traditional methods."Hydroponics uses water mixed with

fertilisers while the fertigationtechniques uses a combination offertiliser and coconut husks. This willsave on the use of land and producehigher yields," said Ismail.He said the allocation would be

distributed through the Idle LandDevelopment Scheme.He said these methods were suitable

for crops such as leafy vegetables,sweet potatoes, long beans, eggplants,tomatoes, pumpkins, chillies, ladyfingers and potatoes and would requirean area of less than one hectare."Courses and guidance on these

methods will be given to the farmers toensure that they understand the bestway to implement them."I have asked each of the 13 districts

in the state to choose one produce thatis suitable for each district so that wecan maximise production and preventthe overproduction of one produce."

Read more: Getting farmers to modernise- Johor - New Straits Timeswww.nst.com.my/streets/johor/getting-farmers-to-modernise-1.584644#ixzz30iDEcv4l

Removing phosphorous fromwastewater Canadian researchers, led by Dr BulentMutus from the University of Windsor,have shown that phosphates andmicronutrients can be removed fromagricultural wastewater using abiopolymer called chitosan.Furthermore, the beads grow algae,which can take more phosphates andmicronutrients from wastewater and berefined into biodiesel.Chitosan is made by treating shrimp

and other crustacean shells with thealkali sodium hydroxide. Chitosan has anumber of commercial uses inagriculture including as a seedtreatment and biopesticide, helpingplants to ward off fungal infections. The researchers have found that

chitosan beads treated with copperincreases their ability to bindphosphates and micronutrients five-fold.

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The researchers are workingtowards commercialising chitosanbiofilters to treat greenhouse andaquaculture wastewater. Chitosan can also be used in water

processing as a part of a filtrationprocess, causing the fine sedimentparticles to bind together, and issubsequently removed with thesediment during sand filtration. It alsoremoves phosphorus, heavy minerals,and oils from the water. Chitosan is an important additive in

the filtration process. Sand filtrationapparently can remove up to 50% of theturbidity alone, while the chitosan withsand filtration removes up to 99%turbidity (A. Woodmansey, 2002).This polymer is also useful in other

filtration situations to removesuspended particles from a liquid. Incombination with bentonite, gelatin,silica gel, isinglass, or other finingagents, it is used to clarify wine, mead,and beer.

Australian vegetable industrygrows to $3.8 billionThe gross value of Australia’s vegetableindustry production has jumped $500million in just 12 months according tonew data released from the AustralianBureau of Statistics (ABS).AUSVEG has welcomed the data which

shows that in 2012-13, Australia’svegetable industry generated around$3.8 billion for the Australian economyand played a critically important role in

contributing to both regional and stateeconomies.“This increase in growth is significant,

especially considering that the grossvalue of Australia’s vegetable industryfrom the previous year wasapproximately $3.3 billion. That’saround a half-a-billion dollar increasein one year,” said AUSVEG Economist,

Mr Shaun Muscat.AUSVEG is the leading voice in

Australian horticulture, representing9000 vegetable and potato growers.“This data clearly shows that the

vegetable industry has never been morevaluable to the national economy,” saidMr Muscat.“However, whilst it is imperative that

the Australian vegetable industrycontinues to grow, we must ensure thatthis translates to growers receivingbetter returns and improving theirprofitability,” said Mr Muscat.Potatoes continued to be Australia’s

largest contributor to the economyproviding $690 million of value in 2012-13. Other crops doing the heavylifting were tomatoes ($439 million),mushrooms ($285 million), melons($234 million), onions ($200 million) andcarrots ($194 million).“The volume of vegetables produced

also increased compared to theprevious year, according to the ABSdata. Vegetables that increased inproduction included lettuce (43%),melons (36%) and tomatoes (23%),” saidMr Muscat.However, certain commodities also

experienced falls in production, such ascarrots (15%), onions (13%) andcapsicums (8%).“Continued growth is essential,

particularly since, despite the bestefforts of industry, rising productioncosts such as electricity, fuel, fertiliserand labour, mean many growers arebeing squeezed,” said Mr Muscat.“The vegetable industry must remain

resilient and continuously exploreopportunities to improve returns, byreducing operating costs and improvingproductivity levels,” said Mr Muscat.

Horticulture industry agrees togrower owned RDCHorticulture Australia Limited (HAL) hasannounced that its Board and Members

have agreed to transition to a growerowned RDC following a collaborativemeeting in Melbourne on 28 May 2014.The meeting followed the 6 May 2014

release of the independent review ofHAL conducted by ACIL Allen. A keyrecommendation of the ACIL Allenreport was that HAL should transitionfrom its current Peak Industry Bodyownership structure to a grower owned corporation.HAL Chairman Selwyn Snell said he

was extremely pleased with theoutcome of the meeting and waslooking forward to working withmembers, growers and other keystakeholders on the transition process."Following a series of discussions, we

were pleased to reach strongagreement on a united and collaborativeapproach to move to the next stagetowards HAL becoming a grower ownedbody," Mr Snell said.HAL has undertaken to continue to

work collaboratively with its membersover the coming months to ensure asmooth transition to a grower ownedentity.

2014 AUSVEG National ConventionThe 2014 AUSVEG National Convention,Trade Show and Awards for Excellencewill be held from 19-21 June next yearat the Cairns Convention Centre.“Cairns is an extremely attractive

destination for us as it will encouragedelegates to attend the Convention, dueto its year-round warm climate andholiday vibe,” said AUSVEGspokesperson, Lauren Winterbottom.“With more people looking to visit

Cairns and tropical north Queensland,we are confident that our fifth NationalConvention will be the most successful yet.“After hosting approximately 1100

delegates at Jupiters Gold Coast in2013, it is expected that this figure willbe eclipsed at the 2014 NationalConvention,” said Ms Winterbottom.Favourite events in 2013 included the

Convention Trade Show, where over 100exhibitors from across the horticultural


Commercial chitosan is derived from theshells of shrimp and other sea crustaceans,including Alaskan pink shrimp (Pandalusborealis), pictured here.

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supply chain were present, and theAUSVEG Awards for Excellence GalaDinner where the industry’s best wererecognised for their contributions overthe year.

For more information visit:www.ausveg.com.au/convention

HFF 2014The biennial Hydroponic FarmersFederation Conference and Trade Showwill be held at Club Mulwala, Mulwala,Victoria, from 6-8 July 2014. The eventwill once again feature a high qualityprogram with speakers drawn fromAustralia and New Zealand, and Europe.The conference offers the

opportunity to hear the latest practicaland technical knowledge in thehydroponics Industry.The greatest resource in HFF

conferences is not just in theprogram but the other delegates.Networking with other growers,industry representatives, speakersand other delegates allows you toshare know how, experience with

others and to learn from them.Staged in the Mulwala club, which has

accommodation on site, delegates willbe able to relax and enjoy theconference and the wonderful ambienceof the Murray River at your door step,while ensuring you are keeping in touchwith the latest developments in thehydroponics industry. The committee have designed this

conference to reflect the theme‘Network for Knowledge’.

For further information, contact theconference secretariat, or visit theconference website:www.protectedcroppingaustralia.com

The 29th International Horticultural CongressIHC2014 will be held in Brisbane from17-22 August of 2014. The event willinclude a special symposium, which willcentre on innovation and newtechnologies in protected cropping. Thissymposium will bring together

colleagues and experts from around theworld to discuss how emergingtechnologies in covering materials,structures, plant biotechnologies, cropmanagement and greenhouseautomation can be managed moreefficiently using innovative strategies.Keynote speakers will include

Professor Rodney Thompson from theUniversity of Almeria in Spain, and DrJason Wargent from the Institute ofAgriculture & Environment at MasseyUniversity. Dr Wargent will discussopportunities for light manipulation inprotected cropping, and ProfessorThompson will give a keynotepresentation on optimising nitrogenand water inputs for greenhousevegetable production.

For further information visit:www.ihc2014.org/index.html b

SEND US YOUR PRODUCT INFORMATIONDo you have a great product? Practical Hydroponics &Greenhouses magazine welcomes your productinformation for publication in ‘Product Spotlights’.Widely read by thousands of growers worldwide,submissions should be 400-500 words and include ahigh resolution image (PDF, JPG, TIFF or EPS). Besure to include product features and benefits aboutyour product or service. DO NOT send samples.

Send to: [email protected]

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A new international research report provides a competitive assessment of the hydroponic foodproduction market and the forces shaping it, the technologies and skill sets involved, and somekey players and their prospects. It also covers important issues and trends affecting agriculture

and food security that make hydroponics a viable and growing market.

Report by Mauricio Mathias, MSc.

Emerging Hydroponics Industry Emerging Hydroponics Industry

It’s no news that hydroponic vegetable productionworldwide has enjoyed consistent growth over recentdecades, so much so that growers and companies in thesector periodically ask themselves how much longer can

expansion continue before market saturation. While theanswer will always depend on local market specifics, thegeneral international outlook is still very positive according toa recent study by Manifest Mind, LLC, a US-based team ofexperts focused on sustainable technologies.

The 142-page report, The Emerging Hydroponics Industry:Hydroponics Systems, Issues, Crop Values, and Global MarketForecasts, breaks down reasons why hydroponics can be oneway out for some of today’s top issues such as climatechange, healthy-eating and labour. However, it also warnsthat it is not the end-all solution. There are not only barriersto be overcome, but also potential pitfalls such as more

investments and higher need of technical knowledge.The background to the study is the inescapable scenario of

an increasing world population that has to be fed, estimatedto reach 9 billion by 2050. To add to that, the per capita dailyintake of fruit and vegetables is on the rise in mostdeveloped, and some emerging markets. Another worldwidetrend, albeit with varied intensities, are those of increasedawareness of climate change and healthy-eating habits. Thecombination of these ingredients explains recent hydroponicindustry growth, and sheds a positive light on its future.

YieldThe economics of greenhouse/hydroponic food productionshould continue to be one of its main drivers for itsexpansion. The combination of a growing urban populationbuying more fresh food, with a shrinking rural population,

puts the stress on the need to increasing production perm2—be it in the field or under protection. Greenhouses docost more to start up but the data compiled by the studyshows production several times or more that of acorresponding field crop, and that’s not only in developingareas without access to knowledge. In one example, theyield difference of a hydroponic tomato greenhouse in theUS southwest harvesting 55 kg/m2, is over 10 times largerthan the average yield for open-field tomatoes in the US. In computer-controlled greenhouses, commercial yields

of 70 to 80 kg/m2 are not uncommon, while advancedtechnology, such as closed greenhouses, bring yields evenhigher. Not to mention that greenhouses also allow foodproduction where it would not be possible in open fields, inplaces that are too cold for that, or in desert areas. Thetechnological approach to each challenge is not alwaysmaximum technology, but the right combination for eachmarket, climate, growers’ knowledge and pockets.In tropical climates, that of many developing countries,

even simple soil-grown crops in a greenhouse alreadymultiply yields by a factor from two to five, withouthydroponics. The study quotes a comparison of pepperproduction in India where shade-house cultivation (35%shade) increased yield to 95 kg/m2 from the 15 kg/m2 inopen field. Such a jump in production is the result ofreducing the detrimental effect of excessive sunshine, rainand wind. The micro-climate under protection allowsbetter plant production, as long as the grower has enoughknowledge to adapt to the new growing conditions. Similar cases can be found in other BRIC countries

(Brazil, Russia, India and China)—countries deemed to beat a similar stage of newly advanced economicdevelopment. Urban Brazilian consumers used to get theirvegetables produced in close-by areas right next to theirtowns. Now facing city sprawling, growers have to eithermove further away or invest in technologies that pay backthe increased cost of land and labour. And Russia, andsome former Soviet republics, have become a major clientfor Dutch greenhouse technology for vegetable and flowerproduction to supply a home market with increasingbuying power.As growers know, there is a spectrum of hydroponic

solutions ranging from simple, affordable systems tomultimillion-dollar, highly automated solutions with amuch bigger energy bill. The pursuit in this choice shouldbe to maximise profitable production, quality, and safetygoals, rather than pursuing ‘maximum yields’ at any cost.Simple hydroponic systems that double or triple fieldproduction may be sufficient and even transformative,depending on the market.

BarriersJust like any good solution, hydroponics, too, brings a setof risks. The most obvious barrier is cost. It’s always moreexpensive to start up and operate a hydroponics operationthan it is to plant seeds in fields. Depending ontechnological level, a greenhouse can cost “anywhere from



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two to 20 times more than soil-cultivation, and even morewith some ultra-modern technologies that are gainingground in the urban food production wave”, states thereport. The infrastructure that is necessary to achieve highyields, and the increasing reliance on control systems andautomation, require experience and education that unliketraditional farming, has not been handed down fromgenerations. With higher costs and more need of expertise,the risk to prospective investors goes up.Such yield potential can and has blinded prospective

hydroponic growers and investors to the fundamental factthat it is not magic: it is the result of ‘green fingers’ as wellas technical proficiency and years of experience learningabout a place’s local climate and labour mindset.Energy has been another key issue for the industry.

Alternatives now in place include cogeneration (combinedheat and power [CHP]), especially in areas withconsiderable greenhouse concentration, such as theNetherlands and Turkey. CHP produces electricity fromwaste heat from other industrial processes. Potentialsavings from cogeneration can be up to 30% of energycosts, through burning natural gas to create electricity andheat, as well as using carbon dioxide (CO2), the by-product,to supplement plant growth. According to the report, another major energy-saver

now being commercially implemented are LED, or light-emitting diodes, potentially cutting lighting energy costs inhalf for hydroponic producers in northern-latitudecountries. The investment costs are still too high—and thetechnology too new—for many growers to adopt. But withthe aging of greenhouses in Europe, the short lifetime ofother lighting types, and the rising cost of energy, LEDs intime will be adopted by the industry. So while rising costsof fossil-fueled energy are clearly a risk to the industry,they are also creating innovation and creativity.

Labour IntensityIn a section analysing the “graying of agriculture”, thereport describes the aging of the agricultural population inthe world, which has declined from 46% in 1990 to 38 % in2010. Forecasts predict another 4% decline by 2020. As faras agri-labour is concerned, there is the issue ofavailability as well as cost. The report notes a good part ofgreenhouse production in developed countries is mannedby migrant or foreign workers. Around the world there arevariations of the same trend: Mexican and Latin-Americangreenhouse workers in the USA, Moroccans in theNetherlands, and several African nationalities in Spain.Fewer work hours go into producing a ton of

greenhouse/hydroponic produce than field production, butit is still a major cost factor. There are examples of industryshifts to regions with lower-wages to supply the sameconsumer markets. In recent decades, the greenhousearea in the Almeria region grew much more than innorthern Europe, supplying the same European targetcountries. Since the mid-90s, the shift in North Americahas been from growing regions along the US-Canada

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border to sunnier regions of southern California, Texas andArizona. These places offer advantages of lower humidity,more sunlight, not so much greenhouse heating, andabundant labour.

The trend, however, has not stopped at the southern

borderline. Mexico offers more of these same competitive

advantages, now as part of NAFTA (North American Free

Trade Agreement). The greenhouse area in the country has

grown exponentially. And Europe now faces the dilemma of

importing vegetables from Morocco, Egypt or Turkey, all

outside the EU (European Union), with labour and climate

advantages resulting in lower prices.

It’s important to note that this report does not advocate

hydroponics at all costs, in all situations. Agricultural

intensification and efficiency takes many paths. Although the

report focuses on hydroponics alone, it acknowledges that in

countries where overall development is low, simple soil-

based greenhouses and more technical training in irrigation

and nutrition practices are more appropriate.

The complete report with sector players, technical issues,

crop-specific forecasts, and recommendations can be

purchased from Manifest Mind.

More information at www.manifestmind.com/hydroponics

About the author

Mauricio Mathias is a greenhouse vegetable consultant

and international freelance writer based in Brazil. Email:

[email protected] b

About Manifest MindColorado-based Manifest Mind (http://manifestmind.com)is an independent market research organisation that focusessolely on sustainability and clean technologies. The team ofanalysts is dedicated to helping entities such as multi-national corporations, regulators, public service providers,government institutions, product companies, non-governmental organisations, and service providers improvetheir outcomes and goals based on sustainable businesspractices. The team works with thought leaders who canbring perspective and practical experience to theconversation in an accessible manner.Analysts, who come from backgrounds in finance, public

policy, technology, and philosophy, perform both primary andsecondary research, utilising both in-person and phoneinterviews with stakeholders along the value chain, includingtechnology vendors, leading producers, retailers, communityleaders, investors, government agency representatives, andother relevant organisations. To support their primary research, Manifest Mind also

conduct secondary research that includes, among otherinformation, current news, scholarly reference materials, andindustry courses and presentations.

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The aeroponics production of seed potatoes and minitubers from in vitro plantlets

allows a faster multiplication rate in seed programs and reduces the number of

field generations needed. The production method could speed up the shortage of

basic seed potato to feed a growing world population. The aeroponic technique to

produce high health seed potatoes was pioneered by a student at New Zealand’s

Massey University. The method is now emerging in other countries as researchers

look for ways to mass produce pathogen-free planting material.

By MIKE NICHOLS

AEROPONIC POTATOESPast, Present and Future

NFT mini-seed potatoes in Quebec.


AEROPONIC POTATOESPast, Present and Future

In a recent press release, Michael Bodnarcuk (spokesmanfor AusVeg), the peak body for Australia’s 2000 potatogrowers, stated: “... that aeroponic technology was initiallydeveloped in Peru as a speedy and cost-effective method

of producing quality seed potatoes.”Nothing is further from the truth. The aeroponics production

of seed potatoes was developed at Massey University, NewZealand, in the late 90s by a postgraduate student,Ambalavanar Jegathees, under the joint supervision of thiswriter and Dr Bruce Christie. It is true that at about the sametime a group in South Korea was developing a similar system,but we were unaware of this work, because it was published inKorean: we only became aware of it long after our work hadbeen published. After Mr Jegathees thesis was approved. We wrote an article

on this work for the Australian magazine Good Fruit &Vegetables, and I presented a paper on this at the AfricanPotato Conference in Uganda in 2000 (Nichols et al, 2000). As aresult, I was invited to present a seminar on the system at CIP(The International Potato Centre) in Lima, Peru. This was given(I think) in 2002. It was a particularly fiery seminar, as at that

time CIP were very interested in the concept of producingpotatoes from ‘true’ seed. In fact, the 100 or so attendeesbroke up into two very clear groups. At that time, the onlyhydroponic seed production systems I saw at CIP was usingNFT, or NFT in gravel beds, and they had not consideredaeroponics. Later, when I presented a paper on aeroponics at agrowing media symposium in Sweden in 2002, I brieflymentioned the aeroponic seed potato aspect and this receivedconsiderable interest from some of the Dutch seed potatoproducers (Nichols & Christie, 2002).At about this time I made contact with an Australian potato

company (Technitubers) who were developing a seed potatomini-tuber production system at Bowral (NSW), but when anexchange of information was proposed they advised that theirresearch findings were confidential; but they would still like tolearn more about our research. Thus, the cooperation did notproceed any further! In New Zealand, we had some initial interest from a large

Canterbury seed potato producer, who (for some unknownreason) decided to continue with a solid media-based system.In fact, the only time the method has been used in New

Cuttings from tissue cultured potatoes. NFT seed potatoes, CIP, Peru.

Aeroponic gourmet early potatoes can have a range of colours. Aeroponic gourmet early potatoes.


Zealand ‘commercially’ was when we produced a large numberof mini tubers at Massey University for Bluebird, who hadimported a number of new varieties in tissue culture fromoverseas and wished to bulk them up quickly in order toundertake field trials the following year. We received the tissueculture plant material from quarantine in August, and byChristmas we had provided Bluebird with the mini-tubers theyrequired for bulking up in the field that summer/autumn, forfull yield/quality field trials the next season.At about this time I also met with representatives of the

Victoria Department of Agriculture at Knoxfield to discuss thesystem, but they also decided not to go along with it. About thattime PGG Wrightson Seeds were interested in an NFT systemwith similar objectives. In 2002, I presented a paper at a potato conference in

Pyongyang, North Korea, on our aeroponics potato work, andwas amazed to hear a paper on a similar topic presented by aNorth Korean scientist. In fact, we were later shown theiraeroponics high health potato production facilities, and anaccount of this was published in Practical Hydroponics &Greenhouses (Nichols, 2003).The technology developed in South Korea had found its way

to North Korea via China.In 2006, I accepted an invitation to visit a company producing

high health potato mini-tubers in Quebec Province, Canada, inorder to discuss the potential of an aeroponics system overtheir existing NFT system. There is no doubt that the NFTsystem they were using (Nichols, 2006) was most effective, butthe harvest time was limited by government decree—it wasillegal to produce high health seed potatoes after a certaindate. This date was based on the development of the aphid virusvectors in the field. The restriction was (undoubtedly) a soundrequirement for ensuring that field-grown seed potatoes wereof high health, but was totally irrelevant in an aphid-proofgreenhouse situation. Nevertheless, it was the law and thePeribonka seed potato producers adhered to this requirement. The production of high health mini-tubers opens up the

potential for transferring potato seed tubers worldwide by air,and this technology (assuming there are no quarantineproblems) has considerable merit over the use of true seed.For a start, the genetic material is fixed, and the plantingmaterial is much more robust, and easier to establish thantrue seed.In fact, the question must arise, that with the potential to

rapidly (and economically) bulk up high health mini-tubers,whether the four- or five-year bulking-up period normallyrequired from tissue-cultured high-health propagule toplanting a commercial crop of potatoes, is required any longer.The inspection and rouging and storage of each generation hasa real cost, and we know that with every generation the healthof the potatoes decline. All inspections are visual, and by thetime any virus symptoms appear, the neighbouring plants arelikely to be infected. A better solution might be to use themini-tubers in the field to produce a single seed potato crop,taking all the logical steps to reduce aphids to a minimum, andnot carry out any rouging. Of course, we will need to further develop the aeroponic

system. For example, we do not know what causes the stolons

Mini-seed potatoes in Quebec.



Planting mini-seed potatoes in Quebec.


to appear, and then what triggers tuber initiation. With thisinformation it might be possible to grow a near continuouscrop of mini-tubers by lowering the stem into the aeroponicstank as the tubers are removed, and getting new stolons todevelop at the axiles of the old leaves. All that is required issome lateral thinking! Of course, there is also another aspect of aeroponics

potatoes which might be worth considering.Potatoes can best be considered as a basic commodity, but

they are also to be found as a gourmet item under certainconditions. New potatoes (i.e. those harvested prior to theskin ‘setting’) have a unique flavour and texture, but they aregenerally only available for a limited period of time each year.Salad potatoes (such as Pink Fir Apple) are another similarpotato product, which could well be produced more efficientlyaeroponically. A study at Massey University demonstrated notonly that the system would work, but also that a wide range ofattractive coloured flesh/skin potatoes could be produced(Nichols, 2010). The big advantage of aeroponics productionin this case is that not only are the potatoes clean, but theycan be harvested at the optimum size. This gives the smallertubers the opportunity to grow to a full marketable size. Thisis something that certainly is not possible when grown in thefield, when oversize and undersize tubes have to bediscarded. Whether a prolonged harvesting period is possible(as it might be with the smaller mini-tubers for seed), hasstill to be determined.

AddendumWhen I first became aware of the claim from CIP I contactedthem, and received a written apology, but for the Australianpotato industry this misinformation must be very frustrating.Ambalavanar Jegathees has worked in the Australianquarantine service (AQIS) for many years!

ReferencesNichols, M.A., Christie, C B & Jegathees, A. (2000)–Theproduction of high health seed potatoes using aeroponics.African Potato Association Conference Proceedings, 5, 69-72.

Nichols, M.A., Christie, CB. (2002)–Continuous production ofgreenhouse crops using aeroponics. Acta Hort., 578, 289-294.

Nichols, M.A., (2005)–Aeroponic seed potatoes in North Korea.Practical hydroponics & Greenhouses, 81, 45-48.

Nichols, M.A., (2006)–Peribonka potatoes. Practical Hydroponics& Greenhouses, 91, 29-31.

Nichols, M.A. (2010)–The secret to year round gourmet newpotatoes. NZ Grower 65(8), 60.

About the authorDr Nichols is a retired University teacher from Massey University,New Zealand, and a regular contributor to Practical Hydroponics& Greenhouses magazine. Email: [email protected] b

REGISTRATIONS NOW OPENHydroponic Farmers Federation‘Networking for Knowledge’ Conference

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CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Mick Keogh (Keynote Speaker) - Aust. Farming Institute Sophie Parks & Len Tesoriero - DEPI, NSWMike Nichols - Retired, NZ Ian James & Noel Dunlop - VCSCM, VIC Jonathan Eccles - RABA, NSW and more...

Introducing new registration types for our grower membersHFF Grower Member + 1 employee $400 $480HFF Grower Member + 2 employees $560 $640HFF Grower Member + 3 employees $720 $800HFF Grower Member + 4 employees $880 $960

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Recognised as a global cradle of innovation,California’s ‘Silicon Valley’ was the venue for therecent inaugural Silicon Valley AgTechConference, which brought together farmers,

technologists, venture capitalists and governmentrepresentatives from around the world.The event alsoattracted a large number of home hydroponic growers.Founder of Silicon Valley AgTech, Roger Royse says: “The

AgTech Conference featured presentations, expert panelists,roundtables, an AgTech speed-matching exercise, businesspitches, and displays.“The idea was to support the AgTech community and

promote the creative exchange of ideas betweenentrepreneurs, investors, government officials and others. Weencouraged participation from those with an interest in theintersection of technology and agriculture.“The conference is a place where technology meets

agriculture, Silicon Valley meets the Silicon Prairie, andinnovation comes back to the farm. We aspire to apply the

Silicon Valley model to bring together promising ideas andleverage agricultural applications to build great newcompanies, exchange ideas and generate interest in thispromising industry,” Mr Royse says.“SV AgTech provides solutions (legal, financial, business

development) while providing technologists, farmers, industryand investors the opportunity to bridge the gap betweenSilicon Valley and the needs of agriculture-heavy markets."This was like the perfect storm. We have venture capital,

we have technology and we have agriculture, but tech did notseem to be talking to agriculture until we started this group."Although the conference focused for the most part on

technologies for large-scale farming, Mr Royse said high techis also impacting home gardening."There's a lot for the home. Everybody seems to be getting

into this growing-their-own-food thing. It's become acommunity in itself, so there's social networks growing uparound it."Well respected in the hydroponic industry, Lawrence Brooke

Silicon Valley, California is a seat of innovation, includingnew technological developments in hydroponics.

Here and overseas, more and more home growers are using technological innovationsto streamline their hydroponic growing operations and enhance yields.

By Christine Brown-Paul

Home Hydroponics. . . goes high tech

Home Hydroponics. . . goes high tech

of General Hydroponics confirms that home hydroponicfarming is "a growing potential marketplace." "Systems for home gardeners are slowly finding their way

out of the closet and into the garden. You can grow the bestfood in world with hydroponics,” he says.The increase in the number of home growers is also seeing

a rise in new technology to streamline the hydroponicgrowing process.

There’s an App for thatOne-third of US households are currently growing vegetables,with trends indicating that another third would like to do sobut lack the time and knowledge.In Silicon Valley and elsewhere, solutions to this challenge

are currently underway. Hydroponics is becoming increasinglyhigh tech as startup companies turn their technological skillsto the popular hobby.In San Francisco, one company is developing a social

gardening and food-growing app while another SouthernCalifornia startup is working on bringing an affordablehydroponics setup for the home gardener to the marketplace.At Apple and Android app stores across the States,

gardening apps are now available while also on offer areplanners, calendars and plant guides, including gardenmonitors and popular apps like Gardening: The Ultimate Guideand The New Sunset Western Garden Book. Also on offer for the home gardener is a free Android app—

Garden Manager—that sends alarms when it's time to waterand fertilise plants. With the Organic Gardening PlantingPlanner or OG Planting Planner, growers can create their owngarden and be alerted to planting and harvesting times andweather conditions.Yet another gardening product is an app from Earthwire, a

company based in San Francisco. Exhibiting at the AgTechconference, the company is preparing to launch a social appfor gardeners.According to developer Drew Youngs, the app will bring

home growers together on a social basis."We have built an interactive, mobile

application that allows people to connectlocally and regionally, communicate onwhat they're growing in their ownbackyards and form consortiums to growthat food and share it together," he says.Technological solutions specifically

developed for hydroponic growersinclude the Genesis Dosing Controllerfrom Sustainable Microfarms, based inLos Angeles and the Bay Area.The system is designed to take the

guesswork out of hydroponics, allowingat-home gardeners to grow everythingfrom lettuce and tomatoes tostrawberries and capsicums.The company has addressed the

challenges facing hobbyist gardeners,which include the fact that hydroponicsrequires skills that are generally beyond

those of the average gardener."The reason why hydroponic farming or at-home farming

hasn't caught on as much as it should is because it takes a lotof work, a lot of effort and costs a lot of money,” says SanjayRajpoot, who started Sustainable Microfarms while he wasstill a student at the University of Southern California.“Hydroponics involves regular measurements of the acidity,

electrical conductivity and temperature of the nutrientsolution are necessary, as is care in adding just the rightamount of nutrients."We build a product that takes out the need for home

growers to have any prior understanding of hydroponics orplant biology or engineering," Mr Rajpoot says.“Our system monitors acidity, the concentration of nutrients

and the temperature, and automatically maintains the optimallevel of nutrients to make sure the plants are always growingat their best.”Although not inexpensive, the system offers cost saving,

running on a five to 100 gallon reservoir. “On five gallons of water, you can grow five tomato plants, or

100 plants on 100 gallons,” says Mr Rajpoot, "You are looking at a faster grow rate, less labour, and

higher turnover rate in comparison to soil growing.”

Automated personal gardening In Brooklyn, New York, Amrit Kumar and Michael Dohertyhave developed a community-based, internet-connectedautomation system for hydroponic gardens, named Bitponics.The plug-and-play system is a cloud-based ‘personal

gardening assistant’ for hydroponic growing operations, whichcombines two main components: a base station that, viaseveral simple sensors placed throughout the garden, readsand analyses humidity, pH, air temperature, water andbrightness levels. For an extra cost, an electrical conductivity (EC) sensor that

measures the concentration of nutrients in the growingsolution will also be available. When the system is set up, the


Respected industry expert, Lawrence Brooke of General Hydroponics confirms that homehydroponic farming is "a growing potential marketplace."


The First 20 Years

Millennium Collection1991-2012

The First 20 Years

Millennium Collection1991-2012

Valuable Educational ResourceThis interactive DVD contains every article published in

Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses since the first issue,many as relevant today as they were when first published.

(PDF format)


2


device generates a ‘personalised growing plan’ based on initialreadings and other information that the grower manuallyprovides, for example, what kind of plants are growing anddetails about the hydroponic set-up.The second component of Bitponics is the user’s online

Bitponics account complete with dashboard. Data collectedfrom the sensors is then sent from the base station to thissecond component. Users can adjust settings via thedashboard based on ‘friendly’ alerts/recommendationsgenerated by the readings.An online Bitponics community allows users to interact with

other hydroponic gardeners and share their own trials and tips. Mr Kumar says that the community plays a key role

in Bitponics.“Growing hydroponically is more than just about providing

free food to your home—it is also about the educationalexperience that allows us to reconnect with what we eat,empowering us to eat healthy and protect our environment,”he says. “We created this project for everyone that loves plants. For

people just starting their first garden and for old pros withexperiences to share. In addition to helping people managetheir own garden, we want to create that sense of communitythat gardens have always offered.“A place for people to learn from each other, but with the

knowledge structured in a smart way so it's super-easy forpeople to model their garden on proven successes. As the

community grows, everyone's knowledge grows. And we all

help each other make our world a little more green,” MrKumar says.

Greenhouse in a living roomElsewhere, home hydroponics is receiving more technologicalinput in the form of the Niwa system, billed as “the world’sfirst smartphone-controlled plant growing system.”Niwa, is a combination of hardware and a software working

together to create the perfect growing environment, wateringand feeding plants and allowing the user to control it all viatheir smartphone.The system was developed by young Spanish engineer, Javier

Morillas who wanted to address the challenges of ‘food miles’,advocating that everyone should access to fresh produce intheir own home without it having to travel long distances.Every day, Javier would watch 2000 trucks filled with

different vegetables leaving his hometown Almeria in Spain totravel 2000 km on average and be delivered to variouscountries across Europe.“I started Niwa when I realised that thousands of tons of

vegetables had to travel so far before getting to the finalconsumers. It made no sense to me. Then I started wonderingwhat happened, why the production had gone that far from theconsumer?” says Javier who set himself the mission to bringnature home and enable everybody to grow their own foodfrom the comfort of their own living rooms.“As a technology lover I decided to start using technology to


The Genesis Dosing Controller from Sustainable Microfarms isdesigned to take the guesswork out of hydroponics.

Bitponics, a plug-and-play system is a cloud-based ‘personalgardening assistant’ for hydroponic growing operations.

Javier Morillas developed the Niwa system to address his belief thateveryone should have access to fresh produce in their own home.

Bitponics users can interact with other hydroponic gardeners andshare their own trials and tips.





make the whole process simple and to enable everyone togrow their own food wherever they are.”A few months later, he had a working prototype of the

Niwa system.So how does the system work?“Imagine taking complex greenhouse technology and

putting it right in your living room. Niwa is a fully automatedhydroponic system that uses sensors and actuators tosimulate real environmental conditions,” Javier says.“To start growing, just tell the app what kind of plant you’ve

selected. A program specific to that plant will load, initiating alighting and irrigation sequence and the right conditions forthe type of plant and its stage of growth. As it grows, the appwill ask for feedback, for example, can you see any leaves?The software will then adjust its settings based on thisfeedback to provide an even better environment for your plantto thrive.”The most important part of Niwa is its brain—a powerful

ARM M3 microcontroller loaded with custom-made softwarecontaining years of experience and knowledge about how totake care of plants. “It has all the knowledge of an experienced farmer, so you

don’t need to worry about when to water your plants or what isthe ideal temperature to get more juicy tomatoes,” Javier says.“This microcontroller is situated right inside the Niwa

enclosure and it is constantly gathering data from the multiplesensors spread across the device like: temperature, humidity,light level and water level. This set of sensors tell Niwa what’sgoing on at every moment and the actuators will give theplants all they need to grow strong and healthy.”Depending on the status and the feedback from the user,

the brain also controls the lamp, heater system, fan andwatering pump.The Niwa system offers a stylish look that is designed to

complement modern living spaces while also being functional.At this stage, however, the system only has the capability to

produce small quantities of produce.“The units aren't big enough to grow a huge amount of

vegetables and herbs, although they could be a great optionfor growing plants in apartments and small homes to supplyat least some of your own food,” Javier says.For past few months, the Niwa team has been taking part in

HAXLR8R—a world-leading hardware startup program inShenzhen, China—finalising its product. To launch the Niwa system and fund the production of the

devices, the team has turned to crowd funding with acampaign on Kickstarter, the world's largest funding platformfor creative and technological initiatives.Javier says there are plans in place to develop the

system further.“In the current model, you can grow plants up to 58cm,”

he says.“We are now working on new form factors and on a new tray

to grow root vegetables, such as carrots.” b

Niwa is a combination of hardware and asoftware working together to create theperfect growing environment, wateringand feeding plants and allowing the userto control it all via their smartphone.

Niwa puts complex greenhouse technology into the living room,making it ‘child’s play’ to grow hydroponic produce.


An increasing number of Australian growers are turning to the latest technology from Netherlands-based greenhouse builder, Van der Hoeven, to enhance greenhouse production capability.

By Christine Brown-Paul

Going Dutch. . . Flavorite Expansion

Flavorite Tomatoes new greenhouse facility underconstruction near Warragul, Victoria.

When it comes to growing produce under glass, theDutch are acknowledged as world leaders, in bothglasshouse construction and cropping techniques.Around Australia, technological innovation in

glasshouses often has its origin in The Netherlands.In a recent article (‘Double Dutch Innovation’, PH&G Issue

134), readers might recall how specialist Netherlands-basedgreenhouse builder—Van der Hoeven—was behind theconstruction of a unique greenhouse in the South of Francethat boasts the dual capacity to grow fruits and vegetables aswell as generate electricity via special solar panels. The nameVan der Hoeven is one that is well known and respected inEurope and this is also increasingly becoming the case in theAustralian greenhouse industry. Established in 1953, Van der Hoeven has its headquarters in

the heart of the Dutch horticultural production region. Overthe past decade, the company has evolved from specialisingonly in greenhouse construction to designing andimplementing projects, providing tailor-made, turnkeysolutions for growers worldwide.“As a developer and builder, we closely follow the latest

technological developments and in a number of cases we havecontributed to greenhouse design in its present form,” saysVan der Hoeven’s Sales Manager, Jelle van der Brugge.“We like to consider ourselves to be in the frontline of new

insights with design, engineering and manufacturing all donein-house. We also pride ourselves on being flexible in terms ofthe different requirements each project demands.”Van der Hoeven has garnered a wealth of experience with a

wide diversity of types of greenhouse, built under verydifferent conditions. Knowledge of local guidelines across theglobe is partnered with expertise in dealing with differentclimatic conditions. “We build the right greenhouse for each and every project

where innovation is key, for example, for one client we usedgeothermal energy as an alternative energy source,” saysMr Brugge. “The company’s approach is to forge enduring relationships

with its clients and the success of this is testified through the

high number of clients who build successive projects usingVan der Hoeven.” Recently, Van der Hoeven became the first greenhouse

builder to become OHSAS 18001 certified—an OccupationHealth and Safety Assessment Series for health and safetymanagement systems. It is intended to help organisationscontrol occupational health and safety risks and apply itthrough the entire project management. Van der Hoeven isalready HortiQ-certified.

ModulAIR: a new solutionVan der Hoeven recently introduced its new ModulAIR conceptin greenhouses, a modular system that is designed to offergreater flexibiility in the installation and running ofgreenhouses across a wide range of climatic conditions.“In Australia, ModulAIR is being taken up by greenhouse

growers, as it can be adjusted to different areas with differentspecific adjustments,” says Jelle van der Brugge.The efficiency in the process is not affected at any point: the

modular construction of a greenhouse allows us to work withhigh cost efficiency. At all stages of a project we focus ondealing with things better and even more efficiently.“Within the ModulAIR system there is the possibility to

integrate a variety of technical customised solutions. Beingmodular means these components can be easily added or


The ModulAIR is a a new solution by Van der Hoeven.ModulAIR greenhouse in Southern France.

Van der Hoeven has its headquarters in the heart of the Dutchhorticultural production region.


EC-Fans individually controlled.

Perforated air ducts below plants allow for an even distribution of warm and cold air.

The amount of windows are minimi ed creating additional light.

The Greenhouse maintains a slight overpressure which creates a more homogenous climate, critical for even cropping, along with heat and CO2.

Air passage allows for reuse of CO2 and heated air saving energy costs.

Additional heating/cooling modules.

For warmer climates a pad cooling system can be installed for maintaining ideal temperatures.

CO2 is sucked directly into air ducts.

Sustainable stainless steel insect netting keeps harmful insects out.

ModulAIR


deleted from a standard design,” Jelle van der Brugge says.“This allows for ideal integration of necessary components dependent on a

greenhouse’s specific requirements.ModulAIR air treatment units are built as a small corridor located on the outer gable

end walls of the greenhouses and use outside air for cooling and dehumidification.This ModulAIR corridor is used as a mixing chamber, which is able to mix cool, dry airfrom the outside with warm, humid air from inside the greenhosue.Stainless steel insect netting in front of the outisde inlet and integrated high

quality nylon harmonica insect netting in the ModulAIR roof ensure that insects arekept outside the greenhouse, reducing pesticide reliance and the spread of diseasewithin the crop.Under each crop gutter, high quality PE air ducts are installed, which distribute

the conditioned air from the ModulAIR corridor throughout the greenhose. Thisalso helps create and control a homogenous climate that is critical for evencropping, heat, and CO2 regulation.EC fans are individually speed controlled and control the capacity of the

ModulAIR system to be adjusted instantly.“By adjusting ModulAIR step-by-step to adapt to the requirements of the plant,

the local climate and the availability/costs of energy, you choose the bestcustomised solution,” Jelle van der Brugge says.“The first commercial successes using the system have already been achieved.”

FlavoriteLast year, Van der Hoeven started construction on six hectares of ModulAIRgreenhouse for Flavorite, a leading hydroponic tomato producer in Australia.This was not the first time the company had used the services of theNetherlands-based glasshouse builder, having collaborated with several otherprojects in past years.It is anticipated that tomato plants will be growing in this semi-enclosed

greenhouse by July this year.A family-owned business sustainably growing produce in glasshouses at

Warragul in the Baw Baw Shire of Victoria, Flavorite currently employs 280 staffand produces 11,000 tonnes of produce annually. The business was founded in 1993 by Mark Millis and Warren Nichol. Both families

have a long history of selling fruit and vegetables in the wholesale market. “The company started as a result of the increasing demand for the product that

Mark was growing on his own farm in Tynong in the late 80s,” says Flavorite’sChris Millis.“The land where Flavorite stands today was originally Warren’s farm and

became the ideal place to start the business. Protected cropping needs freshwater, natural gas, labour and good access to market were all available from theWarragul farm.“Our products are sold all over Australia through major supermarkets and

wholesale markets. Approximately 1% is exported to Asia,” Chris says.“Our business has grown from 1300m2 in 1993 to 260,000m2 today. During this

THE WORLD OF

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Jack Ross

A Practical Guide toCultivating Orchids in Soilless Culture


Casper Publications Pty Ltd.PO Box 225 NarrabeenNSW 2101. Australia

[email protected]

http://www.pestech.com.au




Flavorite is a family-owned business sustainably growingproduce in glasshouses at Warragul, Victoria.

Flavorite grows truss tomatoes, cherry tomatoes andred, yellow and orange capsicums.


time the technology has evolved from 2m high plastic housesto 7m high glasshouses and our production has increasedfrom 30kg/m2 to 70kg/m2. “Our current expansion involves 6ha of new glasshouses,

5,000m2 extension to our packing shed and 2ha high-techpropagation nursery. These expansions will allow us to growmore capsicums and truss tomatoes, as well as supplyseedlings to all our growers,” Chris says.Flavorite also has a network of third party growers

supplying product. These growers are also expanding with10ha of new glasshouses built in the last 12months—some inGippsland, Mansfield and Northern Victoria. “These family businesses grow and supply Flavorite with

products to sell, including eggplant, cherry tomatoes andtruss tomatoes. The northern growers supply mainly throughthe winter period and the southern growers supply throughthe summer. This ensures our customers have year-roundsupply,” Chris says.“We grow truss tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and red, yellow

and orange capsicums. We also grow seedlings for ourselvesand for Flavorite third party growers. All our products aregrown under cover in heated, climate controlledglasshouses. The major benefits of this production systemare higher yields compared to field-grown product, lesspesticides and fewer inputs of water and fertiliser.”The crops at Warragul are grown on an annual cycle,

starting from winter and growing through the summer. “During this time we tend to the plant up to seven times per

week, performing crop maintenance and picking tasks. Wealso have an integrated pest management system introducingbeneficial insects into the crop to reduce the need forpesticides,” Chris says.Once the product is harvested, it is sent to the packhouse for

processing where it is checked for quality and packed into over20 different packaging types for Flavorite’s customers. So does Chris see any trends for the future?“There is a definitely a moving trend towards pre-packing,”

he says.“Over the next five years we plan to increase the size of our

operations to 320,000m2 employing 350 staff.“As the global demand for clean food, year round increases,

protected cropping is the answer,” Chris says.“With our current growing systems we can provide the

consumer a product year-round, that tastes great, looks great,and lives up to expectations.”

D'VineRipe glasshouseVan der Hoeven has also worked with another Australiancompany, with cutting-edge glasshouse constructiontechnologies and operating systems incorporated into thedesign and fit-out of the D'VineRipe tomato glasshouse at TwoWells, South Australia.Developed over three stages, the 27-hectare turnkey project

designed and constructed by Van der Hoeven features aroofspan providing minimal shade, maximising light. Itcomprises approximately 130,000 panes of strengthened glasson the roof and 45,000 panes on the walls. Each panemeasures 1.8 by 1.2m—the largest so far used in glasshouse

construction in Australia. Stage 2 & 3 incorporate specialisedglass panes, which filter UV rays and allow more useful lightto reach the plants, and internal steel structures have beenpainted white to reflect light and boost crop yield. Around 300 kilometres of drip house piping and

510 kilometres of heating pipe are incorporated while columnheights of 6.3m are above the usual range of 5.5 to 6m. Anevaporative cooling system maintains an optimumtemperature—averaging 21ºC over a 24-hour period—insidethe glasshouse irrespective of outside conditions. Sunlight, clean, fresh water and a controlled climate work

together to create the perfect environment for growingfragrant, juicy, ripe tomatoes.The D'VineRipe glasshouse uses innovative packing

technology that has been purpose-built by world leadingproduct and handling systems supplier, Viscon, of Holland.The two packing lines—the first of their kind to be used inglasshouse production in this country—comprise anautomated bulk line for produce weighing up to five kilogramsand a pre-packing line for quantities up to one kilogram. Thebulk line can produce 25 five-kilogram trays a minute whilethe pre-packing line can process 84 packs of 500g a minute. A sustainable development, the D'VineRipe purpose-built

glasshouse is the largest glasshouse in Australia to use padand fan climate control technology, and a co-generation plantrun on natural gas creates electricity, heat and carbon dioxide(CO2). Once generated, heat and CO2 is returned to theglasshouse and any excess is sold to the national grid.Most of the glasshouse's water is sourced from Adelaide's

wastewater, which is diverted to the Bolivar Water ReuseProject, near Virginia, north of Adelaide, and treated beforebeing piped to D'VineRipe's specially designed watertreatment plant. A reverse osmosis plant then filters thewater, sending 85% quality water to the crop and 15%wastewater to an evaporative pond.A fully closed watering system collects rainwater from the

facility's vast roof, adding to the glasshouse’s water supply. Itis then treated before reusing it on the tomato crop. Watersavings thus achieved are estimated to be around 520megalitres a year.A specialised onsite seedling nursery and bio-digester plant

to convert waste plant material into electricity are planned forthe future, which will further improve sustainability of theglasshouse operation. b

GreenTech 2014Van der Hoeven will be an exhibitor at GreenTech, which willbe held in Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre, Amsterdam,The Netherlands from 10-12 June 2014. Billed as the new platform of international horticulture

technology, GreenTech Amsterdam is a biennial exhibition,whose three connecting themes for this show are Water,Energy and Biobased. The show will focus on the earlystages of the horticultural chain and production issuesrelevant to growers and is a key event for all professionalsin the global horticulture and floriculture industry.


Fertigation and dosing is the process in which fertilisers are applied to the irrigation water.Fertiliser solutions are prepared in advance in stock tanks and the solution is then injected ordosed into the irrigation water. The use of fertigation for hydroponic applications enables forhighly accurate nutrient supply to plants. However, fertigatiing and dosing requires carefulmanagement and many factors must be taken into consideration. In this article, the basiccomponents of fertigation and dosing systems are described, including popular systemsavailable on the market.

Compiled by STEVEN CARRUTHERS

Fertigation & Dosing Systems

Fertigation & Dosing Systems

Australian-designed Powerplants Nutrimix fertigation controller.


The development of fertigation systems forhydroponics began in earnest in the early 1980s tocontrol fertiliser inputs. To a large extent, thedevelopment of fertiation controllers was driven by

the indiscriminate use of nitrogen and phosphorous on soil,which led to ground water pollution. It was an impetus forthe development of soilless culture systems. In the new‘green’ era, the time had come to pay close attention tonutrient management and the concept of balancing plantnutrition was born. The key was balancing pH andelectroconductivity (EC), according to crop requirements, todeliver precise quantities of fertilisers.Fertigation systems are based on sensors to measure pH

and EC of the nutrient solution. The output signal from theelectrode sensors are conditioned with the help of signalconditioning cards interfaced with a microprocessor throughan inbuilt Analog-to-Digital converter (ADC). Themicroprocessor will turn particular solenoid valves ‘On’ and‘Off’ to pour fertiliser into the mixing tank according to the pHand EC level in the mixing tank solution. An LCD or LED isused to display the computed results.The microprocessor is the brain of modern fertigation system,

which consist of integrated circuits (aka microchips). Amicrochip is a set of interconnected electronic components suchas transistors and resistors etched or imprinted onto a tiny chipof a semiconducting material, such as silicon or germanium. At the end of the 1990s, the market saw a dramatic drop in

the cost of microchips, resulting in the development ofadvanced control systems able to perform a variety ofmeasuring, monitoring and control functions. Today,fertigation systems integrate greenhouse irrigation andclimate control equipment using computers and customsoftware, and sensors and microprocessors to sample andtrigger system components such as solenoids, fertigationinjectors and pumps. The level of sophistication, andassociated capital cost of fertigation equipment varies greatly.

Fertiliser delivery systemsThere are two ways to deliver fertiliser into your irrigationsystem—pre-mixing fertilisers at the final feed strength for thecrop and stored in a tank until used; and in-line injection. Pre-mixing is considered the safest and potentially most accurateway to achieve the final nutrient strength. Pre-mixing can bedone by hand or the process can be fully automated. Although premixing is the simplest method, the most

popular method is in-line injection, which can range fromsimple mechanical injectors driven by water flow (using theventuri principle), to fully automatic nutrient control systems.Concentrated stock solutions are continuously injected intothe water stream when irrigation is underway. Mixing usuallyoccurs in the downstream section of the irrigation pipe or in asmall mixing tank. Injection volumes are based on systemflow rates, pH/EC sensor feedback or a combination of thetwo. The downside to in-line injection is low buffer volumesand poor blending if the injection system is not well designed,tuned and managed.Some automated systems only deal with managing the

nutrient dosing equipment while others are capable ofintegrating irrigation scheduling and nutrient dosing activities. “This makes sense from a management perspective since

you generally want to optimise water management andnutrient levels,” said David Flood, greenhouse technologistfor Argus Control Systems.“The process of managing both is often referred to as

‘fertigation’. When fertigation control is also integrated withyour environmental control system, it can be easier to monitorand manage everything from a single interface,” he added. Which fertigation system to use depends on the grower’s

application. For example, a recirculating floor flood systemneeds significantly different equipment than an outdoornursery with overhead sprinklers. The selected controlsystem should be capable of adapting to the design andoperation of the overall facility. This may include controls andmonitoring for:• EC• pH• Tank levels• Acid/base dosing equipment• Water temperature• Leaching rates• Nutrient dosing equipment• Pump controls• Irrigation zone valves• Line purging• Recirculation management• Water treatment equipment.

When selecting a system, the Argis technologist, whospecialises in control systems applications, points to threebasic requirements for nutrient dosing:• Uniform application—no matter how accurately you prepareyour feed solutions you won’t achieve consistent fertility inthe root zone unless your irrigation system can applyuniform quantities of feed solution throughout the crop.

• Mixing accuracy and consistency—you need reliable, safe andrepeatable methods for dissolving, diluting and mixingconcentrated fertiliser ingredients. Your crop depends on it!

• Equipment—there are options available for all types ofapplications and situations. Basically, you need a methodfor dissolving and diluting dry or liquid fertiliserconcentrates to their ‘feed strength’ and some way ofgetting those materials into your irrigation system. [Today,many large growers truck in pre-mixed nutrient solutionsfrom fertiliser companies, already formulated for differentcrops and growth stages.]

Pumps The pump is the heart of fnutrient control systems and theycome in all shapes and sizes. The most popular areperistaltic pumps, which are suited to pumping fluidscontaining corrosive fertilisers and buffer solutions. Thepumped fluid only comes in contact with the inside surface ofthe tubing, thereby negating concern for valves, O-rings orseals that might be incompatible with the fluid being pumped.


Therefore, only the tubing material needs to be resistant tofatigue and chemical fluids. Peristaltic pumps are a type of displacement pump, where

the fluid is contained within a flexible tube within the pump.Rollers on the external circumference of a rotor compress theflexible tube. As the rotor turns, the part of the tube undercompression is pinched closed (occluded), forcing the fluid tomove through the tube. This process is called peristalsis andcan be likened to biological systems such as the gastro-intestinal tract. Typically, there will be two or more rollers occluding the

tube, trapping between them a body of fluid. The body of fluidis then transported, at ambient pressure, toward the pumpoutlet. Peristaltic pumps may run continuously, or they maybe indexed through partial revolutions to deliver smalleramounts of fluid.Centrifugal pumps are commonly used for lifting and

transferring supply water, wash-down systems, and even forfire protection. The best known centrifugal pumps used inAustralia are Grundfos and Davey. An annual production of more than 16 million pump units

makes Grundfos (www.grundfos.com/) one of the world’sleading pump manufacturers. Circulator pumps for heatingand air-conditioning as well as other centrifugal pumps forwater supply, sewage and dosing are the main products. Inaddition to pumps, Grundfos produces standard andsubmersible motors as well as state-of-the-art electronicsfor monitoring and controlling pumps. Grundfos Australia’s head office is located in Regency

Park, South Australia, where approximately 90 employeesare based. A further 70 employees work around Australia insales offices. A Queensland facility, located in Ormeau,boasts a specialised team of Dosing Project Engineers, aservice team and a small production team, making it uniquein that it serves as the hub for water treatment engineeringand assembly activities for Australia.Davey pumps (www.davey.com.au/) are as Australian as

meat pies and vegemite. Davey designs, builds and sellsproducts for transfer, treatment and filtration of water. It alsooffers pump monitoring and control equipment, as well as a

combinations of Davey pumps and controls with filtration andUV for transferring and improving the quality of water.

SolenoidsSolenoids are electromechanically controlled valves used tocontrol elements in fluidics. Their tasks are to shut off,release, dose, distribute or mix fluids. They offer fast andsafe switching, high reliability and long service life.Electromechanical solenoids consist of an

electromagnetically inductive coil, wound around a movablesteel or iron slug (known as the armature). The coil is shapedsuch that the armature can be moved in and out of the centre,altering the coil's inductance and thereby becoming anelectromagnet. The armature is used to provide a mechanicalforce to a valve mechanism. There are many valve design variations. Ordinary valves can

have many ports and fluid paths. In the case of a two-port valve,the flow is switched ON or OFF; in the case of a three-portvalve, the outflow is switched between the two outlet ports.Multiple solenoid valves can be placed together on a manifold.

Fertiliser injectorsModern fertiliser systemsinclude injectors thatbelong to one of two types:fertiliser injectors that areelectrically powered(independently or by acontroller), or mechanicallypowered by waterpressure. Both are able toautomate the delicateprocess of creating nutrientmixes, ensuring plants getthe right amount ofnutrients.There are three essential

factors that need to beconsidered to ensure anefficient operation of a fertiliser injector: the required injectorflow rate, the water pressure and the materials the injector is

Bluelab Dosetronic solenoids.Schematic view of a peristaltic pump.


made of. If the flow rate of your fertiliser injector is too low, you can

take one of the following actions:• Decrease the irrigation flow rate, by irrigating fewer valvesat the same time.

• Increase the concentration of the fertiliser stock solution.In this case, make sure you don't exceed the solubilitylimitations of the fertilisers.

Some mechanical fertiliser injectors use the waterpressure as their power source (e.g. Dosatron). Suchinjectors have a characteristic range of water flow in whichthey can work efficiently.In choosing a fertiliser injector, growers need to consider

the type of chemical that will be injected by it. Injectors thatare used for dosing acid must be resistant to corrosion.Furthermore, the type of acid makes a difference. Parts of theinjector that come into contact with sulfuric acid must bemade of acid-resistant rubber, while parts that come incontact with phosphoric acid, must be made of stainless steel.If fertiliser injectors are consistently used to inject pesticides,plastic parts should not come in contact with the solutionbecause many pesticides contain chemicals that damage PVC. Dosatron (www.dosatronusa.com) offer a range of

fertiliser injectors that are electrically and water-powered.They are simple to use and easy to adjust, allowing forflexible dosage rates.

Fertigation Systems

Argus Control SystemAt the top end of the market in fertigation systems is theflexible Argus Control System (www.arguscontrols.com).Argus is a pioneer in automated control systems with over 30 years of innovation in control technology. It was among thefirst to use computers for integrating the control ofgreenhouse irrigation and climate systems. The flexiblehardware and software of the Argus system brings everythingtogether under a single integrated and unified command,

New Argus Multi-Feed RM line.


http://www.exfoliators.com.au


including pH and EC control and monitoring, multi-feednutrient injection and environmental control. Argus customautomates the control and integration of existing equipmentaccording to grower specifications. Argus recently released the Argus Multi-Feed RM line of

high precision nutrient injection systems, featuring some ofthe most advanced capabilities of any nutrient controlequipment including full single-element dosing options. Theinjectors are capable of 'on-the-fly' delivery of multiple stockconcentrates regardless of the system flow rate.With a Multi-Feed injector, you can use the same dosing

equipment to deliver dozens of different recipes. You canalso modify the feed concentration and chemistry to suitthe current conditions. Fully integrated with thecomprehensive irrigation and fertigation capabilities of theArgus Titan system, the Argus Multi-Feed injection systemsenable you to simply 'dial-in' a precision feeding programfor every crop.

PrivaPriva (www.priva-international.com) offer a family of dosingsystems. The NutriFlex, NutriFit and NutriJet have manysimilarities. All three allow you to fully control fertiliserdosing, taking account of flow, EC, pH, light, outsideconditions, etc. The dosing rate is memorised and usedimmediately in a subsequent cycle. This reduces fine-tuningrequirements.All Nutri-line products work with overhead irrigation, drip

irrigation and ebb and flood systems and are suitable for allprotected and outdoor crops. They have a long service lifeand are reliable.The NutriFit and NutriFlex dose the fertilisers into a

mixing tank with fresh water first. The NutriFit is able todose water flows of up to approximately 25 m3/hour and theNutriFlex up to approximately 80 m3/hour. The number ofdosing channels on the NutriFit and NutriFlex is modularand can be expanded to a maximum of five and tenrespectively. Using the Inline-system on the NutriJet you can dose

directly into a closed mixing chamber with water flowcapacities of up to approximately 80 m3/hour. Because the

NutriJet only uses a single pump, the system is moreenergy-efficient. In a bypass design you can easily increasethe capacity of the NutriJet to dose water flows in excess of100 m3/hour.In addition to the standard fertiliser dosing channels, the

NutriFlex or NutriJet can automatically blend very lowdoses of trace elements and cleaning agents using separatelow-volume dosing channels.The Nutri-line can function as stand-alone units or be

centrally controlled by the process computer. This allowsyou to link your systems even further; to watermanagement, climate controls, energy management andmanagement information systems, for example.

Powerplants AustraliaPowerplants Australia offer the Nutrimix and DirectJetfertiliser dosing systems. The Australian-made Nutrimix(www.powerplants.com.au/nutrimix/) is designed toincrease greenhouse crop production by providing highcapacity, accurate water and fertiliser injection based ondesired EC and pH settings. The Nutrimix uses two sets ofpH and EC sensors, the second to check one sensor againstthe other, thereby preventing the possibility of crop damagedue to poorly calibrated sensors. The Nutrimix isspecifically designed to interface with the Priva andAutogrow range of integrated controllers (Priva Maximizer,Priva Compact, Priva Connext and Autogrow Multigrow ). If there is a need to feed different crops, or crops at

different stages of growth, the Powerplants DirectJet(www.powerplants.com.au/directJet-fertigation/) is anideal solution for when smaller volumes of differentnutrients need to be made. Unlike some mixing tanksystems, where the tank needs to be emptied beforechanging nutrient mixes, the DirectJet has almost nodelay when changing from one mix to another. It also hasno mixing tank. The DirectJet’s motorised proportioningvalves provide a constant stream of nutrients from the A & B tanks rather than the pulsing on/off dosing valvesfound on most other mixing tank systems. Althoughpulsewidth modulation is very accurate when there is alarge volume of water being mixed, DirectJet’s motorisedPriva NutriFit fertigation system.

Priva NutriJet fertigation system.


proportioning valves give excellent accuracy when there isno buffer. The motorised valves can also be set by hand formanual fertigation.

NetafimNetafim is a global leader in drip and micro-irrigationsolutions and offers two dosing systems suitable forhydroponic applications. Featuring a state-of-the-art mixing chamber, the NetaJet

3G in-line injection system (www.netafim.com.au) maintainsa single mixing/injection pump to deliver a uniformquantity/ratio of nutrients at low energy-consumptionlevels. The unit is designed to provide fast and accuratefertiliser and acid control and is suitable for greenhousesand net houses.Featuring a state-of-the-art open-tank dosing system, the

NetaFlex 3G open-tank mixing system(www.netafim.com/product/netaflex-3g) ensures precise anduniform nutrient dosing for greenhouse crops. the NetaFlex3G easily integrates with multiple Netafim and third-partycontrol and monitoring systems.

Hanna InstrumentsThe Hanna Instruments HI 10000 fertiliser injection systemprecisely monitors and controls fertiliser concentrations andpH for all types of greenhouse and field agricultural irrigationapplications. Unlike flow-driven systems of the past, theHanna fertigation system continuously measures the actualEC and pH of the flow-through, and precisely adjusts theconcentration of fertiliser into the system. The system is abypass system, which will not interfere with main line flowand thus does not impede line flow or pressure. This unit willaccurately inject fertiliser in flow rates ranging from 5 GPM(19 LPM) to 300 GPM (1135 LPM). The HI 8000 Series controller included with the system has

10 programs that allow the user to set various EC and pHvalues for a variety of plants. Each system allows the injectionof a single fertiliser and (mild) acid. If preferred, eachfertiliser injector can be set to a specific percent, allowingcustomised fertiliser mixtures from salts of the basicelements N-P-K, providing a considerable cost savings. The Hanna fertigation system controls up to eight irrigation

valves (either sequentially or in groups of two, three, up toeight at once) for complete automation of the fertigationprocess. Programs can be triggered by time, externalswitching, and/or flow, (e.g. spot watering—timer adjustable).The HI 8000 is also capable of controlling an externalagitator, handy for mixing fertiliser solutions. A backflowcontrol allows the filtration system to be flushed and cleaned.

Netafim’s NetaFlex 3G open-tank mixing system .

Powerplants Nutrimix II dosing system.

Vrij-Harnasch 124 | 2635 BZ Den Hoorn | The Netherlandst +31(0)88 262 66 66 | f +31(0)88 262 66 99e [email protected] | www.vanderhoeven.nl

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Alarm controls and redundant monitoring help reduce errorand unexpected events. This system can be synchronisedwith a GSM module, which allows for remote monitoring andcontrol from a PC.Hanna advises that the HI 10000 Fertigation Control System

is not supported in Australia.For serious home gardeners, mini pH and EC dosing

controllers are also available from Hanna Instruments.Measuring 3” by 2”, the EC Mini-doser (HI 110741 and HI110753) and pH Mini Controller (H 110752) are cheap enoughto use as a mains powered monitor, continuously displayingthe measured electrical conductivity or pH level for nutrientabsorption. By adding solenoid valves or dosing pumps theybecome a low cost dosing system.

Autogrow SystemsAutogrow produce a range of reliable and affordable nutrientcontrol systems. Their latest offering is the highlyconfigurable Multigrow controller. This versatile controllercan be configured to perform multiple different functions. Forexample, the same single controller can operate a

continuously dosed mixing tank system, a batched dosingsystem and an in-line injection system, as well as taking careof irrigation and climate control. Irrigation can be triggered by timer, time-of-day program

or by a radiation summer (solar integrator). In addition, itmay have ‘smart’ start and stop times, which depend on solarradiation levels as well as sunrise and sunset times.The Multigrow can be used for in-line fertigation (with or

without mix tank) and can be configured to be as simple or ascomplex as you like, Features include:• Time periods—up to five may be set (e.g. night, wet-up, ECstabilise, maintain, evening dry down)

• Special rules available for time period start times. Theserule-based schemes can be used to tailor a very accurateirrigation program

• Up to 10 valve trigger groups may be defined, each havinga different recipe, EC, pH, radiation sum trigger, timeroverride, etc.

• Recipe change possible—a different recipe can be applied toeach trigger group—max 10 different recipes at any one time

• Recipe selected from combination in variable ratio from upto 10 stock tanks.

• Irrigation valves (up to 300) can be allocated into 10 different trigger groups, each using a different recipeand radiation sum.

The Multigrow can obviously be set up as a very sophisticatedand advanced fertigation system, but what if a grower only hasvery basic needs. Will the grower be paying for a lot of featuresthat are not used? The answer to this is no! If you only requirea simple level of nutrient control, then you will only buy themodules required for your needs. If your needs change in thefuture, then it is comforting to know that the modules canalways be upgraded in the future at reasonable cost.Batch dosing refers to the situation where you have a large

mixing tank to hold the irrigation water. The tank batch cycleinvolves filling the tank, stirring and dosing, and then

Autogrow flexible Multigrow system..

Hanna HI 10000 fertiliser injection system.


irrigating the crop asrequired by timer or solarradiation. Systems like NFT and DFT

do not require this batchprocessing as they areusually continuouslyrecycled. The tank iscontinuously receiving drainwater back from the cropand as the water level drops

due to transpiration, a simple float valve opens to allowmake-up water to enter. This may drop the EC a littleand change the pH, and so it is normal to have a simpleon-demand hydroponic doser continuously monitoringthe EC and pH and operating small pumps or gravity fedvalves to add nutrient and/or pH buffer solutions tocorrect the change. The Multigrow supports up to eightbatched or simple dosed tanks in any combination. The Multigrow will not adjust individual elements in the

mixture and so it is possible for these to gradually get outof balance. In particular, elements like sodium will buildup and may reach toxic levels. To avoid this, the tank willneed to be dumped periodically—hopefully, the grower willuse the water for irrigating some outdoor crops ratherthan allowing it to pollute the environment. Commercialgrowers will take samples from their mix tank periodically(perhaps weekly) to send to a laboratory for analysis. Thiswill avoid them wasting water and nutrient unnecessarily.As the crop matures it is common for the recipe to

change. The Multigrow has the ability to dose up to 10different stock solutions in varying ratio. For example,100% A, plus 80% B, plus 60% C, etc. These ratios are theneasily changed so that the recipe always meets the needsof the crop.Autogrow offer a range of single function controllers

including the new NutriDose1, a simple, ruggedhydroponic EC/pH doser. The controller has a simplemenu system that allows you to set the nutrient EC and pHset point, calibrate the sensors and set irrigation timings,etc. In its basic form it will automatically add nutrientstock solutions and correct the pH of solution in a mixingtank. It can also be used to periodically switch on anirrigation pump for a simple drip-irrigated or flood-drainsystem. Irrigations can also be triggered by solarintegration when an optional environment sensor isconnected to the controller. The NutriDose has an optional remote sensor box that

allows the EC/temp and pH sensors to be located somedistance away from the controller. This allows thecontroller to be positioned away from water splashes andcorrosive chemicals in a position which is easy to accessby the grower.An optional PC interface may be added, which will allow

the NutriDose to communicate with a PC runningproprietory CompuGrow software. This allows a PC, whichcan be up to 1000 metres away, to view readings, view and

Milton Roy Electrical Metering & Dosing On/Off Pulse 4-20mA

Dosmatic Water Driven Dosing Proportional to the Water Flow

The BOSS ULV Misters & Foggers Foliar Feeding Insect & Disease Control

[email protected]. au

0418 607 156

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http://www.dosingsystems.com.au



change settings, log data for viewing in graphical format andsound alarms should anything go wrong. The PC can even beset to send a text message (if fitted with a GSM modem or byusing an online SMS provider) or email (if connected to theinternet). One PC can be connected to many controllers overa total distance of up to 1000m (3000ft).The Autogrow IntelliDose controller sets a new benchmark

in the small dosing controller market. It is an intelligenthydroponic doser that works tirelessly to keep the nutrienttank in perfect balance. It automatically adds nutrients andcorrects pH as the plants feed. It includes a built-in USB –PC interface with USB cable and includes software. It issimple to operate, looks good and has up to eight-partnutrient dosing with variable ratios. It can be scheduled toA:B:C:D etc ratio and EC changes.Autogrow also offer mini dosers for pH and EC. They are

cheap enough to use as mains powered monitors,continuously displaying the measured pH or electricalconductivity. By adding solenoid valves or dosing pumps itbecomes a low cost dosing system.

Bluelab DosetronicThe Dosetronic will be familiar to many Australian and NewZealand growers, one of the first automatic dosing systemsavailable on the market. Today, it is sold as two differentdosing systems, one for commercial systems, the other forsmall commercial or hobby systems. The Bluelab Dosetronic® Controller

(www.getbluelab.com/products/type/controllers) is a reliableand accurate system for automatic nutrient dosing inrecirculating hydroponic systems. Simply program thecontroller with the conductivity (nutrient) and pH values thatyou want your system to run at and tailor the dosing intervalsto suit the size of your mixing tank via the peristaltic pumpsor solenoids. When the system detects that the conductivity or pH

levels have fallen outside of pre-programmed set points,the Dosetronic will automatically trigger the dosing ofmore nutrient or pH buffer until those levels havestabilised. The temperature function gives you the choiceto control either the nutrient solution temperature, or theair temperature, depending on which is more critical toyour growing environment. These features enable fast andaccurate adjustments to the feed system as the needs ofthe crop change.

The Dosetronic features include a user-friendly interface,built-in automatic safety lockouts, which prevents dosing ofpH and nutrient solution if a fault is detected, alarmfunctions, and easy-to-read displays with adjustablebrightness. All probes are removeable and replaceable.Bluelab sell the Dosetronic Peridoser Kit. The triple

peristaltic pump control unit manages the dosing of two-partnutrient solution (A & B) and either pH up or down. Bluelabalso offer a solenoid kit. Each solenoid is supplied with a flowrestrictor to reduce the flow rate for dosing into small tanks.This ensures each dose will not change the conductivity orpH by more than 0.1 EC or 0.1 pH, which avoids overdosing.Each solenoid is able to dose up to 50ml/min if the flowrestrictors are removed.

Aquarius TechnologyThe series of controllers from Queensland-based AquariusTechnology represents a new generation of hydroponiccontrollers designed for automatic nutrient dosage and pHcontrol for the professional commercial grower. Featuresinclude microprocessor control, reliable peristaltic pumps,alarms to alert both high and low levels, lockout to preventoverdosing, flow sensor in manifold to stop dosing in theevent of loss to circulation, data acquisition, digital read-outdisplay, and remote access via a modem to the controllerthrough the company’s website Aquareporter. The AquariusHP series packages (www.aquariustech.com.au) are suitablefor Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems, rockwool cultureor aggregate culture in recirculation or free-drainage mode.They can also be used on aeroponic-type systems for pH,temp, and nutrient level control.


TPS control systemThe TPS hydroCHEM-DS (www.tps.com.au) is a conductivityand pH dosing system. It is arguably one of the besthydroponic controllers available in its price bracket. Allcomponents are pre-installed onto the single panel. All thatthe end-user needs to do is cut the tubing to the desiredlengths, plug it in and turn it on. Features include waterproofconstruction, integrated sample chamber, optionaldatalogging and computer interface, reliable peristalticpumps, 80-character display, and automatic calibration.

Dosing Systems AustraliaDosing Systems Australia (http://dosingsystems.com.au/)are distributors of LMI Milton Roy metering pumps along

with the Dosmatic range of water-driven chemical injectors.Formerly known as Dosmatic Australia–New Zealand,Dosing Systems Australia custom-build water-driven dosingsystems and panels.LMI Milton Roy offer a range of pulse-operated solenoid

metering pumps to suit small through to large installations.The Dosematic chemical injectors range from the MicroDos,Aquablend and MiniDos with a flow range of .11 to 45 LPM, tothe SuperDos and T200 with a flow rate up to 757 LPM. TheChemilizer water-driven proportional chemical injector usesdiaphragm technology to accurately inject chemicals into thewater flow with no electricity required. Dosing Systems Australia also offer plug and play water

driven dosing systems built to your requirements, mobiletrolleys, manifolds and panels.When selecting a pump system, it should be noted direct

proportional pumps are okay for run-to-waste systems, butthey can not be used in recirculating systems.

While fertigation is an exciting and potentiallyprofitable addition to hydroponic production systems, it alsorequires significant investment in equipment,advanced management skills, constant monitoring and anunderstanding of the specific crop’s nutrient needs.This article is not a complete inventory of fertigation systems on

the market, but it does give an idea of what is available forcommercial growers and serious home gardeners. b

http://www.aquariustech.com.au



This month, New Zealand-based electronics design and manufacturingcompany, Autogrow Systems Ltd, celebrates its 20th year of providingsmart, reliable and economical automation solutions for greenhouses andhydroponic growers around the world.

Autogrow Systems LtdEC çxtÜá Éy \ÇÇÉätà|ÉÇ


The Autogrow story began when founder, Jeff Broad,formed an interest in hydroponics during the late1980s while a Senior Lecturer at a leading NewZealand Polytechnic. As a keen gardener and

technologist, he was intrigued by the concept of growingplants without soil. Within a short time hisback-garden was traversed with pipes and troughs withlettuce and herbs growing in abundance. The followingseason the system was expanded to include tomatoes. Withinmonths the tomato vines were growing over the top of the 6-foot fence and into the street. The house became a talkingpoint in the neighbourhood and probably the envy of some ofhis green fingered neighbours. Passers-by would often ask tocome in to have a closer look; however, not everything wasthat rosy.At that time Jeff was teaching two evening classes per

week and only getting home late in the evening. Noticing thatthe greedy tomatoes had depleted the nutrients in the mixtank, he would have to spend time mixing up a new batch ofnutrients, adding some to the tank, testing the EC, addingsome more, and so on. Then the pH of the tank water wouldneed to be adjusted and all Jeff wanted was to get inside, andgo to bed.It is said that necessity is the mother of invention and so it

wasn’t long before Jeff set to work to make an automatic, on-demand dosing system; and then a fertigation system for thetomatoes. It actually made for a good class project at thePolytechnic as well! It soon became apparent that there could be a commercial

demand for such simple, low-cost dosers and so AutogrowSystems was born. Operations were initially based in Jeff andwife Lyn’s home in Rothesay Bay, Auckland, the garage beingconverted into the machining area, while eldest sonDonovan’s recently vacated bedroom became the design,final-assembly and testing area. Lyn, who had a backgroundin book-keeping, looked after the accounts and one of Jeff’selectrical engineering students was brought in to help withdesign and production.By the mid-90s, Autogrow had outgrown the home-based

business and moved into a new factory in the Albanyindustrial area. A collaboration with Harford Greenhouses ledto the development of the ECOS, or Environment ControlOperating System, a climate, dosing and irrigation controllerwith the ability to interface to a PC, where settings could beeasily configured, readings viewed in real-time or historicallyusing software developed by son Donovan who was workingin Silicon Valley in the USA at the time.Autogrow’s product range then turned its focus towards

affordability and risk management. Rather than placing allaspects of environment and nutrient control in the hands of asingle ‘all singing, all dancing’ controller, which provided asingle point of failure, and would be priced according to all itscapabilities, a range of limited function controllers wasdeveloped from basic nutrient or pH monitors and dosers,through to the NutriDose series of on-demand, batch and in-line injection dosers, and various environment controllersfrom the Autofog and Autoclimate to the Autovent series –


each providing varying degrees of control capability.Autogrow’s Compugrow software, again developed byDonovan, enabled all these individual devices to be connectedto one PC for a convenient single point for configuration anddata collection for historical analysis or alert notifications. In the early 2000s, the popular IntelliDose and

IntelliClimate controllers were developed to provide solutionsfor research, education, hobby or inexperienced growers byproviding a commercial level of functionality in an affordableand easy-to-use system, with software wizards aiding systemconfiguration. Engineering graduate, Kevin Blackmore, waskey in developing these products and continues to apply hisenthusiastic intellect as Research and Development Managerat Autogrow to this day. After returning from working overseas in the early 2000s,

Jeff and Lyn’s sons Donovan and Kevin invested in Autogrowand took on advisory roles as directors as Autogrow’s exportmarket began to grow, especially in the US, UK and Australia,while Jeff began taking a more active approach to marketingby attending overseas trade shows and hydroponicconventions and visiting farming contacts established overthe internet.Exposure to challenges faced by growers, especially in

developing nations, eventually led Autogrow to realise thatthe current product range of single-function controllers,while doing a good job of addressing risk management,suffered from high cost of production and lack of flexibility.Coupled with recent advances in technology, a huge R&Dproject was undertaken to migrate the existing product rangeonto a common, modular platform with a greater emphasis

on software. By 2011, the Multigrow controller was beinglaunched across New Zealand. This was a new platformemploying modern technologies such as touch-screeninterface and local or remote access via web-enabled devicessuch as smart phones. Most importantly, the same platformcould be configured to be a simple vent controller, controllingthe temperature of just one greenhouse, or perhaps simplydosing one NFT system, through to full climate control (vents,fans, fan and pad, shading, lighting, heating, misting, foggingand CO2) of up to eight greenhouses, on-demand dosing of upto 10 tanks or eight in-line injection fertigation systems withmultiple recipe selections, and watering control of up to 300irrigation stations. 2012-13 saw the rollout of the Multigrowinto Australia via Powerplants Australia. This year, theMultigrow takes on the world with demo systems about to beinstalled in the UK and USA.Things haven’t always gone to plan at Autogrow though. In

mid 2012, Jeff was suddenly diagnosed with cancer and,sadly, passed away in January 2013. While a huge loss to thecompany, and indeed to the horticultural industry, thededicated team of electrical and software engineers based inAlbany, with close alliances with horticultural consultants,continue to share Jeff’s vision of making the best controlsystems in the world at a price that growers can afford.In fact, business continues to grow for Autogrow who

earlier this year employed Kelley Nicholson as NorthAmerican Sales Manager based in California. Kelley has beena part of the hydroponics industry for almost 14 years servinggrowers all over the world, from small home hobbyists tolarge commercial growers. Her specialty has been focusedon controlled environment agriculture, setting-up growerswith the tools to completely automate their growing systems. Today, Autogrow has distributors in NZ (Grower Technology

Ltd and PGO Horticurture Ltd), USA (American Hydroponics,Autogrow America), Australia (Powerplants Australia), UAE(Alfafa Co and Bader Al Marzooqi Co Ltd), UK, France andSpain (Hydrogarden), India (iGrow Solutions), and regularcustomers in Mexico, Japan, Korea and South Africa. b



• Foreword• Back to Basics• Comparison of Various Designs• Greenhouse Covering Materials• Greenhouse Ventilation & Cooling• Greenhouse Heating• Alternative Sources of Heat

• Solar Greenhouses• Climate Control• Conserving Energy• Small Greenhouses• Watering and Misting Systems• Artificial Lighting• General Index

TABLE of CONTENT

For Warm Climates


Local Knowledge

Higher Yields Future Proof

Innovative Design


http://www.fabergreenhouses.com.au

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