Articles
CONTROLABLE QUALITY OF PROPAGATION MATERIAL IN CLIMATE ROOMS WITH MAXIMUM ENERGY SAVING
In comparison with the greenhouse considerable energy saving is achieved.
This climate-control system makes cultivation possible nearer to the optimum conditions than will ever be reached in the greenhouse.
Especially applications where different plant physiological processes have to be tuned into each other are particularly suitable for this approach.
A typical example of this is "stenten" (simultaneous rooting and grafting) of roses, which method has proven to be applied successfully in these climate rooms.
Good results have also been obtained with rooting of cuttings of various plant species.
With this system it is now possible to produce plants of higher quality and uniformity in a shorter period than in the greenhouse, because the conditions can be adjusted to the specific demands for any propagation material.
A higher average growing temperature can be reached than in the greenhouse without the danger of exceeding the maximum temperature for the plant.
Temperature fluctuations are in fact limited to a minimum in this climate room.
Lower temperatures can be maintained in the climate room without a drop in relative humidity as is the case in greenhouses.
This is realized by using the Filacell cooling system which works by indirect cooling through a water-bath which provides a constant relative humidity of up to 99%. In situations where temperatures of 22°C and lower are not required for plant propagation, cooling can be entirely done without mechanical means by making use of adiabatic cooling of water with outside air.
Propagation in climate rooms is more economical than in greenhouses.
By using energy-saving lighting systems and by adjusting light intensity and spectrum to the needs of the plant, heat development and consequently cooling can be minimized.
No additional heating with fuel is required as the temperature can be maintained by the residual heat of the system.
Heat loss is negligible in comparison with greenhouses because insulated panels are used for these climate rooms.
Additional energy saving is achieved by cuttiing down the growth period in the greenhouse through improved plant quality and uniformity.