New Greenhouse Cultivation Method Increases Tomato Yield by 50%

The Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced on December 22, 2009, that it has developed a greenhouse cultivation method that consistently produces a high yield of tomatoes. The center reported that the method can yield 30 tons of tomatoes for every ten acres, or 1.5 times of yield compared to the conventional method, which would result in doubling a farmer's net income.

The method utilizes a nursery facility enclosed by insulated, lightproof walls to maintain the temperature at 25 degrees Celsius (°C), and is lit by fluorescent light 16 hours a day, with the temperature kept at 18°C when the lights are off. The conventional method of growing tomato seedlings takes 40 to 50 days in a regular greenhouse during winter, while the newly developed facility makes it possible to grow them in about 25 days throughout the year.

The method also employs a hydroponic system in which plants are grown so that each stalk has three layers of support trusses to support the growing tomato plants. Growing them on three layers -- instead of the usual six used in conventional greenhouse cultivation -- improves the consistency of fruit size and quality, thereby overcoming the issue that fruits on higher trusses tend to be smaller.

By combining these techniques, farmers are able to harvest 3.5 crops per year, but since commercially available enclosed nursery units cost approximately eight million yen (about U.S.$87,000), the center recommends that farmers build their own, and provides tips for building at a cost of approximately 800,000 yen (about $8,700) per unit for materials.

Posted: 2010/05/11 06:00:15 AM