ARABIAN GULF UNIVERSITY

DESERT AND ARID ZONES SCIENCES

PROGRAMME

PROTECTED AGRICULTURE

A.A. SALIH
October,2009
 INTRODUCTION
Soils in GCC
 The soils in GCC countries exist in hyper arid environment
that are characterized by:
 Limited water resources
 Low quality water
 Limited good soils (mostly sandy, with low water holding
capacity, low organic mater and generally affected by
salinity and/or sodicity)
 Harsh environment (High temperatures and high
evaporation demand)
-
Protected agriculture

 Normal agriculture is difficult and new

methods of production must be adopted
that are efficient under the conditions
of limited soils and water resources…
Therefore………

To increase agricultural production

under these circumstances, we need to
use:

PROTECTED AGRICULTURE
PA Definition
 It is the modification of the natural farming
technique to achieve optimum plant growth
This modification can be made to the aerial as
well as to the root environment
Protected agriculture indicate comprehensive
systems of control of the natural environment in
which all or some aspects of the production
environment are modified
Control may be imposed on air and root
temperatures, light, water, humidity, etc….
PR
The level of success is very much dependent on the level and
quality of technology applied
Local climate
Buying power of consumers
Transport organization
Access to markets
Time of production
 PROTECTED AGRICULTURE

To understand protected agriculture we need

to understand normal agriculture and the
role of its different elements
► Of the most important factors in normal
agricultural production are:
1. soil and
2. water
The soil

The role of soil.

 Soil is defined as the natural medium
where plant roots grow and it supplies the
plant with water and nutrient elements as
well as providing anchorage to the plant by
the root system
 Soil (cont.)
The soil is composed of:
1. Solid phase, which is a mixture of :
A:
- Sand 0.05 – 2.0 mm
- Silt 0.002 – 0.05 mm
- Clay < 0.002 mm
B:
- Organic matter
- Micro-organisms
Soil
2. Liquid Phase; soil water
3. Gas phase: soil air

2 and 3 occupy the voids between the soil particles

and are inversely related (if the liquid volume
increases, then the gas volume will decrease)
Soil (cont)
 The soil type is decided by its content of sand, silt,
clay and organic matter.
The general types are:
 Sandy soil (at least 80% by weight is sand)
- Good drainage
- Good aeration
- Low fertility
- Poor water holding capacity
- Low resistance
Soil……
 Clay soil (> 30% clay)
- High fertility
- High water holding capacity
- High resistance
- Poor drainage
- Poor aeration
Soil….
 Loamy soil
- Contains variable amounts of sand silt and clay
Role of organic matter
- Increases water holding capacity
- Source of nutrients
- Increases microbial activity
- Reduces soil resistance
Soil….

 The ideal soil have:

- High fertility
- High water holding capacity
- Good drainage and aeration
- Low resistance
Justification…
 Rapid increase in the demand of high value
crops,
 Removal of trade barriers,
 Well adapted to both small and large scale
production systems,
 Availability of knowhow,
Disadvantages:
 Requires farmers to have a more comprehensive
knowledge of agronomic and crop management
principles
 Cost
 The need to protect the crops against unfavorable
environmental conditions led to the development
of protected agriculture
 Greenhouse technology is the most practical
method of achieving these objectives.
Better protection against unfavorable weather
conditions, pests and diseases, leading to high-
quality produce that fetches premium prices
•Yields increase five-fold (or even more), higher
productivity per unit of land, water, energy and
labor
•Crops can be grown year-round: opportunities to
grow multiple crops per year and/or produce out
of season, when prices are high
•Requires only a small area; suitable for
smallholders who depend on family labor
•The system is women-friendly, as it does not
require heavy labor, and provides an enclosed
environment in which women can work, even in
conservative communities
Less pesticide, more profits
 Methods of Protected Agriculture
Mulches
In agriculture and gardening, mulch is a protective cover
placed over the soil, primarily to modify the effects of
the local climate. A wide variety of natural and
synthetic materials are used.
The main functions of mulches are:
- conservation of soil moisture
- moderation of soil temperature. They moderate internal
soil temperatures by retaining heat from the day and
radiating it to the soil at night during spring and fall;
- in the winter mulches moderate soil warming during the
day, limiting the stress plants undergo during soil
freezing and thawing cycles.
mulches
 During summer, they keep soil cool by blocking
direct sunlight exposure of the soil surface.
 Mulches are used to block evaporation of
water from the soil, slowing down soil drying.
 They also help control the growth of weeds,
blocking sunlight and/or smothering weed
seedlings under layers of material.
 Mulch also reflects sunlight back from the
ground to the leaves of plants, they also provide
a clean and dry surface for ground-lying fruits.
 They prevent soil erosion from heavy rains,
prevent surface run-off of water, and prevent
the direct impact of hard rains on the soil
surface.
 Some mulches improve soil texture, adding
humus. Organic
mulches
 mulches may add nutrients to the soil as they
breakdown. Biodegradable mulches, as they decay, are
incorporated into the soil where they provide air spaces
and surfaces for fungi and root growth.
 While mulching may improve the growth of various
plants by directly manipulating the plant's abiotic
environment, mulch can also improve growth as an
effective means of pest control. Various forms of mulch
deter herbivorous insects and increase the numbers of
beneficial insects.
Benefits of a Mulch:
• Conserves soil moisture
• Moderates soil temperature by insulating the soil
surface
• Reduces soil compaction caused by equipment
and people
• Reduces soil erosion from wind or water
• Slowly increases soil fertility through
decomposition
(organic mulches only)
• Reduces incidence of disease by
protecting above-ground plant parts from splashes
that carry soil-borne inoculum
Benefits of mulches

 • Reduces fruit rot by eliminating contact between

fruit and soil
• Reduces winter injury by minimizing
temperature variation,
 reducing water loss in plants and decreasing
heaving of plant crowns and roots
• Aids weed control
Types of mulches

 Characteristics of Organic Mulches:

 Most gardeners use organic mulches, which are derived
from plant material and imitate naturally occurring
forest or prairie litter. Gardeners can develop their
own organic mulches by recycling yard waste such as
chopped or shredded leaves, branches, wood chips or
grass clippings.
 An important value of organic mulches is that they
continuously add organic matter to the soil surface.
Cover Crops
 Why use cover crops?
 Add OM back to soil…
 Reduce erosion…
 Control weeds…
 Conserve soil moisture…
 Control soil-borne disease…
 Cover crop mulch acts as physical barrier…
 Increase fruit cleanliness/quality at harvest…
 Not without their disadvantages…
Types of mulches

 Characteristics of Inorganic Mulches:

 Inorganic mulches include lava rocks, pebbles, plastic
or landscape fibers which neither break down and
improve soil structure nor add nutrients to the soil. If a
site requires renovation, inorganic mulches can be
difficult to remove, whereas organic mulches can be
easily incorporated into the soil.
 Dark-colored inorganic mulches, such as plastics,
warm the soil more than organic mulches. Black plastic
will raise the soil temperature to approximately five
degrees higher than uncovered soil. Clear plastic will
warm the soil even more, to 10 degrees higher than
bare soil.
Use very little, if any, mulch on poorly drained
soils, for the mulch will keep the soil too wet,
fostering both root rot and growth of toxic
compounds injurious to the plants. If mulch
must be used in a wet environment, use a
coarse, textured mulch only.
 Peat
 • Coarse textured
• Increases water-holding capacity of most soils
• Over time, could increase soil acidity
 • Expensive
• Difficult to re-moisten after it has dried
• Repels water
Organic mulches

 Leaves• Readily available

• Usually free
• Decompose slowly
• Improve the soil
 • May mat down and interfere with water and air
movement if applied too thickly
• Should be shredded and partially decomposed
before using (prevents matting and soil nitrogen
binding)1 season
Inorganic mulches

 Plastic
 • Completely inhibits weed growth until it tears
• Helps garden beds look neat
 • Cracks easily from low temperatures or ultra
violet instability, allowing weed growth
• Expensive
• Allows no water or air to enter or leave soil,
stressing roots under mulched plants
• Needs a supplemental irrigation
Inorganic mulches

✔ Lava or crushed Rock. Sometimes used to give

a formal look
 • Expensive
• Lava is very lightweight--tends to blow, roll or
wash away
• Allows weed growth
History of Hydroponics

 Hydroponics is not a new concept

 600 BC. The hanging gardens of Babylon are
believed to be the first successful attempts
 Along the Nile, hieroglyphic records dating back
several hundred years BC describe the growing of
plants in water, without soil.
 1600's: Early Scientific Experiments in Hydroponics:
In 1600, Belgian Jan van Helmont derived that plants
obtain substances for growth from water by planting as lb
willow shoot in a tube containing 200 pounds of dried soil.
After 5 years of regular watering with rainwater, he found
the willow shoot increased in weight by 160 lbs, but the
soil lost less than 2 ounces. What he did not realize was
that plants also require carbon dioxide and oxygen from
the air.
History
 In the late 1920's and early 1930's, Dr. William F. Gericke
of the University of California at Berkeley, focused his
research on growing practical crops for large scale
commercial applications. During this time, he coined the
term, "hydroponics", which was derived from the Greek
words, hydro (meaning water) and ponos (meaning labor)
literally "water-working." His work and research is
considered the basis for all forms of hydroponic growing
even though it was primarily limited to water culture
without the use of a growing medium.
Advantages and disadvantages of
Hydroponics
 Advantages
1. Out of season production
2. Possibility of production in areas where normal
agriculture can not be practiced
3. Much high productivity
4. Reduced water consumption (10 % compared to
traditional methods
5. All year around production
Adv…
6. Better quality
7. Earlier maturity
8. No problem of nutrient fixation as in normal soils
9. Not suitable for weed growth
10. Reduces labor requirement
11. Reduces land requirement
12. Environmentally friendly (no toxic waste, no
underground water pollution)
 Disadvantages
1. Initial high cost
2. Requires skilled labor
3. All production requirement must be availed
4. PH changes very fast
5. Any mal functioning in the system will lead to
grave consequences
6. No micro-organisms to fight disease causing
organisms
7. Easy contamination
 Systems of Soil Less agriculture
There are several systems in soil less culture, all depending
on providing growing media, nutrients and suitable
environment for plant growth
Soil less culture is classified according to technology used.
Several technologies are now available.
The following factors are important in selecting a suitable
system:
1- Area available
2- Funds available
3- Targeted production levels (commercial or personal)
4- Growth media available
5- Level of control of environmental factors
6- Target crops and growth period
Basic Requirements of Soil less Agriculture

 1/ Nutrient solution containing all essential

elements
 2/ Control of EC and PH of nutrient solution
within suitable limits
 3/ Control of Temperature
 4/ Suitable growth medium
 5/ Suitable water source
 6/ Good management (Trained labor)
 Soil less culture can be divided according to the use of nutrient media
regardless of technology used:
 Open systems: where the nutrient solution is used once and then discarded.
 Closed systems: The nutrient solution is circulated in the system

Planting area

 water pump

nutrient solution tank

Hydroponics (cont)

 Closed systems
 Planting area nutrient solution tank
 water pump
 It is also possible to be classified according to technology
used into 3 major types:

 A/ Hydroponics
 B/ Solid media culture
 C/ Aeroponics

 A- hydroponics
 Two types:
1. Closed systems
a. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
b. Deep flow Technique
 Open Systems:
Adopts the following technologies:
a. Root dipping Technique
b. Floating Techniques
c. Capillary Action Technique
 C. Aeroponics
Use of fog or mist to feed the roots
 2nd: Use of solid substrates.
Can be open or closed
- Trench Technique
- Hanging Bag Technique
- Grow bag Technique
- Pot Technique
- Vertical Pot Technique
Hydroponics
 Closed Systems
 This system is based on circulation of nutrient solution,
where the solution is pumped through the root system
and the excess collected to be used again
1. Nutrient Film Technique
A true hydroponics system. The root system is exposed to the
nutrient solution. The nutrient solution is in the form of a
thin film moving through the pipes. The seedlings are
put on a stand and surrounded by sponge or rockwool in
openings made in the pipes.
Hydroponics
 Deep Flow Technique
In this system the nutrient solution is allowed to flow 2-3 cm
below in a PVC pipe of 10 cm diameter. The solution is
passing through perforated plastic cups with the seedlings
grown on growing media. The bottom of the cups touches
the nutrient solution running in the pipe.
The tube length is 5-10 m with a slope of 1/50-1/75. the
nutrient solution is pumped at the rate of 2-3 liters/minute.
Support should be provided to tall plants
Hydroponics
 Closed systems (cont)
►The growing medium can be pitmus or rockwool.
A plastic net can be used to prevent the growing medium
from falling into the nutrient solution
► when the nutrient solution is circulated it is saturated with
oxygen. The pipes should have aslope of 1 cm for every
30-40 cm pipe to facilitate the movement of the solution
►Pipes can be painted white to reduce heat
Hydroponics
 Open Systems
►The system pumps the nutrient solution through the root system and the
excess solution is discarded.
Several techniques are available:
1. Root dipping technique
in this method the plants are grown in small pots filled with a
growing medium and placed such that 2-3 cm of it are immersed in
the nutrient solution and the rest is in air above the solution to
absorb Oxygen, this method is simple and cheap.
hydroponics
 Floating Technique
►This method is similar to the root dipping
technique, except that here shallow containers are
used (10 cm deep). Plants are placed in holes
made in Styrofoam or similar material. The board
is allowed to float on the nutrient solution.
Oxygen is supplied artificially.
Hydroponics
 Capillary Action technique
►plants are grown on a mixture of a growing medium and
sand in pots placed on the nutrient medium. Aeration is
very important in this method.
Good for ornamental and house plants
Substrates
 Solid Substrates
In this technique solid growing media are used like
Vermiculite, saw dust, sand, rockwool,…etc
However, the substance used should be:
- Inert. Does not react with the nutrient elements and have
neutral PH.
- With good porosity to allow drainage and aeration
- Free from toxic materials, pests and diseases
Specifications of solid substrates

- Easy to use
- Cheap
- Allow several uses and easy to dispose off
- Should be sterilized before use
Trench Technique
 In this technique plants are grown in a narrow
trench made in the soil or a brick or cement made
trench.
 The trench should be made with a 1cm slope for
every 50-75 cm towards the center of the house
where the nutrient tank is located.
 The trench should be 15 m long. A wide trench
will allow planting 2 rows of plants
 Depth of trench depends on plant type, 30 cm
minimum
Trench cont

 The trench lined with a water proof substance like poly

ethylene to separate the plants from the bottom of trench.
 The nutrient solution is supplied to the plants by a
submersible pump in a drip irrigation system,Excess
solution is returned back to the tank by a drainage pipe.
Hanging Bags
 By using poly ethylene bags (white color preferred)
 Bags are filled with a suitable growth medium and hanged
vertically
 Seedlings are placed in holes made at the sides of bags
 Nutrient solution is added at the top of bag
 Excess solution is collected at the bottom and recycled
Planting in Bags

 Bags of of 1-1.5 m are filled with growth medium and

placed flat on the ground leaving alleys
 Nutrient Solutions

 These are solutions containing all the nutrient elements necessary for
plant growth and are used for irrigation of hydroponics
► There is no ideal solution for all crops.
►The water used for making the nutrient solution should be free from
salts as much as possible (EC< 0.6 ds/m) and Na concentration <
50ppm)

Crop/Ec (ds/m) 1.4 2.4 3.4 4.4

Onions 77 39 39 28
Beans 88 55 22 16
Peas 77 53 - -
Radish 91 68 54 38