Atlas Manufacturing sales professional Stuart Sumner lays out what is popular with new structure projects in the controlled environment agriculture market.
Greenhouse produce growers like West Georgia Produce (pictured) are integrating supplemental lighting into the overall facility design.
Photos Courtesy of Atlas Greenhouses
Sumner recommends new builds feature insect exclusion structures to help alleviate the need for insecticide treatments.
Atlas Manufacturing greenhouse sales rep Stuart Sumner says interest in new structures has never been higher. “We have customers in various sectors of this industry that had very productive years despite COVID-19,” he says. “Due to this, we are seeing more interest and enthusiasm heading into 2021.”
According to Sumner, the following five trends in greenhouse structure innovation seem to be popping up more and more across the projects he has worked recently:
Positive pressure (PP) ventilation cooling — Produce growers are taking a closer look at PP ventilation systems, especially in hot and humid climates where a traditional system that draws more humidity from outside is not ideal, Sumner says. “When growing in a high humidity climate, adding additional humidity through an evaporative cooling system in a negative pressure setting can have a detrimental effect on crops,” he says. “You will be much more likely to experience issues with fungal pathogens and have a greater need for humidity control equipment.”
Supplemental lighting — Sumner answers a lot of questions about supplemental lighting during the design phase. “There is a lot more interest surrounding LED options for supplemental lighting and the technology itself is rapidly evolving,” Sumner says. “Companies are constantly innovating these lights to be more energy efficient and effective at targeting the desired spectral wavelengths of PAR light. The traditional HPS fixtures may be the most commonly used at this time, but I believe the LEDs may overtake them as the most frequently used at some point in the future.”
Taking sidewall height even higher — Growers are also interested in installing the highest sidewalls structurally-possible in new builds, Sumner says. This strategy allows for a larger area at the top of the structure to push and store hot, humid air far away from the plant canopy down below, he says. “It’s true that the higher you can go [on sidewalls], the more optimal situation you are in from a ventilation and cooling perspective,” Sumner says. “With everyone wanting to get those sidewalls as high as they can be, I like to joke that by 2050 we’ll all be growing crops in skyscrapers.”
Hydroponic grow systems — From the ubiquitous “Dutch” bucket style for peppers and tomatoes to the popular vertical farming and deep-water culture growing systems, grower interest in replacing soil with growing media and oxygenated water has never been higher. “We are seeing commercial growers utilizing hydroponic grow systems such as Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems that can reduce the expected harvest time considerably when compared to more traditional grow methods. I believe we will begin to see this system become more popular as we move forward.”
Insect exclusion structures — Companies like Atlas are recommending growers, regardless of crop, consider built-in insect protection measures. Sumner refers to these design add-ons as “insect exclusion structures.” Extending the frame of the greenhouse out on opposite ends a set distance, and then covering that area between the ventilation equipment and the outside with woven insect proof materials helps prevent insect intrusions from the cool outside air. “This is something that we really think is worth a grower’s investment in the long term. It will save you money,” he says.
The changing landscape of indoor growing
Ask the Experts - Pest management
A Q&A with Joe Lara, senior product manager of greenhouse & nursery production at BASF.
What is your current view of consumer trends related to indoor production of fresh vegetables for the U.S. market?
We’ve got an increasingly diverse population, whether it’s coming from [inside or outside] the U.S. The beauty of that is it brings with it diverse cultural practices and diverse food tastes. Even more recently, there’s [been] concern not only for human health but also for pet health. That’s all driven by a culture that is intensely interested in what goes into [food] products. We have today an “experience hungry consumer market.” Anything around that experience drives a lot of these trends. That causes growers to think about what markets they want to participate in and those things elevate growers to try new types of crops. It causes breeders to push their breeding results and types of offerings in these specialty crop markets to a higher level, because consumers are not only interested in what foods are available, but where they come from and who’s growing them.
What range of pest management practices are available in the market today to help growers achieve the highest quality in their indoor-grown vegetable crops?
It’s certainly been a rapidly changing environment, especially with new technologies being driven under this new acronym of CEA, which is controlled-environment agriculture. These growers have the ability to control their environment, which means they can control temperature, light, water, nutrients and the use of crop protection products to manage diseases and insect pests. Traditional crop protection chemistries and new biological systems that have come into play now in the last several years — they’re all formulated and labeled for indoor growing in these controlled-environment agriculture systems. Those are the types of things that we see today that are available for growers that BASF is clearly a part of now.
What role do biologically based pest management products and programs play in indoor production systems of the fresh vegetable market?
The challenge for growers today is that they’re being asked a lot of questions [about] how they do it and what’s in the products that they offer so that either the retailer, distributor or consuming public has a level of confidence that the grower is providing them with safe food. We have to find a way to bring biologically oriented approaches [together] with conventional chemistry so that if the grower has to use chemistry, then that chemistry help[s] them with the problem, but at the same time, [doesn’t] negatively impact the other biologically oriented approaches that they’re utilizing as a part of their pest management practices.
How is BASF working to bring new pest management solutions that help growers meet these changing consumer trends?
There is an ongoing need for education and training. That really is at the heart of the demand for commercial growers today — trying to understand how to bring all of this together under these more complex, diverse pest management systems we have. What we have done in the recent past is not only have we been able to be a more reliable commercial provider of these beneficial nematodes — we’ve introduced some new chemistries, particularly for insect and mite control, that were formulated and developed carefully to be compatible with beneficial insect systems.
Looking ahead, what can professional growers in these indoor vegetable production systems expect to see from BASF in the next 3-5 years?
BASF is investing, every day and every week and every year, research and development monies into new chemistries and new innovations that are planned out over the next [10 to 30] years and beyond. Even in this short term of three to five years, there are some new innovations and new chemistries that we’ll bring into the marketplace — most likely in [the] insecticide space, because we know that’s where there’s probably the greatest need to manage resistance issues. We’re encouraging our internal development efforts to look at formulations that can be utilized more effectively, certainly with the idea that less is more — not only [if it] can be used at a lower rate, but if it can also be even more specialized and targeted for certain pests [and diseases].
Growing media considerations
Ask the Experts - Growing media
Berger Director of Technical Services Pierre-Marc de Champlain gives his thoughts on growing media and substrates in indoor produce production.
What is the greatest challenge when producing food or other consumables?
From the perspective of the growing mix, food safety is an aspect that has become more and more important. Berger is ISO 9001-certified, which means quality control is extremely important to us. With growing media being increasingly used for a wide variety of consumables, Berger has been very pro-active when addressing these markets and has tried to stay ahead of the curve by rapidly implementing a food safety program. This led us to adding new equipment and procedures in order to address the growing demand for products that are safe for food production.
What else can be done to prevent potential contaminations?
It’s all about monitoring and rigorous testing in key areas of our operations implemented through our quality control program. We have analyzed all our processes to determine what we need to test for and where we need to pull samples. We also monitor our entire supply chain for common food safety indicators (total coliforms, fecal coliforms, E. coli, …) and have implemented additional security measures to further reduce the risks of contaminations throughout the manufacturing process.
How can using a quality substrate help growers address this challenge?
You want your mix to work for you, not against you. If the physical or chemical characteristics of your mix aren’t adjusted correctly or are uneven, you can encounter major problems. Any time spent correcting these issues is not spent managing other important aspects of operations. Moreover, if these issues cannot be corrected and lead to a significant reduction in sellable produce, the economical impact can be consequential. Using a substrate from a reputable supplier with a solid quality control program like Berger will ensure you get uniform and predictable results.
When producing young plants, what are the characteristics you look for in a growing media?
This is a critical step as seedlings are very susceptible to diseases. Growers want a substrate that allows them to develop strong root balls which maximizes transplant success. The fertilizer starter charge should be well balanced, but low enough to prevent stretching. The growing mix should have a finer particle size since you want to maintain a uniform moisture around the seed throughout the germination process. However, too much moisture can also be problematic. Fine or coarse grade perlite can be added to give additional drainage. Recent research we have done with fine grade wood fiber has shown tremendous results and has led to the creation of our new BM2 NF Wood products. The combination of fine grade peat moss and wood fiber promotes phenomenal root development and helps produce stalky transplantable seedlings.
Does Berger offer any additional services to customers that produce food?
A final inspection report is available for each bale or bag of mix we deliver. Upon request, we can offer additional assurance by providing a third-party food safety analysis report specific to the product a customer received. The tolerance levels are determined with our customers as there currently aren’t any industry accepted standards for growing media. Moreover, our grower advisors are available to support our customers in all aspects of their operation. Whether related to food production, selecting the right growing media or any other part of the operation, our technical services team is available.
For more information: Pierre-Marc de Champlain Director of Technical Services pmarcd@berger.ca berger.ca
Great greenhouse tips
Features - Cover Story
See the year's biggest research breakthroughs and what they mean for your growing operation.
Researchers have been hard at work this year, exploring the best lighting options and ways to improve produce production under cover. We rounded up some of the best tips and findings of 2020 here.
Lower energy lighting
Produce Grower, February 2020
An experiment out of Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands has shown that there may be some more efficient options in supplemental lighting for growers to consider.
Comparing the traditional high-pressure sodium lights often used as supplemental lighting in greenhouses with a broad-spectrum white LED light, the university found that tomato crops have the same, or higher, yields under LED lights.
Dr. Ep Heuvelink, associate professor at Wageningen, says the university was interested in comparing HPS lighting with white LEDs as more and more growers use supplementary lighting in their operations. Researchers set out to observe the role of the different wavelengths in the spectrum on crop development and crop physiology.
“For tomatoes, we’re talking about hundreds of hectares with supplementary light, and the norm is the high-pressure sodium lamp,” he says. “But everybody knows that LED is more electrically efficient than the high-pressure sodium lamps.”
Wageningen was particularly interested in the effects of broad-spectrum white LED lights because most growers using LEDs opt for 95% red lighting with a small amount of blue. “And that is not because that’s the best for the plant, but it’s because of economic reasons — because they’re LEDs, they’re most efficient in turning electricity into light,” he says.
Shedding some light
At the end of the experiment, Wageningen researchers found an 11% higher yield in the Tomagino cultivar and a somewhat higher yield in the Malice cultivar, although Heuvelink says it was not a statistically significant increase.
The study also included a look at lighting effect on brix levels, finding no differences between the two types of lighting when it comes to fruit sugar content. And while the experiment did not particularly look into quality issues like acidity or shelf life, Heuvelink says researchers didn’t observe any external quality differences.
If you’re thinking of making the move into LED lighting, there are definite cost benefits, Heuvelink says. “The numbers are always a little bit different, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s at least $40 more efficient with LED compared to HPS light,” he says.
But be aware of the investment costs as they can vary greatly, he notes.
Michigan State University Professor and Extension Specialist Erik Runkle and Assistant Professor Roberto Lopez collaborated with Greenhouse Lighting and Systems Engineering (GLASE) to discuss supplemental lighting management techniques. Here are some of their findings:
Stages 1 to 2: Stick to callus formation — For stage one, “you want to try to target a DLI of anywhere from 4 to 7 moles during this time period,” Lopez says. “Also, it’s very important to note that you want to provide indirect or diffused lights. This is primarily from the sun by utilizing shade curtains or white watts to maintain a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of anywhere between 120 to 200 micromoles.”
Stage 3: Root development — Stage three calls for increased light intensity. If growers are providing 70 to 120 micromoles of light with a target of anywhere from 8 to 12 moles per day, once those roots have initiated, Lopez advised to increase PPFD to between 200 and 400 micromoles.
Stage 4: Toning — In this stage, growers are preparing to tone liners for shipping or transplanting. Using 70 to 120 micromoles of supplemental lighting and maintaining a DLI greater than 12 moles of light is recommended.
“In some parts of the country, it’s going to be very difficult to maintain 12 moles of light because even with supplemental lighting, you may only be able to achieve 10,” Lopez says. “But as we tell most growers, the higher that DLI, the higher quality of crop you’re going to be able to produce and the faster you’ll be able to get that crop out of the greenhouse.”
At this point, growers can increase light intensity anywhere from 500 to 800 micromoles.
Supplemental lighting during plug production
To achieve a DLI of 8 to 12 moles, previous MSU research recommends providing 70 to 90 micromoles of supplemental lighting during stages three and four.
“We find that when you provide supplemental lighting for plugs, you’re going to reduce the production time of those plugs, you’re going to see an increase in stem diameter, which is going to produce a studier plug, and more branching,” Lopez says. “Oftentimes when these young plants are grown under high-pressure sodium lamps, because of the additional heat, you’re going to see that these young plants can also flower earlier upon transplant.”
HPS or LEDs?
“It’s very situational,” Runkle says, noting the final answer is often contingent upon many variables such as available electricity, cost to purchase and install, cost of electricity, hours of operation, lamp efficacy, fixture longevity and maintenance, light spectrum, uniformity and intensity. It is also noted that plants under HPS are typically 2 to 3° F warmer than under LEDs.
Beyond red & blue radiation
Charlie Garcia & Roberto Lopez, August 2020
photos courtesy of charlie garcia and roberto lopez
High-quality vegetable transplants for high-wire production are defined as having thick and straight stems, compact growth with short internodes, well-developed and deep-green leaves, and shortened production times. A minimum daily light integral (DLI) of 13 mol·m–2·d–1 or greater is required to achieve these desirable morphological traits.
However, in greenhouses located in northern latitudes, the DLI can average between 1 to 5 mol·m–2·d–1 during winter months. Under these low light intensities, plants have weak stems and large leaves, are leggy, flowers are aborted, and subsequently, fruit abortion can occur leading to economic losses.
Supplemental lighting is commonly used to increase the DLI within vegetable transplant greenhouses during light limited times of the year. High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps have been the industry standard for greenhouse supplemental lighting. However, the availability of energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures for horticultural applications are a promising alternative.
What they found
Beyond reducing the time to produce a high-quality vegetable transplant, the radiation quality (color) of LED supplemental lighting influenced the morphology and physiology of high-wire vegetable transplants when the natural DLI was low (=7 mol·m–2·d–1).
From previous MSU research we have concluded that LED supplemental lighting must contribute to greater than 40% of the total DLI to elicit morphological responses. Given this, supplemental lighting radiation quality could be used to elicit desired high-wire vegetable transplant morphological features as they can differ depending on the intended use.
For instance, seedlings can be used as rootstocks, scions, or as non-grafted transplants. Grafted seedlings benefit from an extended hypocotyl [the part of the stem beneath the seed leaves (cotyledons) and directly above the root] length, since it helps to increase grafting success and hence survival rate, and reduce rooting from the scion after transplant. However, elongated hypocotyls are not desired for non-grafted seedlings, as it can lead to weak transplants and logistical challenges for shipping.
Thus, a grower producing non-grafted transplants might utilize supplemental lighting providing B25R95 radiation as tomatoes, peppers and cucumber were the most compact under this treatment. However, they should also consider that parameters such as leaf area and fresh weight were negatively impacted under B25R95 radiation.
Lastly, we have also determined that LED supplemental lighting providing B30G30R60 radiation produces comparable quality high-wire transplants to those grown under HPS lamps. Therefore, we can conclude that LED supplemental lighting is an alternative to the current industry standard for high-wire transplant production.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: If you are looking for loyalty, your ideal customers first need to see themselves reflected in your company and its messaging. How do you embody and reflect your target customer’s values and identity if you do not know who they are?
When it comes to brand loyalty and lifetime customer value, it all starts with getting to know your customers well, and with what you provide your customers, not what you expect them to give you in return.
Be you
If you are unsure about how best to define your ideal target customer, perhaps just take a good look in the mirror. How do you define yourself and your company’s values? It is likely (and hopeful) that you and your ideal customers share those values. So be authentic and transparent about who you are as a company and your institutionalized values. This is especially important for companies that grow and sell the food we all eat.
Social issues are more important to today’s consumer, especially millennials and younger generations. Most of these consumers claim that their loyalty is earned by companies that share their social, economic and environmental values. If you grow green and clean, and use sustainable practices and packaging, make sure this information is front and center. If you support specific charitable causes, do company volunteer work or offer in-house career training, do not keep quiet about it.
That said, make sure any information about such practices or causes get telegraphed to consumers in a totally authentic way. Do not green-wash or exaggerate your actions for marketing purposes. Just be real.
Be consistent
When it comes to fresh produce, we know that consistency is challenging. But consistency is expected if you are going to earn customer loyalty. When it comes to food, consumers want certainty of consistent safety, quality and taste. They are not going to give you many (or any) chances to fail. But consumers also want to see consistency when it comes to your marketing and messaging. On both fronts, you can never take your foot off the gas.
Be proactive
Branding is nothing new in the world of commerce, but it is still on the young side in the fresh produce market. When it comes to your brand, do you have a plan?
If you are not sure where to start, a good place is to ask yourself what you want your company and produce to be known for. And what kind of relationships and experiences do you want your customers to have with you and your products? Answering these questions will guide you on the foundational messaging for your brand, differentiate you from other competitors and help customers understand the value and pricing of your products.
While well-designed logos, shipping labels, websites and other visual branding tools are also important for good brand recognition, these visuals are not really your brand. Your brand is how your customers feel about you and your products, and what they say about you and your products to their family and friends. If you are speaking directly to them and intuiting their wants and needs with your branding, you have a much better chance at harvesting the right new lifetime customers.
Your brand is how your customers feel about you and your products, and what they say about you and your products to their family and friends.
Stay hungry
Your core company values may not need to change, but how and where you talk to consumers must evolve with the times and technology. Let me give you a little example from my own experience, as I was writing this column. You too may have suddenly seen social media promotions popping up about a new pink pineapple variety. The funny conversations and comments on social media about the pink pineapple (“Hey, that looks like ham!”) made me smile and got me engaged with the content.
Many of the images featured chopped pineapple and that is what visually stuck in my mind. I did not really pay attention to the company that was serving the ads, but the next day I did go searching for it online. But I searched for “Dole Pink Pineapple”. Why? Probably because Dole has done such a good job of embedding their brand into our consciousnesses as providers of packaged chopped fruits; especially for Gen Xers like me (think Dole fruit bowls).
Turns out, it is a Del Monte introduction called Pinkglow and it’s darn pretty. (See it at pinkglowpineapple.com.) Add to that the new Petit Pinkglow and they have got me swooning. Del Monte even put together a savvy website with promotions for the new variety release. Lucky for me, the Petit Pinkglow is currently only for sale in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I am totally going to order some.
Make new connections
Honestly, I just never thought of “Del Monte” when I searched for the product. Clearly, Del Monte knows they need to develop new products to gain competitive market share, and they have clearly invested deeply in the branding and exposure on this release. It is visually modern, the website has a very Instagram-ish look and the copywriting obviously targets younger tech-savvy consumers. They are clearly seeking new relationships with a specific target consumer. It sure worked on me, and has left me with a new association of “new and fresh” in relation to their branding. I see some pink piña coladas in my near future — and you will probably see them show up on my Instagram feed.
Often, when I talk to industry members about customer loyalty, most want answers as to how to get more from their customers upfront. That is just not how it works, in my experience. Brand loyalty is ultimately about your loyalty to your customers. So I challenge you to think about how you can be more and connect in more meaningful ways with your customers so you can earn their interest, engagement and investment for a lifetime.
Leslie (CPH) owns Halleck Horticultural, LLC, through which she provides horticultural consulting, business and marketing strategy, product development and branding, and content creation for green industry companies. lesliehalleck.com
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