Characterization of technological levels in Mediterranean horticultural greenhouses

Abstract

The technology existing in Spanish horticultural greenhouses is highly diverse; however, low levels predominate. Therefore urgent improvements and conversions are required to increase yields and quality to maintain competitive production. To define the equipment and investment required, it is necessary to establish the current levels of technology and the extent to which it is developing. To do so, information has been collected using a survey based on stratified random sampling in the three most important greenhouse horticultural areas in Spain: Almería, Murcia and Southern Alicante. Based on information from 242 farms, five groups of technological levels with a gradual variation in technology were identified by cluster analysis. Of the five groups, three relate to cultivation in soil and the other two to soilless culture. In this study, we have applied the test for independence in order to relate the levels obtained with certain relevant characteristics of the farm. The results display the usefulness of grouping the greenhouses by levels, and reveal which are the most characteristic components in level formation with their percentage distribution. Thus, current characteristics of technology, and its development, have been identified, and priority assigned to the different components.Additional key words: cluster, horticultural systems, random sampling, technological development, test for independence. Resumen Caracterización de niveles tecnológicos en los invernaderos hortícolas mediterráneosLa tecnología de los invernaderos hortícolas españoles es muy variada, con predominio de los bajos niveles, por lo que es urgente su mejora y reconversión, para aumentar los rendimientos y la calidad y mantener la posición competitiva de las producciones. Para establecer las necesidades en inversiones y equipamiento es preciso conocer los niveles actuales de la tecnología y su grado de evolución, para lo cual se ha tomado información por encuesta basada en un muestreo aleatorio estratificado en las tres zonas españolas más importantes: Almería, Murcia y sur de Alicante. A partir de la información de 242 explotaciones se determinaron por análisis cluster cinco grupos con sus niveles tecnológicos y una variación gradual de la tecnología. De los cinco grupos, tres corresponden al cultivo en suelo y dos al cultivo en sustrato. A continuación, y con el fin de relacionar los niveles obtenidos con algunas características relevantes de la explotación, se aplicó el contraste de independencia. Los resultados han evidenciado la utilidad de la agrupación de los invernaderos por niveles, y qué elementos son más característicos en la formación de un nivel con su distribución porcentual. Se han determinado así las características actuales de la tecnología y, en su evolución, la prioridad que se asigna a los diversos componentes.Palabras clave adicionales: contraste de independencia, cluster, evolución tecnológica, muestreo aleatorio, sistemas hortícolas.

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“…This subsector (including agriculture, livestock, forestry and fishing) shows the lowest innovation intensity, even smaller than services. These results follow the same trend found in other studies Garcia & Briz, 2000;Garcia-Martinez et al, 2010). Its composition is made fifty-fifty by direct and indirect innovation and follows the same pattern as the average in the region.…”