Economic Analysis of Adopting Zero Runoff Subirrigation Systems in Greenhouse Operations in the Northeast and North Central United States

Abstract

<jats:p>Zero runoff subirrigation (ZRS) technology is a promising method of managing fertilizer and pesticide inputs while improving production efficiency. However, high capital investment costs and inadequate technical information available to growers are major impediments to initiating the change. This study quantifies costs and returns associated with adopting ZRS systems and compares the profitability of four alternative ZRS systems (ebb-and-flow benches, Dutch movable trays, flood floors, and trough benches) for greenhouse operations in the northeastern and north central United States. The capital investment analysis showed that the Dutch movable tray system was most profitable for small potted plant production, and the flood floor system was most profitable for large potted plant and bedding crop flat production. Sensitivity analysis showed that changes in cost variables generally did not affect the profitability rankings of the alternative ZRS investment projects. Nonetheless, the flood floor system gained slight advantages when the product price increased, and the Dutch movable tray system gained advantages as the hourly labor cost increased.</jats:p>

Identifying Opportunities to Promote Water Conservation Practices among Nursery and Greenhouse Growers

“…Capital investment in drip irrigation was reported by Simonne et al (2008) at $1235-$2964 per hectare for field production. By contrast, costs of subirrigation systems, including materials and installation labor for the irrigation facilities, plumbing, and storage tanks exceeded $95,000 for an 1858 m 2 greenhouse in 1998 (Uva et al, 2001). Greater economic and technical barriers, therefore, exist to adoption of subirrigation compared with micro or drip irrigation.…”

Subirrigation of Container-Grown Tomato I: Decreased Concentration of the Nutrient Solution Sustains Growth and Yield

“…Waste of water and nutrients result in low plant water use efficiency and high substrate leaching rates, in that, water may be delivered in greater volumes than that of the water holding capacity of the growing medium [1,2,6]. Environmental and economic concerns and government regulations [7,8] are necessitating the optimization of plant nutrient and water utilization, while minimizing nutrient leaching and runoff into the environment [9,10]. Subirrigation of vegetable crops and reuse of the nutrient solution is a promising strategy to increase water and fertilizer use efficiency, as it is a closed production system where the nutrient solution not retained by the growing medium is collected and recirculated for reuse during the next irrigation event [3,6,11,12].…”

Silicon Differentially Influences Copper Toxicity Response in Silicon-accumulator and Non-accumulator Species

“…It should be noted that in the study by Lee et al (1996), no treatment levels between 5 and 250 mM were examined. Given the relatively low threshold for Cu toxicity and the greenhouse industry's use of Cu in fungicides as well as the capture and recirculation of water used in the greenhouse industry (Uva et al, 2001) that may carry residual Cu from different sources, there is potential to encounter Cu toxicity. Because early Cu toxicity often manifests as iron (Fe) deficiency and additional chelated Fe above and beyond the supply already found in complete water-soluble fertilizers can eliminate those symptoms (Bucher and Schenk, 2000), undiagnosed Cu toxicity in floriculture production may be more common than currently believed.…”