The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers will access up to $95,956 under the Ontario Farm Innovation Program (OFIP), to evaluate the performance of a new liquid-desiccant-dehumidifier-based climate control system for Ontario greenhouse vegetable production.
This system will be tested for energy saving, greenhouse and plant microclimate, and crop performance (growth, yield and quality) in greenhouse tomato and sweet pepper production. A performance report and appropriate climate control strategies, for use with the new climate control system, will also be developed. The information gained from this research will be communicated to Ontario greenhouse vegetable growers and potential technology suppliers.
If successful in improving the management of greenhouse temperature and humidity, there will be several positive outcomes for growers who chose to implement this new technology. Some of these benefits include: reduction in energy consumption, associated costs and environmental concerns; reduced rate of crop disease and stress, and; a higher concentration of carbon dioxide due to less venting.
The OFIP is funded through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario.
Source: www.adaptcouncil.org
