Ag-tech tools deliver solutions for farmers to some of the most common, persistent growing issues. Smart sensors, monitors, and automated tools work together to optimize greenhouse or indoor farming environments while minimizing the time and effort spent managing these growing variables.
The development of reliable plastic systems, paired with smart sensors and monitors, offers a significant opportunity for growers to enhance traditional drip delivery and go beyond wasteful, imprecise watering methods.
Properly managed temperature and humidity are key factors in helping plants to thrive in a greenhouse setting. In the absence of proper controls, however, these same factors can undermine plant health and erode yield.
By 2020, the United States greenhouse industry is expected to grow to $4 billion thanks to the demand for more indoor production. The demand is driven by limited labor, land, and water, as well as the need to produce more for less, which means operating costs are on the top of growers’ minds.
Technology offers a range of opportunities for the commercial grower to make effective use of the greenhouse environment. The latest tools enable the grower to exert a high degree of control without having to be constantly on-site. They make the growing process more efficient and can drive higher yields as well.
Urban farming has some unique advantages. In particular, it brings the grower closer to the consumer, saving on transportation costs and reducing harmful emissions. But urban farmers face challenges: Arable land is expensive and hard to come by.
“While heat is a necessary component of healthy cannabis plant growth, overheating can cause adverse reactions that will detract from proper development and ultimately, the quality of your yield,” experts note.
Let’s take a look at the causes and symptoms of heat stress and then consider some possible remedies.
What goes on above the soil line often is a reflection of what’s happening underground. If you observe wilting, drooping leaves on a cannabis plant, look to the roots: You may be witnessing the beginnings of “root rot.”
Root rot can be caused by a range of factors, including various types of bacteria, fungi, algae, and parasitic oomycetes. These organisms may act on the plant in different ways, but the outcome is usually the same: slimy or mushy roots that twist together, impeding healthy plant development.
Too much light can harm cannabis plants, and a thoughtful grower needs to be strategic about the placement and strength of light sources in a greenhouse environment.
Let’s take a look at over-lighting and consider available remedies.
Hydroponic growing has certain inherent advantages. Plants grown in a nutrient solution will mature up to 25 percent faster and deliver up to 30 percent more yield than plants grown in soil. Wireless IOT systems are a key element of achieving these kinds of results.
