The closed system tool box
2011
Alsanius, B.W. | Gustafsson, A.K. | Bergstrand, K.J.I.
“Zero eutrophication” is one of the Swedish environmental goals in order to preserve the Baltic Sea area. Minimizing the release of nutrient enriched drainage water from greenhouse operations is one important action in this context; among these, closed growing systems are an internationally recognized way for minimized environmental impact. Greenhouse vegetables are the most nutrient intensive crops. Although most of these operations are situated in the environmentally most vulnerable areas in Southern Sweden, only about 25% of the tomato and almost none of the cucumber production have adopted this environmentally sound practice. Implementation of closed rowing systems inhabits obvious savings with respect to water and fertilizer costs. Growers explain their reluctance to use environmentally sound production technology by the risk for dissemination of root borne plant pathogens and the potential enrichment of organic compounds. These aspects have been studied scientifically in Sweden during the last 1.5 decades and key growers have been involved in a demonstration project to show the potential of this production technology. These actions have not reduced the barrier to invest. Therefore a closed system tool box has been extracted in collaboration between university staff and extension service for individual advice on a farm base. It is a three step approach towards use of closed systems, consisting of a general demonstration of choice of cropping technology, which actions have to be taken in order to be able to close the nutrient circuit in the growing system, risk assessment for dissemination of root born diseases and their prevention as well as crop individual management advices with respect to both plant disease and fertilization strategies.
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