Will Pa. have high tech greenhouse industry?
UNIVERSITY PARK - Penn
sylvania can become one of the
leading greenhouse centers of the
U.S. or can go the way of the
dinosaurs, in the opinion of
Richard Craig, plant breeder with
the College of Agriculture at Penn
State.
Craig said recently that sales of
Pennsylvania-grown greenhouse
products can increase 20-fold or
more. Addressing a meeting of the
Pennsylvania Flower Growers’
Association, he predicted
development of regional auctions
for wholesale flower marketing.
One good location would be
Harrisburg, he suggested, because
of its central location and excellent
transportation. Such a location
could serve the surrounding states
Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland,
Delaware, New Jersey, and New
York.
“It is even possible that a
wholesale auction could be
developed within a computer,” he
declared. “Greenhouse plants
would stay in place, while buying
and selling would be done by
computer.”
He claimed the key to an ex
panded greenhouse industry will
be high technology related to
people, facilities, crops, growing
schedules, and marketing. He
added that commercial florists will
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use new scientific discoveries, new
crops from genetic advances, and
improved growing schedules and
marketing strategies.
High techology growing systems
will include greenhouses with
energy conservation systems to
save fossil fuels. Greenhouses of
the future will be constructed of
space-age coverings. They will be
heated by waste water from power
generating plants. Natural
sunlight will be supplemented by
unique lighting systems.
Computers will monitor not
only the environment, he
predicted, but also the occurrence
of disease and insects, the growth
of crops, plant nutrient status, and
crop quality. He iorsees
widespread use of the computer in
planning and marketing decisions
as well as financial analyses.
“The Age of Robotics will come
to the greenhouse industry,” he
stated. “Most repetitive tasks will
be carried out by robots, with
plants grown and transported in
remote-controlled modules or
trays.”
Greenhouse growers will be
connected by computer to both
university and commercial
laboratory personnel. Plant
problems will be diagnosed by
television-computer connections.
This could include both nutritional
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and pest problems
“Greenhouses of tomorrow
might have crop rotations con
sidered unusual today poin
settias, lettuce, geraniums, and
strawberries,” he suggested.
“Since greenhouse operators
presently have the courage to force
lilies to bloom at Easter-time,
considered a difficult task,
growers should accept the
challenges of growing fruits,
vegetables, and herbs under
glass.”
The Penn State plant breeder
claimed that new crops will be
developed by fusing cells of
various species. Genes will be
isolated or synthesized and will be
inserted into present cultivars or
varieties.
“High technology advances can
be predicted in plant propagation,
in developing new flower colors,
and in vastly improved keeping
quality,” Craig affirmed.
“At the retail level, I see drive-in
flower stores. There will also be
computerized, television-assisted
shopping by consumers. This latter
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system will also allow commercial
growers to buy their supplies from
distributors,” he added.
The Penn State plant breeder
claimed geraniums from cuttings
will be ready for sale in three
weeks instead of the present six to
eight weeks. Bright red African
violets might be available.
Lebanon cites conservation plan
LEBANON The Lebanon
Conservation District Directors
recently released its long range
plan - “Resource Conservation
Agenda”. With the completion of
the plan, the district is guided for
the next decade in its role of
conserving the soil, water, and
other natural resources of >the
county, according to Donald
Bollinger, Lebanon Conservation
District Board Chairman.
The new plan addresses natural
resource management problems
and issues facing both rural and
urban residents of Lebanon
County. “Problems such as urban
Growers will specialize in plants
resistant to insects and diseases.
He predicted that commercial
growers of the future will be quite
specialized responsible for only
one phase of production. He said
this means that the present growth
of specialist propagators and
producers of prefinished plants
will continue.
and rural agricultural non-point
source pollution of our water
resources, waste management,
water supply and allocation,
agricultural land perservation,
erosion control, and many others
will require mutual awareness,
concern, and action by all county
residents if they are to be
resolved,” added Bollinger.
Copies of Resource Conservation
Agenda are available upon request
by calling the district office at 272-
3377, from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
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