Field and Greenhouse Management: A Catalyst for Produce Growers

Field and Greenhouse Management:

A Catalyst for Produce Growers

With operational efficiency being the name of the game food producers have resorted to alternate ways of production. One such way that is coming up the charts is field and greenhouse management. A greenhouse is essentially a structure where plants under regulated climatic conditions are grown. These structures vary in size and can be used for commercial plant purposes. The management of these structures is what is coined as Greenhouse Management. 

Challenges in Greenhouse Management:

1. Pollination

Mechanical pollination is a prerequisite for garden vegetables grown such as tomatoes or eggplant. This process is very tedious especially in the case of a medium to large greenhouse used for commercial purposes and poses a severe threat to producers at large.

2. Weeds

Seeds tend to blow when a greenhouse door opens during ventilation making weeds a bigger problem inside the greenhouse than what is presumed by producers. Further use of pre-emergent herbicides in the greenhouse internal environment can complicate the situation as these herbicides do not dissipate inside the greenhouse making weeds a severe hurdle for food producers using greenhouses.

3. Diseases

Fungi and bacteria-based diseases are the new normal in greenhouses owing to infected soil. Fusarium alongside mildews and other foliage diseases feel like home in the warm and closed greenhouse environment. Often these diseases lead to destroying everything grown in the greenhouse and are a severe headache for producers. 

4. Pests

The closed warm environment in greenhouses is the ideal growing condition for a whole host of insects. Further, these insects can reproduce with a lack of cold temperatures and plenty of food. Pesticides are not advisable to be used in greenhouses making pests a major problem for food producers producing via greenhouses. 

5. Transportation and Labor Management 

Plants inside the greenhouse need to be always in regulated climatic conditions to give good produce. Further transportation must be catered to under the same conditions. The labor in charge of the produce will spoil it if it does not possess the technical know-how of greenhouse management. 

Solution

To cater to the above challenges greenhouse management via food ERP is a feasible and viable solution for all food producers operating at all scales of production. 

Food ERP brings to the table the following benefits for greenhouse management:

• Management of plot input and output

Plot management is a major hindrance for food producers and with food ERP plot input and output is handled automatically 

• Spray records and schedules

With pests and insects making themselves feel at home inside a greenhouse spray records and schedules via food ERP is a must. Produce ERP not only helps to kill insects but ensures the produce grown in the greenhouse is not affected by it killing two birds with one stone. 

• Chemical Inventory Management 

Food ERP helps chemical inventory management which is a must for ensuring quality produce. With mechanical pollination being a must for vegetables like tomatoes and eggplant chemicals inventory management can help make the process smooth and in turn, result in quality produce all via food ERP. 

• Smart devices accessing Harvest Data

Real-time data on the harvest is accessible via Food ERP. This data can be captured in all smart devices and helps food producers to plan orders and scheduling in accordance.

• Transport and Labor management 

With food ERP transportation and labor, management is much more effective. While the transportation of plants from the plot to the customer occurs, temperature control vans are leveraged for regulating climatic conditions. Daily operations of labor are automated as well for example timings of watering plants to ensure good quality produce by leveraging produce ERP. 

With sustainable means of production and a huge amount of savings, greenhouse management is the next big thing among food producers. Though they bring their own set of challenges, leveraging food ERP with a greenhouse management feature can cater to them and ensure food producers profit from greenhouse management as a source of production.