Aeroponics
I am always on the lookout for articles with innovative ideas, and this article is no exception.
Every time I think, WOW more innovative thinking you can’t get, someone out there exceeds my expectations. The Agriculture industry knows no boundaries when it comes to “out of the box- thinking”. It is an ever-changing industry, constantly setting the bar for future production.
FreshPlaza talks to Sulema González Project Coordinator of Markmarine in the below article.
Cultivating and processing lettuce during maritime shipment
The freshest way to export fresh vegetables to destinations with unsuitable conditions for their production, such as the United Arab Emirates, has been born. We are talking about “transportable agriculture,” which involves the cultivation of ‘aeroponics’ crops in containers transported by ships to their destinations.
The basic principle of aeroponics is that the roots are not underground, but suspended in the air, and the plant is fed by spraying its hanging roots with a nutrient-rich aqueous solution. In aeroponics, the root environment is clear of diseases or pests, so that plants can grow faster and healthier than those planted on soil.
“Initially, we thought about the cultivation of lettuce and its varieties,” explains Sulema González, Project Coordinator of Markmarine.
“The process begins in the aeroponic greenhouses. After twenty days (ten days before they finish growing and developing), the lettuces will be transported with great care to the ship, which will be properly conditioned with the right temperature, spray system and LED lighting, so as to keep the environmental conditions stable and guarantee the healthy growth of the plant. When the ship arrives at its destination, the plant will have finished growing during the journey and will be ready to be distributed and sold, fresh and alive and still with its roots,” explains Sulema.
With this new project, the Spanish company, specialising in logistics services, wants to give consumers in the United Arab Emirates an opportunity to purchase fresh, healthy food that retains all its nutritional properties.
For the full article please follow the link: http://www.freshplaza.us/article/8622/Cultivating-and-processing-lettuce-during-maritime-shipment