ISHS International Workshop

on Greenhouse Environmental Control

and Crop Production in Semi-Arid Regions

October 20-24 2008

Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa

Tucson, AZ

Vision

Greenhouse plant production is extending beyond traditional areas to harsher climates including semiarid and arid regions. Along with this rapid development and "migration" of greenhouse technology, new technologies must evolve, and supporting operational information must be developed. Achieving sustainable greenhouse applications will require an interdisciplinary and multi-dimensional approach, combining both engineering and horticultural expertise. The applications of greenhouse technology are no longer limited to traditional food and floriculture crop production, but capitalize on plant processes to produce biopharmaceuticals, bioactive compounds, bioremediation, and bioenergy. This workshop includes the following topics with special emphasis on application and challenges within semiarid regions:

Greenhouse Design, Environmental Control and Systems

  • Systems integration and design
  • Greenhouse evaporative cooling and ventilation
  • Light management in greenhouse
  • New strategy of greenhouse environmental control
  • Automation and Mechanization
  • Plant monitoring systems
  • High tunnels and other modified environments

Efficient Energy and Resource Use

  • Closed and open greenhouse systems
  • Non-fossil fuel energy sources (renewable energy use)
  • Sustainability and greenhouse ecosystem analysis

Plant Response to Abiotic and Biotic Environments

  • Mitigation of heat and temperature stress by controlled environment
  • Improving plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic environmental stress
  • Strategic use of environmental stress in plant production
  • Pest and disease control in greenhouse
  • Plant growth modeling and simulation

Value Added Plant Production

  • Culture and hydroponics
  • Plant made pharmaceuticals (PMP)
  • Manipulation of plant bioactive compounds
  • Post and pre-harvest produce quality control in greenhouse
  • Biobased products and bioenergy production
  • Seedling production and grafting

Greenhouse Societal and Special Applications

  • Community and urban agriculture
  • Greenhouse technology for global issues
  • Greenhouse in space and extreme environments

 

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