Commercial Hydroponic Crop Production

Industry TrainingThis is a short course that will enable participants to understand the basic principles of commercial hydroponic and greenhouse crop production.

Course Type

Short-Course (for day and/or night delivery) and can be delivered at Certificate II, III or IV level as required.

Cost

POA

Location

Various

Facilitator

Graeme Smith Consulting

COURSE MODULES

There are 23 modules (with three others under development)

Nominal Duration

2.5 hours per module (approx)

MODULE TITLES

1. Location, Siting and Layout

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess a site for suitability for hydroponic growing, and design a basic site layout plan.         

  • Location and Siting
  • Climate, Topography and Aspect
  • Surrounding Site Vegetation
  • Services Availability
  • Land Zoning and Permits
  • Site Security
  • Proximity to Markets
  • Layout of Facility Requirements (packing shed, plant room, fertigation room, general office, etc)
  • Relationship and Positioning of Structures

2. Greenhouse Structures and environmental Management

On completion of this module, participants will be able to identify basic greenhouse structure types and their application, and understand the principal factors affecting environmental management.        

  • Greenhouse Types
  • Single-Span and Multi-Span Igloo
  • Single-Span and Multi-Span Gable
  • Skillion
  • Sawtooth
  • Gothic Arch
  • Dutch Venlo

Principal Factors Affecting Greenhouse Design Developments and Environmental Management

  • Greenhouse Environment and Plant Microclimate
  • Shape, Height, Ventilation and Covering Materials
  • Managing the Greenhouse Environment

3. Water quality, EC and PH

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess water quality, characteristics of different treatment systems and their application, and understand the principal factors involving EC and pH.

  • Water Quality and Treatment Systems
  • Aspects of Water Quality
  • Water Treatment Systems
  • Principle Factors affecting EC and PH
  • Conductivity of Nutrient Solutions
  • pH of Nutrient Solutions

4. Basic Hydroponic Systems

On completion of this module, participants will be able to identify basic hydroponic system types and their application, and understand the principal factors affecting hydroponic systems.

  • System Types
  • Open Systems
  • Closed Systems
  • Principal Factors affecting hydroponic systems
  • Root Zone Environment
  • Oxygen
  • Temperature
  • Capital, Installation and Running Costs
  • Maintenance Required
  • Crop Changeover Management
  • Hygiene
  • General Management

 5. Crop Varieties, Media Types and Characteristics

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess crop varieties, media types, characteristics, and their application, and understand the principal factors affecting their selection.

  • Commercial Crop Varieties
  • Flowers
  • Vegetables
  • Principal Factors affecting media selection
  • Media Characteristics
  • Media Types

 6. Plant Structure, Nutrition and Nutrient Management

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess plant structure, photosynthesis, nutrition, characteristics of different root-zone factors and their application, and understand the principal factors involving Nutrient Management (including basic formula calculations).

  • Plant Structure
  • Plant and Flower Parts
  • Photosynthesis, Respiration/Transpiration
  • Plant Nutrition
  • Root-Zone Factors and Solutions
  • Water and Nutrient Uptake
  • Nutrient Management
  • Solutions for Closed and Open Systems
  • Irrigation Control Methods
  • Basic Formulae Calculations

 7. Common Pests, Diseases and IPM

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess common pests and characteristics of different diseases, and understand the principal factors involving Integrated Pest Management

  • Common Pests and Weed Management
  • Common Diseases
  • Fungi
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Nematodes
  • Integrated Pest Management

 8. Quality Assurance, OH&S, IT and Production Plan

On completion of this module, participants will be able to assess QA and OHandS programs, appreciate the management benefits of Information Technology and develop their own Production Plan

  • Quality Assurance
  • SQF 2000 Quality Code
  • Occupational, Health and Safety
  • Sample OH&S Policy
  • Information Technology
  • Sample IT Files
  • Develop a Production Plan
  • Production Scheduling Time-Line

9. Light, a plant's eye view

Explores the way light interacts with horticultural crops and its connection to plant physiology and environmental management

10. Irrigation, media's manager

Explores the impact irrigation strategies have on growing media and crop production (includes EC, pH, Water Content and Drain%)

11. Crop Registration, a professional approach to growing

Explores the monitoring, recording and responding approach to good crop balance (includes "reading" a crop and tools to change)

12. Plant Management, physical and cultural requirements

Explores best-practice techniques for best production (includes crop management planning, pollinating, de-leafing, truss pruning, cluster treatment, tying up, layering, picking, etc.)

13. Recirculation, How to convert to a closed system

Explores how to convert a media based free-drainage system to a recirculation system. Demonstrates how growers can easily save 40+% on water use, 40+% on fertilizer use, maintain a balanced root-zone nutrition and become environmentally sound and responsible.

14. CO2 enrichment of greenhouses

Explores the benefits, costs, geometry and equipment required to correctly enrich a greenhouse with carbon dioxide for maximum crop growth and quality.

15. Practical EC and pH Measurements in Crops

Explores the best-practice methods of pH and EC monitoring (inc measurement and recording techniques) and contains a sample testing schedule.

16. Implement a Hydroponic Maintenance Program

Monitor plant health, monitor the Hydroponic environment, monitor the nutrient solution, perform routine maintenance checks, maximising greenhouse efficiency and energy conservation.

17. Implement a Plant Establishment Program

Explores crop selection, plant populations, seedling propagation and marketing requirements

18. Implement a Pests and Diseases Control Program for Hydroponic Systems

Explores common pests and diseases of hydroponic systems and a suitable spray system for greenhouses crops

19. Implement an IPM Program

Explores IPM strategies for greenhouse crops and how to implement bio-controls to control common greenhouse pests (ie. spider mites, whitefly, thrips, fungus gnats, aphid, russet mite, broad mite, caterpillars, etc)

20. New Greenhouse Investment and Technology Considerations

Explore typical greenhouse technology, their costs and why they are used. Compare typical system prices for 1,000 and 10,000m2, and a Cost of Production worksheet for growers to calculate their costs versus income. (ie. profit and/or loss expressed in both $/kg and $/m2)

21. Implement a Plant Nutrition Program

Gain skills in monitoring system EC and pH levels, determine plant nutritional problems, prepare fertilisers for use and apply specific fertiliser recipes and application rates

22. Crop Protection Principles

Explore best practice techniques in chemical (and other) in crop protection using dripping, spraying/fogging/LVM, dusting, sulphur evaporators, traps (lamps, lights, glue, pheromones), calculating horizontal and vertical spraying speed and the characteristics of a good greenhouse or hydroponic spray system

23. Operate Pressurised Irrigation Systems

Learn to operate a pressurised irrigation system, implement an irrigation program, monitor irrigation test stations and perform maintenance of irrigation systems

Training Modules currently under development!

24. Select chemicals and biological agents

25. Participate in a virtual community

26. Monitor weather conditions