Lighting necessary to survive

摘要

Vegetable growers are way behind flower growers when it comes to using artificial light. Tomato producers in the Netherlands have taken the lead but cucumber and sweet pepper growers are following. But still there are no fixed rules when it comes to growing under lights. The cultivation strategies vary considerably and profitability is still uncertain. The pioneers give market strategy as the main reason for installing lighting. Five years ago lighting made a careful entrance into Dutch vegetable greenhouses but it seems that it is now here to stay. This last winter 125 ha of tomatoes were grown with the help of artificial light of which 13.5 ha was mobile lights. One year previously just 50 ha was covered with supplementary lighting (see figure I).Encouraged by the good prices of 2003 growers added co-generators and lights as they constructed new greenhouses. Sweet pepper growers didn't want to be left behind. In one year artificial lighting was installed on 36 ha of sweet pepper greenhouses bringing the total to 56 ha.