Sub- irrigation planter in 1.5 L PET bottles - production of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in a greenhouse”

Sadhana Debi-Tewarie BSc.

Last year, the Faculty of Technological Sciences of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname (AdekUS), requested IICA’s assistance to facilitate Sadhana Debi-Tewarie with their graduation projects. She studied Agricultural Production with a major in Agronomy. The department of Agriculture Production is the highest agriculture academic institute in Suriname which gave a Bachelor of Science degree after successful completion.

The research of her study project was an evaluation of different mediums and technics for the production of fresh lettuce. She chooses to grow the fresh lettuce in greenhouses instead of outside to promote the potential of greenhouses for fresh vegetables. During May- September 2012, she received assistance from Stanley Oosthuizen IICA’s Agricultural Technology and Extension Specialist to set up a drip irrigation system for lettuce experiments in different greenhouse structures. Due to avoid climate change effects and to control/ monitor the environment and grow of vegetables in tropical countries, earlier analyses and studies have shown that greenhouses are best practices in many countries in the world. Benefits of growing in a greenhouse are irrigation control, no water waist, efficient fertilizer incorporation, better pest control, clean vegetables, higher yield and less use of chemical pesticides.

The objective of this survey was to analyze the production of lettuce in a greenhouse and the following aspects were examined: the effects of varieties, fertilizers and cultivation technics.

Lettuce in containers with drip irrigation

 

Sub- irrigation planter in 1.5 L PET bottles

The used growing technics were plant containers and 1.5 L PET bottles with controlled irrigation systems (drip irrigation and sub –irrigation planter).

The sub-irrigation planter method is cheaper and environment friendly, because PET bottles are re-used. This method is simple and can be practice by anyone. The profit is higher compare to growing in containers with drip irrigation, because the quantity of lettuces for each square meter is twice more and the investment is very low.



Lettuce in containers with a drip irrigation system

Planting in containers is also a simple construction except the drip irrigation which is expensive and depends on energy(power). The produced kg lettuce for each square meter is twice more compare to the sub-irrigated planter. On the other side this method cannot be used in places where energy is not available such as interior and rural areas.
The overall conclusion of this experiment is that growing lettuce is containers have significant higher yields compare to sub-irrigated planter, but related to money and investment the plant irrigated system is more profitable.
The sub-irrigated plant system can be used by everyone and everywhere. It will help us to clean the environment by re-using plastic bottles.

Do you want to try the 1.5 L PET bottles  as sub-irrigation planter at home ? Any question... post on my blog!

Sadhana :)