Starting the day without orange juice sounds unthinkable to many. In the not-so-distant future, orange juice could become unaffordable due to problems with citrus farming. In Florida, one of the larges citrus producing areas in the world, farmers are experimenting with hydroponics growing systems to help reduce problems with “Greening,” an increasingly prevalent disease of citrus trees.
Citrus Greening
Citrus greening is a disease carried by a tiny insect, the psyllid. Southern Florida has a huge population of the insects. The disease, once inside the plant, wreaks havoc on fruit production. Greening causes citrus fruits to grow in deformed shapes, have a salty, bitter taste, and stay green. As housing developments and urban sprawl encroach on former citrus orchards, some farmers have abandoned farming because they can no longer afford property taxes on their farmland. One part of controlling the spread of greening is to remove old citrus groves that are not managed, as they provide safe havens for psyllids. Another method proving to control greening is the use of open hydroponics systems.
Open Hydroponics Systems (OHS)
First implemented at citrus farms in South Africa, open hydroponics systems are different than traditional hydroponics systems. Plants in these systems are still planted in the ground; however, they are planted in conjunction with specialized drip irrigation systems. By providing a constant, non-limiting, specially measured stream of water and nutrients to plants, the trees can grow faster and healthier, and closer together. Trees grown in OHS conditions also produce fruit at a younger age.
Plants under stress succumb to pests and diseases more easily than healthy plants. Open Hydroponics Systems reduce plant stress by providing a constant source of water and nutrition. Pests are much less likely to attack plants growing in Open Hydroponics Systems.
Costs of Switching Systems
Traditional citrus farms include rows of large trees that are mechanically pruned, sprayed and harvested. Establishing a traditional farm is relatively simple compared to establishing a farm with Open Hydroponics Systems. Citrus farms using OHS must be hand-pruned and maintained to gain the most fruit. The irrigation systems are also more expensive to install and maintain.
Farmers will save costs in the long run, as they will spend less money on water and fertilizer. By delivering carefully measured portions of water and nutrients to the plants via OHS irrigation tubing, costs for water and fertilizers are dramatically reduced. Open Hydroponics Systems have also proven to reduce incidence of Greening in citrus groves, and the ability to harvest full crops also helps recoup the initial investment.
Farmers around the world discuss their ideas for using micro-irrigation systems like the Open Hydroponics System to reduce water use, prevent disease and improve crop yields. Hydroponics systems are the future of agriculture.
Hydroponic gardening uses the less water and nutrients for growing the plants. This method is useful for the urban areas there is no place to insert the plants in traditional method. It gives the controlling the spread of greening is to remove old citrus groves that are not managed, as it provide safe havens for psyllids.