4 Novel Food Crops You Might Not Have Considered for the Greenhouse
People who have been in the controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) market for a long time will often say it’s possible to grow almost any crop indoors, as long as you have 1) the knowledge on how to grow it, and 2) a place to sell it. In addition to berries and specialty herbs, which we’ve covered recently, here’s a quick look at a few other greenhouse food crops.
Mangoes
Mango trees originated in Southeast Asia, and today they are mostly grown in tropical and subtropical regions of Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and parts of South Florida.
According to Corenthin Félix Chassouant, an agronomist in Southeast France and Export Sales Director for Harnois Greenhouses, controlling mango quality in open-field production is challenging because of exposure to pests and diseases.
Mangoes grown as a greenhouse crop? Yes, it’s happening.
Photos courtesy of Corenthin Chassouant
“Moreover, the massive use of fertilizer and leaching of these also causes problems,” says Chassouant, who also notes that mango varieties such as Harumanis need long periods of dry conditions to initiate flowering.
Low-tech greenhouses can be a solution to meet trees’ requirements.
“Efficient ventilation is an important factor to control the relative humidity inside the greenhouse, decreasing the risk of disease,” Chassouant says. Other production needs to consider include:
- Small greenhouse blocks can offer better ventilation and sanitation
- High greenhouses with a proper design will maximize light entrance
- Promote passive ventilation with vents on the roof and large mesh netting on the sides and gables
- Use a proper diffusing plastic to boost photosynthesis
- Use a proper insect-proof net to prevent leaf cutter and fruit flies
- White paint on covering material or shading screens can be used to control the inside temperature
- Circulation fans can be added to increase airflow inside the growing area to control the relative humidity
Learn more at horti-generation.com.
Wasabi
Half Moon Bay Wasabi in California is one of the only places in the U.S. where you can find greenhouse-grown wasabi. The company was started about 10 years ago by two electricians who were looking to grow a crop they enjoyed eating, and realized they could mimic how the crop is grown in Japan into local production for local sushi chefs.
Wasabi grows very slowly and densely, but if you can grow a large plant, restaurants can pay top-dollar for it.
Coffee
Coffee is an important export product, especially for countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia. and Vietnam. The Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands is investigating whether it is possible to grow coffee in greenhouses, specifically whether the taste and ingredients of the coffee beans can be controlled by cultivation conditions.
About five years ago, WUR conducted its first small-scale trial of growing a coffee bush in a greenhouse. An Arabica cultivar was investigated, since this variant of the coffee bush is a self-pollinator. The research showed that it is indeed possible to make a coffee bush bloom in a greenhouse, and eventually also harvest berries. The crop grows well in a relatively dark, humid, and warm climate. It was striking that in the greenhouse, the flowering period lasted longer than in the open air: it was possible to extend that period from April to November, more than half a year.
University of Florida scientists are exploring the possibilities of using artificial intelligence tools to study the roots of Arabica coffee plants growing on site.
Photo by Photo by Juan Giuliani
With a longer flowering period, higher production is possible. But the amount of beans will not be the main distinguishing value of coffee beans from a greenhouse. It may be possible to influence the taste and/or the composition of the coffee beans by using growing conditions and adapted nutrient solutions. This question is one of the questions being examined through a collaboration with a large coffee producer.
Melons
Mildly cool, sweet, and juicy, Solara from PureFlavor is the first personal sized, sustainably grown melon from greenhouses that use light, nutrition, and water to deliver a sweet tastefully tropical flavor, regardless of the season.
“After many years of research and development, we are excited to bring the first commercially available greenhouse grown melons to market,” says Jamie Moracci, President. While many varieties had been put through rigorous product testing since the development process began in 2014, the company has homed in on an exclusive variety that is scalable production wise and checks all the boxes to meet product, brand, retail, foodservice, and consumer expectations.
Partnering with Cornell University during the product development process, Pure Flavor’s R&D team was able to gain valuable insights on both product and plant health to help maximize yield and most importantly, flavor.
‘Alonna’ is the second greenhouse melon from Pure Flavor.
Photo courtesy of Pure Flavor
“Our product trials told us a great deal; we knew that it had to be something special that we could scale commercially to meet the demand,” Moracci says. “After eight years, we have launched a unique product that our customers are excited about and will breathe new life into the category.”
The development of Solara covered many different types of varieties, multiple growing regions, different climates, different growing and crop maintenance practices, etc.
“We needed to understand how the crop could be managed to be grown vertically to maximize space in the greenhouse while yielding the appropriate number of kilos,” Moracci says. “We also needed to ensure that what our plants were growing had specific product traits that would engage and excite the consumer.
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