INNOVATION IN CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES OF GREENHOUSE ORNAMENTALS WITH PARTICULAR REGARD TO LOW ENERGY INPUT AND POLLUTION REDUCTION

• heightened social sentivity for the environmental problems (greenhouse fitness to the landascape, output of agrochemicals and other materials and public concern for the environment will require growers to re-examine and change their irrigation, fertilization and pathogens control strategies);
• fall of political and physical barries (improved communication, transportation and shipping mechanisms have originated a worldwide distribution network);
• shortage and/or increasing costs of certain resources (shortage of energy and irrigation water; increasing labour cost is the main problem for northern nurseries that try to oppose it by mechanization and automation of the most time-consuming operations);
• product quality (standard dimensions, shape, colour, post-harvest life; consumers ar becoming more discriminating buyers with higher expectations for the quality and durability of plants; global and margial quality concepts will be a must).

As a consequence there is an increase in competition among growers and countries which is couples with the demand for innovation, especially in the northern countries where investment and running costs are very high. Up to now innovations have been developed almost exclusively for maximizing crop yields but, from now onwards, they must be evaluated also for their sustainability. This last word means a complex concept that is the production processes, in addition to technological and economical efficiency, must be compatible with the environment. In particular the resources employed should be renewable and any output should not pollute the environment. To be keeping with these requirements it is essential a careful re-examination of the whole production strategies.

Before analysing the most relevant innovations developed in the last years, let's have a look at pot plants scenario and at the related production systems and processes.

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