Greenhouse Automation

7 reasons to invest in an automated greenhouse

• Crop strategy.  The systems in the greenhouse face unique challenges to regulate the microclimate on the inside according to the sudden changes of the outside climate.  Changes in temperature and humidity occur rapidly and vary greatly depending on solar radiation levels, outside temperatures, humidity levels, wind speed and direction, and the amount of crops grown in the greenhouse. These parameters influence transpiration and crop growth.  With Spagnol control systems you can set a precise climate treatment and fertirrigation management strategies in order to cultivate in the best microclimatic conditions and avoid counterproductive stress on crops and unnecessary water and energy consumption.
• Improve growth and production process. With a centralized plant control, all parameters can be recorded in the internal archive in order to view them in numerical or graphic form for easy interpretation. This will provide valuable information that will help agronomists make important decisions to improve the agronomic production strategies.
• Optimize manpower. In an automated greenhouse, the plant control is exclusively assigned to the central computer. Therefore the operators will simply be called to enter the required parameters and periodically verify that they are methodically obtained. This operation takes about 10 minutes a day with savings in use compared to non-centralized or manual control systems. A continuous monitoring of the plants will not be necessary since the central computerized system will alert operators only in the event of anomalies. 
• Reduce consumption of water and fertilizers. By applying Spagnol automations to irrigation and crop nutrition systems, significant water and fertilizing savings can be achieved that inevitably translate into cost savings and reduced environmental impact. For example the installation of Spagnol Gravimatic for the management of irrigation of above soil crops in inert substrate, reduces water and fertilizer consumption of 25% with an 18% increase in productivity compared to what can be achieved with traditional irrigation management (data tested on strawberry crops)
• Reduce use of chemicals. A more precise control of temperatures and a more effective use of DIF and other temperature regimes for the regulation of growth, reduce the need of growth regulators. A better management of humidity, irrigation and temperature also helps reduce stress and diseases and therefore the need to use fungicides and other chemical elements.  
• Reduce use of pesticides. Greenhouses with a better climate control and a precise irrigation system produce healthier plants. Healthy plants are less inclined to diseases and insect infestation. Growers report a reduction of insects and pesticide consumption in well- controlled environments.
• Improve quality and homogeneity. The combination of fewer diseases, a better and effective management of fertigation and irrigation and appropriate climate strategies, improves the quality and homogeneity of the plants and production with evident advantages in terms of production and commerce.