DEVELOPING A GREENHOUSE GROWING SYSTEM FOR SINGLE CLUSTER TOMATO PRODUCTION

IN 1987 RUTGERS PROFESSORS COMPLETED KEY RESEARCH ON SINGLE CLUSTER TOMATO PRODUCTION. THE RESULTS INDICATE THIS COUNTER INTUITIVE (I.E.; INNOVATIVE) IDEA CAN REVOLUTIONIZE TOMATO GROWING IN GREENHOUSES TO SUPPLY VINE RIPENED TOMATOES YEAR AROUND AT AN ATTRACTIVE PRICE. THE CURRENT TOMATO GROWING STRATEGY IS TO GROW PLANTS THROUGH AN ENTIRE SELLING SEASON. INTUITIVELY THIS STRATEGY IS REASONABLE SINCE THE COST OF BRINGING THE PLANT INTO PRODUCTION IS AMORTIZED OVER A LONG SEASON. DESPITE PERSUASIVE LABORATORYDATA INDICATING A SINGLE CLUSTER SYSTEM IS MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING IS USED, NO COMMERCIAL GROWER HASBEEN WILLING TO INVEST IN THE ENGINEERING TO MOVE THE IDEA FROM THE LABORATORY INTO PRODUCTION. PHASE 1: TO ENGINEER A SCALED-UP PROCESS TO PRODUCE TOMATOESUSING THE SINGLE CLUSTER STRATEGY IN COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSES. PHASE 2: TO PROVE THE SYSTEM IN THE REAL WORLDOF DAY-TO-DAY COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS. A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION GREENHOUSE IS A FACTORY THAT REQUIRES EFFECTIVE PROCESS AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING TO CREATE AN EFFICIENT PRODUCTION OPERATION. THE EFFORT TO BE SUPPORTED BY THIS PROPOSAL IS TO PROVIDE THE PROCESS AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING AND THE INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENTS REQUIRED TO ASSIST THE ENGINEERING EFFORT.