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Crop Health
Disease
Maintaining a healthy crop is vital. Hydroponic lettuce production has not had major problems with disease outbreaks, but proper care of the crop must be undertaken to ensure good health.
The following are suggestions for maintaining a healthy greenhouse environment:
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Keep the crop rapidly growing by providing adequate light, nutrients, and other environmental conditions at all times.
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If disease does occur, the ponds and solution tanks should be drained and the crop sacrificed.
The ponds and tanks should be cleaned with a 2% bleach solution. It is possible the disease started in the Germination Area, and that area, including the benches and solution tanks, should be cleaned, as well.
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Wash the Styrofoam floaters, trays, and other equipment with a 2% bleach solution.
The equipment should be washed between each use, to prevent the spread of disease.
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Do not bring other plant material or soil into the greenhouse.
This material may contain pests and pathogens likely to infect your crop.
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Keep the solution tanks shaded in some manner.
Algae flourish in wet, well-lit locations, and the solution tank is ideal for algal growth.
Shading the tanks, input and output pipes, and other "wet" equipment will inhibit algal growth.
The algae will not harm the crop directly, but may act to weaken the crop to potential disease.
Pests
Pests in hydroponic lettuce production have not been a major problem.
Fast plant growth rates make pest population establishment difficult. With continuous crop production, pest populations may have the opportunity to establish themselves.
Precautions can be taken to exclude pests from the facility, such as screening potential entry points (ventilation inlets).
Few pesticides have been labeled for use on greenhouse vegetables. Biological insect control is a viable but less used alternative.
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