BIRSA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Ranchi (Jharkhand) India

 BIRSA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

ONLINE CLASS

Protected Cultivation and Secondary

Agriculture
LECTURE 1: INTRODUCTION

BY
DR. PRAMOD RAI
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

SEMESTER VI (2017-18)
 Protected Cultivation

Protected cultivation is a process of growing

crops in a controlled environment.
or
Protected cultivation is the technique of
providing favorable environmental or growth
conditions to the plants.
or
A technique wherein the microclimate around
the plant is controlled fully, partially or modified
to protect the crop from adverse weather.
 Objectives of Protected Cultivation

Fully controlled/partially/modified microclimate

around the plant
Temperature: Air & soil temperature (minimum &
maximum)
Light: Intensity, quality & duration
Relative humidity
Carbon dioxide
Excess moisture, runoff & percolation loss
Water loss & weed growth
Leaching of fertilizer
Insect & pest
Technologies for Protected Cultivation

Greenhouse
Other protected structure: Shade net structure,
Insect net proof structure
Plastic low tunnel
Mulching especially plastic mulching
Soil solarization
Drip & sprinkler irrigation
Fertigation
Plastic Pro-tray
 Advantages of Protected Cultivation

Higher productivity
Better quality of produce
Early & off season cultivation
Round the year healthy nursery raising &
hardening plant
Better insect & disease control
Reduced uses of pesticides
Reduced uses of weedicide
Efficient uses of resources (Water/fertilizer)
 Limitations of Protected Cultivation

High cost of initial infrastructure (capital cost).

Non-availability of skilled human power and their
replacement locally.
Lack of technical knowledge of growing crops under
protected structures.
All the operations are very intensive and require
constant effort.
Requires close supervision and monitoring.
A few pests and soil-borne pathogens are difficult to
manage.
Repair and maintenance are major hurdles.
Requires assured marketing, since the investment of
resources like time, effort and finances, is expected to
be very high.
 Secondary Agriculture

Value addition to primary agriculture

production systems

Alternative enterprises

Enterprises that use crop residues and wastes of

primary agriculture
 Value addition to Primary Agriculture Production
Systems
Inputs – Centric
Nursery for horticulture crops/flowers etc.
Vermicompost, Bio-fertilisers production, Bio-pesticides,
Water, Soil Testing / Analysis, Animal feed / fodder production

Harvest / Post Harvest - Centric

Pre-conditioning produce for markets: Fruits, vegetables,
flowers, spices, etc. Assaying, packaging, pre-cooling and
dispatch hubs
Micro and Small Enterprises that can process the primary
agriculture produce: garlic extracts/paste, turmeric powder,
pickles, jams, etc.
 Alternative Enterprises

Enterprises that can generate income without competing for the

resources (land and manpower) employed in primary agriculture

Mushroom Production
Bee Keeping
Hydroponics
Mahua Products
Lac Cultivation
Bamboo Products
Many more
 Enterprises that use crop residues and wastes of
Primary Agriculture

Dung logs, bio-gas, leather extracts, etc.

Fibre Boards etc., from rice straw

Urea enriched fodder block from rice straws

Banana fibre extraction & products

Cutlery plates from wheat husk, arecanut leaves, Siali leaves, etc.
Fresh produce supply chain management (farm to
fork/ farm to plate/farm to health)
Pre harvest management
Genetic material (seed/ planting material)
Agronomical management
Environment management
Post harvest management of fresh produce
Pre cooling
Sanitizing
Grading/ sorting
Packaging
Storage
retailing
 Process food supply chain management (farm to
fork/ farm to plate/farm to health)
Pre harvest management
Genetic material (seed/ planting material)
Agronomical management
Environment management
Process food development
Selection of right food product
Selection of right raw materials
Selection of product technology
Selection of machinery
Product development
Marketing
 Successful examples supply chain (fresh/process food)

Fresh Produce
The Global Green Company (gherkins)
INI Farms (Pomgranate)
Mahindra Greenyard (fresh fruits & vegetables)

Process Food
Pespsico India (Lays chips etc.)
Hindustan Unilever Limited (kissan Katchups)
ITC Limited (Aashirvaad atta)
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.
(Amul)
 Missing link
Pre harvest Post Harvest (fresh produce/process food)
Soil Science & Agricultural Agricultural Engineering (Processing and
Chemistry Food Engineering Farm Machinery and
Power Engineering, Renewable Energy
Engineering)
Agronomy Horticulture (Post Harvest Engineering)
Plant Breeding & Genetics Food Technology (product development,
Chemistry, Microbiology etc.)
Horticulture (Fruit, vegetable & Animal husbandry (Diary, Fishery, meat
floor) product etc.)
Plant Pathology Forestry (NTFP)
Entomology Home Science (Nutrition)
Plant Physiology Mechanical Engineer
Agriculture Physics Chemical Engineer
Agricultural Engineering (Soil Electrical & electronics Engineer
and Water Conservaton
Engineering, Irrigation and
Drainage Engineering, Farm
Machinery and Power
Engineering, Renewable Energy
Engineering)
 Protected Cultivation and Secondary Agriculture (Theory classes)

S.N. Contents Class Professor

1. Green house technology: Introduction 1 Dr. Pramod
2. Types of Green Houses 1 Rai
3. Plant response to Green house environment 1
4. Planning and design of greenhouses 1
5. Design criteria of green house for cooling and heating purposes 1
6. Green house equipments, materials of construction for traditional 1
and low cost green houses
7. Irrigation systems used in greenhouses 1
8. Typical applications, passive solar green house, hot air green house 1
heating systems, green house drying.
9. Cost estimation and economic analysis 1
10. Important Engineering properties such as physical, thermal of 2 Dr. Md. I. A.
cereals, pulses and oilseed, Ansari
11. Aero & hydrodynamic properties of cereals, pulses and oilseed, 1
12. Their application in PHT equipment design and operation. 1
13. Drying and dehydration; moisture measurement, EMC 1 Dr. Chhaya
14. Drying theory, various drying method, commercial grain dryer 1
(deep bed dryer)
15. Flat bed dryer, tray dryer, fluidized bed dryer, recirculatory dryer 1
and solar dryer
16. Material handling equipment; conveyer and elevators, their 2
principle, working and selection.
Total theory classes 18
 Practical classes
S.N. Contents Class Professor

1. Study of different type of green houses based 3 Dr.

on shape Pramod
2. Determine the rate of air exchange in an active 2 Rai
summer winter cooling system
3. Study of green house equipments 2
4. Determination of drying rate of agricultural 2
products inside green house
5. Determination of engineering properties (shape 2 Dr. Md.
and size, bulk density and porosity of I. A.
biomaterials)
Ansari
6. Determination of Moisture content of various 2
grains by moisture meter
7. Visit to various Post Harvest Laboratories 2 Dr.
8. Determination of Moisture content of various 2 Chhaya
grains by oven drying & infrared moisture
methods
9. Field visit to seed processing plant 1
Total practical classes 18
 Protected Cultivation[B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, elective: 2+1]
Protected cultivation- importance and scope
Status of protected cultivation in India and World types of protected structure
based on site and climate.
Cladding material involved in greenhouse/ poly house.
Greenhouse design, environment control, artificial lights, Automation.
Soil preparation and management, Substrate management.
Types of benches and containers.
Irrigation and fertigation management.
Propagation and production of quality planting material of horticultural crops.
Greenhouse cultivation of important horticultural crops – rose, carnation,
chrysanthemum, gerbera, orchid, anthurium, lilium, tulip, tomato, bell pepper,
cucumber, strawberry, pot plants, etc.
Cultivation of economically important medicinal and aromatic plants.
Off-season production of flowers and vegetables.
Insect pest and disease management.
Hi-tech. Horticulture[B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, elective: 2+1]
Introduction & importance
Nursery management and mechanization
Micro propagation of Horticultural crops
Modern field preparation and planting methods
Protected cultivation: advantages, controlled conditions, method and techniques
Micro irrigation systems and its components
EC, pH based fertilizer scheduling
Canopy management
High density orcharding
Components of precision farming: Remote sensing, Geographical Information System
(GIS), Differential Geo-positioning System (DGPS), Variable Rate applicator (VRA)
Application of precision farming in horticultural crops (fruits, vegetables and
ornamental crops)
Mechanized harvesting of produce
 Precision Farming & Protected Cultivation [B.Sc.
(Hons) Horticulture, regular: 2+1]
Precision farming – laser leveling, mechanized direct seed sowing
Seedling and sapling transplanting, mapping of soils and plant attributes, site specific
input application, weed management
Insect pests and disease management, yield mapping in horticultural crops
Green house technology, Introduction, Types of Green Houses; Plant response to
Greenhouse environment
Planning and design of greenhouses, Design criteria of greenhouse for cooling and heating
purposes
Green house equipment, materials of construction for traditional and low cost green
houses
Irrigation systems used in greenhouses, Typical applications, passive solar green house,
hot air greenhouse heating systems, green house drying
Cost estimation and economic analysis
Choice of crops for cultivation under greenhouses, problems / constraints of greenhouse
cultivation and future strategies
Growing media, soil culture, type of soil required, drainage, flooding and leaching, soil
pasteurization in peat moss and mixtures, rock wool and other inert media
Nutrient film technique (NFT) / hydroponics
 Plastic Applications in Agriculture [B.Tech (Agril.
Engg.),elective: 2+1]
Introduction of plasticulture - types and quality of plastics used in soil and water conservation,
production agriculture and post harvest management. Quality control measures. Present status and
future prospective of plasticulture in India.
Water management - use of plastics in in-situ moisture conservation and rain water harvesting.
Plastic film lining in canal, pond and reservoir. Plastic pipes for irrigation water management, bore-
well casing and subsurface drainage.
Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems. Use of polymers in control of percolation losses in fields.
Soil conditioning - soil solarisation, effects of different colour plastic mulching in surface covered
ultivation.
Nursery management - Use of plastics in nursery raising, nursery bags, trays etc.
Controlled environmental cultivation - plastics as cladding material, green / poly / shade net houses,
wind breaks, poly tunnels and crop covers. Plastic nets for crop protection - anti insect nets, bird
protection nets. Plastic fencing.
Plastics in drying, preservation, handling and storage of agricultural produce, innovative plastic
packaging solutions for processed food products.
Plastic cap covers for storage of food grains in open.
Use of plastics as alternate material for manufacturing farm equipment and machinery. Plastics for
aquacultural engineering and animal husbandry - animal shelters, vermi-beds and inland fisheries.
Silage film technique for fodder preservation.
Agencies involved in the promotion of plasticulture in agriculture at national and state level. Human
resource development in plasticutlure applications.
 Precision Farming Techniques for Protected Cultivation
[B.Tech (Agril. Engg.),elective: 2+1]
Protected cultivation: Introduction, History, origin, development, National and International Scenario,
components of green house, perspective
Types of green houses, polyhouses /shed nets, Cladding materials
Plant environment interactions – principles of limiting factors, solar radiation and transpiration, greenhouse
effect, light, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide enrichment
Design and construction of green houses – site selection, orientation, design, construction, design for
ventilation requirement using exhaust fan system, selection of equipment
Greenhouse cooling system – necessity, methods – ventilation with roof and side ventilators, evaporative
cooling, different shading material fogging, combined fogging and fanpad cooling system, design of cooling
system, maintenance of cooling and ventilation systems, pad care etc.
Greenhouse heating – necessity, components, methods, design of heating system
Root media – types – soil and soil less media, composition, estimation, preparation and disinfection, bed
preparation
Planting techniques in green house cultivation. Irrigation in greenhouse and net house – Water quality, types
of irrigation system, components, design, installation and material requirement
Fogging system for greenhouses and net houses – introduction, benefits, design, installation and material
requirement. Maintenance of irrigation and fogging systems.
Fertilization – nutrient deficiency symptoms and functions of essential nutrient elements, principles of
selection of proper application of fertilizers, fertilizer scheduling, rate of application of fertilizers, methods,
automated fertilizer application
Greenhouse climate measurement, control and management
Insect and disease management in greenhouse and net houses, Selection of crops for greenhouse cultivation,
major crops in greenhouse – irrigation requirement, fertilizer management, cultivation, harvesting and post
harvest techniques
Economic analysis
 Precision Agriculture and System Management
[B.Tech (Agril. Engg.), elective: 2+1]

Precision Agriculture – need and functional requirements.

Familiarization with issues relating to natural resources.
Familiarization with equipment for precision agriculture including
sowing and planting machines, power sprayers, land clearing machines,
laser guided land levellers, strawchopper, straw-balers, grain combines,
etc.
Introduction to GIS based precision agriculture and its applications.
Introduction to sensors and application of sensors for data generation.
Database management.
System concept. System approach in farm machinery management,
problems on machinery selection, maintenance and scheduling of
operations. Application to PERT and CPM for machinery system
management
 Course Coverage

Teaching (Class room): PPT, lecture notes,

Basic books etc.

Practical (Lab experiments, field experiments,

farmer’s field visit etc.)

Assignments (Reading, Individual Assignment,

Group Assignment)

Numerical problems
 Assignments (Group Assignment, Batch: 2016-17)

Effect of drip irrigation on quality of fruits and

vegetables

Effect of fertigation on the quality of fruits and

vegetables

Effect of plastic mulching on the quality of fruits

and vegetables

Effects of Plastic Mulching on Disease and Pest

Management
Student READY (Rural and Entrepreneurship Awareness
Development Yojana)

Experiential Learning (EL)

Rural Agriculture Work Experience (RAWE)
Plant Training/Industrial Attachment
Hands-on Training (HOT)/ Skill Development
Training
Students Projects
 Government Initiative

Startup India
Central Government initiative for startup
States’ startup policies
Connect with incubators
Connect with corporates/accelerators
Connect with mentors
Connect with investors

Skill India
Agriculture Skill Council of India
Food Industry Capacity & Skill Initiative
 Educational Institute Initiative
Entrepreneurship Cell (EC)
It invites various eminent entrepreneurs to deliver lectures to educate
students about the joys and hardships of entrepreneurship.
Guest Lectures, Business Plan workshops, Case study workshops,
patent workshops are conducted throughout the year to involve
students in activities that are essential to an entrepreneur.

Incubation Cell (IC)

The IC aims to build and share resources including space and
infrastructure, access to business support services, mentoring,
training programmes to enhance the skills of entrepreneurs and seed
funds. 
The scope of support is broad-based, and covers technologies/IP
developed wholly at the Institute or partly through collaborations
elsewhere, as well as external start-ups with which Institute members
are associated as consultants or mentors. 
 Books
Basic Coverage
Hand Book of Agricultural Engineering
Hand Book of Horticulture
Hand Book of Agriculture
Text Book
Green House Technology for a Controlled Environment (Indian)
Greenhouse Operation and Management (Foreign)
Greenhouse Technology and Management (Foreign)
Advanced Book
Greenhouse Technology: Fundamentals, Design, Modelling and
Applications (Indian)
Plant Nutrition of Greenhouse Crops (Foreign)
Greenhouse climate control: an integrated approach (Foreign)
Greenhouse Design and Control (Foreign)
Advances in Protected Cultivation (Foreign)
Polymers in Agriculture and Horticulture (Foreign)
 E-learning
www. ecoursesonline.iari.rec.in
e-krishishikha
e-agriculture
NAPTEL
Swayam
Sodh Gangotri
Materials developed by individual
Professor
Materials developed by institution
(Public/Private)
 Government Policies
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture
(MIDH) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the
holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering
fruits, vegetables, root & tuber crops, mushrooms,
spices, flowers, aromatic plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa
and bamboo.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (Pmksy),
Centrally Sponsored Schemewith the motto of ‘Har Khet
Ko Paani’. There is a need for seriously considering all
options including linking of rivers, where feasible; for
ensuring optimal use of our water resources to prevent the
recurrence of flood and drought.
By harnessing rain water through ‘Jal Sanchay’ and ‘Jal
Sinchan’, nurture water conservation and ground water
recharge. Micro irrigation will be popularized to
ensure ‘Per drop-More crop.
 Academic Institutes
India
IIT, Kharagpur (MHRD)
CIAE, Bhopal, ICAR
CFTRI, CSIR
AICRP on PET (Plasticulture Engineering & Technology)
PFDC (Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare)
World
Center for Controlled Environment Agriculture, Cook
College, Rutgers University, US
Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, The
University of Arizona, US
Centre for Horticulture and Landscape, School of Plant
Science, University of Reading, UK
Agriculture Research Organization, Isreal
Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands
 Private Sectors

Netafim Irrigation India Pvt. Ltd., Isreal

Jain Irrigation Systems, Jalgaon, India
Mahindra EPC Irrigation Ltd., M & M
Captain Polyplast Limited, Rajkot, Gujrat
Dinesh Irrigation Pvt. Ltd.
Premier Irrigation Adritec Pvt Ltd, Kolkata
Essen Multipack Limited, Rajkot
Agriplast Tech India Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru,
Karnataka
 Business News Paper & Magazine
News Paper
Economics times
Business Standard
Business Line
Financial Express
Mint
Magazine
Business Today (Fortnightly, Living Media India
Limited)
Business India (Fortnightly, Business India Publications
Ltd
Outlook Business (Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd. 
Business World
Forbes India
 Business News Channel
Hindi
CNBC Awaaz (TV18 NBC Universal)
Zee Business (Zee Media Corporation Ltd.)

English
ET Now (The Times Group)
CNBC TV18 (TV18 NBC Universal)
NDTV profit (NDTV group India)
BTVi (Business Broadcast News Pvt. Ltd)
 National Journal
S. N. Journal Society Publisher
1. Journal of Indian Society of Indian Society of
Agricultural Agricultural Engineers Agricultural Engineers
Engineering
2. Agricultural Indian Society of
Indian Society of
Engineering Today Agricultural Engineers
Agricultural Engineers
3. Indian Journal of  The Horticultural Societ
ICAR-Indian Institute of
Horticulture y of India Horticultural Research
Bengaluru
4. Vegetable Science Indian Society of Indian Institute of
Vegetable Science Vegetable Research,
Post Bag No-1,
Po-Jakhini
(Shahanshpur)
Varanasi-UP
5. Journal of Food Association of Food Springer
Science and Scientists and
Technology (JFST) Technologists of India
(AFSTI)
 International Journal
S. N. Journal Society Publisher
1. Scientia Horticulturae - Elsevier
2. Applied Engineering in American Society of -
Agriculture Agricultural and Biological
Engineers
3. Journal of Agricultural Safety American Society of -
and Health Agricultural and Biological
Engineers
4. Transactions of the ASABE American Society of -
Agricultural and Biological
Engineers
5. Agricultural Water - Elsevier
Management
6. Hort Technology American Society for -
Horticultural Science
7. Hort Science American Society for -
Horticultural Science
8. Journal of American Society American Society for -
for Horticultural Science Horticultural Science
9. Biosystems engineering - Elsevier
10. Journal of Biosystems The Korean Society for Springer
Engineering Agricultural Machinery
 Professional Society
Indian
Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers
The Horticultural Society of India
Indian Society of Vegetable Science, Varanasi
Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of
India (AFSTI)
International
American Society of Agricultural and Biological
Engineers
American Society for Horticultural Science
Video materials (Developed by educational institute/private
company, Individual, youtubes etc.)
Benefits of Plasticulture farmers experience in field (
https://youtu.be/X0tUNARpKN0)
Okra cultivation during rainy season (https://youtu.be/8d33VToqHU0)
Poly tunnel for growing of vegetables nursery at farmer’s field (
https://youtu.be/EZFpfdYaC2c)
Implementation of Plasticulture Technology in Jharkhand (
https://youtu.be/abhV_-zQ_Wg)
Protected cultivation (https://youtu.be/BTWGBrHJD4o)
Low cost temporary shade net structure (https://youtu.be/PhZmEyKXEY4)
Low cost detachable roof green house (GH) (https://youtu.be/fy1U3Y759l8)
Low cost multipurpose greenhouse (MGH) (https://youtu.be/Xbyq8U9TUaE)
Low Cost Plastic Low Tunnel- प्लास्टिक का गुफा नुमा घर (
https://youtu.be/XCJrqvmFqrk)
Selection of Plastic mulch for vegetable Cultivation (
https://youtu.be/qIxUO1hWHD4)
फलों को पकायें सिर्फ 2 पैसे प्रति किलो | Low Cost Ripening Chamber (
https://youtu.be/9cc9vqlk-p0)
 Other ways for learning

Industrial exposure: visit to industries, industrial

training etc.
Learning platform: Byju’s, Unacademy, vedantu
& may more
Online classes & conferencing: Google meet,
Microsoft team, Webex, Jio, airtel & many more
Patents: Source of knowledge
Case studies
Others
 Ways to enhance farmers income

Increasing the yield

Enhancing the quality
Early Production
Off season cultivation
Proper marketing (local/ within India/ outside
India)
Storage of fresh produce for off season
consumption (apple/ potato etc.)
Growing the fresh produce for processed food
 Increasing the yield
The yield can be increased by selecting right variety,
better agronomical management and proper
management of environment.
There is need to study the variation of yield of any crop
(e.g. tomato) in Jharkhand, India and outside India.
The yield of tomato in Jharkhand under conventional
method of cultivation is reported is up to 20 t/ha.
The reported yield of tomato in Jharkhand (around 40
t/ha), India (around 40-60 t/ha) and outside India
(around 130 t/ha) under drip irrigation with fertigation
under plastic mulch
The reported yield of tomato in India (around 140-180
t/ha) and outside India (around 500 t/ha & up to 1000
t/ha) under hi-tech greenhouse condition.
 Increasing the quality
The quality can be increased by selecting right
variety, better agronomical management and
proper management of environment.
Till date in India, we have mainly focused on
only enhancing the yield and not given proper
emphasis on quality of produce.
It is well documented that the quality of
produce can be enhanced by selecting right
variety, proper drip irrigation with fertigation,
plastic mulching, protected cultivation etc.
It is well known that quality of any produce
cannot be improved after harvesting, at best it
can only be maintained.
 Early Production

Normally the selection of crop is done based on

environment conditions in open field
conditions.
Due to above reason the growers do not realize
the better price for their produce due play of
supply & demand of produce.
The early production of perishable crops
(vegetables) can be done using plasticulture
technologies (protray nursery growing under
plastic low tunnel, drip irrigation with
fertigation, plastic mulching and plastic low
tunnel).
 Off season cultivation
It is well known that we can grow any crop
anywhere in any season by providing the
environmental conditions according to crop
requirement.
The off season cultivation can be done using
plasticulture technologies (protray nursery
growing under plastic low tunnel, drip
irrigation with fertigation, plastic mulching,
plastic low tunnel, protected structure).
But there is need to ascertain the demand of
crop those need to be cultivated and economics
of crop cultivation.
Proper marketing (local/ within India/ outside India)

The marketing of perishable produce is one of the

major bottlenecks in realizing the better price of
fresh produce.
There is need to reduce the middle man in supply
chain of fresh produce i.e. removing the middle man
between seller and consumer.
There is need to grow the crops according to
requirements of end consumer (i.e. local, within
India and outside India), because package of practice
will vary according to need of end consumer.
There is need to focus on e-marketing, such as e-
NAM.
 Storage of fresh produce for off season
consumption (apple/ potato etc.)
There are different type of storage structure and
cost of storage varies based on control system used.
Sometime produce are stored for transient period
after harvesting the fresh produce, which can be
temperature controlled or based on evaporative
cooling.
There are very few fresh produce which are stored
during production season for future requirement
and consumption.
Normally fresh produce stored for future
consumption are apple, potato, carrot, tamarind,
mahua etc.
Growing the fresh produce for processed food
There is need to clearly define the purpose of fresh
produce i.e. it is grown for fresh purpose or
processed food.
Based on requirement (fresh or processed food), the
seed variety will vary.
The agronomical management practices will be
different for fresh or processed food.
Normally the cultivation for processed food is done
in consultation with food processing company.
Normally all the big food processing companies go
for contact farming to secure the quantity and
quality of raw materials required for processing
purpose.
If you have any question/suggestion
Comment window of this youtube video
Mail me: pramod_kgp@yahoo.co.uk
We can meet online: Google Meet
Contact me: 8986644713