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High Tunnel Design, Construction & Management for Crop Improvement

Learn how to manipulate the harvest season, improve growth and more with efficient high tunnel design, construction, and management techniques explained by Christopher Vincent, Program Technician in Horticulture at the University of Arkansas. Discover design components, reinforcement methods, skin attachment, and construction tips for crops like berries, tomatoes, peppers, greens, and flowers. Enhance temperature control, light diffusion, pest exclusion, and disease reduction starting January 3, 2011.

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High Tunnel Design, Construction & Management for Crop Improvement

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  1. Hightunnel design, construction & management Christopher Vincent Program Technician Horticulture – University of Arkansas civince@uark.edu 479-575-2122

  2. Why? • Manipulate harvest season • Improve growth • Temperature • Light diffusion and reduction • Exclude pests • Reduce diseases January 3, 2011

  3. What for? Crops: • Berries • Tomatoes • Peppers • Greens • Flowers

  4. How?Higtunnel design • Rule: purpose driven design • Different designs have different impacts on inside microclimate • Choose your design according to the use you intend to give it

  5. Components • Anchors • Frame shape • Frame reinforcement • Skin • Size • Ease and cost of construction • Total cost per ft2

  6. Anchors • Screw paddle • Tube • Do you need cement?

  7. Frame Design • Quonset (hoop) • Simple • Vertical wall • Better ground space utilization • Gothic arch • Claimed to be better in snow

  8. Reinforcement • Purlins • Parallel • Connects hoops so they shift together • Perpendicular • Keeps hoop stable from shifting side-to-side

  9. Extra reinforcement • Truss/brace • Tubing gauge • 17-14 gauge • Square or round tubing • End reinforcement

  10. Wind preparedness • End wall strength • Venting height • Seal

  11. Skin • Thickness mils (usually 4-6 mils) • Many chemistries, 2 basic important properites • Transmittance • Diffusion • Effects on plants: • Basic light requirements • Balance with the seasonal daylight hours • Diffuse light = more efficient photosynthesis

  12. Skin attachment • Wiggle wire (spring wire, channel wire) • Semipermanent • Stable • Seals • Rope • Easily adjustable • Requires adjustment • Holds plastic down, doesn’t seal

  13. Double-skinning • Two layers of poly seal and air pump inflates the space between them. • Superior insulation • Higher cost • Initial • Maintenance

  14. Construction • Ease • Number of people required at once • How much time • Cost • Tools and machinery • Materials • Labor

  15. Thanks.

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