P.N. Atreya*1,A. Kafle2,B.D. Suvedi3 and S.B. Shrestha4
Horticulture Development Officer,Warm Temperate Horticulture Centre,Kirtipur,Kathmandu.
2Senior Horticulture Development Officer,Vegetable Crops Development Centre,Khumaltar,Lalitpur
3Senior Horticulturist/Vice president,Nepal Horticulture Society,Lalitpur
4Chairman Greenlife Agrotech,Kathmandu and Past President FAN,Nepal.
Corresponding email:atreyapadma @gmail.com
Abstract
Precision horticulture is a holistic system designed to maximize production and productivity of crops using advanced information technology along with various management practices.It includes protected cultivation,genetic engineering,integrated crop management,integrated nutrient management,micro-irrigation, soil less production system,post-harvest technology, and genetic conservation. Increasing pressure on natural resources, population growth,decreasing land holdings,climate change and its impact on agricultural production system forced to shift towards modern technologies of crop production.Horticultural crops production under protected condition can easily increase productivity by 3-5 folds over open field condition.This technology has very good potential especially in urban and peri-urban areas of Nepal with ever growing market for fresh production. In order to compete in national and international market,those models have high potential for improving both productivity as well as quality.It helps to strengthen our national economy by solving unemployment problem as well as selling of quality product to the consumers.In Nepal,total estimated area under protected horticulture is about 702.86 ha, out of which 695.16 ha (98.9%) under vegetables and 7.7 ha(1.1%) under flower production.Protected horticulture in Nepal was started earlier in 199s from Lumle, Kaski by disseminating plastic tunnel technology but now GI tunnels,naturally ventilated greenhouse,hi-tech & semi hi-tech green houses and net houses are adopted for offseason vegetable,flower and fruit sapling production.This paper has tried to give short glimpse of principle,present status,major success,prospects, and challenges of precision and protected horticulture in Nepal.
Keywords: Pricision horticulture,protected cultivation,different structures