Investigation on Status of Selected Greenhouses in Iran (1. Descriptive Analysis)

In this research, the status of greenhouses and their productions in Iran were investigated. This was an applied research and questionnaire was used for to obtain the data. Data were collected for locations, technological conditions, water, soil, soilless culture, type of planting, pests and diseases, marketing, production costs and others. Monovariate statistic was used for descriptive analysis. Data were obtained from selected greenhouses of six provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, Kerman, Markazi, Alborz and Fars, which had the largest areas under greenhouse cultivation. Results showed that the highest frequencies of the ages of greenhouse owners and managers were between 31 to 40 years. Educational fields of 64.5% of greenhouse owners and 62.7% of managers were unrelated to greenhouse operation. Type of culture media in greenhouses were 53.6% soil, 37.3% hydroponics and 9.1% had both types of culture media. Greenhouse coverings of 42.7% of studied greenhouses were polyethylene. Only 38.2% of greenhouses automatically controlled the temperature. Water sources of 74.5% of greenhouses were supplied from the wells and drip irrigation was used in 79.1% of greenhouses. The main cultivated crops were cucumbers (37.3%), cut flowers (25.6%), strawberries (18.2%), and tomatoes (9.1%). Other vegetables and ornamental plants comprised about 10%. Other characteristics were evaluated and suggestions were proposed for improvement of greenhouse operations.