Investment in hydroponic systems: Comparative analysis of materials, scales and systems

Abstract

In the province of Santa Elena, permanent water deficit, wind and the attack of pests are factors that severely affect horticultural productivity. The mesh greenhouses added to the soilless culture, that allow a better control of the environmental and sanitary conditions, could improve the profitability of horticultural crops. Locally, hydroponics is a little-known technique, which adds to the lack of information about it in the country. Together with technical, yield and quality data it is necessary to have economic analysis to project a deal. The objective of this study was to generate information on the investment costs of two construction materials, two greenhouse dimensions and three soilless cultivation techniques in horticultural crops (cucumber, lettuce, corn). The results were compared between the two types of construction material (bamboo cane and metal -galvanized iron); the two built surface (floor area) dimensions of 105 (15x7x3.5 m) and 1.000 m² (30x35x4 m); and the three soilless culture technics (inert substrate, floating root and hydroponic green forage). This latter was the most expensive system. Little difference in investments between the construction materials for both evaluated dimensions suggest to advice the metal one because this structure have a long useful life and do not cause additional cost for maintenance. For the 10^th times greater built surface there was only a five times costs increase.