We are going to conduct a pioneer project on protected cultivation of mustard crop. We are going to face the problem of high humidity during early phase of crop development which can invite fungal attack on the crop. Could anybody suggest the cheap and best method of humidity control?
Proper watering and adequate plant spacing, having well-drained floors, warming plants, moving air and venting moisture are ways to reduce humidity in greenhouses. The least expensive method is to keep the greenhouse dry, especially going into the night, when the temperature drops.
The opening of the upper windows of the greenhouses during the hottest hours of the day, and the installation of several humidity probes at different locations in the greenhouse, together with the humidification system and the temperature controller, should be sufficient. It is very important to use soil probes to control irrigation, making irrigation more efficient.
Ventilation day and night reduce humidity. Especially at night, some ventilation must be open. The difference between day and night temperatures should be small too.
Thank you very much dignitaries for your valuable suggestions. We are working on circulatory fans and some desiccators like CaCl and NaCl. Actually the temperature is going to be big challenge because the crop in consideration requires 32-34 degree C but humidity is expected to be around 85-90 % and the crop thrives best at 65-70 % RH.
Don't know if it's a closed (fan-and-pad) greenhouse or a naturally ventilated polyethylene-GH (NVP). In addition to those suggested above, make rows in such as way that airflow passes (ventilation) through spaces between rows; go for wide space planting (preferably wider rows), and use mulching to minimize transpirational and evaporative losses of water that raises RH inside GH.
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