On April 24, a field trip was organized for students attending the AGSC 203 - Crop Production and Protection course, accompanied by Dr. Yusuf Abou Jawdah and Miss Hana Sobh. The trip focused on visiting two of the most advanced horticultural farms/nurseries in Lebanon.
RobisonAgri is a pioneer in greenhouse construction and nurseries for vegetable seed production using the most up-to date technology in cooperation with a Dutch company. RobinsonAgri produces over 15 million seedlings every year of which 5 million seedlings are grafted. Grafted seedlings are more tolerant to diseases and environmental stress, and allow production of higher yields (30-80%). RobinsonAgri also produces tomatoes and cucumbers in soilless areas as well as lettuce and leafy vegetables using the hydroponic Nutrient Film Technique (NFT).
At DebbaneAgri research station, the students visited the strawberry hydroponic production farm/research station. The strawberries are harvested in fully equipped greenhouses that allow automatic climate control, irrigation and fertigation. They are grown at high densities reaching over 22,000 seedlings per dunam as compared to less than 7,500 in normal greenhouses. Due to the advanced monitoring, appropriate nutrition/fertilization and use of bumblebees for pollination, the strawberries produced are very delicious of high quality and a higher shelf life than in normal greenhouses or field productions.
Click here to check the visits’ video.