Sunday, 25 May 2014

Humidity Manipulation In Nursery



Introduction
Maintaining the proper atmospheric humidity in container tree nurseries is important biologically for several reasons: low humidity subjects seedlings to water stress caused by excessive transpiration, proper humidity promotes rapid growth, and excessive humidity promotes the growth of fungal pathogens and other nursery pests such as moss and liverworts. The challenge to the nursery manager is to maintain humidities that are high enough for good seedling growth without encouraging pests.

Humidity
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Water vapor is the gaseous state of water and is invisible. Humidity indicates the likelihood of precipitation, dew, or fog. Higher humidity reduces the effectiveness of sweating in cooling the body by reducing the rate of evaporation of moisture from the skin. This effect is calculated in a heat index table or humidex, used during summer weather.
There are three main measurements of humidity: absolute, relative and specific. Absolute humidity is the water content of air. Relative humidity, expressed as a percent, measures the current absolute humidity relative to the maximum for that temperature. Specific humidity is a ratio of the water vapor content of the mixture to the total air content on a mass basis.
Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air, not the total amount of vapor and liquid. For clouds to form, and rain to start, the air does have to reach 100% relative humidity, but only where the clouds are forming or where the rain is coming from. This normally happens when the air rises and cools. Often, rain will be falling from clouds where the humidity is 100% into air with a lower humidity. Some water from the rain evaporates into the air it's falling through, increasing the humidity, but usually not enough to bring the humidity up to 100%. Humidity can be less than 100% when it's raining.
Humidity is important in climate change. Water vapor in the air, the humidity, plays an important part in global climate. Like carbon dioxide, water vapor is a greenhouse gas. Climate scientists have found that carbon dioxide human activities is adding to the air is causing the Earth's average climate to warm.

Relative Humidity

The amount of water vapor actually in the air divided by the amount of water vapor the air can hold. Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage and can be computed in a variety of ways. One way is to divide the actual vapor pressure by the saturation vapor pressure and then multiply by 100 to convert to a percent.



Actual vapor pressure: The partial pressure exerted by the water vapor present in a parcel. Water in a gaseous state (i.e. water vapor) exerts a pressure just like the atmospheric air. Vapor pressure is also measured in millibars.

Saturation vapor pressure: The maximum partial pressure that water vapor molecules would exert if the air were saturated with vapor at a given temperature. Saturation vapor pressure varies with atmospheric pressure. When a given atmospheric pressure is steady, then the saturated vapor pressure is directly proportional to the temperature.


Measurement

There are various devices used to measure and regulate humidity. A device used to measure humidity is called a psychrometer or hygrometer. A humidistat is a humidity-triggered switch, often used to control a dehumidifier.Humidity is also measured on a global scale using remotely placed satellites. These satellites are able to detect the concentration of water in the troposphere at altitudes between 4 and 12 kilometers. Satellites that can measure water vapor have sensors that are sensitive to infrared radiation. Water vapor specifically absorbs and re-radiates radiation in this spectral band. Satellite water vapor imagery plays an important role in monitoring climate conditions (like the formation of thunderstorms) and in the development of future weather forecasts.


Biophysics of water vapor

In the container nursery environment, water exists in two of its three physical states-invisible water vapor (gas) and liquid. Water vapor is subject to the same physical laws as the other gases that compose the air, such as nitrogen and oxygen. Moist air can be defined as a two-component mixture of dry air and water vapor. The air and the water vapor simultaneously occupy the samespace, but the water vapor acts independently of the other gases. Therefore, the partial pressure of water vapor is solely a function of temperature and is unrelated to the total atmospheric pressure (Gaffney 1978). Air always contains some water vapor, but at any given temperature, it can hold only a finite amount. When this physical limit is reached, the air is saturated, and when it is exceeded, condensation occurs. Water has several unique physical properties that affect thecontainer nursery environment, including the highest known latent heat of evaporation. An extremely large amount of thermal energy (540 cal/g) is required to take liquid water through the phase change from liquid to gas. This is considerably more than the energy required (316 cal/g) to bring 1 g of ice at absolute zero, -273 °C (-460 °F), to the boiling point (Hewitt 1974). The sameamount of thermal energy that is used when water evaporates is released when water vapor condenses: evaporation is an endothermic process whereas condensation is an exothermic process. This high latent heat of evaporation is operationally significant because it not only affects the heating and cooling of the container nursery environment, but also cools plants through transpiration.


Role of Humidity in Tree Seedling Growth and Development

Atmospheric humidity can affect container tree seedlings directly through its effects on seedling water relations. Controlling humidity is even more critical when plants are being propagated vegetatively by cuttings or grafting. There is also an indirect effect of humidity: many nursery pests thrive in the high-humidity environment that often exists in greenhouses.

Seedling growth
Humidity principally affects evapotranspiration rates. Under still conditions, the rate of evaporation from a wet surface is a function of the relative humidity and temperature and is proportional to the vapor pressure deficit. At a constant temperature, the higher the relative humidity, the lower the vapor pressure deficit. Under operational conditions, increasing temperature is more of a controlling factor than humidity in determining evapotranspirationaldemand. For example, when the RH of the air decreases 30% (from 80 to 50%) and the temperature stays at 30 °C (86 °F), the VPD increases 2.5 times; however, if the absolute humidity remains constant and the leaf temperature increases just 10 °C, from 10 to 20 °C (50 to 68 °F), then the VPD increases over 5 times (Kramer 1983). Container tree seedlings develop significant boundary layers  that can significantly lower the evapotranspiration rate in the dense seedling canopy in the typical aggregated containers of a forest tree nursery. Boundary layers are particularly significant in the sheltered environment of an enclosed growing structure where air movement is restricted. Plants absorb water through their roots from the growing medium and lose it through their leaves into the air through a process called transpiration, which is essentially bioregulated evaporation. Although excessive transpirational losses can result in damaging moisture stress, a small amount of transpiration is necessary to move mineral nutrients in the xylem sap from the roots to the leaves (Kramer and Kozlowski 1979). Some transpiration usually occurs as long as water is available to the roots. In intense light, leaves will absorb enough radiant energy to cause a transpirationalgradient from the leaf to the air, even at high humidities.


Vegetative propagation
Although most forest tree seedlings are currently produced from seed, many nurseries also practice some form of vegetative propagation. Tree improvement stock, in particular, is oftenpropagated vegetatively so that the desired genotypes can be maintained. Seed orchard stock is propagated by cuttings or grafting, and genetic test stock can often be produced easier and cheaper with cuttings. Many species that are used for forestry orconservation purposes, such as poplars and willows, are propagated vegetatively.Maintenance of the proper humidity is of particular concern invegetative propagation. The transpiration rate of cuttings must be kept low for several weeks or even months so that they canmaintain enough turgor to produce new roots. Grafted seedlings are often kept under greenhouse conditions because the high humidities reduce the moisture stress on grafted scions (Hartmann and Kester 1983). Special rooting environments are constructed to maintain these higher humiditiesManaging pathogens It would seem that very high humidities would be desirable in container tree nurseries, but this is not always the case. Nursery pests such as pathogenic fungi, moss, and liverworts are stimulated by high humidities, especially if there is free water present. Cryptogams (moss, algae, and liverworts) thrive in the container nursery environment and can completely cover the top of the container and interfere with seedling growth. In extreme cases, these pests can form a thick plug that completely prevents the infiltration of water and liquid fertilizers. Even some insect pests can be related to high humidity environments. Dark-winged fungus gnats can build up damaging populations in greenhouses that have excessive amounts of moss and algae.Although most fungi thrive under high humidity, certain plant pathogens particularly favor this environment; the fungal pathogen that causes grey mold is a notable example. The spores of Botrytis cinerea require free moisture to germinate andpenetrate seedling foliage (fig. 3.2.6B), and high humidities are conducive to the subsequent spread of the fungus. In fact, only 3 hours at temperatures of 15 to 20 °C (59 to 68 °F) and 98% RH promote infection if there is free moisture present. Peterson and others (1988) consider RH values over 90% to be ideal for the germination of B. cinerea spores and found that RH within the canopy ofDouglas- fir seedlings typically exceeded this threshold at night. Grey mold becomes serious in the fall when cooler temperatures cause moisture to condense on seedling foliage, especially in overly dense seedling canopies. The percentage of time when the RH exceeded 90% in a fiberglass greenhouse increased from 59% in August to 85% in October.
 
Optimum Humidity Levels
It is extremely difficult to set ideal humidity levels for container tree nurseries because relative humidity varies so much with temperature. Optimum humidity levels will change during the growing season for seedlings and will differ for seedlings and cuttings.

Seedlings
There have been few controlled experiments to determine optimum humidity levels for plant growth. In one growth-chamber experiment with temperatures of 18 to 24 °C (65 to 75 °F), Krizek and others (1971) showed that 40% RH severely reduced the growth of seedlings of three species of garden flowers (ageratum, petunia, and marigold). Raising the RH to 65% resulted in striking increases in fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area, and height; increasing the RH to 90% produced no further benefits. Similar responses have been reported for loblolly pine (Seiler and Johnson 1984) and cucumber plants (van de Sanden 1985). Besides these few examples, research on the effects of humidity on plant growth is not extensive. Most of our current knowledge has been obtained through experience and observation in operational container nurseries. In response to a recent survey, container growers reported that theirtarget RH values decreased during the growing season, ranging from 60 to 80% in the establishment phase to 45 to 50% during the hardening phase. Several nurseries stated that they did not really have targets for humidity because it is so difficult tocontrol, especially in growing structures that are not fully enclosed,such as shadehouses. Most agreed, however, that high humiditieswere definitely important during seed germination and emergence. Establishment phase. Managing the humidity is most criticalduring the germination period. Seeds are sown on top of the growing medium under a thin covering that must be kept moist so that the seed never dries out. Many nurseries use special mist nozzles during this period to keep the growing medium "moist but not wet" . Maintaining high relative humidities of 60 to 90%  eliminates the need for frequent irrigation, which would keep the growing medium too wet and promote damping-off.

Rapid growth phase
As soon as the seedlings have established root systems, the relative humidity should be reduced to 50 to 80% . This will keep evapotranspiration low, but the surfaceof the growingmedium and the seedling foliage will remain dry. A VPD of approximately 1.00 kPais a reasonable target for this phase.


When temperatures in the growing area become excessive, many nurseries apply a fine mist, often in combination with shade, to cool the seedlings. Some of the mist evaporates before reaching the ground, thus lowering the air temperature. These mist applications should be relatively brief, however, or the mist will accumulate on the seedling foliage and encourage nursery pests. This warning is particularly important to heed immediately after routine irrigation. Free surface moisture keeps the air nearly saturated within the seedling crown and promotes foliar diseases such as grey mold. Scheduling irrigations early in the day allows time for the moisture on the seedling foliage to evaporate. A critical period for humidity control in a greenhouse is when the seedling crowns close. During this period, adequate air circulation must be maintained throughout the greenhouse to lower humidity around the seedlings; air circulation is even effective during periods of highhumidity because the moving air creates a vapor pressure gradient from the foliage to the atmosphere.

Hardening phase The cultural objectives of this phase are slowing height growth, promoting bud set, and hardening the seedlings to environmental stresses. Lowering humidity to ambient
levels during this period causes seedlings to undergo a mild moisture stress. This can be difficult in completely enclosed greenhouses, however, because the cooler temperatures during late summer and fall promote high humidities and often condensation, especially at night. For this reason, many nurseries move their seedlings from the greenhouse at the beginning of the hardening phase, and others remove the covering, unless outside conditions are too stressful. Shelterhouses areparticularly beneficial during this period because their sides can beraised to promote good cross ventilation.

Vegetative propagation
Significantly higher humidities are required for all types of vegetative propagation than for seedling culture. With all types of cuttings, the normal water supply has been completely severed and water stress can quickly become severe. The problem is critical with softwood cuttings, which have leaves that are still transpiring, and hardwood cuttings, which root slowly. Because the production of new roots requires positive turgor pressure, plant moisture stress must be minimized by keeping the ambient vapor pressure at nearly the same level as that in the plant (Hartmann and Kester 1983). Maintaining relative humidity values as close to 100% as possible is desirable; once cuttings have rooted, they are gradually hardened to ambient conditions by allowing humidities to decrease. Newly grafted plants also benefit from highly humid environments until the grafts have taken and normal internal water relations have resumed.

Modifying Humidity in Container Nurseries
Most container tree nurseries are not designed with specific equipment for controlling humidity, but utilize existing heating, ventilation, and irrigation equipment to maintain humiditieswithin the desired range. The type of growing structure has an overriding effect because some greenhouses hold humidity better than others.

Growing structures
Fully enclosed structures are better for maintaining a given humidity level because they inhibit air exchange with the outside environment. All greenhouses leak air to some degree, and so the tighter the structure, the less the variation in humidity can be expected (Hanan and others 1978). It is difficult to keep humidity high in semi-enclosed greenhouses (such as shelterhouses), which have roll-up sides that cannot be tightly sealed. This design feature is a definite advantage, however, when the objective is to dehumidify the environment rapidly.The type of greenhouse covering is also important. Plastic tarp (polyethylene or "poly") coverings fit more snugly and have fewer seams than rigid panels, and so they allow less air exchange. Wellinsulatedgrowing structures, such as those with double-polyethylene coverings and thermal blankets, will have higher humidities (Aldrich and Bartok 1989). However, because of their poor insulation, single-layer polyethylene-covered greenhouses often develop condensation on their inside surfaces, which can lead to drip problems (Mastalerz 1977). There are also differences in transparency to sunlight between different coverings, which would affect internal temperatures and therefore relative humidity levels. For a 4-month period in the late summer and fall in British Columbia, the RH in fiberglass growing structures was significantly higher than that in plastic-covered structures, and this
variation was not solely due to differences in temperature. These differences were culturally important because humidity -related disease losses were 8 times higher in the fiberglass house than in the polyethylene-covered structure.

Humidification
Humidification is used operationally to retard evapotranspiration under the following conditions:
·         During the establishment phase, when seeds, germinants, cuttings, and new grafts requireconditions that are "moist but not wet."
·         At times during the growing season when the outside air is much colder than in the greenhouse because cold air contains less moisture.
·         In arid climates, where the outside air is oftenhot and dry.

Humidification is most commonly needed in arid climates during cold weather when relatively dry air is brought into the greenhouse and heated, which further lowers the RH. Whereas dehumidification relies on the heating and ventilation systems to dissipate atmospheric moisture, humidification requires conservation of moisture and addition of water vapor to the greenhouse atmosphere.

Humidity is conserved by keeping the greenhouse closed whenever possible. Because transpiration from the seedlings adds moisture to the air, it is much easier to maintain humidity in a full greenhouse compared to one that is only partially full. In cold weather, water vapor condenses on the inside of uninsulatedcoverings, drips to the floor and drains away, removing moisture from the greenhouse atmosphere. Condensation is reduced on double-walled, well-insulated coverings. In poorly insulated greenhouses, maintaining humidity is difficult in cold weather regardless of the humidification system. Steam heat. The easiest way to humidify a greenhouse is with steam, because the water is already a vapor. Steam-heated greenhouses can be equipped with vents in the steam line that are controlled by a humidistat. These vents must be located in a safe place where no one can be scalded and where the water vapor will be quickly distributed throughout the greenhouse.

Fog and mist
Humidity can also be added by spraying fine droplets of water into the air. The difference between fog and mist is in the size of the droplet. Mist droplets are large enough to settle out in a few seconds and will wet the surfaces on which they land. Fog droplets are almost invisibly small and will remain suspended for several minutes, during which most will evaporate. Properly applied, fog will not wet foliage. With either fog or mist, it may be necessary to shade the greenhouse to maintain the desired high humidity. There are two basic types of nozzle used to produce fog or mist. The impact nozzle directs a stream of water against a surface, breaking the water into droplets. The centrifugal nozzle spins the water into an orifice, which achieves the same thing. Because of the high surface tension of water, the smaller the droplet, the more energy is required to produce it. This energy may come from several sources. Mist nozzles generally operate satisfactorily at the standard domestic water pressure of 300 to 450 kPa (45 to 65 pounds per square inch). Fog nozzles require a booster pumpto raise the pressure to 2,700 to 10,000 kPa (400 to 1,500 poundsper square inch). Another fogging system uses an electric motor to spin a wheel that has orifices on its rim. Centrifugal force raises the water pressure at the orifice, and a fan is often used to distribute the fog. A third type uses com air to shear the waterinto fog.The choice of system will depend on the type of crop, climate, greenhouse ventilation system, cultural objectives, and water quality. Mist systems are cheaper to operate and will wet the foliage beneath them. This may be beneficial because leaf temperatures will be reduced and the mist can deliver mineral nutrients or pesticides to the crop. However, excessive misting can leach nutrients, leave mineral deposits, encourage growth of algae, and promote fungal diseases (Hartmann and Kester 1983). Fog systems cost more to install and operate but have proven superior for control of humidity. They are especially useful in vegetative propagation and can be used outdoors for frost protection.

Irrigation
Standard irrigation nozzles can also be used to humidify a greenhouse if they are turned on for brief intervals. However, this must be monitored carefully, because over-irrigation can result in suboptimal leaf temperatures,wet foliage, and saturated growing media- conditions that can promote fungal diseases. Overhead mobile irrigation booms are particularly effective for humidification because they provide even coverage and irrigation intervals can be easily controlled. Some growers have outfitted mobile booms with multiple spray heads, one of which is a misting nozzle. The effectiveness of cooling with irrigation was found to be short-lived, however, as the increase in RH lasted less than 1 hour. No matter what type of irrigation system is used, the water should be filtered to remove suspended solids that can cause problems.

Evaporative cooling
In arid climates, an evaporative cooling system can be an effective means of humidification during warm weather. Evaporative cooling will typically raise the RH to about 70 to 80% and that the cool, humid air flow will also reduce the VPD. Evaporative cooling systems should not be used as a principalsource of humidity, however, but rather as a beneficial effect of temperature control.

Dehumidification
Dehumidification is necessary to reduce high atmospheric humidity and prevent problems such as excessive condensation. High humidity most often occurs when
·         After irrigation, especially when the growing area cannot be immediately ventilated.
·         In climates with perennially high atmospheric humidity.

Ventilation and heating
The simplest and easiest way to dehumidify the growing environment is to ventilate with drier or warmer air. When the outside air is drier, growers can simply activate the ventilation system whenever the greenhouse humidity rises above the target level. If ventilation alone is not effective, then a combination of heating and ventilation will be, even when the outside air is very humid. Often, when conditions require dehumidification, the outside air is cool enough that the heating system automatically switches on when the vents open. It is also possible to switch the ventilation and heating systems jointly to guarantee effective dehumidification. In addition to lowering the ambient RH, the flow of warmer air over the foliage can effectively prevent condensation and eliminate temperature stratification in the greenhouse. High ventilation rates with very dry air can result in seedling water stress

Dehumidifying the seedling canopy
Perforated ventilation or heating tubes are often located under raised benches so that air is forced up through the seedlings, effectively dehumidifying the microenvironment within the canopy. The warm air not only dries the foliage but also raises the temperature of the root plug, which can be beneficial, especially during winter months. Peterson and Sutherland (1989) found that underbench ventilation with cool air took 11 hours longer to dry the seedlings than ventilation with heated air, but concluded that cool air ventilation was better for lowering the germination potential of the grey mold fungus.The seedling canopy can also be dehumidified with fans, which can be moved into place after irrigation or directly mounted on the irrigation boom. One grower has successfully used a portable leaf blower to dry the foliage after irrigation. Overhead radiant heaters reduce the humidity within the seedling canopy and effectively eliminate condensation on foliage.The thermal radiation warms objects rather than the surrounding air, thus decreasing RH without increasing air flow around the seedlings, which would increase evapotranspiration rates.

Humidity Monitoring and Control Systems

It is relatively difficult to measure humidity compared to the other atmospheric variables. Relative humidity is the only measure of humidity that is routinely monitored in container tree nurseries, although new computer systems can calculate vapor pressure deficit.Any instrument that measures humidity is called a hygrometer. A psychrometer is a common type of hygrometer that consists of two adjacent temperature sensors: a dry-bulb sensor thatmeasures ambient temperature and a wet-bulb sensor that is covered with an absorbent cloth. This cloth is wetted with distilled water and both sensors are ventilated with air moving at a rate of at least 3.5 m/s (12 feet per second) until the wet-bulb temperature reaches a steady state. The difference in temperature between wet-bulb and dry-bulb sensors is known as the wet-bulb depression. Two types of psychrometers are commonly used in container nurseries. The sling psychrometer is whirled manually in a circular motion until the wet-bulb temperature stabilizes. With the aspirated psychrometer, the thermometers remain stationary and air is drawn across the bulbs with a small fan. Psychrometers have a precision of 0.3 to 3.0% and an effective range of -18 to 260 °C (0 to 500 ° F). Because the wet-bulb depression is so slight, psychrometers are lessaccurate at low temperatures, and special psychrometric charts are necessary under subfreezing conditions. Also, errors caused by a dirty wet-bulb, or less than optimum ventilation, always result in a reduced wet-bulb depression reading, which in turn, produces an elevated RH reading. The other instrument that is commonly used to monitor humidity in container tree nurseries is the hygrothermograph, which measures both air temperature and relative humidity. Because proteins in hair change length with changes in humidity, human hair is often used in hygrothermographs. Hygrothermographs are precise within 3% RH, but their accuracy decreases at extreme humidities and they are slow to respond to changes. They have the advantage of continually recording RH values to show diurnal and daily trends. A good approach is to install a shaded hygrothermograph to provide a permanent record of RH, and then occasionally check the instrument with a sling psychrometer. Electrical RH sensors offer improved accuracy and are durable and compact. The two most widely used electrical RH sensors, the Dunmore element and the Pope cell, both use wire grids in a substrate containing a hygroscopic salt. The electrical resistance of the substrates declines as the humidity of the surrounding air rises. Although they are accurate and quick to respond, both of these RH sensors are highly sensitive tocontamination, which reduces their useful lifetime in a container nursery application. A new environmental control system can measure VPD around plant foliage. The computer uses sensors to measure leaf temperature and the temperature and RH of the air. Because the air within the stomata is always near saturation under normal nursery conditions, the VPD of the leaf can be determined from its temperature. The computer system calculates VPD every few seconds and uses an accumulated value to estimate plant wateruse and schedule irrigationThe basic device for controlling humidity is the humidistat, whichhas a relative humidity sensor connected to an electrical switch. Humidistats can be wired to close when humidities rise, switching on a dehumidification system, or when humidities fall, triggering a humidification cycle.
 
Fog and mist
Three basic types of mist controllers are available: time clocks, mechanical sensors such as the "artificial leaf," and computer-assisted control equipment that monitors humidity or radiant energy. With time controllers, the grower sets the hours of operation and the duration of the mists on a mechanical clock. These relatively simple and inexpensive controls are often wired in series to provide intermittent mist during certain hours. The artificial leaf is another inexpensive control system consisting of a square of wire gauze on one end of a balance arm. When the mist that has settled on the leaf becomesheavy enough, the balance arm tips, triggering a mercury switch to shut off the mist system. After the water evaporates from the leaf, the balance arm rises again to the "on" position. Thus, the misting cycle is repeated at intervals that are determined by the evaporation rate in the growing area. Fogging requires more sophisticated electronic controls. New environmental computers monitor humidity and other factors, such as solar radiation, and integrate this information to activate the fog system.


Reference:

Aldrich, R.A.; Bartok, J.W. Jr. 1989.Greenhouse engineering.Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service. 203 p.

Gaffney, J.J. 1978. Humidity: basic principles and measurementtechniques. HortScience 13(5):551-555.

Krizek, D.T.; Bailey, W.A.; Klueter, H.H. 1971. Effects of relative humidity and type of container on the growth of F, hybrid annuals in controlled environments. American Journal of Botany 58:544-551.

Mastalerz, J.W. 1977. The greenhouse environment. New York: John Wiley and Sons. 629 p.

Peterson, M.J.; Sutherland, J.R.; Tuller, S.E. 1988.Greenhouse environment and epidemiology of grey mould of container-grown Douglas-fir seedlings. Canadian Journal of Forestry Research 18(8):974-980.