Agricultural Engineering Research Institute

Research Departments » Greenhouse

The newly established Greenhouse Engineering Research Department started its activities as one of the research departments of the AEI institute in 2011. The main objective the department is to conduct applied research in three fields of greenhouse structure and its environmental control equipment, irrigation and drainage in greenhouses agriculture, and post-harvest issues of greenhouse productions.

The department comprises of three research divisions namely:

Structure and its environmental control equipment
Irrigation and drainage issues in greenhouses
Harvest and post-harvest issues in greenhouse

According to the above mentioned research divisions, the research subjects and research areas of the department include: research on various aspects of greenhouse structures and facilities; evaluation of mechanization level and solutions to increase the technical and economic efficiency of technologies used in greenhouses; development of national standards for greenhouse structure and equipment; localization of greenhouse structural systems and equipment; investigating and optimizing the types of micro irrigation systems; improving irrigation management and water consumption in greenhouses; examining the issues and challenges facing proper irrigation management to produce greenhouse products; investigate harvesting and post-harvest issues, maintaining nutritional value; marketability; reducing wastes and losses of greenhouse crops (during harvesting, packaging, and transportation); and studying various methods to increase durability, shelf life and marketability of greenhouse products.

The followings are some major current research priorities of the department:

Localization and adaptation of greenhouse structures, machines and equipment by improving quality, design, construction and reverse engineering method,
Develop and update the national standards for evaluating the structures, coverage, and greenhouse facilities,
Increase energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in greenhouses,
Evaluation of the methods of washing, disinfection, storage, processing, packaging and transportation of greenhouse products,
Investigate the most appropriate greenhouse cultivation pattern and develop greenhouse development policies,
Research and development of structures, fittings, equipment and suitable greenhouse machines,
Investigating the efficiency of water consumption and new irrigation systems in greenhouses,
Investigate the methods of optimizing production inputs in greenhouses,
Greenhouse control and automation,
Improving harvest management, post-harvest, and determining technologies for maintaining quantitative and qualitative properties in greenhouse production,
Improving the methods of preparation, packaging, transportation, and distribution of greenhouse products.

The department has the specialized laboratory as follow:

Measuring instruments,
There is also possibility of getting benefits from other laboratories in the other departments of AERI institute (e.g., Irrigation and Drainage Engineering Research Laboratory, Chemistry and Food Analysis Laboratory, and a Prototype workshop) to carry out scientific and research activities in this department.

Faculty Members