Provincial agricultural research institute develops smart-farm technology tailored to small and midsize operations, boosting yields and farm income
South Chungcheong Province has developed a technology that can significantly boost the productivity of garlic chives, a widely used crop prized for its rich nutritional value and distinctive flavor.
The South Chungcheong Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services announced Monday it had developed a multi-tier hydroponic cultivation technology designed to enable year-round production of garlic chives and improve growing productivity.
Garlic chives are one of the province's key crops, with the cultivated area in South Chungcheong reaching 1,400 hectares — about 40 percent of the national total.
The institute developed the technology to suit small and midsize smart farms. The focus was on converting soil-based cultivation to hydroponics to reduce continuous-cropping damage and streamline farm management.
Officials expect the technology to help diversify agricultural production, which has been heavily concentrated in certain crops, and to broaden the range of crop options available to farmers.
Tests conducted in a small single-span greenhouse showed that two-tier cultivation produced 2.4 times the combined annual yield of both tiers compared with conventional single-tier growing.
The institute expects that once the multi-tier hydroponic technology is widely adopted, small and midsize facility farms will accelerate their transition to smart farming, laying a stable foundation for high-quality garlic chive production.
Researchers are continuing to study detailed cultivation conditions, including the frequency and concentration of nutrient solution supply and the use of artificial lighting. The institute plans to expand the technology's rollout to farming households as soon as the related research is complete.
"Multi-tier hydroponic cultivation of garlic chives is a technology that can improve space utilization and productivity in small and midsize smart farms," an institute official said. "We will establish cultivation management standards through further research and push to disseminate the technology in ways that help boost farm income."
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
