Analysis of Technologies and Equipment in Greenhouses of the Ussr = Analysis of Technologies and Equipment in Greenhouses of the Ussr

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Advanced technologies in protected horticulture are in the center of attention in Russian Federation nowadays. However, literature tracing back the historical transition of technology from the USSR to modern Russia is scanty. We found it necessary to fill the blank and outline technological processes utilized in protected vegetable cultivation in the Soviet period. Severe climatic conditions of the country and multiple zones with low levels of available photosynthetically active radiation restricted successful vegetable production. To provide the population with safe and high-quality vegetable products, in 1930 first greenhouses with primitive technologies were constructed based on the state-run and cooperative agricultural enterprises. Further development of production capacities stimulated a shift from manual labor to partial mechanization first and eventually made a greenhouse industry one of the most advanced branches of agriculture in the USSR. At the industry peak years, right before the collapse of the Soviet Union, winter greenhouse complexes with an area of 12 to 54 hectares were constructed almost all over the country, even in the northern areas such as Karelia, Chukotka, and Taimir. The present article concentrated on a detailed description of three main technological processes applied in the USSR in order to overcome challenges imposed by the natural conditions - soil heating, artificial lighting and irrigation systems. In particular, we presented a technology using an uninsulated steel wire fed with a current of the safe voltage placed under the fill-up ground. It heated the soil and air in all year-round greenhouses simultaneously providing partial sterilization of soil. In additional irradiation and maintaining a more natural environment for plants in greenhouses, we traced the shift from initially utilized ineffective fluorescent lamps to more efficient irradiators with an internal mirror surface. Among various irrigation techniques used in Soviet agriculture, the present paper paid particular attention to overhead sprinkling irrigation. Mobile pipelines moving along the perimeter of the greenhouse provided moistening both to soil and to air and made this method the most common all over the USSR.