Greenhouses and shelter structures for tropical regions is a manual in the series of technical papers prepared by the FAO Horticultural Crops Group, Crop and Grassland Service, Plant Protection Division. The text provides technical guidelines for the design and construction of simple and low-cost shelter structures in the tropics and also reviews the cultivation practices to be applied for sustainable and intensified crop management under these greenhouses structures. There is a range of possibilities depending on the crop requirements, the specific climate conditions of the area, marketing considerations and financial parameters. Detailed technical specifications are given, including drawings, illustrations and diagrams of various construction types. Contents Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Climates of tropical regions; Climatic elements, Solar radiation, Temperature, Precipitation, Evapotranspiration, Storms, Classification of climates, Equatorial zone, Sub-tropical(C), Dry climates (B), Highlands; Chapter 3: Problems and Possibilities for vegetable production; Chapter 4: Construction and covering material; Requirements, Ar: Tropical wet climates, Aw: Tropical wet and dry climates, Cf: Sub-tropical humid, Dry climates, Tropical highlands, Cs: Sub-tropical dry summer/ mediterranean, Constructions, Design criteria, Greenhouse constructions, Materials for greenhouses construction, Constructions for tropical wet (Ar) and tropical wet and dry (Aw) climates, Constructions for sub-tropical (Cf) climates and higlands (H), Shade houses, Covering materials, fastening and stretching of covering materials, Windbreaks; Chapter 5: Ventilation and cooling; Ventilation, Cooling, Pad efficiency, Pad material and pad thickness, Pad area and fan-to-pad distance, Pad location, Fans, Operation of fan and pad systems, Air-flow rate, Water-flow rate; Chapter 6: Crop-water requirements and rainwater storage; Crop-water requirements, Calculation of storage volume, Design of storage volume, Design of storage basins, Earth basin, Earth basin with plastic films, Earth basin with lining of concrete blocks and plastic film, Concrete basin.

Crop production in greenhouses is a growing industry, especially in mild climates, and is very important for the population as a source of income and clean, fresh food. Greenhouses create optimal climate conditions for crop growth and protect crops from outside pests. At the same time greenhouse production increases water use efficiency and makes integrated production and protection (IPP) possible. This book provides technical instructions for practice (what to do and what not to do) and gives answers to the question: How to produce more clean crops and better quality with less water, less land and less pesticide. Suitable greenhouse constructions and their design, adapted to local climates in subtropical, tropical and arid regions and infrastructure conditions are presented. The necessary climate control measures - light transmittance, ventilation, cooling, heating, and CO2 enrichment - and physical measures for pest control, as well as methods for using solar energy to desalinate salty water are described. The results of theoretical research are transferred into methods for practical use, so that readers are equipped to solve their problems in practice as well as to get stimulation for further research and development.