"How can you subject another plant to this abuse? They need carbon dioxide to survive and thrive"
Posted on 12/14/2009 5:36:28 AM PST by markomalley
Having a chemical plant sited next door to your plantation isn't what the average farmer might want for his crop.
Jan van Duijn, however, walks proudly through his greenhouse, a vast glass and metal structure spread out over five hectares (12.3 acres) where millions of aubergines are doing very nicely thank you.
He's happy because thanks to a deal with a supplier, he's getting hot water piped in from the factory, which produces ammonia, to maintain the temperature at a constant 68 degrees F (20C).
The chemical site, five kilometres (three miles away), also supplies carbon dioxide which helps his aubergines grow more abundantly.
"We're pioneers in a way," van Duijn said, while admitting that what drove him to try this business model was cost.
The water from the Yara factory, where it is used as a coolant, flows along underground pipes and into his greenhouse at a temperature of 90 degrees C.
There it is circulated in pipes between the rows of aubergines, sharing its heat among the beds of rockwool they grow in, before being pumped back to the factory as coolant again.
Similarly, CO2 released during the manufacture of ammonia is injected into the greenhouse to stimulate growth.
"It's the basic principle of photosynthesis," van Duijn said. Combined with water and light, the plants convert the carbon dioxide into organic compounds, releasing oxygen as a side product.
The level of CO2 inside is three times higher than outside, giving a crop yield that according to van Duijn is two to three times greater.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I thought C02 was hazardous. I thought it would kill all vegetation. I thought it would rise in the air (never mind it is far heavier than N2 or O2, which make up the vast majority of the atmosphere) and create a greenhouse-like dome that would bake us all.
Oh, never mind...
We call them eggplants...............
i just googled it! i learned something new today!
By this method they increase the yield per square foot greatly.
And through their environmental stewardship thus create a greener, more sustainable world...
Indoor marijuana grow houses often use CO2 generators to boost their crop yields. You can buy them online.
Seems to me that it would settle on the ground where the plants stomata can convert it to oxygen. Crazy that people would think that CO2 is bad. CO on the other hand is not so great but then again it is lighter that O2 and the same mass as N2. I just don't get these global warming freaks that say CO2 is bad.
It occurs to me that we might just be able to stop the CO2 debacle by starting a plants' rights group, and lobbying against taking away their food supply. Picture the commercials showing weak, yellow plants "How can you subject another plant to this abuse? They need carbon dioxide to survive and thrive". That might even get the lefties fighting amongst themselves, although it could backfire when they make it illegal to mow your lawn.
Of course the whole scenario is silly, but think of some of the other bizarre crap that you've heard from these fools. One of my favorites is that we shouldn't use petroleum products because we're disturbing the graves of dead dinosaurs (brought to you by the far, far, far left wing of PETA).
ok, ok you have raised another issue that can be measured.
Is there a measurable difference in North American CO2 levels in say July and January? We must answer the question, does the CO2 level dissipate in July when photosythesisis, is near peak and decline in January when plants are leafless and dormant?
If CO2 is so bad, ask LIBs to stop breathing and save the planet.
"How can you subject another plant to this abuse? They need carbon dioxide to survive and thrive"
Plants grown with CO2 grow faster and keep longer in storage. Some studies I’ve seen show up to 50% faster growth.
“Increased CO2 levels will shorten the growing period (5%–10%), improve crop quality and yield, as well as, increase leaf size and leaf thickness. The increase in yield of tomato, cucumber and pepper crops is a result of increased numbers and faster flowering per plant.”
Got that Quote from: Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/00-077.htm
We live in a very well mixed layer of the atmosphere where their is little differentiation among the constituent gases regardless of molecular weight.
The rest of the world calls “pomelo” what we call “grapefruit”..........
True it is mixed well. Thankfully it is, otherwise we would all be dizzy like the libs breathing all that CO2.
As Jim Quinn is fond of saying, “Carbon Dioxide is not a pollutant; it is plant food.”
If you call them that, they are likely to call you a racist.
Imagine more Co2 and more plants which absorb water which lessens runoff which keeps sea level from rising!!!
So do courgettes, but they are out of season.
'La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur.' - Auguste Escoffier
(Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
I can’t be a racist! I AM THE EGGMAN!.........koo-koo-kajoo!............
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