Abstract
Recently, large-scale greenhouses and plant factories have attracted attention as new forms of agriculture. The automation of the greenhouse is examined because at present there is generally little automation in greenhouses. In this review, we consider the necessity and effects of greenhouse automation. One of the effects of automation is the saving of labor. The operational times of large-scale greenhouses tend to be greater than those associated with protected horticulture. Cultivation management, harvesting, and shipment all entail long operational times. We examine the use of harvestings robots in agriculture. At present, such robots are rarely employed due to low working efficiency and high costs. However, harvesting robots would be suitable for large-scale greenhouse cultivation systems, which have long operation times. Accordingly, in large-scale greenhouses, harvesting robots will be effective in saving labor and reducing costs. Another effect of automation is informatization. Automated devices can process larger amounts of data on plants and the environment in large-scale greenhouses than can humans. Consequently, we can monitor planar distribution of the growth environment and plant growth in greenhouses. These data can provide indices for cultivation management. Cultivation management based on such data can enable more accurate control of the greenhouse environment. Automated devices can stabilize cultivation and increase the productivity of greenhouses, thereby improving the profitability of factories, and, in turn, promoting the spread of large-scale greenhouses and plant factories.
