Adoption of Soilless Cropping Systems in Mediterranean Greenhouses: An Application of Duration Analysis
Author
Alcon, Francisco; Carmen Garcia-Martinez, Mari; Dolores De-Miguel, Maria; Fernández-Zamudio, María A.Date
2010Cita bibliográfica
Alcon, F., C. Garcia-Martinez, Mari, Dolores De-Miguel, M., Angeles Fernandez-Zamudio, M. (2010). Adoption of Soilless Cropping Systems in Mediterranean Greenhouses: An Application of Duration Analysis. HortScience, 45(2), 248-253.Abstract
The Mediterranean basin holds the greatest area of horticultural crops grown under plastic in the world. Spain houses almost 50,000 ha of greenhouses and is one of the largest suppliers of European Union markets. Soilless cropping systems constitute all efficient production practice used in greenhouses and lessen the limitations arising from the ban of methyl bromide. Soilless cultivation is associated with the use of expensive technology, which makes farmers consider such adoption carefully. The aim of this work is to statistically identify the factors that significantly influence the timing of adopting soilless cultivation by using duration analysis. The study focuses on Mediterranean greenhouses, specifically horticultural producers in the southeast of Spain. The results suggest that certain individual characteristics as well as aspects of a social nature exert a favorable influence by reducing the delay in adopting soilless cultivation. Furthermore, technical complexity, commercial aspects related to price, and the repercussion of policies regulating methyl bromide use are also discussed in this work.