Ask 20 different people the same questions and you just may get completely different answers. In January, we kicked off our 25th anniversary celebration by publishing the “Top 25 Innovations For Producing Greenhouse Crops” after seeking input from 20 experts. Then we made the same extensive survey available to Benchrunner readers at large and compiled the results.
While a ranking of 1 was “not important or relevant,” a ranking of 10 was “revolutionary, completely changed the industry.” With the 20 evaluators, the most points an innovation could have received is 200. The innovations were sorted into 14 categories to group related products and concepts together.
JANUARY LIST NEW LIST
1) Plugs 1) Plastic plug & liner trays
2) Seeders 2) Plastic carrying trays
3t.) Carts/Rolling Racks 3t.) Internet
3t.) Photoperiod 3t.) Plastic flats
5.) Plant Growth Regulators 3t.) Plastic pots
6.) Plastic Plug & Liner Trays 6t.) Biological controls
7t.) Barcoding 6t.) Plant growth regulators
7t.) Internet 8) EC meters
9t.) Plant Tags 9) Fertilizer, water soluble
9t.) Temperature Controlled 10) Seeders
Transport
11.) Computerized Systems 11t.) Low-volume sprayers
12.) Liners/Rooted Cuttings 11t.) Transplanters
13.) Transplanters 13) Heat retention curtains
14t.) DIF 14t.) Barcoding
14t.) Electronic Data Interchange 14t.) DIF
16t.) F1 Hybrids 14t.) Fertilizer, slow release
16t.) Plastic Flats 14t.) Web sites
18.) Chemical Injectors 18t.) Biodegradable pots
and baskets
19.) Gutter-Connected
Greenhouse Structures 18t.) pH meters
20t.) Peat Moss 21t.) Graphical tracking
20t.) Tissue Culture 21t.) Hanging baskets
23t.) Insecticides & Miticides 21t.) Insecticides and
miticides
23t.) Water Soluble Fertilizer
24t.) Floor heating
25t.) Federal Express/UPS
and Other Carriers 24t.) Production
scheduling software
25t.) Programmable Booms
25t.) Web Sites