Greenhouse vegetables

As published in 2002, greenhouse vegetables are grown on 773 ha (1910 acres) in Canada ( Statistics Canada). British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec are the top production provinces of greenhouse vegetables.

Percentage of Canadian Production of the Top Four Greenhouse Vegetable Producing Provinces, by Crop ( Statistics Canada)

Greenhouse Crop	Alberta	British Columbia	Ontario	Quebec
Cucumber	8%*	14%	76%	2%
Lettuce	2%	-	14%	71%
Pepper	2%	46%	52%	<1%
Tomato	2%	30%	60%	7%

* Data are from 2005 season.

On-Going Greenhouse Vegetable Strategy

Health Canada (HC) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Pesticide Risk Reduction Program identified greenhouse vegetables as a priority crop. General greenhouse vegetable production information and issues along with pest issues are documented in the greenhouse vegetable crop profiles for cucumber, lettuce, pepper and tomato). Greenhouse vegetables issues documents, extracted from the crop profiles, were used as discussion tools in stakeholder meetings and consultations to help identify the top insect, disease and weed issues. General issues of concern and potential solutions to these issues are also discussed at these meetings. AAC's Pest Management Centre prepared both documents in consultation with the greenhouse vegetable industry, the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program's Technical Working Group and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

Greenhouse Vegetable Stakeholder Meetings and Consultations

Eastern Greenhouse Vegetable Stakeholder Meetings and Consultations

An Eastern greenhouse vegetable stakeholder meeting was held July 20, 2005, in Ruthven, Ontario, to prioritize issues, identify possible solutions and propose members for a national steering committee. Participants included Ontario growers, provincial specialists, researchers, the pesticide industry, greenhouse consultants, the biological control industry and federal government representatives (Pest Management Centre, PMRA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency).

A greenhouse lettuce grower, representatives from the ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec the Pest Management Centre and the PMRA met on September 8, 2005, to discuss issues and potential solutions that are relevant to the greenhouse vegetable industry in Quebec. Several representatives from ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, biological control companies and consultants met on November 21, 2005, to discuss the same items.

Western Greenhouse Vegetable Stakeholder Meeting

A Western greenhouse vegetable stakeholder meeting was held September 21, 2005, in Abbotsford, British Columbia, to prioritize issues, identify possible solutions and propose members for a national steering committee. Participants included growers from Alberta and British Columbia, provincial specialists, researchers, the pesticide industry, consultants and the federal government. Although lettuce growers from Quebec were not able to attend this meeting, their issues were discussed in the lettuce breakout group.

Greenhouse Vegetable Steering Committee

The national steering committee is comprised of greenhouse vegetable growers from various province (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec), grower association representatives, provincial specialists, scientists (pathologists and entomologists), a representative from AAC's Pest Management Centre and the PMRA. The steering committee identified mites (two-spotted, carmine, tomato russet, broad and cyclamen), loopers, powdery mildew, thrips, Fusarium and whitefly as their top pest issues (April 11, 2006). A working group was set up to develop a strategy to address each of the issues.

Greenhouse Vegetables Working Groups

• Mites (two-spotted, carmine, tomato russet, broad and cyclamen)
  Meetings: June 20, 2006
• Loopers
  Meetings: June 20, 2006
• Powdery mildew
  Meetings: June 20, 2006
• Thrips
• Fusarium
• Whitefly

Research Funded Under the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program has funded several projects addressing the priorities the Greenhouse Vegetables Working Group established in consultation with the Pest Management Centre and the PMRA.

Projects Funded to Date

• Evaluation of biological control agent Sporodex (Pseudozyma flocculosa) for the control of powdery mildew and effect on yield of greenhouse cucumbers (Project Code: BPI05-160)
• Evaluation of low risk products for management of powdery mildew in GH cucumber (Project Code: BPI05-300)
• Evaluation of low risk products for management of powdery mildew in GH cucumber -2 (Project Code: BPI05-310)
• Efficacy evaluation of microencapsulated new strains of Trichoderma and Bacillus from Cornell University for controlling powdery mildew on greenhouse cucumbers (Project Code: BPI07-180)
• Evaluation of spray pruners for target delivery of fungicides to tomato leaf cut-wounds to control botrytis stem canker (Project Code: PRR06-590)
• Development of formulation technology for biofungicides for greenhouse tomato, cucumber and pepper crops (Project Code: BPI07-040)
• Development and evaluation of Paenibacillus polymyxa PKPB1 as a biofungicide for greenhouse cucumbers and peppers (Project Code: BPI06-090)
• Assessment of Baculovirus Agents for Cabbage Looper Control in Greenhouses (Project Code: BPI06-180)
• Potential side-effects of fungicides on natural enemies and pollinators used in greenhouse vegetable production (Project Code: MUR06-080)
• Evaluation of various reduced-risk products for management of powdery mildew in greenhouse cucumber, tomato and pepper (Project Code: MUR06-110)
• Using bees to vector fungal control agents and plant health inoculums for arthropod and plant pathogen control (Project Code: MUR06-300)
• Two alternative strategies for looper management in greenhouse vegetables (Project Code: PRR06-930)
• Essential oils formulations for the control of mites, insects, and diseases on greenhouse ornamental and vegetable crops (Project Code: BPI06-120)

For further updates, please visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.