FR2889408A1 - Greenhouse for cultivation of e.g. vanilla pompona, has upper cold house extending under plastic concave dome parallel to platform, peripheral cold house mounted outside superstructure, and intermediate cold house mounted on front overhang - Google Patents

Abstract

The greenhouse has a covering superstructure mounted on a platform (31), and a plastic concave dome (21) mounted on gutters (20) and including an arch (22). An upper cold house (33) extends under the dome parallel to the platform for covering a lower surface of the greenhouse. A peripheral cold house (36) is mounted outside the superstructure, and an intermediate cold house (37) is mounted on a front overhang using hooks. A set of cultivation units are disposed in staggered rows on the platform. A set of sprayers are suspended on a network of cables for spraying refrigeration liquid. An independent claim is also included for a cultivation unit.

Description

Tropical greenhouse equipped with climatic regulation means and unit of

corresponding culture.

  FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The field of the invention is that of tropical greenhouses for the cultivation of plants which are particularly adapted to tropical climates.

  More specifically, the invention relates to a greenhouse shade adapted to all types of plants living on the tropical belt terrestrial, continental and insular.

  This type of greenhouse has notably been developed in French Polynesia, but intended to be used in any other tropical zone of the globe, see if necessary, in other climatic zones where the functionalities of the invention would find application. in a similar way.

  A typical example of culture allowed by the greenhouse of the invention is vanilla and more specifically plants of the orchid family. Of course, the skilled person will easily imagine by himself many other applications to the invention.

  2. Solutions and disadvantages of the prior art In general, a shading greenhouse has the function of producing environmental conditions sufficiently close to those whose plants originate to allow their culture.

  A standard shadehouse structure is already known as disclosed by the extension manual of the Vanille Industrial and Commercial Public Establishment of Tahiti (or EPIC) created at the initiative of the Government of French Polynesia.

  According to the EPIC manual, the shadehouse is mounted on a tubular metal structure planted on the floor, covered with a simple shade cloth (50% to 70% according to the aforementioned manual), possibly supplemented by a non-slip fabric, and with a single opening, the EPIC manual specifying that a vanilla crop under the shade whose door remains closed is not subject to the introduction of pests.

  The recommended installation comprises a regular network of culture tanks located at the foot of stakes, for example reinforced concrete. The stakes are of monobloc construction and each of them has a vertical column, on which are tied the vanilla cuttings, and provided with two horizontal bars superimposed used for looping operations vanilla lianas in first and second years respectively. The greenhouse also includes drains dug between the rows (and cleaned annually), to facilitate the flow of runoff water, vanilla being very sensitive to excess water. A mulch cloth is recommended to limit grassing paths without impeding the flow of water into the soil.

  This shaded greenhouse structure has been an important advance in the mechanism of vanilla cultivation and production. However, it has a number of disadvantages.

  First of all, such a greenhouse does not always allow a great rigor in the control of the rate of sunshine inside the greenhouse nor does it guarantee the acclimatization of the culture, that is to say, the regulation indoor temperature and maintaining the humidity level. In contrast, the greenhouse of the prior art produces a furnace effect because it is completely covered with a dark shade of shade, without any ventilation.

  Another major disadvantage of this greenhouse, lies in the fact that the one-piece construction and the row arrangement of the stakes do not allow optimized seeding of the stakes. Thus, the number of vanilla lianas per guardian is restricted and the yield of green vanilla pods per square meter minimized.

  Moreover, the development on the ground of the tutors does not necessarily promote their interviews (weekly grooming of creepers, annual cleaning of drains, regular manual weeding, ...) and their insulation of the contact of the earth which is one of the main vectors of diseases.

  In addition, and especially for the reasons explained above, the sensitivity to climate and health hazards of this known greenhouse, does not promote the establishment of good quality farms.

  3. OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is notably to overcome these disadvantages of the prior art. More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a shaded greenhouse architecture that is simple to implement and effective, especially in terms of optimization of culture conditions and yield.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such a greenhouse which, in a particular embodiment, allows to minimize the manual maintenance of the culture.

  Another object of the invention is to provide such a greenhouse which can greatly reduce the occurrence of fungal and viral diseases inside the greenhouse, without heavy monitoring of the sanitary state of the shade.

  The invention also aims to provide such a greenhouse that leads to the improvement of the quality of vanilla pods.

  The invention also aims to provide such a greenhouse which, in at least one embodiment, is inexpensive and suitable for all plants of the orchid family.

  4. Objective of the invention These objectives, as well as others which will appear later, are obtained according to the invention with the aid of a greenhouse intended in particular for the cultivation of tropical plants.

  According to the invention, the greenhouse comprises a covering superstructure mounted on a platform and defining a semi-confined permeable enclosure.

  The superstructure comprises the following elements: a concave waterproof dome lined with an upper inner shade, forming the roof of the greenhouse; a substantially vertical peripheral shading device encircling the greenhouse on at least most of its periphery, surmounted by at least one peripheral zone forming a transom, facilitating the exchange of air between the inside and the outside of the greenhouse and closed with an anti-water net. According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, said dome is extended by a peripheral shade cap, said cap extending so as to filter the rays of the sun in the initial and final periods of its diurnal stroke and / or to break the Raindrops during tropical rains, so that in the presence of wind, broken drops are blown into the greenhouse via the transom.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said peripheral awning is constituted by a mesh net whose mesh density is at least one hundred times higher than that of said anti-bird net, so that during the day the warm air generated inside the greenhouse spontaneously rises to the roof of the greenhouse and is evacuated to the outside of the greenhouse by a ventilation corridor defined by the space formed between said upper awning and said dome and / or by said transom so as to fall back into a vortex.

  Advantageously, each of said shades is constituted by a mesh net structure having a monochrome and semireflective pigmentation, stopping at least 50% of the solar radiation.

  Preferably, said platform is made on a pickled floor, and comprises: a hard surface based on pebbles and / or gravel spread on said pickled floor, forming a center of said platform, on which is arranged according to a regular geometry a network of culture units; a vertical peripheral wall with cinderblock base mounted on a horizontal flat sole, forming a wall of said platform, stably supporting said hard surface.

  Advantageously, the greenhouse of the invention comprises culture units arranged staggered on said platform in a geometry such that three adjacent cultivation units define the ground an equilateral triangle of 1 to 2.5 meters side.

  Preferably, each of said culture units comprises a shell surmounted by a mast, said shell and said mast extending vertically substantially coaxially, said mast having a horizontal section smaller than that of said shell.

  Advantageously, said mast and said shell are in plasticized mesh.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said shell and said mast are filled with a first support substrate portion of the lower part of the tropical plants, and a second portion of the upper root feeder substrate. tropical plants respectively.

  Advantageously, each of said culture units comprises a predetermined geometric concrete anchor and a standby iron device mounted in the center of the anchor, said shell and said mast being slidably mounted relative to the standby iron device.

  Preferably, each of said culture units comprises stiffening means connecting the upper ends of said mast to the upper ends of said shell.

  According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, each of said culture units is fed by controllable irrigation means, equipped with a nozzle head positioned at the top of said mast and delivering a controllable mixture of water and nutrients by seeping into said first and second portions of substrate, the operation of said irrigation means being controlled by an irrigation control system and feed intake.

  Preferably, said superstructure comprises means for evacuation and delivery of rainwater to reservoirs supplying said irrigation means.

  Advantageously, the greenhouse of the invention comprises a system for controlling the interior atmosphere of the greenhouse, comprising: controllable misting means adapted to spray a refrigeration liquid from the atmosphere disposed substantially at above said platform; means for controlling the operation of said misting means as a function of information contained in a memory controlled by a central data processing unit, said memory containing predetermined hygrometry and ambient temperature data relating to the cultivation of plants tropical.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said misting means are adapted to broadcast preventive treatments in the greenhouse. The invention also relates to a culture unit as described above.

  5. List of Figures Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, and the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the carrying structure of the installation according to the invention; FIG. 2 represents a schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the installation of FIG. 1; Figure 3 is a partial vertical schematic sectional view of a side portion of a preferred embodiment of the installation according to the invention; FIG. 4 schematizes a preferred culture unit according to the invention; FIG. 5 represents a schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the implantation of the culture units of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a partial vertical schematic sectional view of a lateral portion of a preferred embodiment of a platform according to the invention; and FIG. 7 represents a schematic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the implantation of the foggers according to the invention.

  6. Detailed description of the invention

  The general principle of the invention is based on the acclimation of the culture, by means of a semi-confined permeable enclosure.

  According to the invention, the greenhouse comprises a set of shades to control the crop parameters of the plants, that is to say, the sunshine rate, the indoor temperature and the humidity level. This set of shackles cooperates with circulation and fluid diffusion means to define an optimum interior atmosphere.

  As will be noted, in all the figures of this document, the identical elements are designated by the same reference numeral.

  An embodiment of the invention is described below through the particular case of vanilla.

  Figure 1 illustrates the structure 100 carrier of such a greenhouse.

  According to the invention, the foundations of the supporting structure are made according to anti-cyclonic construction standards in force (for example to BTP standards in French Polynesia). As will be seen later, the entire architecture of the greenhouse (ie the structure, the culture units and the technical room) is planned by the cyclone.

  Advantageously, the structure is implanted on a soil previously stripped (that is to say a soil on which the weeds have been removed by chemical treatment).

  In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier structure comprises peripheral anchor blocks 1 and 2 placed at the four corners of a rectangle defining substantially the footprint of the greenhouse, and aligned lateral anchoring blocks 3 and 4. along each large side of the rectangle. Thus, the supporting structure is anchored to the ground in a simple and effective manner.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, on each large side of the rectangle, the lateral anchoring blocks 3 and 4 are spaced two by two from one and the same regular interval, so that the anchoring blocks 3 and 4 on one side given are mounted vis-a-vis with the anchor blocks 6 and 7 on the opposite side.

  The peripheral and lateral anchor blocks each have a housing, for example a slot 8, formed on the upper face of the block and in which the lower end of a vertical beam 9 is lodged to be secured therein ( also called later main beam), for example, composite material or steel.

  Each anchor block has two other housings (not shown) in which are housed, to be secured, horizontal beams 10 and 11, for example, composite material. Of course, the horizontal beams 10 and 11 are mounted substantially perpendicularly to the vertical beams 9. It should be noted that the horizontal and vertical beams are fixed to the anchor blocks, for example, by means of screws and / or by interlocking .

  In the case of a peripheral anchor block, these housings are positioned relative to each other so that the horizontal beams form an L on the ground. However, in the case of a lateral anchoring block, these housings are positioned relative to each other so that the horizontal beams form the base of a T on the ground, whose trunk is formed by a main beam.

  For the sake of clarity, throughout the rest of this document, the beam will be referred to as the horizontal beam corresponding to the long length of the L and the small beam to the horizontal beam corresponding to the short length of the L.

  Referring to Figure 1, the upper ends of the main beams 9 are interconnected by connecting bars 13, for example, aluminum profile.

  On each side of the supporting structure, the large beam 12 comprises, in the vicinity of its center, a central pole 14 extending substantially perpendicular to it. The central post 14 is fixed to the large beam 12 and to the connecting bar 13, for example, using bolts.

  In the present embodiment, stiffening bars 15 and 16 are provided to be mounted on each of the faces of the supporting structure. Thus, for each peripheral anchoring block, a first stiffening bar 15 is provided for connecting the end of the small beam 10 to the upper end of the main beam 9, and a second stiffening bar 16 is provided to connect the lower end of the central pole 14 at the upper end of the main beam 9.

  According to a particular aspect of the invention, the support structure comprises a square in the middle of each of its faces and the four corners of the rectangle defining the footprint of the greenhouse. As will be seen later, these brackets constitute the framework of a peripheral cap designed to be mounted in a belt outside the structure. It should be noted that the brackets 18 located in the middle of the front and rear faces of the structure (that is to say the faces located in the planes defined by the short sides of the rectangle) are secured to a central post 14, for example, using bolts. The brackets 17 located in the middle of the lateral faces of the structure (that is to say the faces located in the planes defined by the long sides of the rectangle) and the four squares 19 located on the corners of the rectangle are each mounted integral with a beam main 9, for example, using rivets. Moreover, the four brackets 19 located on the corners of the rectangle are diverging two by two.

  In this particular embodiment, gutters 20 for recovery and discharge of rainwater, having a U-shaped section, are disposed on either side of the carrier structure. Advantageously, these channels 20 extend in the length of the carrier structure and allow the connection of the upper ends of the main beams 9 of the same face.

  In an alternative embodiment, it is possible to envisage a rainwater storage and recovery mechanism. Thus, the gutters 20 convey the rainwater to dedicated recovery basins, so that they can be used thereafter, for example, to regulate the temperature of the greenhouse and / or irrigate the plantation According to the present embodiment of the invention, the invention, the carrier structure is covered by a dome 21 mounted on the gutters 20 for recovery and 15 discharge water. The dome 21 comprises arches 22 on which is fixed a web 23, for example, flexible and impermeable plastic.

  As shown in Figure 3, the ends of the arches 22 are partially housed in the gutters 20, to be secured, for example, by means of stepped screws.

  In a preferred embodiment, the fabric 23 has a thickness of 200 m and is 100% translucent vis-à-vis the solar spectrum (including UV).

  The plastic dome as proposed by the invention has many advantages, a non-exhaustive list of which is given below: improvement of the working conditions inside the greenhouse. Indeed, the dome allows the user to work inside the greenhouse in any weather. The dome also makes it possible to avoid having puddles of water in the greenhouse. The dome also collects rainwater and directs it to recovery ponds.

  improved protection and conservation of the plantation. The plastic dome protects cultivation units and creepers from rain and dust. The dome protects lianas and especially flowers and vanilla pods from accelerated decay. The dome also prevents accelerated decomposition of compost (coconut wad).

  A first cable network (not shown), for example made of stainless material, is provided to be mounted near the upper ends of the carrier structure. This network of tensioned cables connects the upper ends of the main beams 9.

  A first shade, said uppermost upper 33, is mounted on the hooks of the first network of cables, for example, using staples. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper shade bar 33 extends under the dome substantially parallel to a platform 31, so as to cover the entire inner surface of the greenhouse. In a preferred embodiment, the upper shade is green, black or aluminum, so that it can stop 50% of solar radiation.

  Advantageously, there is provided a second network of cables 34 mounted integral with the upper ends of the main beams 9. The second cable network 34 extends substantially above the first network of cables.

  Mists 35 are mounted suspended on the second network of cables 34. These foggers 35 ensure the spraying of a refrigerant liquid so as to lower the ambient temperature of the greenhouse. These misters 35 also make it possible to regulate the moisture content in a homogeneous manner over the entire surface of the greenhouse. They also make it possible to spread preventive treatments in a homogeneous way throughout the greenhouse. According to the invention, these aerial irrigation means can be controlled by a central data processing unit located, for example, inside a technical room 24 adjacent to the greenhouse.

  FIG. 7 shows the implantation of the foggers 35 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

  A misting network is arranged in a regular geometry above the platform 31. The foggers 35a, 35b and 35c (or fogger heads) are staggered so as to optimize the diffusion coverage of the refrigerant liquid and the treatments preventive measures (eg fungicidal treatment).

  In this embodiment, the misting network comprises three rows of misters which extend substantially in the length of the carrier structure. The three rows of foggers are arranged parallel to each other, For the sake of clarity, will be called, throughout the rest of this document, proximal row the row of foggers adjacent to the technical room 24, distal row the row of foggers remote of the technical room 24, and central row the row of foggers placed in the middle of the proximal and di stale rows.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, in the proximal and distal rows, the misting heads are spaced two by two from the same regular interval, called the first gap, so that the mist heads 35c and 35d of the proximal row are mounted. vis-à-vis with the fogger heads 35b and 35e of the distal row. The proximal and distal rows each carry eleven mist heads.

  In contrast, the central row carries ten heads of fogger 35a, spaced two by two of the same regular interval, said second interval. The mist heads 35a of the central row are mounted offset from the mist heads of the two opposite rows.

  Note that the second interval is greater than the first interval.

  The misting network is fed in a balanced manner via a network of pipes, for example polyethylene, connected to a first irrigation control mechanism. The first irrigation control mechanism works in an automated way. To do this, this first mechanism comprises a first autonomous programmer, of conventional type in itself (that is to say available on the market), for controlling a first pump suitable for water irrigation and fungicidal treatments .

  Advantageously, the first pump may be of a type available on the market, for example of the type marketed under the reference RCM150P, whose characteristics (provided for illustrative purposes) are as follows: a power of 1.1kW; a flow rate of 40 l / min; a tank capacity of 2000 1 and a water consumption of 401 / min.

  It is also noted that drain points are disposed at each end of each row of misters. Drain points are used during the cleaning and / or maintenance phases of the supply pipe network. Indeed, the cleaning of the pipe network consists, for example, propelling with a high pressure of water in this pipe network on the one hand (so as to clean and / or disinfect the pipes) and to evacuate the pipe. propelled water and any residues by the drain points on the other hand.

  In this preferred embodiment, the emptying points, for example PVC pipes (for Poly Vinyl Chloride), are mounted substantially perpendicular to the platform 31.

  In an alternative embodiment, it is possible to envisage emptying points, mounted substantially inclined with respect to the platform 31.

  A second shade, said peripheral shade 36 is mounted in a belt on the outside of the carrier structure, so as to wrap the carrier structure to a height of 1.80m from the ground of the platform. In a preferred embodiment, the device shade is green, black or aluminum, so that it stops 50% of solar radiation.

  As already indicated, a peripheral cap 19 is formed by brackets whose one end is secured to the upper end of a main beam 9 and a second end is free.

  To obtain optimal acclimation, a third shade, called intermediate shade 37, is mounted integral on the peripheral cap, for example, using staples. The intermediate shade obscures the perimeter of the upper part of the platform, that is to say the area defined between the upper and the peripheral shading. In the illustrated embodiment (Figure 3), this area stretches to a height of about 1.20m. In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate shade is green, black or aluminum, so that it stops 50% of solar radiation.

  It is noted that the combination of upper, intermediate and intermediate shadows 33 and 36 forms a second barrier against the sun's rays, making it possible to reduce the sunshine rate by 50% inside the greenhouse.

  It is important to note that the peripheral cap 19 attenuates the sunlight by 50% on the one hand and produces a natural misting effect on the other hand. Indeed, the peripheral cap performs a function of breeze drops, consisting of popping drops of water during tropical rains. This natural misting from the outside of the greenhouse is accentuated during strong gusts of wind. Of course, this natural misting does not cause any damage inside the greenhouse, regardless of the strength of the wind.

  In order to protect the greenhouse against birds such as, for example, the red-tailed bulbous which are particularly pests of this type of culture in French Polynesia, it is planned to mount a bird-net 38 in a belt on the outside and on an upper part of the supporting structure. The anti-bird net 38 is of a type available on the market, for example, of the parallelepipedic mesh type, white nylon.

  In a preferred embodiment, the mesh density ratio between the anti-bird net 38 and the peripheral shade 36 is at least 100; for example, if the mesh of the anti-bird net is 100mm, then the mesh of the peripheral shade is at least lmm. It is noted that an anti-bird net with a mesh of about 100mm can stop birds ranging from the size of a parakeet to blackbird.

  According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the overall architecture of the greenhouse imposes an optimized interior volume to obtain a better air circulation and a better preservation of the freshness inside the greenhouse.

  The entire architecture of the greenhouse uses a mechanism of aeration and evacuation of hot air, to remove the effects of oven that are particularly harmful to the production of lianas and vanilla pods.

  The ventilation and evacuation mechanism of the hot air consists of the peripheral cap 19, the peripheral awning 36, the front, rear and side faces of the supporting structure, closed by the anti-bird net 38. The entire mechanism is based on the density or porosity ratio of the meshes between the peripheral shroud 36 and the anti-water net 38 and their architectural positioning.

  As already indicated, the peripheral shroud 36 has a mesh density at least a hundred times higher than that of the anti-bird net 38. Thus, when during the day warm air is stored inside the greenhouse, the hot air rises spontaneously and is evacuated mostly by a ventilation corridor located between the upper umbrella 33 and the dome 21, or falling vortex (or vortex), guided by the device 36 (Ascent phase of the hot air), an upper peripheral zone forming a transom 39 (exit phase outwards) and the peripheral cap 19 (phase of creation of vorticity). It is noted that the peripheral shade, of Apart from its height, which corresponds to the useful height of a cultivation unit and because of its mesh density, it keeps the freshness inside the greenhouse.

  It is also noted that when the internal temperature of the greenhouse is greater than or equal to a threshold limit, for example 35 C, the overhead irrigation means are activated until the internal temperature drops to a predetermined temperature, for example between 22 C and 35 C.

  According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the multilayer mineral platform 31 covers the entire inner surface of the greenhouse. The platform is made so that it is out of water with respect to the pickled ground 32. It is noted that the height of the platform 31, relative to the level of the pickled ground 32, is substantially equal to the height of peripheral anchor blocks 2.

  In general, the platform 31 according to the invention supports culture units so as to isolate them from contact with the earth, which is one of the main vectors of diseases.

  The composition of the platform 31 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to FIG.

  The platform 31 comprises a hard surface 311 (or hedgehog) based on pebbles and / or gravel (also called pebble bed in the following description) spread on the pickled floor 32.

  As will be seen later, the bed of pebbles 311 completely prevents grassing and removes any discomfort from a circulation of water during the rainy season, and this, contrary to the techniques of the prior art discussed above , without expensive drains (in terms of construction) and heavy maintenance (that is to say difficult to cure). In other words, the pebble bed 311 forms a drain on the entire surface of the greenhouse so as to evacuate any residual water. This bed of pebbles 311 therefore allows, during the rainy season that lasts at least three months (from December to February), to obtain a humidity rate in the neighborhood of 72% instead of the usual 85%, and this, in avoiding an accumulation of rainwater and allowing a diffusion of the heat induced by the daily sunshine.

  In the present embodiment, stones 40 to 60 mm in diameter are poured into a space defined by a peripheral wall 312, a running sole 313 and the pickled soil 32. The pebbles are stacked on top of one another and then packed to obtain a compact stratification with a height of about 35cm, allowing the user to circulate easily in the greenhouse at any time.

  The peripheral wall 312 is formed, for example, of connected blocks, mounted perpendicular to the pickled ground 32, so that the peripheral wall 312 separates the stone bed 311 and the top soil 314. The agglomerate of the peripheral wall 312 and the bed pebbles 311 avoids a proliferation of harmful weeds inside the greenhouse on the one hand and allows easier weeding on the other hand. In this preferred embodiment, each block has a thickness of about 10 cm.

  The running shoe 313 is mounted integral with the peripheral wall 312 so as to form a block having, in the lateral direction, a T-shaped vertical section whose base is defined by the running sole 313 and the trunk by the peripheral wall. 312.

  It is important to note that the irrigation pipes of the culture units (not shown) are buried under the platform 31 in order to prevent them from being exposed to shocks or to a rise in temperature.

  We now present, in connection with Figure 4, the architecture of a culture unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

  According to the invention, the controlled feed and irrigation architecture makes it possible to increase the production of lianas and vanilla pods per crop unit.

  The culture unit 41 comprises a concrete anchor 51 of predetermined geometrical shape making it possible to isolate the plant substrate from the platform 31 on the one hand and to stabilize the culture unit on the platform on the other hand . A standby iron device 43 is placed in the center of the anchor 42. As will be seen later, this standby iron device 43 stiffens a mast 44 in plasticized mesh.

  A shell 45, for example, made of plasticized mesh and of circular shape, rests on the concrete anchor 51 so that it defines a circle inscribed in the geometric shape of the anchor. The hull 45 is surrounded at its top by a protective sheath 46 to not hurt the vanilla lianas during their cultivation and during their growth and / or harvest. The shell 45 is filled with organic or inorganic substrate serving as a support for an irrigation system 47 fed by underground pipes on the one hand and the buried part of the liana (that is to say the base of the liana ) on the other hand. The shell 45 is dotted with ventilation holes to permanently ventilate the substrate and reduce the rate of decomposition of the substrate. The preservation of the freshness of the substrate promotes the emergence and proliferation of roots and rootlets.

  The underground irrigation system is controlled by a second irrigation control mechanism. The second irrigation control mechanism works in an automated way. To do this, this second mechanism comprises a second autonomous programmer, of conventional type in itself (that is to say available on the market), for controlling a second pump suitable for irrigating organic fertilizers, promoting the growth, flowering and maturation of vanilla pods.

  Advantageously, the second pump may be of a type available on the market, for example of the type marketed under the reference RCM75P, whose characteristics (provided for illustrative purposes) are as follows: a power of 1.1kW; a flow rate of 40 l / min; a tank capacity of 2000 1 and a water consumption of 401 / min.

  A mast 44, for example, made of plasticized mesh and of circular shape, is ligated to the standby iron device 43. Advantageously, the mast 44 is mounted on the standby iron device 43 before placing the substrate in the Hull 45. The mast 44 is surrounded at its top by a protective sheath 48. The mast 44 is filled with organic or inorganic substrate which serves as a nourishing supply to the roots of the vanilla liana. The mast 44 is dotted with ventilation holes to permanently ventilate the substrate and reduce the rate of decomposition of the substrate. According to a particular aspect of the invention, the mast 44 is irrigated at its top by a nozzle head pipe 49, controlled by the second irrigation control mechanism. This pipe 49 makes it possible to deliver water and nutrients by seeping into the substrate.

  To stiffen the culture unit, a system of stays 50 is provided to connect the upper ends of the mast 44 to the upper ends of the hull 45. The number of stay cables is limited by the volume occupied by a liana, and by the periphery of the hull. Advantageously, the stays are used for loopback operations. The stay cables 50 also make it possible to guide the vanilla lianas to facilitate maintenance, fertilization (or marriage) and the harvesting of vanilla beans. In a preferred embodiment, the stays allow a labeling of lianas for pod production forecasting.

  In the present embodiment, a volume of 0.277m3 of compost is required to fill the culture unit.

  It is noted that the hull and the mast are joined so as to increase seeding and cuttings. This also makes it possible to individualize a unit of culture in case of particular diseases or genetic or morphological characteristics.

  It is also true that the useful height of the culture unit is substantially equal to the height of the peripheral awning, ie 1.80m.

  A network of culture units is arranged in a regular geometry on the platform. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the culture units 41a, 41b and 41c are arranged in staggered rows. This checkerboard arrangement thus makes it possible to optimize the space between the cultivation units and the planting density inside the greenhouse.

  For the sake of clarity, throughout the remainder of this document, the culture group will be called three adjacent culture units 41a, 41b and 41c, that is equidistant from one another.

  More specifically and as illustrated in FIG. 5, for each culture group, the culture units 41a, 41b and 41c are placed at the three angles of an equilateral triangle defining substantially the footprint of the culture group.

  As will be seen below, the optimization of the equilateral triangle surface, called the wheelbase area S1, and the ground area S2 of a cultivation unit makes it possible to increase the yield of green vanilla pods at m2.

  In fact, according to the traditional method of disposal and seeding of crop units (that is to say the EPIC method) described above, four crop units are planted or built on a surface of 2 m2 (the culture units are spaced 1m apart and 2m apart). Each crop unit is seeded with two vines each giving two cuttings. If we consider the average values of production from the traditional culture namely a vanilla liana produces 200 to 500g of green vanilla; then each unit of culture according to the traditional method gives 4 lianas and produces 800g to 2kg of green vanilla, ie a yield of 1.6 to 4kg of green vanilla per m2 on the ground.

  In contrast, according to the invention a culture group comprises three culture units, each having a floor area S2 of 0.49 m2. Each unit of culture is seeded with twelve lianas each giving three minimum cuttings. In the same way, if we consider the average values of production resulting from the traditional culture, then each unit of culture according to the invention gives 36 lianas and produces from 7.2 to 18kg of green vanilla, a yield of 14.7 to 36.7kg of green vanilla to the m2 of culture unit.

  To express the production yield of a crop unit in a soil surface yield, one must take into account the layout of the crop units on the ground. As already indicated, the three culture units 41a, 41b and 41c are positioned at the top of an equilateral triangle of 1.75m side, thus defining a wheelbase S1 surface of 1.33 m2. Thus, according to an advantageous aspect of the invention, the optimization of the ratio between the wheelbase surface S1 and the ground surface S2 of a cultivation unit makes it possible to obtain a yield of 16.2 to 40 kg of green vanilla per m2 on the ground.

  It is also noted that this staggered arrangement leads to an individualization of the culture units, thus permitting effective isolation of the vines, in the event of particular diseases or genetic or morphological characteristics.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the technical room 24 is designed to store water pumps, settling and supply tanks. The technical room 24 is a cemented assembly and is mounted outside the greenhouse so as to be positioned near the center of one of the lateral faces of the support structure. Advantageously, the technical room 24 is juxtaposed to the supporting structure so as to reduce the length of the supply and watering pipes. The water used to feed the vanilla lianas is first stored in a settling tank to remove the chlorine, then it is transferred to a feed tank cooperating with one or more pumps. Of course, the number of pumps is adapted according to the surface of the greenhouse to irrigate.

  It is conceivable to develop in the technical room a central data processing unit (not shown) to remotely control (that is to say outside the greenhouse) the irrigation means relating to the atmosphere inside the greenhouse and the means of irrigation related to the nutrition of vanilla lianas.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment mentioned above.

  In particular, the skilled person may, depending on the desired greenhouse area and planting density, change the staggered arrangement of the culture units.

  Similarly, the overhead and underground irrigation means can be implemented in any other way, namely in particular with a common programmer.

  It is noted that the plant according to the invention can similarly be applied in the case of another vanilla species such as, for example, Vanilla fragrens or Vanilla pomponna. In general, the installation according to the invention can be applied to all species of orchids.

  According to another approach, the installation can be adapted to an indoor type of culture, where in addition to humidity and temperature, sunshine and ventilation would be controlled by automata.

  Although the invention has been described above in relation to a limited number of embodiments, the skilled person, upon reading the present description, will understand that other embodiments can be imagined without departing from the present invention. of the present invention.

Claims (16)

  1. Greenhouse intended in particular for the cultivation of tropical plants, characterized in that it comprises a covering superstructure (100) mounted on a platform (31) and defining a semi-finished permeable enclosure, said superstructure comprising the following elements: a dome ( 21) sealed concave lined with an upper (33) inner shade, forming roof of the greenhouse; a substantially vertical peripheral device (37) encircling the greenhouse on at least most of its periphery, surmounted by at least one peripheral zone, forming a transom (39), facilitating the air exchange between the interior and outside the greenhouse and closed with an anti-water net (38).   2. Greenhouse according to claim 1, characterized in that said dome is extended by a cap of peripheral shade (19), said cap extending to filter the sun's rays in the initial and final periods of its daytime running. and / or to break the drops of rain during the tropical rains, so that in the presence of wind the broken drops are blown towards the interior of the greenhouse via said transom.   3. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said peripheral shroud (19) is constituted by a mesh net whose mesh density is at least a hundred times higher than that of said anti-bird net ( 38), so that during the day the warm air generated inside the greenhouse climbs spontaneously to the roof of the greenhouse and is evacuated to the outside of the greenhouse by a ventilation corridor defined by the space formed between said upper awning and said dome and / or said transom so as to fall vortex.   4. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of said shades (33, 37) is constituted by a mesh net structure having a monochrome and semireflective pigmentation, stopping at least 50% of the solar radiation.   5. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said platform (31) is carried out on a pickled floor, and comprises: a hard surface (311) based on pebbles and / or gravel spread over said pickled soil, forming the center of said platform, on which is disposed in a regular geometry a network of culture units (41); a peripheral wall (312) vertical cinderblock base mounted mounted on a horizontal footing (313) forming a wall of said platform, stably supporting said hard surface.   6. greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises culture units (41) arranged staggered on said platform in a geometry such that three adjacent culture units define the ground an equilateral triangle from 1 to 2.5 meters apart.   7. Greenhouse according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said culture units comprises a shell (45) surmounted by a mast (44), said shell and said mast extending vertically substantially coaxially, said mast having a lower horizontal section than that of said shell.   8. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said mast (44) and said shell (45) are plasticized mesh.   9. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said shell (45) and said mast (44) are filled with a first support substrate portion of the lower part of the tropical plants, and a second portion of feeder substrate to the upper roots of tropical plants respectively.   10. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that each of said culture units (41) comprises a concrete anchor (51) of predetermined geometric shape and a standby iron device (43) mounted at center of the anchor, said shell (45) and said mast (44) being slidably mounted relative to the standby iron device.   11. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that each of said culture units comprises stiffening means (50) connecting the upper ends of said mast to the upper ends of said shell.   12. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that each of said culture units (41) is fed by controllable irrigation means, equipped with a nozzle head (49) positioned at the top of said mast (44) and delivering a controllable mixture of water and nutrients by seepage into said first and second substrate portions, the operation of said irrigation means being controlled by an irrigation control and feed control system.   13. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said superstructure comprises means for evacuation and delivery of rainwater (20) to tanks supplying said irrigation means.   14. Greenhouse according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a control system of the indoor atmosphere of the greenhouse comprising: misting means (35) controllable, adapted to ensure spraying d a refrigeration liquid of the atmosphere disposed substantially above said platform; means for controlling the operation of said misting means as a function of information contained in a memory controlled by a central data processing unit, said memory containing predetermined hygrometry and ambient temperature data relating to the cultivation of plants tropical.   15. Greenhouse according to claim 14, characterized in that said misting means (35) are adapted to broadcast preventive treatments in the greenhouse.   16. Culture unit (41) of the type according to any one of claims 6 to 12.