Computer fluid dynamics prediction of climate and fungal spore transfer in a rose greenhouse

▶ This is a novel CFD model of both microclimate and spores transfer and deposition in a cropped greenhouse. ▶ Both modelling and experimental approach are described, and their results confronted, highlighting a fair prediction of the heat and biotic and abiotic mass transfers. However, prediction o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Computers and electronics in agriculture 2010-11, Vol.74 (2), p.280-292
Main Authors: Boulard, T., Roy, J.C., Fatnassi, H., Kichah, A., Lee, I-B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
accuracy
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
Botrytis cinerea
CFD
climate models
climatic zones
Computer Science
disease control
fluid mechanics
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
fungal spores
General agronomy. Plant production
Greenhouse
greenhouse production
Micro climate
microclimate
plant pathogenic fungi
prediction
Protected cultivation
Rosa
Soilless cultures. Protected cultivation
Spore deposition
Spore transfer
sporulation
Ubiquitous Computing
Ventilation
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Summary:▶ This is a novel CFD model of both microclimate and spores transfer and deposition in a cropped greenhouse. ▶ Both modelling and experimental approach are described, and their results confronted, highlighting a fair prediction of the heat and biotic and abiotic mass transfers. However, prediction of air humidity is slightly less accurate than for the other predicted state variables. ▶ It is emphasized that the air exchange mechanisms between the inside and outside of the greenhouse are crucial for determining the inside transport and distribution of the Botrytis inoculum and the distribution of the inside climate. ▶ In particular, it is shown that the ventilation flow due to the arrangement of the vent openings and crop stands govern both the spore deposition pattern and the climate parameters that will determine spore development. Fungal pathogens and especially grey mould are among the most virulent bio-aggressors of protected crops. A warm, moist greenhouse climate encourages the outbreak of explosive epidemics, of Botrytis cinerea in particular . The aim of this study was to simulate Botrytis spore concentration and deposition patterns in a greenhouse and model the inside climate conditions. The general flow equations were solved using the Fluent® CFD code with a simulation of the coupling between aerial transport and crop activity based on earlier research. A specific Eulerian particle transfer module was added to account for spore transfer with a new species: the Botrytis spore concentration. To describe the spore transport equation, the governing equations were modified, adding a vertical terminal velocity term accounting for the effect of gravity on the spores and sink terms accounting for spore interception by impaction or deposition. The necessary parameters for the model, together with spore concentration and climate boundary conditions, were determined in an experimental study of a rose greenhouse with roof and lateral vents equipped with insect-proof nets. These experimental devices have already been exploited for validating a ventilation model and a Botrytis spore balance. In addition to these previous studies, the present paper was essentially designed to determine greenhouse climate and spore concentration and deposition patterns. The accuracy of the inside–outside air temperature difference simulation is good but deteriorates for inside–outside air humidity. Spore transfer is also accurately simulated, with a mean error of only 0.2 sp m −
ISSN:0168-1699
1872-7107
DOI:10.1016/j.compag.2010.09.003