Comparing the Procedures and Techniques of Growing a Tomato Plant in the Laboratory and Industry

Comparing the Procedures and Techniques of Growing a Tomato Plant in the Laboratory and Industry

This essay will evaluate, compare and contrast the similarities and

differences of the procedures and techniques of growing a tomato plant

in the laboratory and industry.

The tomato plants are grown in different ways in the laboratory to the

industry. In the laboratory they are mainly grown in grow bags which

contain peat which is acidic and deficient in nutrients which is a

very big disadvantage because it causes poorer growing conditions for

tomatoes. The other disadvantage of peat is that it cannot be replaced

after it is dug out of a bog which is environmental damage. They also

have to manually add water and fertilizers which can take time but an

advantage is that you can treat each plant individually to stop

infection and diseases spreading. This way of growing is also very

cheap and available it is generally satisfactory for most plants which

is a positive.

Where as in the industry they use rock wool or sterile sand in which

oxygen and nutrients are bubbled through to allow the roots to expire

and to help the plants grow healthier as well as the water needed to

grow on an automatic drip. This can also be controlled so they can

change the amount added for latter stages of growth i.e. phosphorus

early for root growth, magnesium later for chlorophyll and leaves this

is a very good and suitable condition to grow the plants so it is an

advantage. There are also a few disadvantages as this form of grow the

plants is very expensive as well as hard to get your hands on it also

leaves the plants open to affection spreading between them causing a

number of them to die as you can not treat plant individually because

it would take to long and cost too much money this is a difference to

the laboratory.

The tomato plants in laboratories are sometimes kept in clear plastic

bags to try to help them germinate faster a similar thing is done in