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GREEN HOUSES

GREENHOUSE GROWING - HIGH REWARDS

FROM HIGH-CLASS CROP NUTRITION

Omex Agrifluids specialises in the
manufacture and marketing of high qual-
ity plant nutrients formulated in high-end
delivery systems, both soluble liquids
and soluble powders, for application
DR. TERRY MABBETT by foliar spraying (foliar feeding). Peter
Prentis’ remit and responsibility covers
Rewards from greenhouse crops are research, development and marketing of
potentially high but are only realised the full range of Omex soluble nutrient
if nutrient inputs match the needs of products across Europe, the Middle East
crops grown in controlled environments. and Asia.
Closed conditions and ‘closeted crops’
inside greenhouses are completely in- Newly-germinated cucumber plants
dependent of what goes on outside, with seed coats still attached to the
whether low light and temperature in cotyledon leaves (Picture Dr Terry
cool temperate Europe or hot and dry Mabbett)
arid and semi-arid conditions experi-
enced throughout much of the Middle Foliar feeding allows growers to ‘pick
East. and choose’ which nutrients are applied,
the concentrations and quantities used,
and the exact timing in relation to spe-
cific stages in the crop cycle. Essentially
it will not matter what’s happening at soil
level, because foliar feeding secures Tomato seedlings having just pushed
rapid and unimpeded entry of nutrients through the soil, prone to damping
in a completely water-soluble form via
the leaves and into the plant for cellular off and therefore benefitting from
utilisation. applications Omex Nami (Bio 20) to
Secret of success for green- boost growth and resilience
house-grown salad crops is identifying (Picture Dr Terry Mabbett)
nutrient needs in relation to particular
stages of crop development such as flow-
Newly-germinated cucumber seedlings, ering and fruit formation and predicting Omex spans the Middle East
still at the cotyledon-leaf stage, prone potential nutrient ‘bottlenecks’ which
to damping off and therefore benefitting may individually impact on the entire Omex Agrifluids has a long-estab-
from applications of Omex Nami (Bio crop cycle. lished business record in Saudi Arabia
supplying greenhouse growers with
20) to boost growth and resilience So exactly what are the typical plant their crop nutrition needs. “We have
(Picture Dr Terry Mabbett) nutrition requirements for rapid unim- been working in Saudi Arabia for many
peded production of high quality salad years through our distributor Al-Yaseen
Controlled environments make multi- crops under controlled greenhouse Agricultural Company. More recently
ple cropping a reality allowing growers conditions? To find out more I spoke Omex has expanded its interests into
to capitalise and ‘cash in’ on overseas with Peter Prentis Managing Director the wider Middle Eastern, North African
markets when fresh food prices are high. of Omex Agrifluids, a globally-active and Mediterranean arena. We now sup-
ply top-quality, liquid formulations of
Middle Eastern growers concentrate on research and development based com- high-purity, water-soluble nutrients for
salad crops such as tomato, cucumber, pany with corporate headquarters, re- application by foliar spraying to farm-
pepper, aubergine and lettuce, relatively search facilities and manufacturing ca- ers and growers throughout this entire
short-cycle crops ideal for continuous pacity at Kings Lynn, eastern England in region, and now a world hub for the pro-
cropping and for which there is always the United Kingdom. duction of fruit and vegetables, outdoors
a market. and indoors under various levels of pro-
Rapid growth and early maturation to tection,” says Peter.
achieve the maximum number of crops
and year-round availability of produce
requires finely-tuned crop nutrition. The
high quality of nutrients is clearly im-
portant but the facility to use completely
water-soluble formulations (delivery
systems) by foliar feeding is an equally
overriding requirement.
Foliar feeding is a key component of
greenhouse growing in the Middle East.
High-sand soils in Saudi Arabia and Cucumber seedlings now established
elsewhere frequently fail to maintain a with two true leaves (Picture Dr Terry
sufficient supply of essential plant nutri- Mabbett) A well-established tomato seedling
ents in a plant available form given the with three true leaves (Picture Dr Terry
inherently low organic matter contents of Mabbett)
many ‘native’ soils.

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