Current situation of foreign organic greenhouse horticulture and its inspiration for sustainable development of Chinese protected agriculture

Abstract: Protected agriculture was one of the highest forms of modern agriculture, which had been the focus of world agricultural development in each country. The demand for organic fruit and vegetables accounted for around 30%-40% of the global demand, but the total area for organic vegetable production was only 0.5% of the total area of vegetables grown in the world. Although it was generally considered that the output of organic agriculture was 10%-20% lower than that of conventional agriculture, it exceeded conventional agriculture in terms of economic benefits, environmental impact, and social benefits. It also had a positive performance in providing nutrition, adapting to climate change, promoting soil health, protecting biodiversity, increasing employment and creating new economic model. In the face of rapid population growth, climate change and environmental degradation in the 21st century, new organic greenhouse horticulture was the major force for sustainable agricultural development. The total area for organic greenhouse horticulture was estimated to be over 8302 hm2 (1.8% of total vegetable greenhouse area). There were 5236 hm2 in European Union and 3066 hm2 in Non-European Union. With the rapid development of agriculture in the world, the organic greenhouse horticulture had been shown to be sustainable, productive and profitable in foreign countries, but the standards of organic greenhouse horticulture were still a blank in China. This paper introduced the background, definition, origin, objectives, area of organic certification, yield and profitability, the basic forms of organic greenhouse horticulture and the rules of certification, and analyzed the feasibility and problems on the organic greenhouse horticulture in China: 1) Certification standards of organic greenhouse horticulture were lacked. 2) Greenhouse ecological environment had been deteriorated. 3) Plant varieties for greenhouse were scarce. 4) There were only a few studies on organic greenhouse horticulture. The feasibility of the development of organic greenhouse horticulture in China was further analyzed. It was suggested that organic greenhouse horticulture should be actively developed in China, but organic greenhouse horticulture cannot be simply equivalent to "greenhouse + organic planting". It should be an integration with sustainable development, which consisted of greenhouse climate control, planting material, soil fertility, water management, disease and pest management, energy conservation and sustainability. However, to promote the development of organic greenhouse horticulture in China, we need to implement it based on national conditions and learn the rules of the foreign organic greenhouse horticulture. Moreover, the basic research of the biological agriculture in our country should be strengthened: 1) Strengthen the formulation of organic farming laws and industry standards in China, and point out the development goals and technical requirements of organic greenhouse horticulture. 2) Strengthen basic research in bio-agriculture to propose novel theories, technologies and equipment for protected agriculture. 3) Strengthen the development of agricultural machinery for organic greenhouse horticulture. The aim was to compensate for the lack of manpower, increase production efficiency and transform people's bias that organic agriculture has low yield and inefficiency. 4) Strengthen the demonstration and promotion of organic facilities horticultural technology integration. We need to construct a diversified organic facility horticultural extension service system with national public welfare promotion institutions as the main body, scientific research units, colleges and universities, agriculture-related enterprises, professional cooperative organizations and consumers participating in it. The system can provide information and technical services for farmers and consumers, which can ensure the sustainable development of the protected agriculture industry in China.