POTENTIAL STUDY OF SMALL PLANT FACTORY FOR IN-FLASK ORCHIDS CULTIVATION OF PONG KRAI VILLAGE, MAE RIM DISTRICT, CHAING MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to examine the potential of usage, and to perform an economic analysis of a small plant factory for in-flask orchid cultivation of Pong Krai Village, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province. The research methods included improvement of an old cultivation building of 6-meter width, 6-meter length, and 3-meter height. Inside of the building was equipped with  18,000 Btu/hr of air conditioning system, 12 bulbs of 18 W white LED light installed to the  bottle rack for plant photosynthesis, together with a 3.15 kW_p of solar power generation system on the rooftop. The test results revealed that the plant factory could maintain air conditioning system at the desired level of air temperature for in-flask orchids at 25-27^oC. and had the quality of light, Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD), in the range of 10-49 mol/m²s, which was enough for growing Anoectochilus Burmannicus orchid in flask. The results of a four-month study of culturing in-flask orchids since February 25, 2021 to June 25, 2021 showed that an average electricity was consumed 3-12 kWh/day which was accounted for from solar energy of 6-7 kWh/day or equivalent of 65-70 %. The in-flask orchids had an average survival rate of 71.32 %, which was better than the conventional culture for 50%, according to community data, and a monthly rate of height increase was in the range of 1.56-72.77 %. As for economic assessment, it was found that if the plant factory was used throughout the year, the net profit should increase by 47,550 baht with the simple payback period of 3.15 years. The present net value was 369,848.49 baht. The internal rate of return (IRR) was 30.56 %, higher than the MRR 5.995% or loan interest rate, meaning it should be a project giving a good return. The outcome should profit a community with more than 40,000 baht per year from ecotourism activities. In addition, if there should be increasing number of in-flask orchid growing, it will result in faster return.