Articles
Ventilation surface area: key to modify morphology, quality and photosynthetic activity of tomato crops in Mediterranean greenhouses
Article number
1296_24
Pages
185 – 192
Language
English
Abstract
Natural ventilation is one of the most effective tools for climate control inside greenhouses, as it affects CO2 flow, as well as decreasing temperature and humidity.
Nowadays in the Mediterranean area, most of the commercial greenhouses have a ventilation surface area below 15%. The objective of this research work is to compare four greenhouses, transversally divided in two similar halves by a polyethylene sheet, with different ventilation surface (Sv/Sc, ventilation surface/greenhouse area). Three greenhouses were multispan (Sv/Sc equal to: greenhouse 1: 11.3 vs. 10.9%, 2: 32 vs. 17%, 3: 19.0 vs. 18.5%) and one Almería type with a structure in raspa y amagado (Sv/Sc, 15.0 vs. 9.8%). During the development of the research, the morphological parameters of the plants, fruit quality and photosynthetic activity of a tomato crop developed in two consecutive cycles were monitored.
Because an increase in the ventilation surface area in both cycles, yield was greater in both greenhouse structures studied, either due to the increase in weight (from 94.7 to 103.2 g) and diameter (from 62.9 to 69.1 mm) of the fruits or because of the increase in the number of fruits.
Although statistically there are no significant differences, the average photosynthetic activity (ranging from 10.6 to 13.5 μmol CO2 m‑2 s‑1) was higher in the better-ventilated sectors.
In the morphology of the plants in the first period, there were significant differences in stem diameter (from 11.90 to 12.70 mm) between the plants of the different sector of greenhouse 2, being higher in the sector with more ventilation.
In general, it has been observed that enlarging the ventilation surface area (a low cost measure) produce morphological improvements, increases of photosynthetic activity and fruit quality that are closely related to the augmentation of yield of crops.
Nowadays in the Mediterranean area, most of the commercial greenhouses have a ventilation surface area below 15%. The objective of this research work is to compare four greenhouses, transversally divided in two similar halves by a polyethylene sheet, with different ventilation surface (Sv/Sc, ventilation surface/greenhouse area). Three greenhouses were multispan (Sv/Sc equal to: greenhouse 1: 11.3 vs. 10.9%, 2: 32 vs. 17%, 3: 19.0 vs. 18.5%) and one Almería type with a structure in raspa y amagado (Sv/Sc, 15.0 vs. 9.8%). During the development of the research, the morphological parameters of the plants, fruit quality and photosynthetic activity of a tomato crop developed in two consecutive cycles were monitored.
Because an increase in the ventilation surface area in both cycles, yield was greater in both greenhouse structures studied, either due to the increase in weight (from 94.7 to 103.2 g) and diameter (from 62.9 to 69.1 mm) of the fruits or because of the increase in the number of fruits.
Although statistically there are no significant differences, the average photosynthetic activity (ranging from 10.6 to 13.5 μmol CO2 m‑2 s‑1) was higher in the better-ventilated sectors.
In the morphology of the plants in the first period, there were significant differences in stem diameter (from 11.90 to 12.70 mm) between the plants of the different sector of greenhouse 2, being higher in the sector with more ventilation.
In general, it has been observed that enlarging the ventilation surface area (a low cost measure) produce morphological improvements, increases of photosynthetic activity and fruit quality that are closely related to the augmentation of yield of crops.
Publication
Authors
D.L. Valera, F.D. Molina-Aiz, M.A. Moreno, A. López, P. Marín
Keywords
greenhouse, ventilation, photosynthesis, tomato, yield
Groups involved
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Working Group Organic Greenhouse Horticulture
- Working Group Protected Cultivation, Nettings and Screens for Mild Climates
- Working Group Light in Horticulture
- Working Group Vegetable Grafting
- Working Group Computational Fluid Dynamics in Agriculture
- Working Group Mechanization, Digitization, Sensing and Robotics
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Working Group Greenhouse Environment and Climate Control
- Working Group Design and Automation in Integrated Indoor Production Systems
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
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