INFLUENCE OF THE MICROCLIMATE AND YIELD OF DIFFERENT VEGETABLE CROPS GROWN UNDER SMALL PLASTIC TUNNELS COVERED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLASTICS

In order to ameliorate the precocity of different vegetable crops (tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, melons) grown under small tunnels, we tried out different plastic covers : 2 infrared types, 1 normal polyethylene.

In order to favour better aeration under the plastic tunnels, we tried also perforated plastics.

Microclimatic and agronomical parameters were investigated.

The results on precocity and yield depend upon climatic conditions.
During a soft winter (1981–1982) peppers and tomatoes showed ameliorated precocity when grown under infrared plastic cover of 220 microns while not any amelioration was observed under thermal polyethylene of 100 microns.
Crops grown under infrared perforated plastic (500 holes/ m²) decrease in precocity and yield except melon crop.

During a strong winter (1982–1983) precocity was ameliorated for melons grown under thermal polyethylene of 220 and 100 microns thickness.
Crops grown under perforated plastic gave not so good results as those grown under normal polyethylene tunnels, except for melons.

II International Symposium on Plastics in Mediterranean Countries

B. De Muynck, R. Vandevelde, B. Hassine

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1984.154.18