EFFECTS OF ENERGY SAVING MEASURES ON KEEPING QUALITY OF TOMATO AND CUCUMBER FRUITS

At several Experimental Horticulture Stations, local nurseries and at the Glasshouse Crops Research and Experiment Station at Naaldwijk, in 1981–83 comparisons were conducted of the effects of single and double glass greenhouses as well as screened single glass greenhouses on keeping quality of tomato and cucumber fruits.

With tomato as well as with cucumber fruits keeping quality in most cases was influenced negatively when energy saving measures were maintained permanently.
Only in autumn, tomato fruits grown under double glass did not show a decrease in shelf life compared to the situation when grown under single glass.
Use of a mobile thermal screen also did not have a distinct effect on keeping quality of fruits of both crops, while continued use of static screens seemed to have a negative effect on keeping quality of cucumbers.

CO₂ concentration did not seem to play an important role in explaining the negative results of both crops.
With tomato no clear effect of light intensity on keeping quality occurred.

The storage data obtained in the experiments are discussed.

Symposium on Quality of Vegetables

J. Janse, G.W.H. Welles

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1984.163.29