Articles
EFFECT OF GREENHOUSE TYPE AND RESTRICTED VENTILATION ON CLIMATE, TOMATO YIELD AND BOTRYTIS CINEREA CONTROL
The position of the openings may play a major role.
An experiment was carried out to test the effect of greenhouse type and some ventilation restrictions, on crop response of two tomato cultivars and on the control of fungal diseases, namely Botrytis cinerea. A single tunnel and a double-span, round arched plastic greenhouse were used, covered with thermal PE film.
Climatic variables such as air temperature and air relative humidity were measured inside both greenhouses and also outside.
Growing techniques, the ratio of ventilation area to greenhouse area, and opening and closing time of the windows, were the same for both greenhouses.
There were no differences between the greenhouses for the number of leaves, number of flowers, tomato yield, and average plant length.
Significant differences were found but only between cultivars.
Two chemical sprayings were done for Botrytis cinerea as a preventive measure and no diseased organs were observed.
Results showed that the tunnel’s superior ventilation, in spite of its lower volume, led to similar air temperature and relative humidity in both greenhouses.