Articles
HIGH TUNNEL COVERING MATERIALS FOR NORTHERN FIELD PRODUCTION
Article number
893_157
Pages
1333 – 1339
Language
English
Abstract
High tunnels offer opportunities to increase yield, improve quality and extend the field season for specialty crops.
Under northern conditions with naturally extreme day lengths and short seasons, high tunnels covered with non-traditional plastic materials may more effectively support crop productivity.
Four commercially available greenhouse films were tested using 7.3 m (length) by 3.7 m (width) high tunnel structures.
The evaluated materials were K50 Clear, K50 IR/AC, KoolLite380© (Klerks Plastic Product Manufacturing, Inc., Richburg, South Carolina) and Solatrol (Visqueen GCF 925C9, British Polythene Industries PLC, Greenock, UK). The temperature and light profiles were recorded for the plastics and compared to adjacent field conditions.
K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC blocked radiation below 360 nm, Solatrol below 390 nm and KoolLite380© as expected, below 380 nm.
In addition, KoolLite380© modified the spectrum with reduced radiation from 400 to 600 nm compared to other plastics.
The temperature pattern in the K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC covered tunnels were similar although slightly higher during cold nights for the K50 IR/AC. During warm days, the KoolLite380© material maintained a cooler environment compared to K50 Clear.
Raspberries and strawberries were grown to assess crop response.
Container grown long cane Tulameen produced more than 100 high quality marketable raspberries from each single cane plant.
The highest yield was recorded under K50 IR/AC and the least number of raspberries were harvested on plants in the open field.
A protected environment also resulted in higher strawberry yield.
During three weeks prior to the end of season frost, the day neutral Tristar produced significantly more under K50 IR/AC and K50 Clear at 125 g of berries/plant.
The harvest was reduced to 80 g under Solatrol and KoolLite380© while the yield in the field averaged 50 g.
The response was similar for the ever-bearing Fern with the highest yields in the K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC environments and least in the field at 75 g.
Under northern conditions with naturally extreme day lengths and short seasons, high tunnels covered with non-traditional plastic materials may more effectively support crop productivity.
Four commercially available greenhouse films were tested using 7.3 m (length) by 3.7 m (width) high tunnel structures.
The evaluated materials were K50 Clear, K50 IR/AC, KoolLite380© (Klerks Plastic Product Manufacturing, Inc., Richburg, South Carolina) and Solatrol (Visqueen GCF 925C9, British Polythene Industries PLC, Greenock, UK). The temperature and light profiles were recorded for the plastics and compared to adjacent field conditions.
K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC blocked radiation below 360 nm, Solatrol below 390 nm and KoolLite380© as expected, below 380 nm.
In addition, KoolLite380© modified the spectrum with reduced radiation from 400 to 600 nm compared to other plastics.
The temperature pattern in the K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC covered tunnels were similar although slightly higher during cold nights for the K50 IR/AC. During warm days, the KoolLite380© material maintained a cooler environment compared to K50 Clear.
Raspberries and strawberries were grown to assess crop response.
Container grown long cane Tulameen produced more than 100 high quality marketable raspberries from each single cane plant.
The highest yield was recorded under K50 IR/AC and the least number of raspberries were harvested on plants in the open field.
A protected environment also resulted in higher strawberry yield.
During three weeks prior to the end of season frost, the day neutral Tristar produced significantly more under K50 IR/AC and K50 Clear at 125 g of berries/plant.
The harvest was reduced to 80 g under Solatrol and KoolLite380© while the yield in the field averaged 50 g.
The response was similar for the ever-bearing Fern with the highest yields in the K50 Clear and K50 IR/AC environments and least in the field at 75 g.
Authors
M.G. Karlsson, J.W. Werner
Keywords
high latitude, raspberry, season extension, specialty plastics, strawberry
Online Articles (157)