EFFECT OF SHADE ON QUALITY OF GREENHOUSE PEPPERS

High solar radiation during summer results in excessive light and heat load on leaves and fruit.
Although the relative contribution of heat and light stresses to sunburn is not yet clearly established, sunburn is caused by the interaction of high temperature and light.
Sunburn is a physiological disorder of frequent occurrence in many kinds of fruit, flowers and vegetables grown in warm or semi-arid climates.
Some amount of shade may be optimal to produce high quality peppers in a greenhouse during summer months in Southern Spain.
Sunburn occurs on pepper fruit that is exposed directly to intense sunlight.
The effect of temperature and high solar radiation in the greenhouse can be decreased by shade screen and whitening.
To determine the effects of shade, simultaneous comparisons were made among greenhouses that were either not shaded, covered with reflective aluminized shade cloth and covered with the application of calcium carbonate (whitening). To better understand sunburn of pepper, we examined the effects of sunlight and fruit surface temperature (FST) on incidence of sunburn damage.
The shade was applied at the start of warm weather in early May.
The greenhouses were shaded for the rest of the summer, and fruit was picked until 18 August.
To better understand sunburn of pepper, we examined the effects of sunlight and fruit surface temperature (FST) on incidence of sunburn.
The fraction of sunburnt fruit was greatest for plants grown under control.

International Symposium on High Technology for Greenhouse Systems: GreenSys2009

J. López-Marín, A. González, A. Gálvez

light, screen, sunburn, temperature, vegetables

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.893.99