RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIF'S INSIDE AND OUTSIDE PLASTICHOUSE

Hourly air temperature were recorded inside and outside a plastichouse for three successive seasons (1991 to 1993). The house was cultivated with the sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), cv "Golden F1". Analysis of the recorded data (n=340) indicated that the relationship between DIF's inside and outside plastichouse is given by the following equation (R=0.9289):

TDIF= 1.5072*DIF - 4.5275*(Tx/Tm) + 23.7374*(TTx/Tx) - 19.7056 where,

TDIF and DIF = the difference between mean day time and mean night temperatures inside and outside plastichouse respectively;

TTx and Tx = Maximum temperatures inside and outside plastichouse respectively, and

Tm = minimum temperature outside the plastichouse.