WATER AND NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY OF A TOMATO CROP AS AFFECTED BY TWO REFRIGERATION METHODS: EXTERNAL MOBILE SHADING AND FOG SYSTEM

E. Medrano, P. Lorenzo, M.C. Sánchez-Guerrero, M.L. García, I. Caparrós, G. Coelho, M. Giménez
High incident radiation levels during the spring-summer cropping cycles in Mediterranean greenhouses generate microclimates of high temperature and evaporative demand. The aim of this work is to study the effect of two refrigeration methods on the water and nutrient uptake of a tomato crop in multispan greenhouse during the spring cropping season. Measurements were taken during crop ontogeny in two greenhouses equipped with (i) an external mobile shading and (ii) a fog system. Water and nutrient uptake were measured weekly by calculating the daily balance between supplied and leached nutrient solution. The adopted strategy to manage the mobile screen caused a 20% reduction of the canopy incident radiation. Water uptake was 209 and 184 L plant-1 in the greenhouses with fog system and shade, respectively. Total nutrient uptake (N, K, Ca, Mg and P) and ion absorption rates (mmol L-1) were higher in the greenhouse with fog system than in the greenhouse with mobile screen. Total yield was higher in the greenhouse with fog system but no significant differences were found in marketable yield due to a higher incidence of Blossom End Rot (BER) in the greenhouse with fog system. The mobile screen increased water and nutrient use efficiency in terms of fruit yield as compared with the fog system.
Medrano, E., Lorenzo, P., Sánchez-Guerrero, M.C., García, M.L., Caparrós, I., Coelho, G. and Giménez, M. (2005). WATER AND NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY OF A TOMATO CROP AS AFFECTED BY TWO REFRIGERATION METHODS: EXTERNAL MOBILE SHADING AND FOG SYSTEM . Acta Hortic. 697, 463-467
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.697.58
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2005.697.58
greenhouse, climate condition, soilless culture, nutrient uptake, water uptake
English

Acta Horticulturae