USE OF COOL PLASTIC FILMS FOR GREENHOUSE COVERING IN SOUTHERN SPAIN

The farmers that grow peppers in Murcia, Southern Spain, have serious problems during the summer due to high temperatures reached inside the greenhouse. In modern multitunnel greenhouses, shadowing screens, wet airflows, roof ventilation and whitening can be used, although they are not enough to solve the problems. In traditional "parral" greenhouses, only whitening and lateral ventilation can be used. An alternative system to lower temperatures is the use of near infrared (NIR)-blocking covers. In this work, an experimental plastic film with NIR-reflecting pigments has been evaluated. Under the experimental material and the White Wash, the lower is temperature the greater yield and better fruit quality is obtained.