PERFORMANCE OF TOMATO UNDER MICROCLIMATIC ALTERATIONS THROUGH MULCHING IN OPEN AND POLY GREEN HOUSE CONDITION
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Date
2013
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Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi, Jharkhand
Abstract
The success or failure in sustainability of crop production depends on
local weather and climatic conditions and year-to-year variations within a
region. One means of alleviating climatically induced stress is through
modifications of microclimate which include any artificially introduced changes
in the composition, behavior or dynamics of the atmosphere near the ground so
as to improve the environment in which crops grow. In other words,
microclimate modification is an intended change in the soil-plant- atmosphere
system, which alleviates stress or prevents damage with the aim of attaining
improved yields. Modifications of microclimate are intended to bring about
changes in one or more of the meteorological parameters.
Partial control of the microclimatic conditions, which have a major influence on
plant growth characteristics, can be achieved in glasshouses or polygreenhouses.
Greenhouses are the framed or inflated structures covered with
transparent or translucent and shade net materials large enough to grow crops
under partial or fully controlled environmental conditions to get optimum
growth and productivity. These poly-greenhouse structures have provided a
new scope for commercial application of high value crops.
The present investigation was carried out to study the performance of
Tomato (cv:Allrounder) under both polyhouse and open condition with different
plastic mulches. This experiment was conducted at field of the department of
agricultural engineering, Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi during
the period from December 2012 to May 2013.
Daily relative humidity, temperature and solar radiation were recorded
inside the polyhouse and in an open field at 7am and 2pm. Maximum and
minimum thermometers recorded the measurement of air temperature and dry
and wet bulb thermometers recorded the measurement of relative humidity.
Lux meter recorded light intensity. Daily soil temperature was also recorded
inside the polyhouse and in an open environment at 7am and 2pm at 5cm
depth by soil thermometer. Leaf temperature was recorded inside the
polyhouse and outside polyhouse at 15days interval by using the Infra red
thermometer. Vegetative growth parameters like plant height, no of branches,
internodes and leaf area index of the three randomly selected tagged plants
were measured at 15 days interval.
Air temperature inside the polyhouse was distinctly higher than the
open field condition from December to March and after March air temperature
at outside was found higher. Relative humidity showed a reverse trend with
respect to temperature under both environmental conditions. The light
intensity inside the greenhouse was always lower (30 – 50%) than the open
field. Like air temperature, soil temperature also maintained a distinct diurnal
course. Soil under polyhouse always maintained 2- 5oC lower temperature as
compared to the open field irrespective of the growing periods of the crop.
Among the mulches, soil temperature was recorded higher under transparent
mulch followed by silver black mulch under both conditions.
It was found that height of the plants, number of nodes, internodal
length, average fruit weight, yield per plant and total production were higher
inside the greenhouse than in the open field. Open field crop was earlier in first
flowering, (29 days), compared to polyhouse (31 days). Poly house and open
field crops recorded total number of 7 and 6 harvests respectively. Highest yield
of 22.2 kg/plot and 376 fruits/ plot were obtained inside the polyhouse under
black mulch. Large fruit size inside the greenhouse was responsible for higher
yield. The fruit yield inside the greenhouse was nearly two times more than in
the open field condition.
Polyhouse has been found to be a good alternative to have minor
alterations under microclimatic conditions for achieving almost double yield of
tomato compared to open field. Among the mulches, black and silver black
mulches, have been found to bring about the desired conditions both within
the polyhouse as well as open conditions. When farmers are not able to grow
tomato under polyhouse conditions application of these two mulches would be
advantageous even under open conditions.
Description
PERFORMANCE OF TOMATO UNDER MICROCLIMATIC ALTERATIONS THROUGH MULCHING IN OPEN AND POLY GREEN HOUSE CONDITION
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