Impact of Greenhouse Size on the Growth and Yield of Warm Season Vegetables During the Summer Ladakh, India

Abstract

No guidelines exist on the size of naturally ventilated passive solar greenhouses in mountain regions, especially above 10,000 feet above mean sea level (AMSL). Two different-sized greenhouses in Ladakh were studied, and it was figured out that a large greenhouse (60 feet in length, 24 feet in width, 9 feet 6 inches in height) was better than a small greenhouse (32 feet in length, 18 feet width, 9 feet 6 inches height) for growing cucumber, capsicum, and brinjal in summer. The mean maximum and minimum temperature of the large greenhouse was 3.6±4.1°C and 1.3±1.6°C warmer in comparison to the small greenhouse. Cucumber was harvested seven days earlier, while capsicum and brinjal were harvested 17 days earlier in the large greenhouse. The marketable fruit numbers in cucumber, capsicum, and brinjal were 50.5 %, 46.9 %, and 67.7 % higher in the large greenhouse. The average marketable fruit yield of cucumber, capsicum and brinjal was 112 %, 55 % and 71.4 % higher in the large greenhouse than in the small greenhouse. Hence, large greenhouses are suggested for high-altitude Ladakh regions for growing warm-season crops in summer.