Abstract
This study evaluated the impact of shade cloth and fogging systems on the microclimate at the plant canopy level and yield of basil (Oscimum basilicum L.), arugula (Eruca vesicaria subsp. Sativa L.), and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) planted in mid-September and early October in high tunnels. Fogging systems were installed at canopy level in plots within shaded (30%) and non-shaded high tunnels. Average air temperatures in the shaded high tunnels were 0.9 °C lower than non-shaded high tunnels during the day. Shade cloth significantly reduced soil temperatures during the day and night periods by 1.5 °C and 1.3 °C, respectively, compared to non-shaded treatments. Fogging systems did not have an impact on air temperature, soil temperature, or relative humidity, but did increase canopy leaf wetness. Shade and fogging did not impact the yield of any of the crops grown. Yield was impacted by planting date, with earlier planting result in higher yields of lettuce and basil. Yields for arugula were greater during the second planting date than the first. Planting date and shade cloth interacted to affect the concentrations of macronutrients.
Highlights
High tunnels are passively heated and cooled structures that have been used for protected culture of crops worldwide for many years [1]
The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of fogging systems and shade cloth on high tunnel microclimates and growth of fall planted, high tunnel-grown basil, lettuce, and arugula
Other studies have suggested that using shade cloth (50% and 70%) for production of tomatoes and peppers reduced air and soil temperatures compared to exposure to full sunlight, resulting in lower rates of evaporation and elevated soil moisture levels [24]
Summary
High tunnels are passively heated and cooled structures that have been used for protected culture of crops worldwide for many years [1]. The season extension properties of high tunnels have been well documented in a range of climate regions around the word and in the U.S [1,4,5,6,7]. Studies conducted in the Southeastern U.S reported improved marketable yields for strawberries grown in high tunnels compared to open field conditions [8,9]. Another study conducted in North Carolina found that organic tomatoes could be harvested three weeks earlier in the high tunnel than those grown in the open field [10]. High tunnels have shown promise for early spring lettuce production, with improved yields being reported in temperate climate regions of the U.S [11,12]
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