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Projects

Effect of Diffuse Glass greenhouse cover compared to Clear Glass cover on Cucumber Production

Status: مشاريع منجزة

Year: 2017

Project type Effect of Diffuse Glass greenhouse cover compared to Clear Glass cover on Cucumber Production

Background

Based on positive effects reported on using diffuse covering materials in a number of studies in the Netherlands, it can be expected that diffusive cover gives much better harvests than a cover with clear glass in sunny zones i.e. Gulf region. Scattering the direct solar radiation into multiple directions gives an improved homogeneity of light in the crop, which likely improves production.

Experimental history

Seed sowing: 7 Nov. 2016
Transplanting: 26 Nov. 2016
Plant Density: 2.5 plants per m²
Harvesting Period: 20 December 2016 – 12 March 2017 (12 weeks)
Number of Harvests: 28

Goals

This project aims to compare the production between two greenhouse compartments, only differing in the covering material while the overall light transmission is equal.
The result swere analyzed in terms of production and water use for cooling.

The main factors studied are:

Two covering types: Clear Glass and Diffusing Glass covered greenhouse with an average overall transmissivity is 60%
Two cucumber varieties: Khalid and Waleed (Enza seeds)

Result overview

No significant difference found between clear and diffuse glazed greenhouse compartment in term of cucumber fruit yield

Clear Glass	Production	Average
Khalid	17.2 kg/m²	Average 210 gram/day
Waleed	17.9 kg/m²	Average 218 gram/day

Diffuse Glass	Production	Average
Khalid	17.0 kg/m²	Average 208 gram/day
Waleed	16.1 kg/m²	Average 196 gram/day

Recommendation

A diffusive greenhouse cover gives better working conditions (smaller light/dark contrasts) but does not affect cucumber production. This holds of course when the diffusiveness is the only different factor, which means that the overall light transmission is the same.

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