ISHS Acta Horticulturae 711: V International Symposium on Artificial Lighting in Horticulture
INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY OF SWEET PEPPER WITH INTERLIGHTING |
| Authors: | T. Hovi-Pekkanen, J. Näkkilä, R. Tahvonen |
| Keywords: | artificial lighting, supplemental lighting, yield, Capsicum annuum, year-round production, greenhouse |
| Abstract:
Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants, pruned to have either 1 or 2 stems (1s, 2s) per plant, were grown in order to investigate the effects of two supplemental lighting regimes on yield. The lighting regimes were top lighting (TL), where all of the lamps were mounted above the canopy, and top+interlighting (T+IL), which comprised 50% of top lamps and 50% of lamps mounted vertically between the single plant rows. The mean artificial photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) at different heights of the canopy was 14% higher in T+IL than in TL. Top+interlighting was shown to enhance productivity, increasing both the total and first class cumulative fruit yield and number. The total cumulative fruit yields in TL, T+IL 1s and T+IL 2s were 20.1, 23.8 and 24.7 kg m-2, respectively. Efficiency of electricity consumption in lighting was also improved, since higher yields were achieved in T+IL with the same amount of electricity as used in TL. Top+interlighting proved efficient, especially at low natural light conditions. There was a steady increase in yield with interlighting from February until June, but thereafter the weekly yields were almost similar in each treatment. Pruning the plants to have either one or two stems per plant had a minimal effect on yield. Blossom end rot was the greatest problem in fruit quality during the cultivation, and it was slightly increased in T+IL. | |
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