ISHS Acta Horticulturae 76: Symposium on More Profitable Use of Energy in Protected Cultivation
PROGRAMMING OF NIGHT TEMPERATURE IN RELATION TO THE DIURNAL PATTERN OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL STATUS OF THE PLANT |
| Author: | H. Challa |
| Abstract:
Temperature control adapted to the physiological status of the plant may be important in obtaining optimal growth and may contribute to higher efficiency of energy use in protected cultivation. Developing a programme for optimal growth by means of the usual growth experiments alone is difficult due to the large number of possibilities. Support of an analytical approach is therefore indispensable. An investigation on the diurnal course of various growth parameters showed that in young cucumber plants starch reserves are depleted after 12 hours of darkness. A temperature decrease to 12°C during the starvation phase that occurred in the remainder of the night, stimulated growth, but did not affect development of the plant. When, however, the same heat sum was given by lowering the air temperature during the whole night period, development of the plant was hampered. | |
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