• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.419-427
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• 2012

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of two shading methods, shading agent spray on the glasshouse and internal shading screen treatment, on the growth and fruit quality of paprika (Capsicum annuum L. 'Cupra' and 'Coletti') in summer season cultivation. In the shading agent treatment, a commercial shading agent diluted with water at a ratio of 1 : 4 was sprayed on the roof of a glasshouse. In the internal shading screen treatment, a 10~20% shaded screen was used during the day time when the sun radiation was greater than $700W{\cdot}m^{-2}$. Compared to the unshaded control, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) decreased in the greenhouse in the shading agent (SA) and shading screen (SS) treatments by 20% and 30%, respectively. Lower air temperatures and higher relative humidities were observed in the SA than in both the control and the SS treatment. Time to reach the break point of humidity deficit $8g{\cdot}m^{-3}$ was 2 hours late in the SA than in both the control and the SS treatment. Compared to control, both the SA and the SS treatments showed lower instantaneous temperatures of leaf, fruit, and flower by $2^{\circ}C$, $5^{\circ}C$ and $3^{\circ}C$, respectively. There were no differences in number of branches, stem diameter, and leaf size among treatments although both shading treatments promoted plant height in both cultivars. Botrytis infection ratio declined with the SA treatment by 14.7% in 'Cupra' and 22.1% in 'Coletti' as compared to that in the control. Shading increased fruit size in both cultivars, whereas no differences were observed in the number of locules and thickness of fruit tissue among treatments. Shading treatment increased mean fruit weight by a range of 10 to 15 g per fruit, while it decreased soluble solids contents as compared to that in the control. Similar Hunter values were observed among treatments, while fruit firmness increased slightly in shading treatments. Compared to the control, shading treatments improved marketable fruits by 11.7~22.6% and increased the number of fruits per plant by 4~9.2 in both 'Cupra' and 'Coletti'. The results of this study indicate that shading agent application on the roof of glasshouse would be one of the most effective options to reduce heat stress imposed on the paprika crop in summer cultivation, resulting in improved crop growth and fruit yield.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.119-127
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• 2012

For the promotion of the evaporative cooling efficiency of hot air in greenhouse in summer, a fog sprayer consisted of a high volume spraying two-fluid nozzle with turbo fan and a blowing fan was set up at 2.2 m height from bottom of small glass greenhouse and tested to estimate the possibility of the greenhouse cooling. The mean droplet size and the volume sprayed by one of fog sprayer were $29{\mu}m$ and $160m{\ell}/min$. All the droplets sprayed and blown by the fog sprayer were evaporated within 2 m radius. The result from the cooling test that two sprayers set up in glass greenhouse of plane area $228m^2$ was represented lower cooling effect that the temperature and relative humidity of inside air of greenhouse were $28.8^{\circ}C$ and 87.5% when those of outside air of greenhouse were $30.2^{\circ}C$ and 81.2%. Through investigation of literatures and results of the cooling test, it was estimated that the water spraying rate of evaporative cooling of single span greenhouse with 50% light curtain and with air change rate of 1 volume/min was $10m{\ell}/min/m^2$ so that the inside air temperature may cool down $2{\sim}3^{\circ}C$ on the basis of $35^{\circ}C$ atmospheric temperature in summer of south korean area.