Low Tunnel Materials for Warm Season Vegetable Crops peppers, melons and tomato (2008-2009) - 7 pages
Previous trials have demonstrated the benefit of using row covers to enhance the early growth of warm-season crops like melons and peppers. There are many types of covers available and it is important to select the type of covering material that best suits the needs of the crop. This trial examined the performance of several warm-season vegetable crops (peppers, melons and tomato) grown with different types of row cover.
The trial was conducted at the University of Saskatchewan Horticulture field Research Station in 2008 and 2009. This site features a Sutherland Series heavy clay soil which is slow to warm in the spring. The site was prepared by rotovating one week prior to transplanting the test crops. Three days before transplanting a biodegradable wavelength-selective plastic mulch was applied to the test plots. Drip irrigation lines were located beneath the mulch. Three-week-old cantaloupe (cv. ‘Strike’ in 2008 and ‘Athena’ in 2009) or 6-week old pepper (cv. ‘Red Start’) transplants were planted out into the mulched rows once the risk of frost had passed in early June. Tomato (cv. Celebrity) (6 wk old transplants) was also tested in 2009. The melon and pepper plants were spaced 30 cm apart within each row, while the tomatoes were spaced 0.5 m
apart. Each test plot was 3 m long and the rows were 2m apart. Immediately after transplanting, row covers were installed on all plots except for a non-covered control. The cover materials tested were;
a) perforated clear polyethylene – transmits about 85% of the light in the visible spectrum. Clear perforated polyethylene creates a very warm environment.
b) non-perforated clear polyethylene – would be expected to create an environment even warmer than the equivalent perforated clear poly.
c) perforated green polyethylene - filters out about 41 % of incoming light within the visible spectrum, resulting in cooler temperatures. Filtering certain wavelengths out of the incoming light may also alter the growth pattern of the covered crops.
d) perforated white polyethylene - filters out about 26 % of the incoming visible light.
e) Novagryl woven polyester - filters out about 20 % of the incoming visible light and is also
highly perforated.
