Bioclimatic Conditions in Relation to Shading in a Glasshouse: The Case Study of Lantana Camara L. Cultivation in Summer

Aristidis Matsoukis^*, Aikaterini Chronopoulou-Sereli, Ioannis Chronopoulos

Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Athens, Greece.

Corresponding Author Email: armatsoukis@aua.gr

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CARJ.4.1.04

Abstract:

In a previous work, Lantana camara L. (lantana) plants grew in three different light environments after treatments with drenched-applied paclobutrazol to test their potential to give easthetically attractive products (small plants with increased flowering). Nevertheless, no information is known with regard to the bioclimatic conditions of the aforementioned light environments (0%, 28% and 66% shadings). Therefore, the present work determined their bioclimatic conditions in summer (hot period of the year) and especially August, with the use of a widely used index, the thermohygrometric index, in a glasshouse in Attica, Greece. Average thermohygrometric index values were used for the evaluation of bioclimatic conditions and the relative frequencies of the different classes of thermohygrometric index were calculated on a two-hour basis for each examined shading. From the results of this study, the environment with the full light regime (0% shading) provided less favorable bioclimatic conditions compared to other examined light regimes (28% and 66% shadings), during the daytime period (08:00-20:00 h). Between 28% and 66% shadings, more favorable bioclimatic conditions were established at 66% shading for the same period. The nighttime period (22:00-06:00 h) was characterized as more friendly, bioclimatically, compared to the respective daytime period, irrespective of the examined light regime. Among the three studied shadings in nighttime period, the more favorable bioclimatic conditions were noticed in the low light regime (66% shading). The less favorable bioclimatic conditions were detected at the plot with 28% shading, compared to other shadings at the aforementioned period. The findings of this study could be beneficial for the planning of the work in other plant cultivations inside a glasshouse the hot period of the year.

Keywords:

Bioclimatic Conditions; Glasshouse; Lantana Camara; Shading; Summer; Thermohygromertric Index

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