Abstract
SummaryPlastic greenhouses have become widespread in recent decades, predominantly as low–cost structures. Those using plastic houses often adopt techniques developed for more sophisticated glasshouses without prior studies to see if it is necessary to adapt them. White plastic mulching is used widely in heated glasshouses to increase available light during periods of low radiation, and thus benefit plant growth. A 2-year study was conducted to determine the response of a soilless cucumber crop to white plastic mulching, compared with an unmulched treatment, in unheated plastic greenhouses in southern Spain. The reflection of solar radiation by the plastic mulch reduced the mean substrate and air temperatures by up to 3.0ºC and 1.5ºC, respectively, during the early stages of canopy development. When substrate and air temperatures are sub-optimal, small temperature differences can be detrimental to crop growth and yield.The increase in available photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR) in mulched cucumbers could not compensate for the delay in growth in unheated greenhouses, and so yields were less than for unmulched cucumbers.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic mulch reduced mean substrate temperature by up to 3.0ºC early in canopy development.
- Taxon
- cucumbers
Cucumis sativust0 - Treatment
- plastic mulche1
- Outcome
- mean substratee1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- 3.0ºCe1
- Qualifier
- during the early stages of canopy developmente1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cucumbers”
e1“The reflection of solar radiation by the plastic mulch reduced the mean substrate and air temperatures by up to 3.0ºC and 1.5ºC, respectively, during the early stages of canopy development.”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic mulch reduced mean air temperature by up to 1.5ºC early in canopy development.
- Taxon
- cucumbersCucumis sativust0
- Treatment
- plastic mulche1
- Outcome
- air temperaturese1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- 1.5ºCe1
- Qualifier
- during the early stages of canopy developmente1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cucumbers”
e1“The reflection of solar radiation by the plastic mulch reduced the mean substrate and air temperatures by up to 3.0ºC and 1.5ºC, respectively, during the early stages of canopy development.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching increased available photosynthetically active radiation in cucumbers.
- Taxon
- cucumbersCucumis sativuse1
- Treatment
- mulchede1
- Outcome
- available photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR)e1
- Direction
- increasee1
- Setting
- unheated greenhousese1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The increase in available photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR) in mulched cucumbers could not compensate for the delay in growth in unheated greenhouses”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulched cucumbers had delayed growth in unheated greenhouses.
- Taxon
- cucumbersCucumis sativuse1
- Treatment
- mulchede1
- Outcome
- growthe1
- Direction
- delaye1
- Setting
- unheated greenhousese1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The increase in available photosynthetically-active radiation (PAR) in mulched cucumbers could not compensate for the delay in growth in unheated greenhouses”
Claim · model-written summary
Mulched cucumbers yielded less than unmulched cucumbers.
- Taxon
- cucumbersCucumis sativust1
- Treatment
- mulchingt0
- Outcome
- yieldse1
- Direction
- less thane1
- Comparator
- unmulched cucumberse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“yields were less than for unmulched cucumbers”
t0“mulching”
t1“cucumbers”
The same questions in other papers
mulching · yield · Cucumis sativus (cucumber)Results differ
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- positive
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2 papers in the same direction as this paper · 17 in the opposite direction
- positive
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See all 20 papers →mulching · physiology: photosynthesis · Cucumis sativus (cucumber)Results agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.