Paper · 2026 · Smart Agricultural Technology

Comparative evaluation of semi-transparent monocrystalline silicon and cadmium telluride photovoltaics for tomato cultivation in Mediterranean agrivoltaic greenhouses

Virginia Hernández; Fulgencio Contreras López; Carlos Toledo; et al.

14
claims
32
verbatim quotes
1
citations
3
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by-nc-nd

Abstract

The choice of photovoltaic technology is crucial for efficient simultaneous crop and energy production, especially for tomato, one of the most economically significant greenhouse crops in arid and semi-arid regions. This study systematically compares four greenhouses: control (C), shading net (SC), and two commercially available semi-transparent PV technologies, monocrystalline silicon (PV-Si) and cadmium telluride thin-film (PV-TF). The effects of each configuration on light availability, microclimate, and yield were evaluated across two growing seasons. During the winter–spring cycle, only the C and PV-Si greenhouses maintained daily light integral (DLI) values above the minimum threshold required for optimal crop development. Despite a similar number of fruits, the PV-Si greenhouse produced fruits with a mean weight 25% higher than the control, which was attributed to more favourable nighttime air temperatures and higher soil moisture. In the spring–summer cycle, although all the treatments exceeded the critical DLI threshold, photosynthetic activity in the SC and PV-TF greenhouses was restricted during key periods of the photoperiod, resulting in reduced yields. In contrast, the checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panels allowed sufficient light transmission throughout both cycles, preventing shade-avoidance responses and maintaining yield levels comparable to or exceeding the control. The PV-Si system generated a total of 726.8 kWh over the study period, outperforming the PV-TF system. PV-induced shading moderated springtime temperature fluctuations but was insufficient to mitigate peak summer temperatures. Overall, the PV-Si system effectively balanced solar radiation management, thermal regulation, and energy production, demonstrating its potential as a suitable technology for agrivoltaic applications.

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by-nc-nd. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 14

Observationobservedoriginal resultmixedmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

In the winter–spring cycle, only the control and PV-Si greenhouses kept daily light integral above the minimum threshold for tomato.

Outcome
daily light integral (DLI) valuese1
Qualifier
minimum threshold required for optimal crop developmente1
Setting
winter–spring cyclee1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e1

“During the winter–spring cycle, only the C and PV-Si greenhouses maintained daily light integral (DLI) values above the minimum threshold required for optimal crop development”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 562–737 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The authors attribute the higher mean fruit weight in the PV-Si greenhouse to more favourable nighttime air temperatures and higher soil moisture.

Outcome
mean weighte2
Qualifier
more favourable nighttime air temperatures and higher soil moisturee4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e2

“the PV-Si greenhouse produced fruits with a mean weight 25% higher than the control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 775–858 · show in text ↑
e4

“which was attributed to more favourable nighttime air temperatures and higher soil moisture”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 860–951 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The PV-Si greenhouse produced tomato fruits with a mean weight 25% higher than the control.

Organ / stage
fruitse2
Treatment
PV-Si greenhousee2
Outcome
mean weighte2
Direction
highere2
Value
25%e2
Comparator
the controle2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e2

“the PV-Si greenhouse produced fruits with a mean weight 25% higher than the control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 775–858 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The number of tomato fruits was similar across the compared greenhouses.

Outcome
number of fruitse3
Direction
similare3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e3

“Despite a similar number of fruits”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 739–773 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

In the spring–summer cycle, all treatments exceeded the critical DLI threshold for tomato.

Outcome
critical DLI thresholde5
Direction
exceedede5
Setting
spring–summer cyclee5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e5

“In the spring–summer cycle, although all the treatments exceeded the critical DLI threshold”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 953–1044 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The shading net and PV-TF greenhouses restricted photosynthetic activity during key periods of the photoperiod in tomato.

Treatment
SC and PV-TF greenhousese6
Outcome
photosynthetic activitye6
Direction
restrictede6
Qualifier
during key periods of the photoperiode6

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e6

“photosynthetic activity in the SC and PV-TF greenhouses was restricted during key periods of the photoperiod”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1046–1154 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The shading net and PV-TF greenhouses reduced tomato yields.

Treatment
SC and PV-TF greenhousese6
Outcome
yieldse7
Direction
reducede7

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e6

“photosynthetic activity in the SC and PV-TF greenhouses was restricted during key periods of the photoperiod”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1046–1154 · show in text ↑
e7

“resulting in reduced yields”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1156–1183 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The checkerboard configuration of PV-Si panels allowed sufficient light transmission throughout both cycles in tomato.

Treatment
checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panelse0
Outcome
light transmissione0
Direction
allowede0
Qualifier
throughout both cyclese0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e0

“the checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panels allowed sufficient light transmission throughout both cycles”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1198–1309 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The checkerboard configuration of PV-Si panels prevented shade-avoidance responses in tomato.

Treatment
checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panelse0
Outcome
shade-avoidance responsese1
Direction
preventinge1

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e0

“the checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panels allowed sufficient light transmission throughout both cycles”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1198–1309 · show in text ↑
e1

“preventing shade-avoidance responses and maintaining yield levels comparable to or exceeding the control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1311–1415 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The checkerboard configuration of PV-Si panels maintained tomato yield levels comparable to or exceeding the control.

Treatment
checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panelse0
Outcome
yield levelse1
Direction
comparable to or exceedinge1
Comparator
the controle1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e0

“the checkerboard configuration of the PV-Si panels allowed sufficient light transmission throughout both cycles”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1198–1309 · show in text ↑
e1

“preventing shade-avoidance responses and maintaining yield levels comparable to or exceeding the control”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1311–1415 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

The PV-Si system generated 726.8 kWh over the study period, outperforming the PV-TF system.

Treatment
PV-Si systeme2
Outcome
generatede2
Direction
outperforminge2
Value
726.8 kWhe2
Comparator
PV-TF systeme2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e2

“The PV-Si system generated a total of 726.8 kWh over the study period, outperforming the PV-TF system”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1417–1518 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PV-induced shading moderated springtime temperature fluctuations in tomato greenhouses.

Treatment
PV-induced shadinge3
Outcome
springtime temperature fluctuationse3
Direction
moderatede3

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e3

“PV-induced shading moderated springtime temperature fluctuations but was insufficient to mitigate peak summer temperatures”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1520–1642 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultnegativemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

PV-induced shading was insufficient to mitigate peak summer temperatures in tomato greenhouses.

Treatment
PV-induced shadinge3
Outcome
peak summer temperaturese3
Direction
insufficient to mitigatee3

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e3

“PV-induced shading moderated springtime temperature fluctuations but was insufficient to mitigate peak summer temperatures”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1520–1642 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

The PV-Si system is a suitable technology for agrivoltaic applications in tomato production.

Outcome
suitable technology for agrivoltaic applicationse4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

t0

“tomato cultivation”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 107–125 · show in text ↑
e4

“demonstrating its potential as a suitable technology for agrivoltaic applications”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1762–1843 · show in text ↑

silicon atom · yield · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Results differ

37 papers: 35 positive, 2 negative or no effect

34 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction

  1. no effect
  2. no effect
  3. positive

33 papers more in this group

See all 37 papers →

silicon atom · disease · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Results agree

9 papers: 9 positive, 0 negative or no effect

8 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

5 papers more in this group

See all 9 papers →

shade · soil: physics · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Results differ

9 papers: 6 positive, 3 negative or no effect

5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction

  1. no effect
  2. negative
  3. negative

5 papers more in this group

See all 9 papers →

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.