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EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE, vol.70, no.1, pp.16-22, 2005 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, effects of PE-UV (UV stabilised polyethylene), PE-IR (IR absorbers polyethylene), D-PE (double layer polyethylene) and PE (polyethylene) used as greenhouse covers, on growth, development and yield of aubergine were investigated over three spring seasons (1999, 2000, 2001). The greenhouse covered with PE had the highest light transmission, followed by PE-UV, PE-IR and D-PE, respectively. Based on the results, covering materials were ranked as D-PE, PE-IR, PE-UV and PE in terms of temperature in the greenhouses. Vapour pressure deficit was highest in PE, and followed by PE-IR, PE-UV and D-PE covered greenhouses. Plant growth in D-PE houses was faster than that of the plants in PE-UV, PE-IR, PE covered greenhouses. Some parameters regarding plant growth in D-PE and PE-IR covered greenhouses were found to be similar. The highest yield was obtained from the greenhouses covered with D-PE and this was followed by PE-UV, PE-IR and PE covered greenhouses. These results showed that D-PE was superior to the other covering materials for optimal plant growth and earliness of aubergine yield under the studied experimental conditions.