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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #353118
Title: Review of optimum temperature, humidity, and vapour pressure deficit for microclimate evaluation and control in greenhouse cultivation of tomato: a review

Author
item SHAMSHIRI, R - Universiti Putra Malaysia
item JONES, J - University Of Florida
item Thorp, Kelly
item AHMAD, D - Universiti Putra Malaysia
item MAN, H - Universiti Putra Malaysia
item TAHERI, S - Universiti Putra Malaysia

Submitted to: International Agrophysics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2018
Publication Date: 4/1/2018
Citation: Shamshiri, R.R., Jones, J.W., Thorp, K.R., Ahmad, D., Man, H.C., Taheri, S. 2018. Review of optimum temperature, humidity, and vapour pressure deficit for microclimate evaluation and control in greenhouse cultivation of tomato: a review. International Agrophysics. 32(2):287-302.

Interpretive Summary: Growth of tomato in greenhouses requires optimization of microclimate conditions, including temperature, humidity, and vapour pressure, at different plant growth stages. This paper surveys the literature for reported microclimate conditions for tomato growth in greenhouses. Decision support systems for controlling microclimate conditions to achieve high yield and fruit quality are reviewed. The research is useful for researchers and practitioners in greenhouse tomato production, controlled environment agricultural, and urban farming.

Technical Abstract: Greenhouse technology is a flexible solution for sustainable year-round cultivation of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), particularly in regions with adverse climate conditions or limited land and resources. Accurate knowledge about plant requirements at different growth stages, and under various light conditions, can contribute to the design of adaptive control strategies for a more cost-effective and competitive production. In this context, different scientific publications have recommended different values of microclimate parameters at different tomato growth stages. This paper provides a detailed summary of optimal, marginal and failure air and root-zone temperatures, relative humidity and vapour pressure deficit for successful greenhouse cultivation of tomato. Graphical representations of the membership function model to define the optimality degrees of these three parameters are included with a view to determining how close the greenhouse microclimate is to the optimal condition. Several production constraints have also been discussed to highlight the short and long-term effects of adverse microclimate conditions on the quality and yield of tomato, which are associated with interactions between suboptimal parameters, greenhouse environment and growth responses.