The effects of glass cloche and coloured polyethylene tunnels on microclimate, growth, yield and disease severity of strawberry plants

SUMMARYMarked differences in the microclimate and the performance of strawberry plants were observed under glass cloches and clear polyethylene tunnels as compared with coloured polyethylene tunnels. Under glass and clear film the average air and soil temperatures were higher and fluctuated more, and the vapour pressure deficit was greater during the day, than under coloured film. The plants under glass and clear film made more vigorous early growth and cropped earlier than those under the other tunnels, but the heaviest yields were picked from plants under red and pink covers. Flowering and fruiting were delayed under green and blue covers by at least one month, and yields were comparatively small owing to poor pollination and fruit set.Both strawberry mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis (Wallr. ex Fr.) Lind.) and Botrytis fruit rot were more severe on plants under the coloured films than under glass or clear film.