APPLICATION OF POLIPROPYLENE FABRICS FOR PROTECTION OF STRAWBERRY FRUIT SURFACE FROM PHOTOINGIBITION

Abstract

Possibility of using propylene covering materials of white and yellow color with a density of 17 g/m2 to protect the surface of strawberries from photoinhibition was studied. Their influence on the temperature change of strawberry fruits of the studied varieties has been established. The study included 5 varieties of strawberries, polypropylene non-woven fabric of white and yellow colors with a density of 17 g/m2, black color with a density of 60 g/m2 and a polyethylene film of 60 microns. It has been established that the temperature of strawberry fruits differs on the sunny and shady sides and depends on the mulching material. In hot sunny weather the temperature of the berries under shelter is 10–15 % lower than in the control with a slight advantage of photoprotective properties in the yellow material compared to the white one. It turned out that by its spectral properties the yellow fabric was closer to the optimal ration of the spectral composition of light for photosynthesis of fruit plants. The transmittance of yellow polypropylene non woven fabrics is 7.2 %, higher in red region of spectrum and 13.8 % lower in blue region of spectrum compared to the white color fabrics. It would to take into account that when the strawberry plants are covered with nonwoven fabric for a long time to protect the berries from overheating, it is necessary to take into account its spectral properties, which affect the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus.