Evaluation of an automated climate management control system in relation to traditional greenhouse management at Cota Cota Experimental Center

Javier Ariel Ticona Pari; Magali García Cárdenas; Roberto Miranda Casas

Abstract

The greenhouse production especially in high areas in Bolivian agriculture is far removed from its potential that can be exploited to the extent that other determinants are adapted such as the control of climatic variables that act on production. Thus, a good functioning of the system requires adapting the control instructions. For this purpose, a conventional flexible sheet roof, a Pachamama greenhouse, rigid plate roof greenhouse and the Crimson Giant radish variety were used. Microclimatic and agronomic study variables were taken. For its analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used (Student's t-test). The work was carried out in two seasons or phases: in the first phase it was evaluated comparatively in both greenhouses, the microclimatic control manually only and in the second phase the manual control in the conventional greenhouse was compared comparatively with the automated control in the greenhouse Pachamama mobile. The results show that the Pachamama mobile greenhouse under a manually controlled microclimatic control, the highest values of solar radiation, temperature, vapor pressure deficit were achieved compared to the conventional greenhouse triggering higher stress conditions, and under a microclimatic control of automatic operation, the lowest values of solar radiation, temperature, vapor pressure deficit were reached. Therefore, it can be done carrying out an automatic microclimatic control operation, which allows to maximize the potential offered by greenhouses.