BIQUINHO PEPPER CULTIVATED ON THE REFLECTIVE BENCH IN PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

The choice of the cultivation environment interferes with the whole vegetable development because of the micro-meteorological conditions in which the plants are cultivated, and the use of technologies with reflective material aims to complement the production in both quantity and quality. In this sense, the objective was to analyze the growth and productivity of Biquinho pepper (Capsicum chinese) plants cultivated in two types of protected environments and benches with reflective material. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with five repetitions. A plastic greenhouse with 42% shading and agricultural screen with 30% shading, inside these environments, there were benches with and without reflective material of the type Aluminet® with 50% shading. The plastic greenhouse presented lower temperature and relative air moisture, besides lower global solar radiation and photosynthetically active radiation. The benches with reflective material, independently of the environment, have promoted higher photosynthetic reflected radiation. Plants produced in the greenhouse had larger sizes, diameters, and leaves in their initial growth stage. As of 56 DAT, the plants in the agricultural screen presented greater heights and promoted greater pepper production. The reflective benches have favored the growth in diameter and at 14 and 28 DAT, and greater fruit production. It is concluded that the agricultural screen with 30% shading and reflective benches favor the Biquinho pepper fruit production.