Abstract
A. Belhachemi*, M. Maatoug, M. Amirat and A. Dehbi
Previous studies have been conducted in order to figure out which type of polymer has the best chemical or mechanical properties such as resistance and durability. However, knowing which type of polymer is appropriate for agricultural use is fundamental and should not be neglected. For this purpose, a study of the impact of two low-density polyethylene (LDPE) greenhouse cover-films (monolayer and tri-layers) on the growth and yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) species, has been carried out in the semi-arid region of Tiaret city in Algeria. The present study is directly related to the field of agro-ecology. It consists on comparing the influence of the microclimates such as temperature and relative humidity together with the luminous flow inside the two greenhouses, on the evolution and the final yield of two varieties of tomato. Statistical analysis was established to compare the evolution of tomato plants from the initial state to the final stage of development. It showed that there was indeed a difference in development between tomato plants. In addition, the production yield of both Marmande and ACE 55 VF varieties was 3.1 kg/m2 and 2.9 kg/m2 respectively for the monolayer film versus 2.3 kg/m2 and 2.0 kg/m2 for the tri-layers film. The results also indicated that even though the tri-layers film had superior life span and better resistance to the external factors than the monolayer film, the internal conditions of the greenhouse covered by the monolayer film were more suitable for tomato culture in the harsh environment of semi-arid areas.