Improved Fruit Quality and Yield when Melons and Cherry Tomatoes were Grown in the Air-dome Greenhouse Compared to the Commonly Used Iron-frame Polyethylene Cover Greenhouse

Abstract

This study was carried out to explore possibilities of cultivating horticultural crops in theair-dome greenhouse in comparison to the common iron-frame greenhouse as the standard. Thelevels of carbon dioxide and atmospheric pressure measured inside the air-dome greenhouseturned out to be higher than those measured inside the iron-frame greenhouse. Contrastingly,light intensity was relatively weaker inside the air-dome greenhouse due to the air-inflateddouble layers. Plants of melon and cherry tomato were cultivated from May 2 to August 12,2016, respectively in the two greenhouses. For melon plants, growth in the air-dome greenhouseeffectively increased fruit weight as well as trunk circumference compared to iron-framegreenhouse. Moreover, soluble sugar content of melon fruit was significantly higher whencultivated in the air-dome greenhouse. For cherry tomato plants, fruit yield of cherry tomatowas significantly increased inside the air-dome greenhouse. Furthermore, it has been found thatthe air-dome greenhouse was considerably effective in shortening the growing period of melonand cherry tomato plants in comparison to the iron-frame greenhouse.