Experimental site for the meteorological parameters measurements in protected cultivation of a tomato cultivar

Light is a limiting factor of paramount importance for plants since, in addition to providing the energy for photosynthesis, it modulates the growth and development in response to environmental conditions. When operating in protected cultivation the spectral distribution of solar radiation inside the greenhouse undergo a modification that depends on the type of cover used. UV-B radiation is considered as a stress factor, which is able to affect the characteristics of plant growth and to trigger a variety of physiological responses that lead to an accumulation of secondary metabolites increasing the plant resistance. An experimental site equipped with calibrated a traceably sensors for the measurements of meteorological parameters were settled. Currently, accurate measurements in protected cultivation are unavailable, neither are known the measurement uncertainties of environmental parameters that can be resolved in percentage uncertainties on the variability of the product. On the other hand, instruments that measure solar radiation need constant maintenance and calibration, to obtain UV measurements of required quality. The research activities concerned the quality of table tomatoes growth in protected cultivation. The following aspects were evaluated: Microclimate (T in the range from -10 °C to 40 °C, RH from 10% to 95%) and solar radiation measurements (spectral distribution from 290 nm to 2000 nm); monitoring of the ageing and radiometric properties of the films used as covering material; Phenological and morphological observations of the crops in response to the type of plastic film adopted and the different microclimate environments. The instruments used followed calibration procedures defined ad hoc. The expected results are: to assess the productivity of the agricultural product as a function of the meteorological parameters measurement uncertainty within the protected cultivation; to assess quality through the chemical characterization of the crop with a focus on classes of compounds with nutraceutical propertie