Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses

Light and nitrogen strongly affect the growth, yield, and quality of food crops, with greater importance in green leafy vegetables for their tendency to accumulate nitrate in leaves. The purpose of this research was to explore the effect of two greenhouse films (Film A and B) on yield, and quality o...

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Main Authors: Ida Di Mola, Lucia Ottaiano, Eugenio Cozzolino, Leo Sabatino, Maria Isabella Sifola, Pasquale Mormile, Christophe El-Nakhel, Youssef Rouphael, Mauro Mori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Horticulturae
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/7/200
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author Ida Di Mola
Lucia Ottaiano
Eugenio Cozzolino
Leo Sabatino
Maria Isabella Sifola
Pasquale Mormile
Christophe El-Nakhel
Youssef Rouphael
Mauro Mori
author_facet Ida Di Mola
Lucia Ottaiano
Eugenio Cozzolino
Leo Sabatino
Maria Isabella Sifola
Pasquale Mormile
Christophe El-Nakhel
Youssef Rouphael
Mauro Mori
author_sort Ida Di Mola
collection DOAJ
description Light and nitrogen strongly affect the growth, yield, and quality of food crops, with greater importance in green leafy vegetables for their tendency to accumulate nitrate in leaves. The purpose of this research was to explore the effect of two greenhouse films (Film A and B) on yield, and quality of spinach grown under different nitrogen regimes (not fertilized—N0%; sub-optimal N dose—N50%; optimal N dose—N100%). Film A and Film B were used as clear and diffused light films, with 75% and 87% thermicity, and 85% and 90% total transmittivity, respectively, where only Film B had a UV-B window. Film B elicited an increase in yield (22%) and soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) index (4.6%) compared to the clear film, but did not affect chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content. In addition, the diffuse film significantly decreased ascorbic acid in the crop but had no effect on lipophilic antioxidant activity and phenols content, but decreased ascorbic acid content. Finally, nitrate content was strongly increased both by nitrogen dose (about 50-fold more than N0%) and greenhouse films (about six-fold higher under diffuse light film), but within the legal limit fixed by European Commission. Therefore, irrespective of N levels, the use of diffuse-light film in winter boosts spinach yield without depressing quality.
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spelling doaj.art-d9ce5c12d3d64906a36e8d06c7f7bd212023-11-22T03:53:51ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242021-07-017720010.3390/horticulturae7070200Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen DosesIda Di Mola0Lucia Ottaiano1Eugenio Cozzolino2Leo Sabatino3Maria Isabella Sifola4Pasquale Mormile5Christophe El-Nakhel6Youssef Rouphael7Mauro Mori8Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA)—Research Center for Cereal and Industrial Crops, 81100 Caserta, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 4, 90128 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyInstitute of Applied Science and Intelligent Systems of National Research Council (ISASI-CNR), 80078 Pozzuoli, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, ItalyLight and nitrogen strongly affect the growth, yield, and quality of food crops, with greater importance in green leafy vegetables for their tendency to accumulate nitrate in leaves. The purpose of this research was to explore the effect of two greenhouse films (Film A and B) on yield, and quality of spinach grown under different nitrogen regimes (not fertilized—N0%; sub-optimal N dose—N50%; optimal N dose—N100%). Film A and Film B were used as clear and diffused light films, with 75% and 87% thermicity, and 85% and 90% total transmittivity, respectively, where only Film B had a UV-B window. Film B elicited an increase in yield (22%) and soil–plant analysis development (SPAD) index (4.6%) compared to the clear film, but did not affect chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content. In addition, the diffuse film significantly decreased ascorbic acid in the crop but had no effect on lipophilic antioxidant activity and phenols content, but decreased ascorbic acid content. Finally, nitrate content was strongly increased both by nitrogen dose (about 50-fold more than N0%) and greenhouse films (about six-fold higher under diffuse light film), but within the legal limit fixed by European Commission. Therefore, irrespective of N levels, the use of diffuse-light film in winter boosts spinach yield without depressing quality.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/7/200greenhouse clear filmgreenhouse diffuse-light filmspinach yieldnitrate contentantioxidant activityascorbic acid
spellingShingle Ida Di Mola
Lucia Ottaiano
Eugenio Cozzolino
Leo Sabatino
Maria Isabella Sifola
Pasquale Mormile
Christophe El-Nakhel
Youssef Rouphael
Mauro Mori
Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
Horticulturae
greenhouse clear film
greenhouse diffuse-light film
spinach yield
nitrate content
antioxidant activity
ascorbic acid
title Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
title_full Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
title_fullStr Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
title_full_unstemmed Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
title_short Optical Characteristics of Greenhouse Plastic Films Affect Yield and Some Quality Traits of Spinach (<i>Spinacia oleracea</i> L.) Subjected to Different Nitrogen Doses
title_sort optical characteristics of greenhouse plastic films affect yield and some quality traits of spinach i spinacia oleracea i l subjected to different nitrogen doses
topic greenhouse clear film
greenhouse diffuse-light film
spinach yield
nitrate content
antioxidant activity
ascorbic acid
url https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/7/7/200
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