Effect of Greenhouse Micro-Climate on the Selected Summer Vegetables

The study deals with creating suitable environment for the germination and subsequent growth of plants in the greenhouse of size 7m x 3m x 2m for raising early summer vegetable nursery. It was observed that the average air temperature inside the greenhouse was 10–12°C higher than the ambient air temperature. Inside average soil temperature was also 5–7°C higher than the corresponding temperature outside the greenhouse. Greenhouse night micro-climate was modified by covering its roof with a polyester sheet to cut down the effect of night sky radiation thereby raising the inside minimum temperature. The effect of elevated temperature was monitored on the germination and subsequent growth of “muskmelon” seedlings upto two true leaf stage. It was observed that the germination of seeds, sown inside the greenhouse occurred one week earlier as compared to the seeds sown in the open field. The rate of growth of the seedlings inside the greenhouse took only three weeks to attain two-leaf stage, whereas seedlings sown in the open field took five weeks to reach upto two-leaf stage. Thus, there was a clear saving of 15 days in raising the nursery under the greenhouse.