Microclimate, in Relation to Productivity and Water Use Efficiency of Screenhouse Banana Crop cv. Grand Naine

Screenhouses utilization is rapidly expanding nowadays; so in this investigation, the effect of screenhouse and its colors on banana cv. Grand Naine productivity, in relation to some microclimate elements (such as temperature, humidity, wind speed and light intensity inside the screenhouses) and the water use were recorded. Also, productivity parameters such as bunch weight, length, number of hands and number of fingers per hand were recorded. Water saving by using three different levels of irrigation was estimated. The obtained results revealed that, maximum temperature of screenhouses decreased by 1-2◦C, minimum temperature increased by approximately 1◦C , the intensity inside the screenhouses increased by approximately 30 % and about 40 % reduction in wind speed. Also humidity increased by 4-6 % and 30 % reduction in crop water use inside the screenhouses, without any significant reduction in productivity as compared to open field. The obtained results may be due to the reduction of evapotranspiration caused by screenhouse. Finally, we can recommend that: it is most importance to plant banana orchards into screen houses in order to minimize crop water use and enhance every the yield and fruit quality.