Greenhouses cover influences the nutritional content of tomato.

This is one of the conclusions of a thesis of the UCAM investigating improvements in greenhouse tomato production.

Research, developed by Marta Rodriguez-Albuquerque, It has focused on the study of different roofing materials to analyze their influence on agronomic and nutritional, organoleptic and antioxidants, of tomatoes grown in greenhouses.

The thesis, directed by Juana Maria Morillas, belonging to research group 'Nutrition, Oxidative stress and bioavailability 'UCAM, and Maria Josefa López, Department of Horticulture IMIDA, It has allowed to examine the effect of five different cover materials on agronomic and nutritional characteristics of tomato.

As it indicated in research, from different materials studied, Marta Rodriguez has shown that the use of one of the five treatments evaluated allows increased production of tomato, up to two kilos per plant. This means cuts cost to the producer, since the material used is maintained longer without degradation and also increases production.

However, for optimized production, the study recommends the use of a thermal film material -another of the five treatments analyzed- which allows further development of all these nutritional attributes tomato.

"It is important to note that temperatures thanks to the fact that these treatments are achieved the plastic material allow the transmission of a high percentage of infrared radiation. This allows the coldest months of the year in which the crop is developing, keeps the high temperature inside the greenhouse and that favors the development of nutritional properties"Explains one of the directors of the thesis, Juana Maria Morillas.

From this moment, indicate the new doctor and directors, "We are able to implement with interested companies, new knowledge to optimize production and quality greenhouse tomatoes grown under the most suitable films ".

One of the conclusions of the thesis developed in the Universidad Catolica San Antonio de Murcia (Uchhan) and investigating improvements in greenhouse tomato production Murcia, It is that the covering material of greenhouses and cluster influence the nutritional content of tomato.