A comparison of two Agrivoltaic Systems to assess their impact on Arugula production (Eruca Vesicaria): a case study in southern Italy : tesi di master
An agrivoltaic system (AV) is an integrated solution based on the combination of energy and agricultural production on the same land, within the framework of the Water-Energy-Food nexus concept. However, this approach does not always provide advantages, particularly, to the potential crop yield. Rather, AV generates different shading degrees, which may affect the ability of the crop to absorb light, thus its biomass production. In this regard, an experimental field was set up to assess the impact of two AV systems on the yield of the Arugula crop (Eruca Vesicaria), cultivated from August to October 2022, under three conditions: 1) semitransparent solar panels (ST), 2) conventional panels (CON), and 3) open field (REF). Daily parameters were monitored: soil temperature and soil water content, with scattered bio-physiological measurements.
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The results showed that global solar radiation decreased under ST and CON by 70% and 80%, respectively, compared to the REF. Although transpiration and photosynthesis decreased under ST and CON, no significant differences were observed in terms of leaf water use efficiency compared to the REF. In contrast, a significant yield reduction of around 50% under the AV compared to the REF was obtained due to Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) reduction. Finally, the AV systems induced a positive impact on soil water uniformity distribution by 90% and 94% under ST and CON, respectively, compared to 85% under REF.
