Abstract

In Chile, a significant portion of the table grape is produced in the Atacama Desert, characterized by an environment of high temperatures, high solar radiation and the presence of wind. So, with the aim of reducing unwanted effects on plants and yield, the use of a total coverage system was evaluated in Vitis vinifera L. Thompson Seedless table grape variety, composed of a white plastic mesh with 80% porosity, in order to protect plants from the effects of wind and solar radiation in Huasco Valley, Chile. Two treatments were performed: (a) control under natural and fully exposed conditions and (b) plants under the cover system (plants under mesh). Vegetative growth, physiological and productive variables, as well as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation were evaluated. The coverage system reduced the wind speed by between 35 and 55%, and the incident radiation was reduced by 14%. The conditions of temperature and relative humidity were not altered. The environmental changes generated agronomic responses in the protected plants under the cover system, as compared to the exposed plants, mainly greater leaf area and sprouting percentage, but no significant differences were observed in the productive parameters or fruit quality.