Abstract

Background: Agricultural adaptation to climate change is crucial, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions. Modern agriculture requires innovative strategies to protect crops from extreme weather events. Photoselective pearl net offers promise in mitigating environmental stresses in kiwifruit production, especially in Chile. Objective: This study aims to characterize kiwifruit plants’ diurnal ecophysiological responses under photoselective pearl net. Materials: The trial was conducted in a commercial kiwifruit orchard in Chile's Colchagua valley, focusing on ‘Hayward’ vines grown under a photoselective pearl net. A completely randomized design with two treatments (uncovered and covered) was employed. Meteorological parameters, canopy spectral reflectance, vegetative growth, and ecophysiological parameters were evaluated. Results: Pearl netting reduced photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), leading to increased shoot length and leaf area. Despite the high variability of the diurnal response of the ecophysiological parameters, there were no significant differences in leaf water potential (?x) and stomatal conductance (gs) between treatments. Conclusion: Photoselective pearl net effectively modifies the light environment, enhancing vegetative growth without compromising key physiological functions. These findings suggest that photoselective netting can improve crop management practices and resilience to climatic variability. © The Author(s) 2024.