Effects of irrigation regime and application of kaolin on canopy temperatures of sweet pepper and tomato

The effect of different irrigation regimes and the application of kaolin on the canopy temperatures of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentwn MilL), determined by a nondestructive imaging method, is discussed in the paper. The research was conducted in an open field on carbonate chernozem soil at Stara Pazova (40 km north of Belgrade, Serbia), over a period of three years (2011, 2012 and 2013). The setup was a two-factorial, completely random block system, with three replications. The first factor was the irrigation regime and the second the application of kaolin. The experimental pepper plants were subjected to thre different irrigation regimes: a) full irrigation (F), covering 100% of ETc (cultivar's evapotranspiration rate); b) deficit irrigation at 80% of ETc (R1); and deficit irrigation at 70% of ETc (R2). Two different irrigation regimes were monitored in the case of tomato: full irrigation (F), covering 100% of ETc, and b) deficit irrigation at 50% of ETc (D). The kaolin treatments of both crops were: a) control without kaolin (C) and 5% kaolin suspension (K). The results of this research indicated that the irrigation regime had a very significant effect on the temperature of pepper and tomato; the higher the level of irrigation, the lower the temperature. The dual-effect of kaolin impacted the heat balance of the plants.