Improving tomatoes quality in the Sahel through organic cultivation under photovoltaic greenhouse as a climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy

• Published in: Scientific reports 2024-08, Vol.14 (1), p.19396-14
• Main Authors: Djibrilla, Alio Sanda M., Rabani, Adamou, Illyassou, Karimoun M., Issa, Samna Mainassara, Abdourahimou, Koraou N., Abdoulkader, Atto H., Aissetou, Drame Yaye
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/449/2124; 631/449/2679; 704/172/4081; Carbon dioxide; Climate adaptation; Climate Change; Crop yield; Crops, Agricultural - growth & development; Dry matter; Environmental conditions; Evaporative coolers; Food availability; Food production; Food quality; Food security; Fruit - growth & development; Fruits; Greenhouse cooling; Greenhouses; Horticulture; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Nutrient content; Nutritional value; Organic Agriculture - methods; Photovoltaics; Physical characteristics; Plant growth; Relative humidity; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sheep-based fertilizer; Solanum lycopersicum; Solanum lycopersicum - growth & development; Solar radiation; Temperature; Tomatoes; Vapor pressure
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54427-9

Climate change negative impacts on food production systems have forced large scale food producers to make available less healthy products. Although available on the markets, tomatoes are no more tasting as they used to be and providing fewer nutrients compared to then. This study investigates and compares the quality and yield of organic tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum ) produced in an insect net covered photovoltaic greenhouse against ambient production. Plant’s physical characteristics were measured, yields and nutrient content were found at harvest, and environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, solar irradiance and CO 2 ) were recorded. Plants grew as high as 160 cm inside the greenhouse under an average afternoon temperature of 30.71 °C and a vapor pressure deficit (VPD) of 1.88 kPa against outside plant growth of 72 cm height under averages of 36.04 °C and 3.05 kPa. Although, inside greenhouse tomatoes were physically more attractive and firm with two times healthier tomatoes (98%), 52.39% higher content in protein, 13.31% more minerals and 13.19% more dry matter than outside tomatoes, the yield from outside environment was 4.57 times higher than that of inside due to probably the used crop variety adapted to the harsh climate. Using a crop variety optimum for greenhouse, increasing ventilation and using better fertilizers with enough irrigation could help increase productivity while keeping high fruit quality inside the greenhouse, leading to healthier fruits for food security in the Sahel.