PREDICTING THE MICROCLIMATE INSIDE A GREENHOUSE - AN APPLICATION OF AONE-DIMENSIONAL NUMERICAL-MODEL IN AN UNHEATED GREENHOUSE

A one-dimensional numerical model has been adapted to predict the micr oclimate inside an unheated commercial greenhouse during a continuous period of 51 days. The main outputs of the model (hourly air and leaf temperatures and relative humidity) were used to derive the leaf wetne ss duration (LWD) each day. Measured microclimate parameters inside th e greenhouse were used to test the model performance during the corres ponding period. Reasonable agreement was found between the predicted a nd measured parameters for the entire period. The root mean square dif ferences between the predicted and actual air and leaf temperatures, r elative humidity and LWD were 1.2 and 1.8 degrees C, 5.8% and 1.9 h d( -1), respectively. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.