Pankar-huyus are becoming an alternative solution to the Bolivian Altiplano's climate problems for agriculture and to help provide adequate nutrition for the inhabitants of this region. Pankar-huyus are small modules with mild ambient temperatures that cover roughly 4 m^2. They are built underground and are covered by agrofilm caps that, in this study, were partially opened by day and closed at night. This study evaluated the climactic parameters of minimum and maximum temperature, minimum and maximum relatively humidity inside the pankar-huyus, wind velocity outside and inside the pankar-huyus at 40 cm from the soil and at the level of the soil (thus obtaining net ratiation). The crop planted was Grand Rapids TBR--variety lettuce. The study tested two depths, 0.80 m and 1.20 m, of the pankar-huyus combined with two different degrees of cover opening, of 20 cm and 40 cm. The lettuce was planted twice (two cultivation cycles). The first was in September to October, the second from November to December. These two cycles in the present study are the two time periods mentioned. The first cycle's nursery was a walipini with disinfected soil, and the plants developed without problems. The second cycle's nursery was planted in another walipini with a non-disinfected surface, which resulted in a fungal infection that directly affected the second cycle's yield. The climate parameters were measured by instruments, which were: Thermohydrometers to measure temperature and humidity, anemometer to measure wind velocity, and a luxó to measure solar radiation. Of the combination of variables in this study, modules with a depth of 1.20 meters and a 40 cm opening gave the highest yield for this crop, despite the second crop being notably affected by a fungal infection. One of the advantages of this type of system is the favorable minimum temperatures for temperate crops. Among its disadvantages are the elevated maximum temperatures and the high minimum relative humidity of some of the modules, especially those with 0.80 m depths. Solar radiation was observed to diminish as it penetrated deeper depths inside the modules. Wind velocity did not have much influence on the magnitude inside the modules. However, greater velocity was measured on the soil, which is the center of the modules. The exterior climate factors that directly affected the interior of the modules were: maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, and wind velocity because these occurred when the modules' covers remained open. Solar radiation is one of the principal parameters because it gives the energy necessary for all the crop's biochemical and metabolic processes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BGMYU2/oai:scholarsarchive.byu.edu:etd-6428 |
| Date | 01 January 2004 |
| Creators | Rocabado Paco, Lucio Guillermo |
| Publisher | BYU ScholarsArchive |
| Source Sets | Brigham Young University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Coverage | Bolivia |
| Rights | http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/ |
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