Evaluation of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) crop productivity under shading in an agrovoltaic system in two seasons of the year in Arequipa, Perú - 2023

The agricultural sector is constantly evolving and agrovoltaic aim to address challenges such as climate change and water scarcity. The aim of this study was to design a pilot system to evaluate the effect of solar panel shading at two angles of inclination (10° and 50°) on the growth and production of radish crops during winter and spring. The crop used commercial seeds planted in 1 m
³
pots with a substrate of sand, field soil and peat. Plant growth was analysed under the shade of solar panels compared to a control group without shade. In addition, soil characteristics such as moisture, NPK content, electrical conductivity and pH were monitored using IoT technology for real-time tracking during the 40-day development period. Morphological parameters such as plant height, leaf area, bulb mass and root length were assessed. The results showed that the group exposed to a 10° tilt angle had better plant growth, increased leaf area and higher productivity in both winter and spring. It was found that the 10° angle resulted in lower water loss compared to both the control group and the group exposed to 50°. Regarding energy production, it was observed that the solar panels inclined at 10° reached peak production, generating 1.016 kWh, surpassing the group exposed at 50°, which generated 0.805 kWh.