title: Assessment of microclimate conditions under artificial shades in a ginseng field.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge on microclimate conditions under artificial shades in a ginseng field would facilitate climate-aware management of ginseng production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weather data were measured under the shade and outside the shade at two fields located in Gochang-gun and Jeongeup-si, Korea, in 2011 and 2012 seasons to assess temperature and humidity conditions under the shade. An empirical approach was developed and validated for the estimation of leaf wetness duration (LWD) using weather measurements outside the shade as inputs to the model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Air temperature and relative humidity were similar between under the shade and outside the shade. For example, temperature conditions favorable for ginseng growth, e.g., between 8°C and 27°C, occurred slightly less frequently in hours during night times under the shade (91%) than outside (92%). Humidity conditions favorable for development of a foliar disease, e.g., relative humidity > 70%, occurred slightly more frequently under the shade (84%) than outside (82%). Effectiveness of correction schemes to an empirical LWD model differed by rainfall conditions for the estimation of LWD under the shade using weather measurements outside the shade as inputs to the model. During dew eligible days, a correction scheme to an empirical LWD model was slightly effective (10%) in reducing estimation errors under the shade. However, another correction approach during rainfall eligible days reduced errors of LWD estimation by 17%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weather measurements outside the shade and LWD estimates derived from these measurements would be useful as inputs for decision support systems to predict ginseng growth and disease development.
authors: Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Kyu Jong
authors: KJ
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Plant Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Byun-Woo
authors: BW
authors: Lee
authors: Korea Ginseng Corporation Research Institute, Korea Ginseng Corporation, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors: Je Yong
authors: JY
authors: Kang
authors: Korea Ginseng Corporation Research Institute, Korea Ginseng Corporation, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors: Dong Yun
authors: DY
authors: Lee
authors: Korea Ginseng Corporation Research Institute, Korea Ginseng Corporation, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors: Soo Won
authors: SW
authors: Jang
authors: Department of Plant Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Kwang Soo
authors: KS
authors: Kim
keywords: Panax ginseng; leaf wetness duration; microclimate; relative humidity; shade