EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT ORGANZA MESH FOR TOMATO PRODUCTION UNDER A LOW TUNNEL

New non-agricultural materials, such as organza, have been tested in research and emerge as an innovative approach for tomato cultivation in tropical regions. This study assessed the effectiveness of various organza mesh types in low tunnels, specifically comparing voile organza, crystal organza, and open field conditions, using two determinate tomato hybrids (Fascínio and Thaíse). The main factors analyzed included environmental parameters, production metrics, physical fruit characteristics, and biochemical attributes. Results showed that air temperatures were lowest in the voile organza environment, with similar trends in light intensity, leaf, and fruit temperatures. Both organza types achieved higher commercial and total production compared to open field cultivation, with increases in commercial production of up to 52.2%, along with greater percentages of commercial fruits, total mass, and commercial mass. Biochemical analysis indicated that total soluble solids, lycopene, and β-carotene levels were higher in open field tomatoes. Thaíse exhibited a greater percentage of commercial fruits, while Fascínio had higher levels of lycopene and β-carotene. Despite some biochemical attributes being superior in open field tomatoes, the overall advantages of protected cultivation highlight its viability for optimizing tomato production in challenging climates. Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum L.; protective nets; protected cultivation; fruit quality.