The objective of this work was to develop, test and validate mathematical models for maximum evapotranspiration estimations of a sweet pepper crop using meteorological variables measured outside the greenhouse, in Santa Maria, RS. Two experiments were conducted during spring of 2005 and 2006, for data collection, respectively for development and testing of models. The maximum evapotranspiration was measured using three drainage and one weighting lysimeter. Plant height, number of leaves and leaf area were weekly determined. The daily values of meteorological variables were obtained at the main Meteorological Station of Santa Maria. It is possible to estimate the maximum evapotranspiration of sweet pepper crop grown inside greenhouses during the spring with mathematical models that use various external measurements. Better estimations of maximum evapotranspiration of sweet pepper crop grown inside plastic greenhouse during the spring were obtained using meteorological variables, mean vapor pressure deficit, solar radiation, net radiation and reference evapotranspiration, measured outside the greenhouse. It was concluded that it is possible to estimate, with acceptable accuracy at daily level, the maximum crop evapotranspiration of sweet pepper grown in greenhouse in spring, using complex mathematical models that use meteorological variables measured outside the greenhouse.
Capsicum annuum L.; models; radiation
