meta-analysis on the growth of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and blackcurrants under different levels of shade generated by elevated agrivoltaic systems
although classified as shade-benefitting in previous literature, not all berries are equally profiting from the presence of the photovoltaic panels
3,677 agronomic experiments considering berry yield under at least two light levels
in most cases, low shade levels are relatively less detrimental, or even beneficial, to berry yield than high shade levels
‘exception to this is the response of strawberries with increasing yields at high shade rates…Physiologically, this response is highly improbable and can likely be attributed to the limited number of data points at low shade rates’
significant difference in crop yield response between environments with high and low radiation intensity. Yield losses as a result of shade, the analysis showed, are more substantial in low radiation intensity environments
‘suggests that successes of one region will not necessarily hold somewhere else’
‘although classified as shade-benefitting in previous literature, not all berries are equally tolerant to shade’
‘Whereas blueberry yield at high radiation intensities can benefit from up to 50 % shade, other berry types are better classified as shade tolerant, enduring up to 35 % shade without yield loss but declining afterwards’