In recent years, growers had to deal with extremely hot summers, resulting in high temperatures and sunburn in tunnel greenhouses and under screen halls. A solution for this heat problem are thermo-reflective screen nets, which reflect the sunlight through the white colour.
Furthermore, the addition of a light diffuser ensures better light distribution around the plants and less sunburn. All this gives better photosynthesis and less evaporation during hot days and therefore better growth.
Two new thermo-reflective screen nets from Howitec Netting are intended to help growers get through those hot summers without crop damage. They are Hiemalia LD and Avoida LD.
Hiemalia LD in use
Hiemalia LD
This material is used over foil tunnels and/or as a screen in a tunnel or greenhouse. Hiemalia is made of a strap fabric and is available in different screening factors, namely 33% (Hiemalia LD45), 50% (Hiemalia LD78) and 56% (Hiemalia LD95).
Hiemalia LD 45, 78, 95 from left to right.
Avoida in use
Avoida LD
Avoida LD is placed over a screen hall or a tunnel without foil. It is made from a combination of stronger monofilament threads and fabric straps. This material is also available in different screening factors, namely 32% (Avoida LD98) and 46% (Avoida LD112).
With both screens, Howitec focuses on various covered cultivations. "Among others, we look at strawberry, berries, raspberries, lettuce, baby leafs and tree cultivation," explains Wilmiene van Veen of Howitec. "In addition, Avoida can be used as a cover for tunnels or screen halls that are not yet covered with foil."
Advantages of thermo-reflective screen mesh
- Provides lower temperatures because the white colour reflects part of the infrared light
- Better photosynthesis yield because of the lower temperatures
- Less evaporation by the plant through regulation of the temperature
- Better photosynthesis because more PAR light is created by adding light diffuser to the strap fabric
- Better light distribution around the plants, so that the lower plant parts also receive light
- Less occurrence of sunburn thanks to the diffuse radiation
- Reduction of vegetative damage caused by direct light
- Higher polyphenols content of fruits and vegetables, thus better antioxidant effect
Left: Avoida LD98, right: Avoida LD112
For more information:
Howitec Netting
www.howitec.nl