The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance of an innovative greenhouse covering film in comparison with a yearly conventional EVA film for soil solarization treatments. The innovative covering material is a thin polyamide-based film designed to last up to six years. Preliminarily, laboratory measurements of perpendicular spectral transmittance of these films were performed both in solar (200-2500 nm) and in infrared (2500-25000 nm) wavelength range. The trial was carried out in Sicily in two twin multi-span tunnel greenhouses, with steel-made structure, each covering a surface sized 45.0×29.5 m. One of the greenhouses was covered with a 150-μm-thick EVA film and the other with a 60-μm-thick polyamide-based film. Inside each greenhouse different treatments, replicated three times, were performed on plots sized 3.7×14.5 m. For each replica one plot was left un-mulched as control and four plots were mulched with the following films: a 55-μm-thick smoky grey LDPE film, a 25-μm-thick green coextruded film, a 25-μm-thick clear LDPE film and a 25-μm-thick clear PE film with low content of polyamide. The solarization treatment was performed from 28 June to 20 August 2008. During all the trial soil temperature was measured at 15 and 30 cm depth in a plot of each treatment. Furthermore, air temperature, air relative humidity and total radiation flux were measured outside and inside the greenhouses. The results of laboratory tests showed that the two films have comparable spectroradiometric properties and the field trial proved that the innova¬tive film is able to increase soil temperature under greenhouse similarly to the EVA film. Further evaluations will be done to ascertain the influence of the polyamide-based film on the yield and quality of some horticultural crops during the cultivation season and the maintenance of its spectroradiometric and mechanical properties after several years of use.

Polyamide-Based Film as Greenhouse Covering in Soil Solarization

CASCONE, Giovanni;D'EMILIO, ALESSANDRO;
2012-01-01

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance of an innovative greenhouse covering film in comparison with a yearly conventional EVA film for soil solarization treatments. The innovative covering material is a thin polyamide-based film designed to last up to six years. Preliminarily, laboratory measurements of perpendicular spectral transmittance of these films were performed both in solar (200-2500 nm) and in infrared (2500-25000 nm) wavelength range. The trial was carried out in Sicily in two twin multi-span tunnel greenhouses, with steel-made structure, each covering a surface sized 45.0×29.5 m. One of the greenhouses was covered with a 150-μm-thick EVA film and the other with a 60-μm-thick polyamide-based film. Inside each greenhouse different treatments, replicated three times, were performed on plots sized 3.7×14.5 m. For each replica one plot was left un-mulched as control and four plots were mulched with the following films: a 55-μm-thick smoky grey LDPE film, a 25-μm-thick green coextruded film, a 25-μm-thick clear LDPE film and a 25-μm-thick clear PE film with low content of polyamide. The solarization treatment was performed from 28 June to 20 August 2008. During all the trial soil temperature was measured at 15 and 30 cm depth in a plot of each treatment. Furthermore, air temperature, air relative humidity and total radiation flux were measured outside and inside the greenhouses. The results of laboratory tests showed that the two films have comparable spectroradiometric properties and the field trial proved that the innova¬tive film is able to increase soil temperature under greenhouse similarly to the EVA film. Further evaluations will be done to ascertain the influence of the polyamide-based film on the yield and quality of some horticultural crops during the cultivation season and the maintenance of its spectroradiometric and mechanical properties after several years of use.
2012
Innovative materials; Long-life coverings; Soil temperature
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/3425
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