Managing greenhouse light without repeated coating applications
Source: HD.com
"Aluminet® and ChromatiNet® manage the angle of the sun across the sky to eliminate moving the curtain during the day or night," he explains, while noting that the materials themselves are passive and do not replace retractable curtain systems where dynamic environmental control is required. According to Frank, reflective Aluminet® can be used externally over polyethylene greenhouse film to reduce solar heat entering the structure, while avoiding the recurring application and removal associated with liquid shade coatings.
Fixed screens can reduce excessive radiation during high-irradiance periods, but retractable systems allow growers to restore available light during low-light conditions and provide additional control over nighttime thermal management and photoperiod. "ChromatiNet® operates on the principle of photoselective light filtration and scatter, manipulating both the quantity and spectral quality of Photosynthetically Active Radiation." The practical objective is not simply to reduce PAR, but to influence how plants receive and use available radiation.
For greenhouse operators, the broader consideration is how shading technology affects light quantity, light quality, heat load and canopy distribution simultaneously. This approach provides an alternative to repeatedly changing surface coatings while retaining the option of automated screening where precise environmental control is required.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
