15AGRITECHCAT4: Third Generation Polyethylene Greenhouse Cladding Materials

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This project will develop a third generation of polyethylene cladding materials for use in greenhouses. The project exploits our fundamental understanding of the interactions between plants and light. Here we will optically modify the light incident upon a crop to drive commercial and environmental benefits to greenhouse producers. We will scatter ultra violet (UV) light to improve crop quality and minimise pest incidence, develop materials with directional photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) scattering to drive yield and reflect near infra red (NIR) radiation to control solar gain. These materials are low cost and could provide significant advantages to global greenhouse producers This is a multi disciplinary project engaging industry (British Polythene Industries plc, Haygrove Ltd, Finlays Ltd, Berry Garden Ltd and A Schulman Ltd) and academic partners (University of Reading (UoR), Chemistry and Agriculture, University of Lincoln (UoL), NCFM, Engineering and Architecture and the research organisation East Malling Research, (EMR)). The project has been divided into 5 operational work packages (WP), plus an additional management WP. WP1 will focus on material science and development. The UoR Chem will lead research to develop novel materials that scatter UV, have defined PAR angular scattering patterns and reflect NIR. Prototype materials will be scaled up using mini extruders at A. Schulmans and the full manufacturing facilities of BPI plc. Highly innovative research will be required to develop NIR reflecting materials, though recent developments in material science suggests there may be novel approaches via the use of defined nano particulates. The UoL will conduct WP2. Here models will be developed (either physical / physiological or functional / structural, 3D CAD) to describe the interaction between material scattering pattern and crop light interception. These models will be validated in scale models of greenhouses and under commercial conditions. The model will inform WP1 and also be used to determine optimal greenhouse shapes in relation to specific materials. WP3 will be conducted at UoR Agri and EMR and will be highly focussed experiments to determine the impact of UV, diffuse PAR and NIR on whole crops of strawberry. The trials will be fully replicated and conducted on the key strawberry crop. UoR will focus on crop responses and EMR will conduct studies on insect behaviour and will include high replication experiments with controlled insect release. In WP4 and WP5 Berry Gardens, Haygrove and Finlays will test the most promising materials under real commercial conditions. This will include experiments on 4 BG soft fruit sites through the UK, trials in Australia and RSA facilitated by Haygrove (high solar conditions to test the NIR materials and in Kenya on cut roses (Finlays). The materials developed within the project will be exploitable within one year of the end of the project. We anticipate opportunities for further research, in particular more detailed studies on crop light interactions and applied work to understand the impact of the materials on a wider range of crops and geographic regions.