DEVELOPING HIGHLY LUCRATIVE SMART CROP COVER MARKETS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

在气候不确定性的背景下，到2030年，全球中产阶级预计将增加30亿至49亿，对园艺作物(新鲜水果和蔬菜)的需求也将随之增长。因此，该行业需要不断的技术创新来应对当前和未来的挑战。保护性种植中最受欢迎的组成部分之一是用于覆盖全球农作物的聚乙烯覆盖物，这些覆盖物在过去30年中几乎没有变化。基于二十年来由英国首创的光生物学研究(不同类型的光如何影响生物系统的科学)，并由Lightworks Poly与兰开斯特大学合作开发的商业开发，我们现在能够使用我们独特的模型来设计下一代作物覆盖产品的光学特性，以延长生长季，提高产量和质量，并根据作物和位置减少化学投入。在土耳其取得成功后，沙特阿拉伯王国政府邀请与他们的行业进行讨论，以期在那里实现类似的好处，该项目将促进这一点，并通过这样做，帮助在这个高利润率地区开发利润丰厚的合同。

Set against a backdrop of climate uncertainty the global middle class is projected to grow by 3bn to 4.9bn by 2030 and with it demand for horticultural crops (fresh fruit & veg). The industry therefore requires constant technological innovation to address current & future challenges. One of the most under expoited components of protected cropping is the polyethylene covers used to cover crops worldwide which have changed little in 30 years. Based on two decades of photobiology research (science of how different types of light affect biological systems) pioneered in the UK and commercially developed by LIGHTWORKS POLY with Lancaster University we are now able to use our unique models to design the optical properties of next generation crop cover products to extend growing seasons, improve yields and quality and reduce chemcial inputs based on crop and location. Following success in Turkey the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian government has invited discussion with their industry aimed at achieving similar benefits there and this project will faciliate that and in so doing help develop highly lucrative contracts in this high margin region.