"Installing nets against wind and frost also enables the reduction of direct light on plants or, if transparent, they improve lighting especially in spring when abnormal weather events are more likely," explains Francesco Ruggia, general manager at Retilplast, a company specializing in the production, transformation and commercialization of nets and films to improve crop quantities and quality.
"With a single investment, we can protect our crops against wind, cold temperatures and excessive light in summer and bring forward harvesting by 10-15 days. In addition, we can obtain a more favorable micro-climate throughout the entire vegetative cycle. We are talking about HDPE single-thread nets weighing 80gr/mg with a shading effect of up to 20%, a 20% wind-breaking capacity and 71% porosity. The side and central sections are strengthened to enable a more secure fixing."
"Multi-purpose nets are ideal for lemon or early clementine groves and last for 12 years. They can protect plants from low temperatures in winter by trapping warm air and, during summer, the soil and dust that gets electrostatically attached to nets reduces light intensity by approximately 30 thousand lux."
"The system comes complete with nets, anchors, rods (cement, iron or wood), steel ropes and connecting plates and costs between €15,000 and €20,000. In addition to safeguarding crops, this solution also makes it possible to take advantage of a good commercial window thanks to an earlier production."
