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Fresh-cut salads and other vegetables - technical solutions for quality productions
Fresh-cut salads and other vegetables now have an extra ally to grow and develop at their best throughout their life cycle. Arrigoni, a leading international company in the production of technical fabrics for agriculture, has in fact presented new tests on the effectiveness of the PRISMA® thermo-reflective screens and BIORETE AIR PLUS® for this type of crop.
A large audience of agronomist technicians met in Battipaglia (SA), in southern Italy. Over the years, this area of the Province of Salerno (i.e. the Piana del Sele) has become the true European center of baby leaf vegetables with the emergence of numerous innovative companies. Here, Arrigoni is successfully proposing the most advanced technical solutions for safe and quality production. Among these, PRISMA® – white protective screens that guarantees temperature control – were the main topic of the meeting.
Giuseppe Netti, agronomist and member of Arrigoni's R&D Team, explained to his colleagues the mechanism of action of PRISMA® thermo-reflective screens: “thanks to the special Light Diffusion additives formulated by the Arrigoni laboratory and added to the yarn in the production phase, the light spreads more evenly around the plant, even in the lower parts. PRISMA® also ensures lowering of the temperature without reducing the passage of light in the PAR spectrum (Photosynthetically Active Radiation). These combined effects greatly reduce sunburn damage and improve the quality and quantity of production. The lower temperature also facilitates the work".
The shading systems used so far, such as the nets in black color, have proven to operate by "cutting" the useful radiation, but with little reduction in temperature. This is explained by the fact that colors other than white absorb short infrared (heat) then transferred inside. Furthermore, to these effects it is added that the filtered light in that case is direct.
For total protection from insects, Arrigoni recommends BIORETE® AIR PLUS also for “baby leaf” producers. BIORETE® AIR PLUS are the innovative insect screens with monofilament of low denier (thickness) and high resistance, for greater ventilation and safe production. There are several advantages that this solution ensures: better ventilation with the same level of protection, further reduced temperatures inside greenhouses, reduced occurrence of cryptogamic diseases, better plant development, better quality and sensorial properties of production.
The meeting was also an opportunity to present the very positive results of the field tests recently conducted at the Vitrosele srl. This company is in the province of Salerno and specialized in the development of horticultural productions. The search for innovation of this company has promoted the development of a research laboratory for genetic improvement and micro-propagation, of a nursery for the setting and development of seedlings, as well as of various test fields and greenhouses. The ideal context, therefore, to test Arrigoni protection systems with zero environmental impact.
The proof comes from Dr. Antonietta Boffa, technical manager of production of Vitrosele, responsible for the development and growth phases of the micro-propagated artichoke seedlings in vitro.
"Light is a very important component in our activity – she explains – but it must be homogeneous in all periods of the year and, in the warmer months, we must be able to control the excessive heat in greenhouses. Since we adopted Arrigoni's PRISMA® thermo-reflective screens, we have noticed not only a drop in temperatures compared to the previously installed solutions, but also a significant vegetative improvement of the plant, thanks precisely to the more balanced lighting given by these particular screens. Following this positive experience, we are installing this solution also on three new hectares of nursery".
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