Visqueen ADR Fruit Film

Recent research at the University of Reading has shown raspberry yield can be increased by 36% under a new polytunnel film from Visqueen. The film known as ADR is a high diffusion film and with a projected life-span of 3 seasons. The work was conducted by P.hD student Mouhamad Mpezamihigo under the supervision of Dr James Carew and Professor Nick Battey of the Soft Fruit Technology group.

Also under investigation were a range of other films including Luminance THB (infra-red blocking film) and Solatrol (growth control film and partial infra-red blocking) against a standard UVI/EVA polythene. The industry standard cultivar ‘Glen Ample’ was used in this study to evaluate the polytunnel covers. The research results were presented by Karen Shrives at the recent FAST conference.

ADR film was found to increase fruit size and yield. The film also delayed flowering and first pick by up to 6 days. This delay has obvious advantages, enabling progressive growers to schedule further fruit production for marketing after the traditional summer peak, when fruit prices are rising and market returns from the crop are on the increase.

Karen went on to show that the crop yield increases could improve the growers return by as much as £17,424 per hectare. ADR was used to cover small scale French tunnels. This research is now being evaluated in commercial scale trials and the results are expected to be available at the end of the year.


DATE: 03/04/2003