The arrival of winter worries rural producers

We are less than a month away from the start of winter. Here in Brazil and throughout the Southern Hemisphere, the season starts on June 21st and runs until September 22nd. In most agricultural producing regions, the period is characterized by drought and cold, susceptible to frost and very low temperatures. For producers, especially those of vegetables, fruits, legumes and ornamentals, it is essential to plan crop protection from now on, as sudden climate change compromises crops in the field, whether through leaf burning or dehydration, obviously causing major losses. .

In cold and low light conditions, all crops suffer, especially legumes, leafy vegetables and some types of vegetables, which have a very short cycle, between one and three months. For these types of crops that are sown throughout the year, including in the cold season, the films that surround the greenhouses become essential. According to Mateus Cruz, agronomist and sales representative for the Nortène Group in Minas Gerais and Goiás, the films have important roles. “One of them is that it creates the microclimate, no matter the season, but as we are talking about winter, it will maintain the ideal internal temperature, even in frost, to guarantee the highest possible productivity and satisfactory light entry. ", it says.

During this period, plants need light and its availability is lower throughout the day. “The important thing is the entry of light and we have films with high light transmissibility and also diffusion, that is, spreading it, so that the plant can absorb as much as possible”, explains the agronomist. For example, in the midday sun, the rays only fall on the upper part of the plants, and can even burn it if the film used is not UV blocking. “By using a film that diffuses this better, the crop will be able to absorb more light and with a larger surface area. Combined with fertilizer and water, production will be greater”, adds Cruz.

Structured project

For those producers who are going to start protected cultivation, first of all, it is necessary to research the demand in the region, the availability of water, especially knowing the climate, altitude, longitude, what type of crop they want to produce, so that they can then , he can decide which film is best to buy. As important as the crop he will produce, he also has to know the region's environmental conditions, rainfall and whether it is close to a consumer market.

From there, he will buy the materials, plastic, structural material, irrigation, it is important to have an agronomist or agricultural engineer to consult, from there he will start producing and serving his market there. “Nortène has been in the market for 40 years, probably the company with the most cases of protected crops in Brazil and can help by providing the material on the market today, with greater technology and greater durability. A high-tech and efficient agricultural plastic”, states RTV.

To make this cultivation system even more efficient, the Nortène Group recently launched its new line of agricultural films onto the market. The three new products in the Maxilux line (HALS DIF AE, HALS DIF AV UV and HALS DIF AV UV) are equipped with high diffusion and anti-static, which prevents the accumulation of dust on the surface of the stove. With specific antivirus additions, they are all high technology. “These are films that can be used in all types of cultivation, which bring a very high quality of light inside the greenhouse and this favors high crop productivity”, highlights Luciana Coelho, marketing manager at the Nortene Group.

Among the differences of the new line, the highlight is the higher rate of photosynthesis, which guarantees better productivity and quality, as it reduces the plant cycle. Maxilux products also have UV blocking (ultraviolet radiation) developed to prevent crops from burning due to ultraviolet radiation. All these benefits are only possible thanks to exclusive Israeli technology in the development of the films.

The country is known as a pioneer in the production of agricultural films, on protected cultivation. Due to environmental conditions, they have very little water and rain, an environment with many high and low temperatures, depending on the time of year. Therefore, in order for them to be able to produce all year round and meet demand, these technologies had to evolve. “We brought this Israeli formulation, based it on it, with specific additives for Nortène, so that we could launch films with high technologies and durability on the market, with high efficiency and performance”, concludes Luciana.