Plant husbandry – Cover – shade – or screen – Adjustable on supporting structure or having means allowing...
Patent
1997-11-26
2000-05-16
Carone, Michael J.
Plant husbandry
Cover, shade, or screen
Adjustable on supporting structure or having means allowing...
A01G 1302
Patent
active
060619546
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a cover, principally for growing bananas.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are already covers for sheathing stalks of bananas, consisting of a plastic film in polythene (polyethylene), that enable protection to be provided for the stalk of bananas against insects and against the rubbing of leaves and fruit due to conditions such as bad weather, dust, etc..
But bananas are also sensitive to ultra-violet "B" (UV "B") radiation (280-320 nm) which results in the appearance of blemishes on the banana's skin (black marks) and which causes a disappearance of the chlorophyll (chlorosis). Bananas are also sensitive to infrared (heat) which can cause the same symptoms when the temperature of the fruit exceeds 35.degree. C.
A blue colorant (optalocyanyl blue, ultramarine blue) was then proposed which, introduced into the polythene sleeves, protects the bananas against burns.
However, this blue cover does not allow all the white light to pass and stops a good part of the UV "A", because of its blue colouring. Nevertheless white light and UV "A" are involved in healing injuries due to UV "B". The wavelengths absorbed by the blue colorant are those absorbed by the chlorophyll and are those that the plant needs. In addition, polythene is a material with a negative greenhouse effect that lets all infrared pass: the bananas are thus heated by day and rapidly cooled by night. An increase in the heat transmitted to the stalk at night enables growth to be accelerated by favouring reactions in the dark.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a solution to the above problems by proposing a cover consisting of a multi-layer, plastic film of the type including an outer layer, a central layer and an inner layer, the central layer including an ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymer and at least one of the three layers including at least one light stabilising agent and ultraviolet absorber, for growing bananas.
According to one characteristic of the cover under the invention, the ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymer contains less than 20% by volume, as compared to the total volume of copolymer, of vinyl acetate.
More precisely, the ethylene and vinyl acetate copolymer includes between about 9% and about 19% by volume of vinyl acetate as compared to the total volume the copolymer.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, only the central layer contains the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, only the outer layer contains the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
According to a third embodiment of the cover of the invention, only the inner layer contains the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, only the outer and central layers contain the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
According to a firth embodiment of the invention, only the inner and central layers contain the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
Under a sixth method of producing the invention, the three layers contain the said at least one light stabilising and UV absorbing agent.
According to a sixth embodiment of the invention, the light stabilising and UV absorbing agent is 2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxy-benzophenone, which is associated to a light stabilising agent, poly-(N-.beta.-hydroxyethyl-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxy-piperidyl succinate), each in a quantity of 0.1 to 2% by volume as compared to the total volume of copolymer.
According to yet another characteristic of the cover of the invention, the central layer consists in addition of a slip agent such as oleamide.
According to still another characteristic of the cover of the invention, the outer layer is composed of a low density, radical polythene, having a fluidity index less than 1.5 g/cm.sup.2 /mn and the inner layer is of a low density, radical polythene having a fluidity index greater than 4 g/cm.sup.2 /mn.
According to an addition
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Cuneen et al., "Does The Colour Of Banana Bags Have An Effect On The Yield Of Bananas And The Climate Inside The Bag", The Banana Bulletin, Aug. 1988 (Australia).
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. 18, No. 597 (Nov. 1994): JP-A-6-225649 (Tokyo).
Carone Michael J.
Shaw Elizabeth
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