Photo-selective netting for improved performance of horticultural crops. A review of ornamental and vegetable studies carried out in Israel

Photo-selective netting refers to covering crops by nets having the capacity to selectively filter the intercepted solar radiation, in addition to their protective function. The technology is based on plastic net products into which various chromophores and light dispersive and reflective elements were introduced during manufacturing. These nets are designed to screen various spectral bands of the solar radiation, and/or transform direct light into scattered light. The spectral manipulation intends to specifically promote desired physiological responses, which are light-regulated, while the scattering improves the penetration of the modified light into the inner plant canopy. A recent additional aspect to the photo-selective nets refers to their effects on pest behavior. The photo-selective netting concept was developed and tested in Israel in ornamental, vegetable and fruit tree crops. It is gradually spreading all over the world, for implementation in different crops, climatic regions and cultivation methods. The current paper provides an overview on the research and development carried out in Israel during the last decade, as an introduction to the following papers, which were presented at the special workshop on Photo-selective Netting during the International Horticulture Congress (IHC 2006) in Seoul, Korea.