New cool plastic films for greenhouse covering in tropical and subtropical areas

Techniques such as "whitening" and the use of covers that block part of the incoming radiation have been historically used in greenhouses located in areas with high solar radiation and excess temperatures. However, these solutions have some disadvantages, such as important losses of photosynthetically active radiation, for non-selective covers, or high prices, for selective ones. A new generation of cool plastic films (films that block a part of the near-infrared radiation) are being tested in Spain, Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic and may solve some of these problems by reducing maximum diurnal temperatures inside greenhouses at a relatively low cost.