A ground cover material for use in horticulture has on one side a low white layer comprising a transparent or translucent polymer and a low amount of a white pigment or pigments, and on an opposite side a metallized layer. In use the material is placed beneath fruit trees for example, and provides a balance of direct and diffuse reflection of incident solar radiation back to the fruit trees.

The present disclosure relates to a mulch film laying robot and a mulch film laying method. The mulch film laying robot comprises a walking mechanism for walking, a mulch film laying mechanism for mulch film laying, a mulch film compaction mechanism for compacting a laid mulch film, and a reconfiguration mechanism for a robot to cross obstacles. The walking mechanism comprises a plurality of pairs of vertical supports, rollers are arranged at the lower ends of the vertical supports, walking rotating motors for driving the rollers are arranged at the bottoms of two pairs of vertical supports at both ends of the walking mechanism, and the vertical supports on the same side are sequentially connected and fixed by transverse connecting rods. The reconfiguration mechanism is arranged between each pair of vertical supports, and the reconfiguration mechanism comprises two reconfiguration arms.

The invention refers to a tying system employing an accessory bearing a quick attachment hook, for tying a plastic cover film for agricultural crops such as soft fruit covers. Cultivation of soft fruits in covered space has been growing in recent decades. Several solutions have been developed including greenhouses or gable systems. The placement, fastening and fixing of the plastic film is achieved with ropes, elastic cords or soft PVC tubing. However, the cost of binding the plastic film is significant as skilled staff and considerable amounts of man hours are required to tie the plastic film to the supporting structure. Tying the film, in most cases, is carried out by employing knots on grommets that the plastic films.

A resin composition contains: (A) an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene structural unit content of 20 to 60 mol %; (B) a saponified ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene structural unit content of not less than 70 mol %; and (C) a sorbic acid ester; wherein the sorbic acid ester (C) is present in an amount of 0.00001 to 10 ppm based on the weight of the resin composition. The resin composition is resistant to coloration.

A process for preparing a polymeric membrane for soil materials used in crop production comprising providing an aqueous dispersion of polyurethane and spraying the aqueous dispersion onto soil materials to be used in crop production to form a polymeric membrane.

A method for planting crops that involves covering the planted seeds of the crop with an elongate sheet of mulch. The elongate sheet of mulch has lateral edges that determine its width. A combustible cord that is affixed to it between the lateral edges. The combustible cord may be formed within plies of the mulch or adhered thereto. The mulch is placed over the planted crop and held in place over the crop. This may be done by burying lateral edges of the mulch. When a user of the mulch wishes to remove the mulch, he will burn the combustible cord and that will separate the mulch along the cord.

An agricultural paper mulch sheet including a paper based substrate and a nutrient additive. The nutrient additive may be a water soluble nitrogen fertilizer. The agricultural paper may be deployed from rolls and draped over crops in a garden or field, wherein the agricultural paper covers a substantial portion of the soil in which the plants will grow or are growing, while, in some preferred embodiments, providing openings (i.e., holes) for individual plants to emanate from the soil through the agricultural paper set forth around the plant. The sheet is preferably porous, tillable, and biodegradable. The substrate may have an ink pattern printed on it. The method includes applying the nutrient additive to the substrate preferably via a printing process.

An agricultural paper mulch sheet including a paper based substrate and a nutrient additive. The nutrient additive may be a water soluble nitrogen fertilizer. The agricultural paper may be deployed from rolls and draped over crops in a garden or field, wherein the agricultural paper covers a substantial portion of the soil in which the plants will grow or are growing, while, in some preferred embodiments, providing openings (i.e., holes) for individual plants to emanate from the soil through the agricultural paper set forth around the plant. The sheet is preferably porous, tillable, and biodegradable. The substrate may have an ink pattern printed on it. The method includes applying the nutrient additive to the substrate preferably via a printing process.

An anti-pest film may be provided. The anti-pest film has an upward-facing reflective surface and one or more inner reflective layers overlaying an opaque downward-facing layer. The anti-pest film may include a barrier layer between two inner reflective layers, where sandwiching the barrier layer may be two malaic anhydride layers. The upward-facing reflective surface may be a vacuum metalized layer, and in certain embodiments, the vacuum metalized layer may be embossed for providing a plurality of half ellipsoid indentation for increasing the angles of incidents for reflected sunlight. Additional embodiments may include bookending opaque layers on opposing sides of the vacuum metalized layer.

A weed barrier for limiting unwanted plant growth and method of making the same. The weed barrier comprises an inner layer of hemp burlap and a penetrating component. The penetrating component comprises a plurality of hemp fibers that are needle punched through the inner layer to form a top layer of the fibers and a bottom layer of the fibers. The inner layer is encapsulated between the inner and outer layers of fibers. A plurality of hemp spikes extend from the bottom of the weed barrier for engaging the soil to keep the weed barrier in place. The weed barrier is biodegradable and does not need to be removed after the growing season. For growing purposes, crop holes can be cut out anywhere in the weed barrier so the crop of choice can be grown and protrude outwardly there from. Additional layers and coatings of bioingredients and nutrients may also be added to the weed barrier.