「植物盔甲」讓草莓產量多出三倍以上
A new type of fabric originally developed for soldiers could help farmers grow far more strawberries.
Researchers at North Carolina State University in the United States first designed the knitted material to protect soldiers from mosquito bites while keeping their uniforms comfortable. They then wondered whether the same idea could protect crops.
The fabric has a thick, three-dimensional structure full of tiny holes. When it is laid directly over strawberry plants, the layers stop insects from reaching the leaves and fruit. At the same time, the material still allows sunlight, rain and air to pass through.
In trials carried out in growing tunnels, the covered plants produced up to 3.5 times as much fruit as uncovered plants. The fabric also kept the plants slightly warmer, which helped them start producing fruit earlier in the season. Tests showed that it did not reduce the amount of light reaching the plants or harm their health.
The researchers believe the covering could help farmers cut down on chemical pesticides and save water. The university has patented the fabric and licensed it to a company for commercial development. However, so far it has only been tested in tunnels, not in large open fields, so more research is needed.
一種原本為士兵研發的新布料，可能幫農民多種出好幾倍的草莓。
美國北卡羅來納州立大學的研究人員最初設計這種針織材料，是為了讓士兵不被蚊子叮，同時穿起來又舒服。後來他們想到：同樣的概念能不能拿來保護農作物？
這種布料很厚，是立體結構，上面布滿細小的孔洞。直接蓋在草莓植株上時，一層層的結構能擋住昆蟲，讓牠們碰不到葉子和果實；同時，陽光、雨水和空氣還是可以穿透。
在溫室隧道裡的試驗中，蓋了布料的草莓產量最多是沒蓋的 3.5 倍。布料也能讓植株保持稍微溫暖一點，讓草莓在產季裡更早結果。測試顯示，它沒有減少植株照到的光，也沒有傷害植株的健康。
研究人員認為，這種覆蓋物可以幫農民少用化學農藥，也能省水。學校已經替這種布料申請專利，並授權給一家公司做商業開發。不過，目前只在溫室隧道裡試驗過，還沒在大片露天農地測試，所以還需要更多研究。