A KNITTED CROP COVER PRODUCED 3.56× THE HARVESTABLE STRAWBERRIES.
The fabric let light, rain and air through — while keeping insect mouths out.
NC State researchers tested a porous knitted crop cover over strawberry plants and found as much as a 3.56-fold increase in harvestable fruit, with more fruit by number and weight and no detected hit to plant biomass.
WHAT HAPPENED
Plant Armor is a three-dimensional spacer fabric designed to stop insects from reaching plants while allowing sunlight, rain and airflow through. In tunnel trials, covered plants produced significantly more harvestable strawberries than uncovered controls; relative humidity was not increased, though temperature rose under the cover.
WHY THIS IS HOPESLOP
It is the satisfying kind of design that solves two problems with one texture: protect the crop physically, then let the weather do its work. The result is promising, concrete and still appropriately early — a field-test win, not a miracle blanket.
ORIGINAL SOURCENC State NewsRead the original report
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