Reflective netting material

1. A reflective netting material for placement in an elevated position above the ground and over fruit- or vegetable-bearing plants, said netting material comprising a knitted, woven, or non-woven structure, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof formed from a resin comprising at least one pigment such that the monofilament, yarn, or tape reflects at least 30% solar radiation on average across the UV (wavelength about 280-400 nm), visible (wavelength about 400-700 nm) and very near infrared (wavelength about 700-800 nm) ranges, and which transmits at least 10% on average of solar radiation across the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm, and which reflective netting material has a cover factor (as herein defined) of less than 90%, said netting material operable to create a plant environment beneath the material which is favorable for the growth of said plants and/or the development of fruit or vegetables borne by the plants, by virtue of diffusion of incident radiation including UV radiation by the netting material.

2. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which reflects more solar radiation than it transmits and absorbs in the UV, visible, and very near infrared ranges.

3. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 15% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

4. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 20% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

5. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which has a cover factor (as herein defined) of less than 50%.

6. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which has a cover factor (as herein defined) of less than 20%.

7. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which is reflective of at least 50% on average of visible light on at least one side of the netting material.

8. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof formed from a resin comprising at least 4% by weight of at least one white pigment.

9. A reflective netting material according to claim 8 wherein the white pigment comprises a zirconium, strontium, barium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, titanium, or potassium pigment or a combination thereof.

10. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 wherein the material is of denier 50 to 2000.

11. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 wherein the material comprises air space apertures through the material of widest dimension about 20 mm.

12. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 wherein the material comprises air space apertures in the range 10-20 mm.

13. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 constructed to have a higher density in stronger parallel side margins of the material.

14. A reflective netting material according to claim 1 , including means for maintaining said netting material in said elevated position above the ground and selected from the group consisting of support poles, parts of said plants, and combinations thereof.

15. A reflective netting material for placement in an elevated position above the ground and over fruit- or vegetable-bearing plants, said netting material comprising a knitted, woven, or non-woven structure, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof formed from a resin comprising at least one pigment such that the monofilament, yarn, or tape reflects at least 40% solar radiation on average across the UV (wavelength about 280-400 nm), visible (wavelength about 400-700 nm) and very near infrared (wavelength about 700-800 nm) ranges, and which transmits at least 5% on average of solar radiation across the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm, said netting material operable to create a plant environment beneath the material which is favorable for the growth of said plants and/or the development of fruit or vegetables borne by the plants, by virtue of diffusion of incident radiation UV radiation by the netting material.

16. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which reflects at least 10% on average of solar radiation across the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

17. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which is knitted, woven or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which reflects more solar radiation than it transmits and absorbs in the UV, visible, and very near infrared ranges.

18. A reflective netting according to claim 15 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 15% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

19. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 20% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

20. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which has a cover factor, (as herein defined) of less than 50%.

21. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which has a cover factor, (as herein defined) of less than 20%.

22. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which is reflective of at least 50% on average of visible light on at least one side of the netting material.

23. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 which is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof formed from a resin comprising at least 4% by weight of at least one white pigment.

24. A reflective netting material according to claim 23 wherein the white pigment comprises a zirconium, strontium, barium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, titanium, or potassium pigment or a combination thereof.

25. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 wherein the material is of denier 50 to 2000.

26. A reflective coating material according to claim 15 wherein the material comprises air space apertures through the material of widest dimension about 20 mm.

27. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 wherein the material comprises air space apertures in the range of 10-20 mm.

28. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 constructed to have a higher density in stronger parallel side margins of the material.

29. A reflective netting material according to claim 15 , including means for maintaining said netting material in said elevated position above the ground and selected from the group consisting of support poles, parts of said plants, and combinations thereof.

30. A method comprising the steps of placing over fruit- or vegetable-bearing plants, and in an elevated position above the ground, a netting comprising a knitted, woven, or non-woven structure, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof formed from a resin comprising at least one pigment such that the monofilament, yarn, or tape reflects at least 30% solar radiation on average across the UV (wavelength about 280-400 nm), visible (wavelength about 400-700 nm) and very near infrared (wavelength about 700-800 nm) ranges, and which transmits at least 10% on average of solar radiation across the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm, and which reflective netting material has a cover factor (as herein defined) of less than 90%, said netting material operable to create a plant environment beneath the material which is favorable for the growth of said plants and/or the development of fruit or vegetables borne by the plants, by virtue of diffusion of incident radiation UV radiation by the netting material.

31. A method according to claim 30 , wherein said material is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which reflects more solar radiation than it transmits and absorbs in the UV, visible, and very near infrared ranges.

32. A method according to claim 30 , wherein said material is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 15% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

33. A method according to claim 30 , wherein said material is knitted, woven, or non-woven, from a synthetic monofilament, yarn, or tape or combination thereof which transmits at least 20% of solar radiation on average in the wavelength range about 800-2500 nm.

34. A method according to claim 30 , wherein said material has a cover factor (as herein defined) of less than 50%.

35. A method according to claim 30 , including the steps of locating said netting material above the ground by supporting the netting material on poles, by parts of said plants, or combinations thereof.