Israel’s Tosaf (Afula; www.tosaf.com) has launched a new cooling masterbatch for greenhouse film applications. Designed to support optimal plant growth in hot climate zones, films produced with the masterbatch IR8783PE block a significant amount of the near infrared radiation (NIR) which would overheat the greenhouse’s interior. Field trials in south Israel revealed a peak temperature 4-5 °C lower when compared with conventional light-diffusing film, with no undesired temperature drop overnight.

Cultivating crops in very hot regions is hindered by the high temperatures that reduce the plants’ ability to produce pollen. The most common remedy of painting the films with whitewash cuts out some of the essential photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) that is needed for healthy plant growth, and also requires additional labour. Tosaf said that IR8783PE lets most of the PAR pass unhindered through the films.

Tosaf said the masterbatch is suitable for single, three and five layer films with a recommended rate of addition of about 5% for a 200 micron film.

Tosaf is a joint venture between Megides Holding and the Ravago Group and operates nine factories in Israel, Turkey, Germany, the UK, The Netherlands and Ukraine.