With the rapid development of agricultural modernization, the prevention and control of crop diseases and insect pests has increasingly become an important factor restricting agricultural production. Although traditional chemical pesticides are effective, they will pollute the environment, pose a threat to human health, and may also lead to drug resistance of pests. Therefore, mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo, as a physical protection means, has been more and more widely used in modern agriculture.
The basic principle of mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo is to prevent pests from contacting crops by setting physical barriers. The size of these meshes is usually designed according to the types of target pests. For example, for small pests such as aphids and whiteflies, ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo with smaller apertures are needed, while for larger pests such as locusts, ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo with larger apertures can be selected. The function of mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo is not limited to preventing the invasion of pests, but also can slow down the wind speed and reduce the direct irradiation of strong light on crops, thus improving the growing environment of crops.
There are many kinds of ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo, and their selection usually depends on the target pests, crop types and use environment. The following are several common types of ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo:
Polyethylene mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo: the most widely used type, with corrosion resistance, aging resistance and high strength.
Nylon vermin proof mesh: It has good flexibility and is suitable for covering some easily damaged crops, but its service life is relatively short.
Macroporous mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo: suitable for protecting larger pests, such as locusts or beetles.
Small-hole mesh hōʻoia ʻiʻo: suitable for protecting small pests, such as aphids, whitefly or thrips. Generally, the aperture is between 0.3 and 0.8 mm.
3. classify by color
White ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo: it has strong reflective performance, which can reduce the impact of direct sunlight on crops and block pests at the same time.
Black insect netting: mainly used to reduce temperature and light, suitable for some shade-loving crops.
Green ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo: it is mostly used in occasions with strong shading function and has certain insect-proof effect.
Anti-ultraviolet vermin proof mesh: add UV stabilizer to extend the service life of the net, suitable for strong ultraviolet areas.
Rain-proof ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo: The density is higher, which can play a rain-proof function at the same time and reduce the impact of rain on crops.
Ke kanu ʻana i ka hale ʻōmaʻomaʻo
Hoʻokomo ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo in greenhouses can effectively prevent pests from invading, and at the same time, combined with other temperature and humidity control equipment, create a microclimate environment suitable for crop growth. For example, in the cultivation of tomatoes and sweet peppers, ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo can significantly reduce the spread of viral diseases.
Protection in open-air planting
Some high value-added cash crops, such as strawberries and melons, can avoid the invasion of whitefly and aphids and reduce the use of chemical pesticides by building ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻos in open-air planting environment.
Field protection of grain crops
For rice, wheat and other food crops, ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻo can be used as fences to prevent locusts or moths from invading, and at the same time reduce the risk of pests and diseases at the farmland boundary.
In the future, with the progress of agricultural science and technology, the functions and materials of ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻos will be more diversified and intelligent, providing more comprehensive protection for agricultural production. At the same time, the government and scientific research institutions should increase the promotion of ʻupena hōʻoiaʻiʻos to help more farmers benefit from this important tool, thus promoting the sustainable development of agriculture.