OA20510A - Reflective-striped mulch and methods of using - Google Patents

Abstract

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a reflective-striped mulch film comprising a central portion comprising a reflective material and peripheral portions adjacent the first and second side edges of the centra! portion comprising black mulch. When used in the production of a crop, the reflective-striped mulch film can provide a lower soil temperature during establishment of a plant, as compared to a black mulch. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure

Description

O.A.P.I. - B.P. 887, YAOUNDE (Cameroun)-Tel. (237) 222 20 57 00-Site web: http:/www.oapi.int- Email: oapi@oapi.int

REFLECTIVE-STRIPED MULCH AND METHODS OF USING CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/798,917, filed

January 30, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Florida is the primary producer of winter strawberries (Fragaria *ananassa Duch.) in the United States because of its mild subtropical climate. The price received by Florida strawberry growers is highly variable throughout the season, with the highest prices typically occurring during the early season months of November, December, and January. According to U.S. strawberry market data from 2012-17, the average grower price in November was $22.80 per 3.6-kg fiat, followed by $18.94, $14.38, $11.40, and $8.88 for the months of December through March, respectively (USDA, 2018). Because the Florida strawberry industry is threatened by new challenges such as international compétition, rising production costs, and growing labor shortages, Florida strawberry growers require further improvements in eariy yields to remain profitable (Wu et al., 2015).

[0003] Bare-root transplants are typically esîablished in raised beds covered with black plastic muich, which has long been considered important to achieve adéquate wintertime soil warming (Brooks, 1959). Traditional transplanting date used by Florida strawberry growers is early to mid October, Following pianting, transplants become exposed to high daily air températures that can exceed 30 °C for up to six weeks. During this time, plants deveiop flower buds, while establishing adéquate canopy growth capable of supporting fruit production, which usually begins in mid-November. Yields slowly increase throughout the winter, with peak production occurring in March.

[0004] To speed up establishment and increase early yields, Florida strawberry growers hâve recently begun to ad van ce transpianting dates from mid-October to late September. As a resuit, plants are exposed to even greater heat stress conditions than they normally would be when planied in October. For example, maximum daily air températures were approximately 34 °C in the third week of Sept. 2016, but only 28 °C in the second week of Oct. 2016. Combining advanced pianting dates with black plastic muich can cause excessive heai stress conditions, especially because establishment-period soii températures often exceed 35 °C under black plastic muich. A number of studies indicate that températures above 30 °C can induce physiological complications in strawberry, including slowed, abnormal growth (Geateret al., 1997; Hellman and Travis, 1988; Zhang et al., 1997), reduced protein content (Gulen and Eris, 2015), and low root oxygen consumption (Sakamoto et al., 2016). Plants could expérience excess heat stress that leads to inhibited growth and fruit development when planted on black plastic mulch in late Sepiember. Sim Na r heat stress problème exist in other winter and early spring strawberry production régions worldwide, including Spain and Egypt. To mitigate the négative impact of seasonal température extremes, growers need an alternative to black plastic mulch. These needs and other needs are satisfied by the présent disclosure.

SUMMARY

[0005] In accordance with the purpose(s) of the disclosure, as embodied and broadiy described herein, the disclosure, in one aspect, relates to a mulch film comprising: a central portion extending in a first direction and having a first side edge and a second side edge, said central portion comprising a reflective material; a first peripheral portion adjacent the first side edge of the central portion and extending in the first direction; and a second peripheral portion adjacent the second side edge of the centra! portion and extending in the first direction; wherein the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion comprise black mulch.

[0006] Also disclosed is a method for production of a crop, comprising; providing a bed of soil having a central raised portion and two shoulder portions; disposing on the bed of soil the mulch film as described above, wherein the central portion of the mulch film generally corresponds to the raised portion of the bed, and the first and second peripheral portions of the film generally correspond to the shoulder portions of the bed; planting a plant into the bed of soil through a hole in the central portion of the mulch film; and providing water and sunlight to the plant.

[0007] Other Systems, methods, features, and advantâgès of the présent disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skili in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that ail such additîonal Systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the présent disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims. In addition, ail optional and preferred features and modifications of the described embodiments are usable in ail aspects of the disclosure taught herein. Furthermore, the individual features of the dépendent claims, as well as ail optional and preferred features and modifications of the described embodiments are combinable and interchangeable with one another.

BRiEF DESCRÎPTiON OF THE FIGURES

[0008] Many aspects of the présent disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the présent disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerais désignât® corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0009] FIG. 1A shows bed layout in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, in accordance with Example 1.

[0010] FIG. IB shows overall bed width, bed shoulder width, and reflective metalized stripe width along with location of planting hcles and sensors for bed center température (BCT) and bed shoulder température (BST), in accordance with Example 1.

[0011] FIG. 1C shows overhead photos showing 'Florida Radiance 7’Florida Fortuna' on black (left), fully metalized (middle), and métalized-striped (right) plastic mulches at 70 days after planting in the 2017-18 season, in accordance with Example 1.

[0012] FIG. 2A shows average hourly root-zone températures at a 10-cm depth for the bed center and bed shoulder for the 2017-18 growing season in accordance with Example 1.

[0013] FIG. 2B shows data relating to the number of hours of statistically significant différences as well as the maximum change in température (j = increased température, ί = decreased température) for each comparison shown on the left (B = black mulch, M = fully metalized mulch MS = metaiized-striped mulch) in accordance with Example 1. Comparisons are given as the second mulch type relative to the first mulch type.

[0014] FIG, 2C shows représentative photos of the growth stage of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ for each month ofthe 2017-18 growing season in accordance with Example 1.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows average weekly marketable fruit yield for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (top) and ‘Florida Beauiy’ (bottom) during the 2016-17 (left) and 2017-18 (right) seasons. Mean séparation letters indication significant différence at P < 0.05 if lowercase and P < 0.10 if uppercase, with the top, middle, and bottom letters corresponding to the means of black, metalized, and reflective metaiized-striped mulch, respectively, in accordance with Example 1.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows average maximum monthly air températures at a 60-cm height during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons as well as the 10-year average (2008-2017). The table indicates the number of days in which maximum daiiy température exceeded 30 °C from the planting to 30 Nov. Data were collected at GCREC in Balm, FL and provided by the Florida Agricultural Weather Network, in accordance with Example 1.

[0017] FIG. 5 is an élévation view of the disclosed reflective-striped mulch as used with a raised bed of strawberry plants, as compared to black plastic mulch and an entirely reflective plastic mulch. The figure shows a schemafic summary of the benefiis of the reflective-striped mulch, as compared to black plastic mulch and entirely reflective plastic mulch, in Vie initial growth stage ofthe plants and in the late growth stage ofthe plants.

[0018] FIG. 6A shows Experimental iayout in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. The mulch type and cultivar for each plot as well as data logger placement, in accordance with Example 2.

[0019] FIG. 6B shows a représentative photo of 'Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ transplants on white-striped mulch (foreground) and black mulch (background) taken on 29 Sept. 2016, in accordance with Example 2,

[0020] FiG. 6C shows Overall bed width_: shoulder width, and white stripe width are provided alongside placement of planting holes and root-zone température sensors, in accordance with Exampîe 2.

[0021] FIG. 7A shows average hourly root-zone températures at a 10-cm depth for the bed centers (A-D) and bed shoulders (E-H) under each mulch type, in accordance with Exampîe 2. Siatistically significant différences in hourly averages of root-zone températures between mulch types are denoted by an asterisk.

[0022] FIG. 7B shows représentative photos of the growth stage of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (l-L) for each month, in accordance with Example 2.

[00231 FIG, 8 shows Average maximum monthîy air températures at a 60-cm height during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons as well as the 10-year average, in accordance with Example 2, The table in the lowerîeft corner pro vides the number of days from planting to 30 Nov. on which the maximum daily air température exceeded 30 °C for ail three trials. Data were collected at GCREC in Baîm, FL and provided by the Florida Agricultural Weather Network.

[0024] FIG. 9 shows data regard in g ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ production on four white-striped mulches in accordance with Exampîe 3.

[0025] FIG. 10A shows data regarding ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ quality production on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0026] FIG. 10B shows data regarding ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ first quality distribution on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0027] FIG, 11 shows images of ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ planted on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0028] FIG. 12A shows data regarding ‘Florida Brilliance’ total production on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0029] FIG. 12B shows data regarding ‘Fiorida Brilliance’ quality production % on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0030] FIG. 13 shows data regarding ‘Florida Briîliancs’ first quality distribution on four mulches in accordance with Exampîe 3.

[0031] FIG, 14 shows images of ‘Florida Brilliance’ planted on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0032] FIG. 15A shows data regarding ‘Florida Beauty’ total production on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0033] FIG. 15B shows data regarding 'Florida Beauty’ quality production % on four mulcii€s in «coord « π es ^vïth 3

[0034] FIG. 16 shows data regarding ‘Florida Beauty’ first quality distribution on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0035] FIG. 17 shows images of ‘Florida Beauty’ planted on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0036] FIG. 18A shows data regarding plant mortality for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida Brilliance,’ and ‘Florida Beauty,’ on black plastic mulch in accordance with

Example 3.

[0037] FIG. 18B shows data regarding plant mortality for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida Brilliance,’ and ‘Florida Beauty,’ on white spray-painted mulch in accordance with Example 3.

[00381 FIG, 19A shows data regarding plant mortality for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida Brilliance,’ and 'Florida Beauty,¹ on reflecting silver mulch in accordance with Example 3.

[0039] FIG. 19B shows data regarding plant mortality for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida Brilliance,’ and ‘Florida Beauty,’ white plastic mulch in accordance with

Example 3.

[0040] FIG. 20 shows data on mortality for ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0041] FIG. 21 shows images related to mortality of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ ηη rniilphac in iî/HK Pvpmnlo Q vr i kutivwj i i i vi i «i r« J ιe «wv « ui i «« Vï i ιι i i^riv

[0042] FIG. 22 shows data on mortality for ‘Florida Brilliance’ on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0043] FIG. 23 shows images related to mortality of ‘Florida Brilliance’ on various mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0044] FIG. 24 shows data on mortality for ‘Florida Beauty’ on four mulches in accordance with Example 3.

[0045] FIG. 25 shows an image related to mortality of ‘Florida Beauty’ on black plastic mulch in accordance with Example 3.

[0046] FIG. 26A shows an exemplary reflective-striped mulch according to the various aspects described herein.

[00471 FIGS. 26B-26F show section al views of various exempiary refleçtive-striped mulches, viewed along A-A of FIG. 26A according to the various aspects described herein. [0048] FIG. 27 shows photographie images and thermographie images of représentative plots using black mulch, fulîy metalized mulch, and the disclosed reflective-stripe metalized-stripe) mulch, in accordance with Example 4.

[0049] FIGS. 23A-28B show results pertaining ta photosynthesis of an exemplary plot using reflective-striped mulch, in accordance with Example 4. FIG. 28A shows photosynthesis rates measured with an infrared gas analyzer at different light levels on both upper and lower leaf surfaces. FIG. 28B is a schematic illustration of plants grown on the exemplary reflective-striped mulch film can receive both direct sunlight and reflected light.

[0050] FIG. 29A shows spectroradiometer measurements of direct sunlight, in accordance with Examp le 4. FIG. 29 B shows spectroradiometer measurements of sunlight filtered through one leaf, in accordance with Exampie 4. FIG. 29C is a schematic illustration of plants receiving both direct light, and light filtered through a leaf having a low red/far-red ratio.

[0051] Additional advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be leamed by practice of the disclosure. The advantages of the disclosure will be realized and attained by means of the éléments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure, as claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] In view of the foregoing, disclosed herein is a new mulch film that has a reflective center portion with black peripheral portions. Also disclosed are methods of production of crops such as winter strawberries using a reflective-striped mulch, The disclosed methods and reflective-striped mulch can reduce beat stress on winter strawberries during establishment, while maintaining the warming effects of black mulch during winter.

[0053] Many modifications and other embodiments disclosed herein will corne to mind to one skilled in the art to which the disclosed compositions and methods pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosures are not to be limited to the spécifie embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The skilled artisan will recognize many variants and adaptations of the aspects described herein. These variants and adaptations are intended to be included in the teachings of this disclosure and to be encompassed by the claims herein.

[0054] Although spécifie terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

[0055] As will be apparent to those of skili in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrète components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the présent disclosure.

[0056] Any recited method can be camed out in the order of events recited or in any other order that is logically possible. That is, unless otherwise expressly stated, it is in no way intended that any method or aspect set forth herein be construed as requiring that its steps be performed in a spécifie order. Accordîngly, where a method claim does noi specificaîly State in the claims or descriptions that the steps are to be limited to a spécifie order, it is no way intended that an order be inferred, in any respect. This holds for any possible nonexpress basis for interprétation, including matters of logic with respect to arrangement of steps or operational flow, plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or ponctuation, or the number or type of aspects described in the spécification.

[0057] Ali publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited. The publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure priorto the filing date of the présent application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the présent invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention. Further, the dates of publication provided herein can be different from the actual publication dates, which can require independent confirmation.

[0053] Whfie aspects of the présent disclosure can be described and claimed in a particular statuiory class, such as the system statutory class, this is for convenience only and one of skïil in the art will understand that each aspect ofthe présent disclosure can be described and claimed in any statutory class.

[0059] it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless defined otherwise, ail technîcal and scientific terms used herein hâve the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skili in the artto which the disciosed compositions and methods belong. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context ofthe spécification and relevant art and should not be interpreted in an idealized oroverty formai sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0060] Prior to describing the varions aspects of the présent disclosure, the following définitions are provided and should be used unless otherwise indicated, Additionai terms may be defined elsewhere in the présent discîosure.

A. DEFINITIONS

[0061] As used herein, “comprising” is to be interpreted as specitying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, integers. steps, or components, or groups theneof. Moreover, each of the terms “by, “comprising, “comprises, “comprised of, “including,” “inciudes,” “included,” “involving, “involves,” “involved,” and “such as” are used in their open, non-limiting sense and may be used interchangeably. Further, the term “comprising” is intended to include exampies and aspects encompassed by the terms “consisting esseniialîy of and “consisting of.” Similariy, the term “consisting essentially of’ is intended to include examples encompassed by the term “consisting of.

[0062] As used in the spécification and the appended daims, the singular forms a, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictâtes otherwise.

[0063] It should be noted that ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerica! data can be expressed herein in a range format. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other end point, and independently of the other endpoint. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. Ranges can be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. Similariy, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antécédent “about,” it wiil be understood that the particular value forms a further aspect. Forexample, if the value “about 10” is disclosed, then “10” is also disclosed.

[0064] When a range is expressed, a furtheraspect includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. For example, where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included iîmits are also included in the disclosure, e.g. the phrase x to y” inciudes the range from 'x' to 'y’ as well as the range greater than ‘x’ and less than y. The range can also be expressed as an upper limit, e.g. 'about x, y, z, or less¹ and should be interpreted to include the spécifie ranges of 'about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of less than x', less than y’, and less than z’. Likewise, the phrase 'about x, y, z, or greater¹ should be interpreted to include the spécifie ranges of ‘about x’, ‘about y’, and ‘about z’ as well as the ranges of ‘greater than x’, greater than y’_s and. ‘greater than z’. In addition, the phrase “about ‘x’ to ’y’, where ‘x’ and y are numerical values, includes “about ‘x’ to about y.

[0065] It is to be understood that such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly reciied as the limits of the range, but also to include ail the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and subrange is explicitly recited. To illustrate, a numerical range of “about 0.1% to 5% should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 0.1% to about 5%, but also include individual values (e.g., about 1%, about 2%, about 3%, and about 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., about 0.5% to about 1.1%; about 5% to about 2.4%; about 0.5% to about 3,2%, and about 0.5% to about 4,4%, and other possible sub-ranges) within the indicated range.

[G066] As used herein, the terms “about,” “approximate,” “at or about,” and substantially’¹ mean that the amount or value in question can be the exact value or a value that provides équivalent results or effects as recited in the ciaims or taught herein. That is, it is understood that amounts, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and charade ri stics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller, as desired, reflecting tolérances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skiil in the art such that équivalent results or effects are obtained. In some circumstances, the value that provides équivalent results or effects cannât be reasonably detemnined. In such cases, it is generally understood, as used herein, that “about” and “at or about” mean the nominal value indicated ±10% variation unless otherwise indicated or inferred. In general, an amount, size, formulation, parameter or other quantity or characteristîc is “about,” “approximate,” or at or about whether or not expressiy stated to be such. It is understood that where “about,” “approximate,” or “ai or about is used before a quantitative value, the parameter also includes the spécifie quantitative value itself, unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0067] As used herein, the terms “optional” or optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance can or cannot occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0068] Unless otherwise specified, températures referred to herein are based on atmospheric pressure (i.e. one atmosphère).

B. REFLECTîVE-STRiPED MULCH

[0069] ln one aspect, the disclosure relates to a reflective-striped bîaek mulch film. More specifically, in one aspect, the présent disclosure relates to a mulch film comprising a central reflective portion extending in a first direction and having a first side edge and a second side edge, and two peripheral black mulch portions disposed adjacent to the first side edge and second side edge, respectively, of the refiective portion.

[0070] Plastic mulch is a thin plastic film commonly used for vegetable production. It is instailed over s raised bed (soil) and can serve many fonctions, including weed control, rétention of fumigants, disease prévention, food safety, etc. Plastic mulch films or sheets can directly impact the microclimate around a plant by modifying the radiation budget (absorptivity vs. reflectivity) of the surface and decreasing the soil water loss. The soil température under a mulch film or sheet dépends in part on the thermal properties (reflectivity, absorptivity, or transmittancy) of a particular material in relation to incoming solar radiation.

[0071] Although plastic mulch is avaiîable in different colors, black plastic mulch has been used predominantly for winter strawberry production worldwide. Black mulch films typically comprise an opaque blackbody absorber and radiaior. Referring to FIG. 5, The black plastic mulch 100 can absorb most UV, visible, and infrared wavelengths of incoming solar radiation 10 and can re-radiate absorbed energy in the form of thermal radiation or longwaveiength infrared radiation. At least some of the solar energy absorbed by black mulch is lost to the atmosphère through radiation and forced convection. Because thermal conductivity of the soil 102 is high, relative to that of air, much of the energy absorbed by black portion can be transferred to the soi! 102 by conduction 20 if contact is good between the plastic mulch 100 and the surface of the soil 102. The main advantage of black plastic mulch 100 is to absorb sunlight, thereby warming the soil 102, particularly at the root zone 106, and promoting growth and fruit production of the plants 104 during wintertime. For exampîe, strawberry growers in Florida hâve relied on black plastic mulch for nearly 60 years.

[0072] In hot weather, however, soil warming is detrimental as it can cause excessive soil warming at the root zone 106 and beat stress in strawberry plants 104. It is common to hâve excessîvely high air température during the establishment period of winter strawberry* production. For example, strawberry growers in Florida plant as early as late September, during which time air température often exceeds30 °C (86 °F) - the upper limit for optimum strawberry growth. In this situation, soil warming by black plastic mulch 100 can be harmful to strawberry growth and fruit development.

[0073] Alternatives to black plastic mulch hâve been investigated. For example, plastic mulch with refiective colors, such as white and silver (metalized) can refiect suniignî and cool the soil. Black plastic muich has high shortwave radiation absorption, causing it to drastically raise root-zone températures (RZT) by conducting thermal radiation towards the bed center (Ham et al., 1993). Conversely, refiective and/or metalized mulch films hâve iow shortwave radiation absorption, so they conduct less radiation into the soil and maintain lower RZT than black mulch.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 5, fully reflective or metalized mulch films 200 hâve the potential to improve earîy season fruit development by at least partïy alîeviating beat stress conditions during the establishment period (Andino and Motsenbocker, 2004; Vos et al., 1995). Generally, reflective metalized mulch films 200 can reduce soil températures particularly at the root zone 206 compared to black mulch by reflectîng (30) a greater proportion of incomîng solar radiation 10 (Ham et al., 1993). Reflective metalized mulch films 200 hâve proven widely effective at increasing marketable fruit yields compared to black mulch for a number of horticultural crops, including tomato (Solarium lycopersicum) and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), which are both major crops in Florida (Andersen et al., 2012; Diaz-Pérez, 2010; Greerand Dole, 2003; Hutton and Handley, 2007). Relatively few studies hâve compared reflective mulch films to the standard black plastic mulch for subtropical strawberry production. Perhaps most notably, Albregts and Chandler (1993) found entirely white and yeüow painted mulch films to improve early season yields compared to black plastic mulch for Florida strawberry production. However, black plastic mulch outperformed yellow mulch and white mulch in the late season, possibly due to insufficient wintertime soil warming by these two more reflective mulch films. Referring to FIG. 5, in the late growth stage, the reflective mulch films200 may cause cooling ofthe soil 202, particularly ai the root zone 206, because the reflective mu ldi film 200 refîects (30) a significant amount ofthe incomîng solar radiation 10, ratherthan transferring it to the soil 202.

[0075] Although cooling of the root-zone 206 is bénéficiai in hoi weather, it can reduce plant growth and fruit production ofthe strawberry plant 204 during wintertime. Therefore, currently available plastic mulch producis hâve both advantages and disadvantages for wi nier strawberry production.

[0076] Some previous studies hâve examined the effect of combining two different colors in one plastic mulch type, mostly by adding a black center stripe to reflective siiver mulch. The positive effects of this multi-colored mulch type compared to entirely black or siiver mulch include increased canopy-level light capture, soil warming during spring establishment, improved yield of bell pepper, and reduced incidence of virus symptoms in tomato (Csizinszky et al., 1999; Diaz-Pérez, 2010; Hutton and Handley, 2007). Metalized mulch with a black center stripe is meant to warm transplante during spring establishment and reduce soil températures during hot summer months. In contrast, the reflective-striped mulch film of the present disclosure provides the opposite soil warming pattern.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 5, the disclosed reflective-striped mulch 300 combines the benefits of reflective/metalized mulch films and the black mulch films. An exemplary reflective-striped mulch has a central reflective zone 301, comprising refiective material, and peripheral zones 303 comprising black mulch. The central reflective zone 301 covers a significant portion of the top ofthe raised bed of soil, or it covers substantially the entire top surface of the raised bed of soi!. In an aspect, the central reflective zone 301 has a 5 width that is about 70% to about 100 % the width of the top of the raised bed of soit. Each □f the peripheral zones 303, are disposed in the shoulder région of the raised bed of soi!. The top of the raised bed of soil may partially overlap one or both peripheral zones 303, but according to various aspects, one or both peripheral zones 303 overlap the top of the raised bed of soil on!y slightly or not at ail. In the initia! growth stage, the when the air 10 température is higher, at least a portion of the incoming solar radiation 10 is reflected (30) by the central reflective zone 301, providing cooling at the root zone 306 at the initial growth stage, in the la te growth stage, when the air température is lower, a significant amount of the incoming solar radiation 10 is absorbed (20) by the peripheral zones comprising black mulch 303, which warms the root-zone 306 during the colder months. It has been found 15 that subtropical winter strawberry growers can benefit from the disclosed reflective-striped mulch design that is reflective in the center and black on the shoulders, By having the dual benefits of reflective mulch and black mulch, reflective-striped mulch 300 can maintain sufficiently cool root-zone températures during establishment and sufficiently warm rootzone températures during the cool winter months.

[0078] Having described the benefits of the reflective-striped mulch, we now turn to a description of the reflective-striped mulch. Referring to FIG. 26A, according to the disclosure, the reflective-striped mulch film 400 comprises a sheet or a film extending in a first direction, L, having a length in the first direction, and a transverse dimension that extends in a second direction, t, that is perpendîcularto the first direction L. The reflective25 striped mulch film 400 has a first side 401 that, when the reflective-striped mulch 400 is placed on a crop, faces toward the soil, and a second side 402 that is opposed to the first side 401. The reflective striped mulch film 400 comprises a central refiective portion 404 extending in the first direction L, and two peripheral black mulch portions 403 extending in the first direction L on both sides of the central reflective portion 404.

[0079] According to the disclosed embodiments, the central refiective portion 404 comprises a reflective material that has a low emissivity, e.g., having an emissivity of less than about 0.9, or iess than about 0.8, or îêss than about 0.7, or less than about 0.6, or less than about 0.5, or less than about 0.4, or less than about 0.3. In various aspects, the central reflective portion 404 has a reflectivity of greater than 60%, or greater than 70%, or 35 greaterthan 80%, or greater than 90%. According to certain aspects, the reflective material comprises a white material. In an aspect, the white materia! has an emissivity in the range of about 0.8 to about 0.9. In an aspect, the white material has a reflectivity greater than S0%. According to certain aspects, the refiective material is a metalized material. în an aspect, the metalized rnâtêhai has an emissivity in the rangte of about 0.2 to about 0.3. In an aspect, the metalized material has a reflectivity greater than 90%. According to certain aspects, the refiective material comprises an aluminum-containing composition. The ability □f reflective-striped mulch 400 to act as insulator and trap heat in the root-zone at night is due to the optical properties ofthe refiective material - specificaily the refiective material’s low emissivity. Emissivity (ε) is a measure of the relative amount of longwave radiation emitted from a material’s surface compared to the longwave radiation emitted by a perfectly emitting blackbody (ε = 1.0) at the same température and wavelength (Tarara, 2000). Ham et al. (1993) studied the optical properties of different plastic mulch surfaces and reported that mulch surfaces with high longwave transmittance also had high longwave emissivity. In their study, black mulch (ε = 0.87) resulted in the highest daytime températures and coolest nighttime températures, while aluminum=paînted mulch (ε = 0.28) resulted in the coolest daytime températures but highest nighttime températures of ail eight mulches exami.ned,

[0080] According to certain aspects, the black mulch portions 403 comprise any suitable black mulch material that has a high emissivity, e.g., having an emissivity of greater than 0.9. The biack mulch portion 403 may comprise any known or later developed black mulch material having the necessary or desired properties described herein.

[0081] Refiective metalized (aluminum) mulch surfaces are characterized by low shortwave absorption, high shortwave reflection, and low longwave transmittance (Ham et al., 1993). BëcâUsë of their low shortwave absorption, metaiized mulch films are slow to gather energy throughout the day. However, the low emissivity and longwave transmittance of metalized mulch films produce an insulating effect whereby thermal radiation is not rapidly emitted from the bed surface at night. By comparison, black mulch rapidly gathers heat throughoutthe daytime and also rapidly emitsheatto the cooler surrounding nighttime air. In this way, plants on black mulch expérience greater dîumal root-zone température fluctuation than plants on fully metalized mulch or refiective métal ized-striped mulch. Despite this, there are several studies which suggest that dîumal root-zone température fluctuations hâve little overall effect on strawbeny growth and yield when température extremes are avoided (Gonzaiez-ruentês êiâi,, 2016; Kumakura and Shishido, 1994).

[0082] According to the disclosure the reflective-striped mulch films 400, or components thereof, can comprise a polymeric material. The polymeric material can be, for example, polymers or copolymers of polyethylene, poly(vinyl chloride), polybutylene, ethylene and vinyl acetate, or combinations thereof. The mulch film can comprise one or more biodégradable additives such as natural fibers or biodégradable polymers. The mulch film can be in the form of a film such as a blown film or a cast film, a textile such as a nonwoven or woven textilë, or a combination thereof. The disclosed reflective-striped mulch film 400 or sheet can comprise a plurality of layers, for exampie, a coextruded film or sheet or a laminate of two or more films or sheets,

[0083] Referring to FIG. 26B, in an aspect of the disclosure, the reflective-striped mulch film 400 can comprise a black mulch material 403 extending the fui! transverse dimension of the reflective-striped mulch film 400, having a reflective material 404 disposed on the second side 402 of the reflective-striped mulch film 400, having a transverse dimension that is less than the transverse dimension of the reflective-striped mulch film 400. In some aspects, the reflective material 404 can be substantially centered on the black mulch film or sheet 402 and running the substantial length of the black mulch film or sheet 403. In an aspect of the disclosure, the reflective material 404 can comprise a reflective coating that is disposed on the black mulch film 403. For example, the reflective material 404 may be a reflective coating material that is deposited onto the black mulch film 403, such as by extruding or spraying or parnting, or the Hke. In an aspect, the reflective material 404 can be a latex or acrylic-based paint disposed on the mulch film 403. In another aspect, the reflective material 404 can be a coating comprising a layer of metalized material. The coating may hâve any thickness that can provide the necessary or desired properties discussed herein. In an aspect, the reflective material 404 can be a coating having a thickness of about 25 nanometers thick.

[0084] Still referring to FIG. 26B, in another aspect of the disciosure, the reflective material 404 can comprise a reflective film or sheet that is separately formed and laminated to the black mulch film 403. For exampie, the reflective material 404 may comprise a reflective film or sheet that is formed and superposed and bonded to the black mulch film 403.

[0085] Referring to FIGS. 26D-26F, in other aspects of the disclosure, the reflectivestriped mulch film 400 can comprise a central reflective material 404 having a first side edge 406 and a second side edge 408, with a first black mulch film 403a coupled with the first side edge 406 of the central reflective material 404, and a second black mulch film 403b coupled with the second side edge 408 of the reflective material 404, forming a unitary reflective-striped mulch film 400. The reflective material 404 can be bonded to the first and second black mulch films 401 and 402 using any suitable means, including, for exampie, thermal bonding, mechanical bonding, adhesive bonding, ultrasonic bonding, or the like, including combinations thereof. The first side edge 406 can be coupled with the first black mulch film 403a in an overiapping or abutting configuration. Likewise, the second side edge 406 can be coupled with the second black mulch film 403a in an overiapping or abuning configuration.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 26C, in an aspect, the reflective material 404 can comprise a multi-iayer film 604, comprising a pluranty of layers such as layers 605, 606, and 607, wherein at least one layer comprises a reflective material. Additional layers may include one or more support layers, or colored layers, or a combination thereof. In an aspect, the reflective material 404 comprises a muiti-layer film 604 having first transparent polymeric film layer, a second metallic layer, and a third colored polymeric film layer, where the second layer is disposed between the first layer and the third layer. !n an aspect the muifilayer film 604 is disposed on the black mulch film with the transparent polymeric film layer facing outward (e.g., toward the sun and/or air). The multi-iayer film 604 may be disposed on at least one side of the black mulch film 403, as shown in FIGS. 26C, or it may be attached to two or more black mulch films 403a, 403b, as shown in FIGS. 26C-26F.

[0087] In an aspect of the disclosure, the reflective-striped mulch film can be prepared in advance of ifs installation. For example, the reflective-striped mulch film can be provided as a rail good material having the central reflective portion, and the black mulch peripheral portions, which material can be installed on the bed. In other aspects, the reflective-striped mulch film can be assembied or prepared, at least in part, at the time of installation at the bed. For example, a reflective coating can be applied to a black mulch film around the time of installation at the bed, or a black mulch iayer and a reflective layer may be separately provided, and then assembied at about the time of installation.

[0088] in an aspect of the disclosure, the width of the central reflective portion is from about 30% to about 50% of the total width ofthe reflective-striped mulch film. The width of the centrai reflective portion, the width of one or both of the black mulch portions, and/or the overall width of the reflective-striped mulch film can be determined based on a number of factors including, for example, the width of the underiying crop bed, planting configurations and densifies, and the desired results. It is préférable that the central reflective portion covers a significant portion of the bed top ofthe underiying crop bed. In an aspect, the width of the reflective portion is greater than 70% or greater than 80% or greater than 90% or greater than 95% of the the bed top width of the underiying crop bed. in an aspect, thewidth of the reflective portion is from 70% to 100% ofthe bed top width of the underiying crop bed. In one aspect, the reflective-striped mulch film has an overall width of from about 75 cm to about 85 cm, and the rërîëctÎvë centrai portion has a width ûf frôm about 45 cm to about 55 cm.

C. METHOD OF USE

[0089] According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for crop production includes using the reflective-striped mulch film described herein, The disclosed methods can be used for any suitable vegetable crop grown on plastic muich, including, for example, snap beans, watermelons, cucumbers, peppers summer squash, cantaloupes, pumpkins, muskmelons, other cucurbits, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, other soianaceous crops, lettuce, other leafy greens, onion, or strawberries. According to some aspects of the disclosure the methods involve the production of winter strawberries,

[0090] According to a disclosed method, at least a part of a field may be covered with the disclosed reflective-striped muich film prior to the start of the growing season. Generally speaking the muich film may be applied using a film applicator which applies strips of film on the ground. A machine caîied a plastic layer or a bed shaper can be pu lied over the field creating a row of plastic muich covering a planting bed. The pianting beds can be fiat beds (i.e., the surface of the plastic muich is level with the surrounding soii surface), or can be raised beds (i.e., the surface of the plastic muich is higher than the surrounding soil surface). Marrow rows of exposed soii are ieft between the strips of film. A drip irrigation line can also be placed under the muich film. Ai some point after the muich film has been laid, holes are punched in the film at predetermined locations, and young plants or seeds can be planted through the holes in the plastic muich, There are two types of strawberry transplants: bare-rootand piug transplante. Afterexposureto waterand sunlight, the plants grow through the holes in the plastic muich.

[0091] According to the disclosed methods, the reflective-striped muich film can improve growing conditions particularly in subtropical conditions. The refiective center portion can cooi the soil at the roof zone during establishment, white the black peripheral portions can warm the soil during winter.

[0092] According ΐο the disciosëd methods, use of the refiective-striped muich film can reduce the soil (root zone) température at the bed center during the establishment period as compared to similar methods utLzing black muich. The use of reflective=striped muich film can reduce the duration of heat stress conditions in the soii during the establishment period, as compared to similar methods utiîizing biack muich.

[0093] According to the disclosed methods, use of the reflective-striped muich film can resuit in réductions in plant mortality. In typical commercial strawberry cultivars, using a black muich film, 10 to 20% transplant mortality is common. It was unexpectediy found that the disclosed reflective-stripe muich can reduce the mortality of plants to less than 10% or less than 5% or less than 2.5% plant moraiity. In some aspects, the refiective strip muich can resuit in substantiaîly zéro plant mortality.

[0094] According to the disclosed methods, use of the reflective-striped muich film can resuit in réductions in the plastic muich surface température and canopy-level air température. The disclosed reflective-striped muich film can resuit in the plastic muich ie surface température that is at least about 1 °C lower, or at least about 2 °G lower, or at least about 3°C lower than the plastic mulch surface température resulting from the use of black plastic mulch. The disclosed reflective-striped mulch film can resuît in a canopy-level air température that is at least about 1 °C lower, or at least about 2 °C or at least about 3°C lower than the canopy-level air température resulting from the use of biack plastic mulch. These température réductions can reduce plant stress during the establishment period.

Γ00951 According to the disclosed methods, use of the reflective-striped mulch film can improve early season fruit yield, as compared to a similar method utilizing black mulch. in some aspects, the early season fruit yield can be improved without negativefy affecting fruit quality late season yields, or production costs.

[0096] According to the disclosed methods, use of the reflective-striped mulch film can resuît in yield increases in both bare-root and plug transpîants. The disclosed refîectivestriped mulch film can resuit in a yield increase of more than about 30% or more than about 40% or more than about 50% or more than about 60% or higher, as compared to the yield produced with the use of a black plastic mulch.

[0097] Because early season strawberries garner higher market prices, improving early season fruit yield is important to Florida growers. Reflective striped mulch films hâve the potentiel to improve early season fruit development by at least partiy alleviatsng heat stress conditions during the establishment period (Andino and Motsenbocker, 2004; Vos et a]., 1995). In combination with the continued development of early-yielding cultivars, which can produce fruits at higher températures and longer photoperiods than the current major cuîtivars, reflective striped mulch films could prove critical to the long-term viability of Florida’s strawberry indusiry by reducing heat stress and further improving early season yields.

[0098] Before proceeding to the Exampîes, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to particular aspects described, and as such may, of course, vary. Other Systems, methods. features, and advantages of foam compositions and components thereof will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description, it is intended that ait such additional Systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe présent disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying daims. It is also to be understood that the tenminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to be limiting. The skilied artisan will recognize many variants and adaptations ofthe aspects described herein. These variants and adaptations are intended to be included in the teachings of this disclosure and to be encompassed by the daims herein,

D, EXAMPLES

[0099] The following examples are put forth so as to provide those of ordinary skill in the art with a complété disclosure and description of how the articles and/or methods claimed herein are made and evaluated, and are intended to be purely exemplary of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of what the inventors regard as their disclosure. Efforts hâve been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers (e.g., amounts, température, etc.), but some errors and déviations should be accounted for. Unless indîcated otherwise, parts are parts by weight, température is in °C or is at ambient température, and pressure is at or near atmospheric.

1. Example 1

[00100] The objective of this Example is to examine the effects of a reflective-striped plastic mulch on soil température, plant growth, fruit yield, and earliness using two of Florida’s most current early-yielding strawberry cultivars. ‘Florida Radiance’/'Florida Fortuna’, which currently accounts for about 60% of Florida’s strawberry market, is a short-day cuitivar not recommended for September planting since it has a relatively weak plant habit and fruit can become elongated and unmarketable under high températures (Whitakeret al., 2008). ‘Florida Beauty’ is an eariy-yielding weak day-neutral that possesses a compact canopy, making it well-suited for advanced planting dates (Whitaker et a!., 2017). ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ is a seasonal flowering génotype, so its flowering and fruiting are tightly controlled by photoperiod and température, while ‘Florida Beauty’ is an everbearing génotype which can basicaiiy produce flowers and fruits throughout the entire growing season (Heide et al., 2013). To understand the potentiel importance of utiiizing a multi-colored mulch film, a reflecîive metalized-striped mulch was compared to fulîy metalized mulch as well as the industry standard black plastic mulch. To follow recent Florida strawberry growing trends of advancing planting from mid-Octcber te late September, this Example examined the effect of reflective metalized-striped mulch when planting was advanced to late September in two growing seasons: the 2016-17 season; and the 2017-18 season.

a. Materials and Methods

[00101] Bed Préparation and plant establishment

[00102] Strawberry field triais were conducted at the University of Florida institute of Food and Agricultural Science Guïf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) in Balm, FL during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 winter and spring growing seasons. The field site’s soil (Myakka fine sand siliceous hypothermie Oxyaquic Alorthod) had a pH and organic matter content of 6.8 and 1.5%, respectively. On 10 Sept. 2016 and 14 Aug. 2017, commercial equipment was used to prépare the GCREC’s strawberry fields, such that ali beds were initially covered with entirely black plastic muich. The beds used in the Example measured 91 m long, 81 cm wide at the base, 71 cm wide at the shoulders, and 25 cm high at the bed-top. During the initial préparation, beds were furnigated with PicClor 60 (1,3dichloropropene + chloropicrin, 303 kg/ha) to reduce incidence of sorl pathogens and 5 weeds. One line of drip irrigation tubing (0.95 L/hr/emitter) with a 30.5 cm emitter spacing was laid 2.5 cm deep at each bed’s center. To reduce the effect of experimental muich types on fumigation efficacy. 0.02-mm thick black plastic muich was stretched overall beds. The experimental muich types were not applied during the initial bed préparation days of 10 Sept. 2016 and 14 Aug. 2017. A map showing the experimental layout and bed 10 dimensions are provided in FIGs. 1A and 1B.

[00103] On 27 Sept. 2016 and 14. Sept 2017, four full-length beds underwent final préparation, which consisted of replacing the previously laid black plastic muich with sample muich films. Each of the four beds were randomly divided into equal length sections of black muich, fuïly metalizsd muich, and metalized-stripsd muich (Imaflex, Inc., 15 Thomasville, NC; Can-Block XSB v-TIF silver/black), as shown in FIG. IA. Metalized coatings on the fulîy metalized muich and metalized-striped muich were a 25-nm thick layer of aluminum. The center stripe on the metalized-striped muich was 51 cm wide, as shown in FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C shows overhead photos of each plastic muich film. The Example utilized a split-plot design with muich type as the whole-plot factor and cultivar as the sub2ü plot factor. In each season, 24 plots were used to test two cuitivars on three muich types across four beds, with each bed serving as a replicate. On 28 Sept. 2016 and 25 Sept. 2017, bare-root transplants with three to four leaves were received from Crown Nursery (Red Bluff, CA). On 29 Sept. 2016, transplants of ‘Florida Radiance7’Florida Fortuna’ were planted in their respective plots at a density of 32 plants per plot, while transplants of 25 ‘Florida Beauty’ were planted at a density of 16 plants per plot due to plant material constraints from the nursery. On 26 Sept. 2017, transplants of 'Florida RadianceTFIorida Fortuna¹ and ‘Florida Beauty’ were both planted in their respective plots at a density of 20 plants per plot. Plants were spaced in double rows with 38 cm between pianting holes and 30 cm between rows as shown in FIG. IB. Following commercial practices, the plants 30 received 9 hours of overhead irrigation during daylight hours for 10 days after transptanting.

Fertilizer (6-2-4 N-P-K) was administered through the drip tape three times per week at a rate of 1.12 kg N ha^-1 d^-1. Plants were waîered daily via drip irrigation. Pesi and disease control were performed following current recommendations from the Universîty of Florida (Peres, 2015).

[00104] Soil Température.

[001051 Soil température was monitored from Novemberthrough February ofthe 2016-17 season and October through February of the 2017-18 season. Soil température was monitored using two Decagon RT-1 température sensors in two plots of each of the three mulch types, thus 12 RT-1 sensors were used in total. Soil température was logged every 30 minutes by EM50G data loggers (Decagon Devices, Pullman, WA). Soil températures were monitored at both the bed center and the bed shouîder, as shown in FIG. IB. Bed centertempérature (BCT) was recorded at a 10-cm depth and 20 cm from the bed shouîder toward the bed center. Bed shouîder température (BST) was recorded at a 10-cm depth and 5 cm from the bed shouîder toward the bed center.

[00106] Plant Growth.

[00107] Canopy area measurements were ta ken three times in the 2016-17 season and six times in the 2017-18 season. Overhead photos of each sample plot were captured using a caméra eîevated on a monopod to a height of 2.1 m over the bed surface. Canopy area was determined by analyzing the photos using the image processing software Image J (National Instituts of Health, Bethesda, MD). The image scale was set according to the known bed width in each photo. Image coior threshold was determined by adjusting hue, saturation, and brightness values to distinguish green canopy pixels from ail background pixels. Threshold values were manually determined for each day on which photos were taken to account for différences in ambient lîght, cloud cover, and shadow distribution. After thresholding, the images were converted to a binary format in which canopy pixels became black and background pixels became white. The total area of the black canopy pixels was measured and recorded. Individual plant canopy areas were determined by dividing the whole plot canopy area by the number of living plants per plot.

[00108] In the 2016-17 season, runners were removed, countêd, and weighed at 10 and 12 weeks after planting (WAP). In the 2017-18 season, runners were sampled from ail plots at ni ne weeks after planting. At the end of the 2016-17 season, three plants from each plot were randomly sampled, separated into roots, leaves, and stems, and then dried at 65 °C for 48 hours to détermine tissue dry weight. At the end of the 2017-18 season, two plants from each plot were randomly sampled to détermine fresh weight, crown number, petiole number, and leaf area.

[00109] Fruit yield and quality.

[00110] Strawberries were harvested twice weekly from mid-November to early March of both seasons. The harvested fruits were graded foliowing the U.S. Dept. Agr. grading standards (USDA, 2006). Fruits weighing more than 10 grams and free from disease, pest, or mechanical damage were considered marketabîe. The number and weight cf fruits from each plot was recorded. To détermine soluble soiids content (SSC) in the 2016-17 season, four fruits from each ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ plot were sampled on 25 Jan. and

Feb. To détermine SSC in the 2017-18 season, four fruits from each ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ plot were sampled on 25 January. Strawberry juice from the aggregate sampîes was analyzed with a digital refractometer to measure SSC for each plot.

[00111] Statistical Analysis.

[00112] In both seasons, there were six treatments, which were factoria! combinations of three mulch types and two cultivars. There were four réplications per treatment in both seasons, for a total of 24 plots (FIG. 1A). The experiments utilized a split-plot design with mulch type as the whole-plot factor and cultivar as the sub-plot factor. Ail statistical analyses were performed using SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Soil températures were compared between mulch types for each hourly average within a month using standard one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Yield, qualtiy, and growth data were analyzed separately for each pianting date by two-way ANOVA. The GLIMMIX procedure was used to analyze elongated fruit proportion data for both seasons. Mean séparation was performed using the Tukey-Kramer method and signifîcance was established at P<0.05 unless otherwise noted.

b. Results and Discussion

[00113] To evaluate the RZT cooling effects of fulîy meialized mulch and metalized-striped mulch, bed centertempérature (BCT) and bed shouldertemperature (BST) were monitored at a 10-cm depth throughout each growing season.

[00114] Soil température data showed the same trend in both seasons. The more comprehensive data from the 2017-18 season, which included October soil température monitoring, are presented in FIG. 2A. Plants on black mulch experienced significantly higher BCT than plants on fully meialized mulch or metalized-striped mulch, especially throughout the establishment period (Oct. and Nov.). In October, the average aftemoon BCT was significantly reduced by 3.7 °C under fully meialized mulch and 3.1 °C under metalized-striped mulch compared to black mulch (FIG, 2B). In November, both fully metalized mulch and metalized-striped mulch significantly reduced the average aftemoon BCT by 3.2 °C compared to black mulch. In addition to reducing the magnitude of establishment period heat stress conditions, the metalized mulch films also significantly reduced the duration of heat stress conditions. Because many reports suggest RZT above 30 °C can resuit in poor growth and development of Fragaria species (Geater et al., 1997; Sakamoto et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 1997), 30 °C was used as a heat stress température threshold in this Example. Throughout October, BCT exceeded 30 °C for an average of 164 hours under black mulch (Table 1). This duration was significantly reduced to 136 hours under fully metalized mulch and non-significantly reduced to 153 hours under metalized-striped mulch. Throughout November, BCT exceeded 30 °C for an average of 108 hours, but the duration was significantly reduced to only 40 and 46 hours under fully metalized and metalized-striped mulch, respect! vely. Many previous studies hâve found metalized mulch films to maintain lowerdaytime RZT than black mulch by reflecting more incoming shortwave radiation (Diaz-Pérez, 2010; Diaz-Pérez and Batal, 2002; Diaz-Pérez et al., 2005; Lamont, 2005; Tarara, 2000). The results here with reduced RZT under more refïective mulch types are consistent with these previous observations.

Table 1. Effect of mulch type on the average number of hours in which bed center température exceeded 30°C.

No. hours BCT > 30 °C^Z

	Mulch	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb
	Black	164 av	108	a	21	a	1	a	57 a
	Fully metalized	96 b	40	b	0	b	0	b	2 b
	Meialized-striped	107 ab	46	b	4	b	0	b	42 a
10	z - Number of hours in	which	bed center température

exceeded 30 °C y - Means within a column not followed by the same lowercase Setter are significantly different at P < 0.05,

[00115] Because they had different shoulder colors, the fully metalized mulch and metalized-striped mulch had contrasting effects on BST throughout the growing season. Compared to black mulch, the average houdy BST in Octoberwas significantly reduced by up to 4.1 °C under fully metalized mulch compared to only 1.1 °C under metalized-striped mulch (FIG. 2B). The same trend was seen throughout November and December. By

January, however, there were no significant différences in daytime BST between black mulch and metalized-striped mulch. In contrast, fully metalized mulch reduced the average aftemoon BST in January by up to 2.9 °C compared to black mulch. One reason that black mulch and metalized-striped mulch caused similar wintertime soil warming is their simiiar black shoulders. Plant canopies mostly covered the bed center by January (FIG, 2C). As a resuit, only the bed shoulders remained exposed to interact with incoming solar radiation. This caused greater daytime soil warming under black mulch and metalized-striped mulch, which both had black shoulders that effectively absorb solar radiation and conduct it as thermal radiation along a température gradient towards the bed center. Consequently, metalized-striped mulch drd not reduce BCT compared to black mulch in January and

February. The data from this Example indicate that metalized-striped mulch was capable of warming winter scils just as well as black mulch, which has soil warming properties that hâve long been considered necessary to profitable winter strawberry yields in Fiorida (Albregts and Chandler, 1993; Brooks, 1959).

[00116] Beyond reducing daytime soil températures compared to biack muich, it was aiso found that fully metalized muich and metalized-striped muich resuited in higher nighttime and pre-dawn roobzone températures than black muich. In October, fulfy metalized muich and metalized-striped muich significantly increased the average BOT compared to black muich for nine hours out of the nîght (data not shown). with a maximum increase of 1.15 °C occurring just before dawn (FIG. 2B). The ability of fuliy metalized muich and metalizedstriped muich to act as insulators and trap beat in the root-zone at night is due at least in part to the optical properties of their aluminum coating - specifically aluminum’s îow emissivity. Emissivity (ε) is a measure of the relative amouni of longwave radiation emitted from a material¹ s surface compared to the longwave radiation emitted by a perfectly emitting blackbody (ε - 1.0) at the same température and wavelength (Tarera, 2000), Ham et al. (1993) studied the optical properties of different plastic muich surfaces and reported that muich surfaces with high longwave transmittance also had high longwave emissivity. In their study, black muich (ε = 0.87) resuited in the highest daytime températures and coolest nighttime températures, whüe aîuminum-painted muich (ε = 0.28) resuited in the coolest daytime températures but highest nighttime températures of ail eight mulches examined.

[00117] Metalized (aluminum) muich surfaces are characterized by Iow shortwave absorption, high shortwave reflection, and Iow longwave transmittance (Ham et al., 1993). Because of their Iow shortwave absorption, metalized muich films are siowto gather energy throughout the day. However, the Iow emissivity and longwave transmittance of metalized muich films produce an insulating effect whereby thermal radiation is not rapidîy emitted from the bed surface at night. By comparison, black muich rapidly gathers beat throughout the daytime and also rapidly emits beat to the cooler sumounding nighttime air. In this way, plants on black muich expérience greater diurnal root-zone température fluctuation than plants on fully metalized muich or metalized-striped muich. Despite this, there are several studies which suggest that diurnal root-zone température fluctuations hâve lîttle overall effect on strawberry growth and yield when température extremes are avoided (GonzalezFuentes et al., 2016; Kumakura and Shishido, 1994). It is theorized that small changes in diurnal RZT fluctuation by the metalized muich films were unimportant to affecting early yield in this Example, instead, it is believed that earliness improvement resuited from a réduction in the magnitude and duration of beat stress conditions throughout the hot early season afternoons.

[00118] Metalized muich types improved early yield

[00119] There was a trend of improved early season fruit yield by fully metalized mulch and metalized-striped mulch in both seasons, thoughthe effect was significant only in the 201617 season (Table 2). Conversely, the plastic mulch x eu Itivar interaction did not significantly affect fruit yield in either season. As a resuit, data presented in this section are pooled by 5 the main effect of plastic mulch type.

Table 2. Effect of cultivar, mulch type, and their interaction on early, late, and total yield of strawberries in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.

Cultivar	Plastic mulch	Marketable fruit yield (t ha'1)
2016-17	2017-18
Eariy	Late	Total	Eariy	Late	Total
		12.	bc				15.	A	24.
	Black	1	Z	15.0	27,1	8.8	3	b	2
Florida	Fully	13.					15.	A	27.
Radianc
	metalized	2	ab	16.4	29.6	11.8	9	b	7
e	Metalized	14.					19.		32
	-striped	2	a	15.9	30.1	13.4	0	A	4
		11.					12.		22.
	Black	2	c	13.9	25.1	10.5	1	B	6
Florida	Fully	12.					11.		23.
Beauty	metalized	9	ab	14.9	27.8	11.7	9	B	7
	Metalized	13.					13.		26.
	-striped	7 t	a	14 8	28.4	12.6	9	B	5
Averaged data
		13.					16.		28.
Florida Radiance	2		15.8	28.9	11.3	7	a	1 a
		12.					12.		24.
Florida Beauty	6		14.5	27.1	11.6	7	b	2 b
		11.					13.		23.
	Biack	7	b	14.4	26.1	9.7	7		4
	Fully	13.					13.		25.
	metalized	n	â	15.7	28.7	11.8	9		7
	Metalized	13.					16.		29.
	-striped	9	a	15.3	29.3	13.0	5		4
Source of variation				P-value
				0.231	0.145	0.729
Cultivar		0.1633	1	0	7	0.0002	0.0062
				0.732	0.152	0.179
Plastic mulch	0.0182	6	5	6	0.0914	0.1272
Cultivar * Plastic			0.982	0.994	0.379
mulch		0 3	187	5	g	0	0.5364	0.3063

z - Means within a column not followed by the same lowercase letter are signifîcantly different at P < Q.05 according to Tukey’s test.

[00120] In the 2016-17 season, fuliy metaiized mulch and metalized-striped mulch sîgnificantly increased early yields by 11% and 19%, respectively, compared to black mulch. in the 2017—18 season, fully metarized mulch and mëtaiizëd-stripëd mulch îed to non-significant early yield increases of 22% and 34%, respectively. By contrast, neither laie season nor total season yields were sîgnificantly affected by plastic mulch type in the 201617 or 2017-18 season. Regardless, there was still a prominent trend of total season yield improvement by fully metaiized muîch and metalized-striped mulch. For example, metalized-striped mulch led to a non-significant total season yield increase of 26% compared to black mulch in the 2017-18 season. Metalized-striped mulch resuîted in numerically higher early and total yields than fully metaiized mulch in both seasons.

[00121] As expected, early season yields were more affected by plastic mulch type than laie season yields. Plastic mulches influenced the daytime energy balance around the crop both above and beiow the soil mostly by either reflecting or absorbing incoming solar radiation per their spécifie optical properties (Ham et al., 1993; Tarara, 2000). Since exposure of the mulch surface to incoming solar radiation is highest in the early season when plant canopies are small, the mulches imparted their greatest impact on the plant energy balance during establishment.

[00122] Two previous studies hâve examined the effect of reflective mulch for annual raised bed strawberry production under subtropical conditions, in Brazil, Yuri et al. (2012) found no différence in winter strawberry yields between black and silver reflective mulch treatments. In Florida, Aibregts and Chandier (1993) evâîuâtëd ëight coiors of plastic mulch for winter strawberry production. For two consecutive seasons, yellow mulch and white mulch increased early season yieîds (then considered November through February) by 26% to 33% compared to black mulch, but they had no significant effect on total season yields because of their négative impact on late season yields, Compared to this Example. Aibregts and Chandier (1993) utilized cultivars and pianting dates that were less likely to promote high early yields. Because of different market conditions, they planted roughly three weeks laterand continued to harvest forahnost two months longerthan this Exampie. Their longer harvest period may account for différences in the effect of reflective mulch on late season yieîds between their study and this Example. Using modem early-yielding cultivars and late September pianting dates, significant increases in early yield and nonsignificant increases in late yield by fully metaiized mulch and metalized-striped mulch were observed in this Example. The effects of root-zone cooling by the fuliy metaiized mulch and metalized-striped plastic muîch on improved strawberry yields are further discussed beiow. [00123] Metaiized muîch types improved fruit development without affecting plant growth t

[00124] In this Example, yield gains by fully metaiized mulch and metalized-striped mulch resulted from an increase in the number of fruits produced by each plant rather than an improvement in fruit size, The average fruit size during the 2016-17 earîy season was the same across al! three mulch treatments (Table 3). During this same period, plants on fully 5 metalized mulch and metalized-striped mulch produced 13% and 20% more fruits than plants on black mulch, respectively, indicating that significant early marketable yield increases in the 2016-17 season were alrnost entirely a resuit of improved fruit development and fruit set.

Table 3. Effect of cultivar, mulch type, and their interaction on the number of marketable 10 fruit per plant during the early, late, and total periods of the 2016-17 and 2017-8 seasons.

Cultivar	Plastic mulch	2016-17
No. fruit plant-1	Fruit size (g)
Early	Late	Total	Early	Late	Total
Florida	Black	14. 4	B	19. 0	33. 4	19. 4	a b	18. 4	a b	19. 0	a b
Radianc e	Fully metalized	15. 0	B	20. 3	35. 3	20. 0	a	18. 7	a	19. 5	a
	Metalized -striped	16. 4	A	20. 4	36. 8	19. 8	a	18. 2	a b	19. 2	a
Florida Beauty	Black Fully metalized	14. 0 17. 0	B A	17. 8 19. 8	31. 8 36. 8	17. 7 17. 2	b c c	18. 1 17. 8	a b a b	17. 9 17. 4	b c c
	Metalized -striped	17. 7	A	20. 8	38. 4	17. 4	c	16. 5	b	17. 0	c
Averaged data
Florida Radiance	15. 3	b	19. 9	35. 2	19. 7	a	18. 5	a	19. 2	a
Florida Beauty	16. 2	a	19. 4	35. 7	17. 4	b	17. 5	b	17. 4	b
	Black	14. 2	b	18. 4	32. 6	18. 6		18. 2		18. 4
	Fully	16.	a	20.	36.	18.		18.		18.
	metalized	0	b	1	0	6		3		5
	Metalized -striped	17. 0	a	20. 6	37. 6	18. 6		17. 4		18. 1
Source of variation					P-vaiue
Cultivar		0.0409	0.724 5	0.720 7	0.0000	0.0100	0.0000
Plastic mulch	0.0079	0.544 6	0.103 8	0.9870	0.0964	0.2952
Cultivar mulch	* Plastic	0.0997	0.862 6	0.586 9	0.2607	0.2881	0.1263
z - Means within a oc	îlumn not	followed by the same lowercase letter are

significantly different at P < 0.05, while means within a column not followed by the same uppercase fetter are significantly different at P < 0.10, according to Tukey’s test

[00125] interestingly, canopy image anaiysis did not reveal any changes in canopy area by plastic mulch type for any sampling date in either season (data not shown). This observation suggests that fruit development is more sensitive than végétative growth to heat stress caused by black plastic mulch. It is well documented that températures above °C can suppress floral development, pollen tube growth, pollen viability, and overall fruit set in strawberries (Kumakura and Shishido, 1994; Ledesma and Sugiyama, 2005; Wang and Camp, 2000). In a growth chamber experiment, Ledesma et al. (2008) found that across two different short-day strawberry cultivars, increasing day/night températures from 23/18 to 30/25 °C significantly reduced the number of inflorescence produced. The 30/25 °C day/night treatment subsequentiy had a lower percentage of successful fruit set and number of fruits produced compared to the 23/18 °C treatment. Furthermore, Kadir et al.

(2006) found that increasing day/night températures from 20/15 to 30/25 ⁼C significantly reduced fruit yields without inhibiting shoot dry matter accumulation. They also found that regardiess of cultivarheat sensitivity. In this Example, as discussed earlier, fully metalized mulch and metalized-striped mulch both significantly reduced the magnitude and duration of heat stress conditions compared to black mulch. Based on the evidence from previous studies that high root-zone and air températures can inhibit flower and fruit development, it is theorized that heat stress mitigation by metalized mulch films in this Example was responsible for at least partially alleviating floral inhibition in the crown and improving early fruit set and marketabie yields.

[00126] Fully metalized versus metalized-striped mulch

[00127] The main objective of the reflective-striped plastic mulch design was to create optimal growing conditions for winter strawberry production under subtropical conditions by utilizing the reflective (metalized) center stripe to cool the root zone during establishment and the black shoulders to warm soils during winter. It was hypothesized that reflective metalized-striped mulch, by having the dual benefits of metalized and black mulch films, could outperfofm fully metalized mulch. Several observations indicated that metalizedstriped mulch was more bénéficiai than fully metalized mulch, aithough certain direct comparisons between the two plastic muiches showed no significant différence. For example, metalized-striped muich resulied in 7% more marketabie fruit than fully metalized mulch in the 2016-17 early season (Table 2). During this same pericd, yields of 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ were significantly improved by metalized-striped mulch, but not r

fully metalized mulch, compared to black mulch.

[00128] However, the benefits of adding a reflective metalized center stripe to black plastic mu ldi were b est illusîrated in the 2017-18 sea son. Despite an abo ve-ave rage number of hot days during establishment (FIG. 3), metalized-striped mulch produced 10% greater early marketable yields than fully metalized mulch for both cultivars. Beginning in January, which experienced below-average daiiy températures, metalized-striped mulch began to noticeably outperform fully metalized mulch (FIG. 4). Weekly yields of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ were significantly improved compared to black plastic mulch for five weeks using metalized-striped mulch, but just three weeks using fully metalized mulch.

Additionally, marketable late season yields of ‘Florida Beauty’ were reduced by fully metalized mulch but improved by metalized-striped mulch compared to black mulch (Table 2). The findings indicate that metalized-striped mulch is weîl-suited to optimize soil micro environment conditions throughout the dynamic envîronmental conditions of Florida’s winter strawberry production season.

[00129] Practical applications of metalized-striped mulch

[00130]ln order to stay cost-effective in an increasingly compétitive winter strawberry market, Florida strawberry growers need a practical, easily-implementable solution for reducing establishment heat stress and improving early fruit yields (Guan et al., 2016). Two strawberry cultivars that differ in heat stress tolérance and early season yield patterns were 20 used in this Example. ‘Florida Beauty’, the earliest cultivar available in Florida, is day neutral so it has the ability to initiate flowers at longer photoperiods and higher températures than short-day cultivars (Whitaker et al., 2017). As a resuit, ‘Florida Beauty’ is recommended for planting between 20 Sept, and 1 Ocî. in Florida to allow for adéquate végétative growth before flowering begins. By contrast, 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ 25 is a short-day cultivar with a relatively weak plant habit and iow heat-tolerance, so it is recommended for planting between 5 and 15 Oct. (Whitaker et al., 2008). Despite such contrasting characteristics, no significant cultivar χ plastic mulch interaction was found in this Example. This observation suggests that reflective-striped mulch is a promising management option that can consistently improve early yields of a wide range of strawberry cultivars by mitigating heat stress associated with extremely early planting (e.g. late Sept, in Florida).

[00131] in the Example, neither flavor (data not shown) nor fruit size were affected by plastic mulch type (Table 3). !t is important that growers do not sacrifice fruit quality for the sake of increased early season yields, since flavor and fruit size are two essentiel quality 35 parameters considered by intermediary strawberry buyers and the end consumer (Gallardo et al,, 2015). Overall, the findings indicate that black plastic mulch with a métalized-center stripe can improve early season strawberry yields by up to 34% compared to black mulch without negatively affecting fruit quaîity, late season yields, or production costs.

2. Example 2

[00132] The objective of this Example was to examine the effects of white-striped plastic 5 mulch on soil température, plant growth, fruit yield, and earliness across three of Florida’s most current early-yielding strawberry cultivars. ‘Florida Radiance'/’Florida Fortuna’, which currently accounts for about 60% of Florida’s strawberry market, is a short-day euItivar not recommended for September pianting dates since high températures during fruit development can lead to elongated, sometimes unmarketabie fruits. ‘Florida Beauty’ is an early-yielding cultivar released by the University of Florida in 2016. It is day-neutral and possesses a compact canopy, making it well-suited for advanced pianting dates. ‘Florida Brilliance’, released in 2017, can quickly establish a robust and open canopy before producing relatively high early season yields. it wiil be important to understand how whitestriped mulch affects strawberry cultivars with varying beat stress sensitivîty and growth characteristics. To conduct our trial in accordance with recent g rowing trends, we examined the effect of white-striped mulch when pianting was advanced to late September in two seasons.

a. Materials and Methods

[00133] Plant establishment and treatments

[00134] Strawberry (Fragaria ^ananassa Duch.) field trials were conducted at the

University of Florida Institutê of Food and AgricuiiuraÏ Science Gu if Coast Research and Education Center in Balm, FL during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. The site’s soil (Myakka fine sand siliceous hyperthermie Oxyaquic Alorthod) had a pH and organic matter content of 6.8 and 1.5%, respectively. In both seasons, 91.4-m long pressed beds were prepared in late August To reduce the occurrence of weeds and soil pathogens, the beds were fumigated according to commercial standards with PicClor60 (1,3-dichloropropene + chloropicrin; 122.5 kg/ acre). Each bed had one line of drip irrigation tubing (0.87 L 30.5 m^{_ 1} min^-1, 30.5 cm emitter spacing) laid 2.5 cm deep at the bed’s center. The beds were then covered with a 0.02 mm thick black plastic mulch.

[00135] A map of the experimental iayout for each season is shown in FIG. 6A. In mid-

September of both seasons, half of the plots on each bed had a 51-cm wide white stripe applied (FIG. SB) to the bed center using inverted marking pamt (Rust-oleum Corporation, Vernon Hills, IL). Paint was applied in a uniform, opaque layer such that the black mulch was completely covered within the 51-cm wide center stripe. Bare-root transplanta with three to four leaves were received from Crown Nursery (Red Bluff, California) in September of both seasons. In the first season, transplants of‘Florida Radiance’ (marketed as ‘Florida

Fortuna’ outside the U.S. and Canada) and ‘Florida Beauty’ were pianted in their respective plots on 26 Sept, at a density of 21 plants per plot. For the 2016-17 season, an additional cultivar and planting date were added. Transplants of 'Florida Radian ce’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida Beauty’, and ‘Florida Brilliance’ were pianted in their respective plots on either 29

Sept, or 17 Oct. at a density of 14 piants per plot. Plant spacing and bed dimensions are given in FIG. 6C. To aid in establishment, the plants received 9 h of overhead irrigation during daylight hours on each of 10 d after transpianting. Fertilizer (6-2-4 N-P2O5-K2O) was applied through the drip tape three times weekly at a rate of 7.84 kg N ha^-1 w~¹. After establishment, plants were watered daily via drip irrigation. Pest and disease control were performed based on weekly scouting reports and current recommendations from the University of Florida (Peres, 2015).

[00136] Soi! Température

[00137] Soil température was monitored from November through February of both seasons. In the 2015-2016 season, soil température was monitored in only two plots with 15 one sensor under each mulch type. In the 2016-2017 season, a total of 12 RT-1 température sensors were used to measure soil température with two sensors in three plots of each mulch type. Soil températures were logged every 30 minutes by six Em50 data loggers (Decagon Devices, Pullman, WA). Root-zone température was monitored at both the bed center and the bed shoulder according to the dimensions given in FIG. 6C. Bed center température (BCT) was recorded at a 10-cm depth and 20 cm from the bed shoulder toward the bed center. Bed shoulder température (BST) was recorded at a 10-cm depth and 5 cm from the bed shoulder toward the bed center.

[00138] Plant growth

[00139] Canopy area measurements were taken twice in the 2015-16 season and three times in the 2016-17 season. Overhead photos of each experimental plot were captured using a caméra elevated on a monopod to a height of 2.1 m over the bed surface. Canopy area was determined by analyzing the photos using the image processing software image J (National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD). The image scale was set according to the known bed width in each photo. Image thresholding was performed by adjusting hue, saturation, and brightness values to distinguish green canopy pixels from ail background pixels. Threshold values were manually determined for each day on which photos were taken to account for différences in ambient light, cloud covër, and shadow distribution. After thresholding, the images were converted to a binary format in which canopy pixels became black and background pixels became white. The total area of the black canopy pixels was measured and recorded. Individual plant canopy areas were determined by dividing the whole plot canopy area by the number of living plants per plot.

[00140] In the 2015-16 season, runners were removed, counted, and weighed at 7, 10, and 16 weeks after planting (WAP). In the 2016-17 season, runners were sampled from ail plots at 10 and 21 weeks after the first planting date. At the end of both seasons, three plants from each plot were randomly sampled, separated into roots, leaves, and stems, and then dried at 65 °C for 48 hours to détermine tissue dry weight.

[00141] Fruit yield and quaiity.

[00142] Strawberries were harvested twice weekly from mid-November to eariy March of both seasons. The harvested fruit were graded following the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture grading standards (USDA, 2006). Fruits weighing more than 10 g and free from disease, pest, or mechanicai damage were considered marketable. The number and weight of fruits from each plot was recorded. In 2016—17, the number and weight of elongated fruit from each harvest was also recorded. Elongated fruit are produced mainly by 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ when exposed to high températures in the eariy season (Whitaker et af., 2008). To détermine soluble solide content (SSC) in the 2015-16 season, four fruit from each plot were sampled on 12 November and 11 February. To détermine SSC in the second season, four fruit from each ‘Florida Radiance’/'Florida Fortuna’ plot were sampled on 25 Jan. and 15 Feb. Strawberry juice from the aggregate samples was analyzed with a digital refractometer to measure SSC for each plot

[00143] Statistical analysis.

[00144] The expérimenta utilized a split-plot design with mulch type as the whole-plot factor and cultivar as the sub-plot factor. There were four treatments in the 2015-16 season with two mulch types and two cultivars. There were six treatments for each planting date in the 2016-17 season with two muich types and three cultivars. Soi! températures were compared between mulch types for each hourly average within a month using a standard t-test. Fruit yield and quaiity and plant growth data were analyzed separately for each planting date by two-way analysis of variance using SAS Enterprise Guide 7.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). In cases of non-significant plastic mulch * cultivar interaction, data were pooied by each main effect. The GLIMMÎX procedure was used to analyze elongated fruit proportion data for the 2016-17 season. Mean séparation was performed using the Tukey-Kramer method and significance was established at P<0.05 unless otherwise noted.

b. Results and discussion

[00145] Root-zone température effecfs ofwhite-striped mulch.

[00146] Because trends from the two seasons were similar, only the more comprehensive 2016=17 soi! température data are presented (FIG. 7A). Soil température monitoring at both the bed center (see A-D) and bed shoulder (see E-H) revealed localized patterns of microclimats modification by white-striped mulch. Root-zone températures measured at the bed center were substantially reduced under white-striped mulch throughout the hottest midday hours of November (FIG. 7A, see A). November bed center température averages were reduced under white-striped mulch compared to black mulch from 11:00 through 17:00, with a maximum réduction of 4.5 °C (33.5 vs. 29.0 °C) occurring at 15:00. Though 5 soil température data were not collected in October, trends are expected io be comparable, if not more pronounced, due to greater solar influx and less canopy shadîng of the bed center. Our data suggest that on average, root-zone températures are significantiy reduced under white-striped mulch during more than 25% of the daytime hours in October and November.

[00147] It has been widely documented that both wild and cultivated Fragaria spp. are adversely affected by high root-zone températures above 30 °C (Hellman and Travis, 1988; Ledesma and Kawabata, 2016). When grown in suspension culture, strawberry cells exposed to 30 °C exhibited slowed, atypical growth (Zhang étal., 1997). In a hydroponics experiment which heid root-zone températures constant for 21 d, strawberry plants grown 15 at 29 °C gained nearly twice the fresh mass as plants grown at 35 °C (Geater et al., 1997).

More recently, strawberry plants grown hydroponically at a constant root-zone température of 30 ^CC exhibited low oxygen consumption, a sign of reduced root cell respiration (Sakamoto et a!., 2016). In this Example, white-striped mulch reduced the highest aftemoon soil températures below 30 °C, within a range suitable for normal growth and 20 development.

[00148] Unlike bed center température, bed shoulder température was not affected by white-striped plastic muich (FIG. 7A, see E-H). This indicates that the effect of cooling by the white stripe is limited to the area immediately under the white stripe. Because the shoulders of both mulch types are black, they are effective at absorbing solar radiation and 25 subsequently warning soi!s beneath the black mulch. During the coid winter months when the possibiiity of freezing températures threatens to damage plants, it is expected that the exposed black shoulders will be able to absorb solar radiation and transfer heat via conduction to the coder bed center where most of the plant roots are located. By implementing white-striped mulch, growers can effectively reduce soil températures during 3(1 the early season when heat stress can affect season-long plant performance while still maintaining late season yields.

[00149] Plant growth effeds.

[00150] Plant growth measures were only affected by white-striped mulch in the 2015-16 season (Tables 4 and 5). Canopy area measurements taken 7 WAP showed that, for both 35 cultivars, plants on white-striped mulch had 11% greater canopy area than those on black mulch (Table 4). The bénéficiai effect of white-striped plastic mulch on plant biomass accumulation was diminished by 12 WAP. It is îikely that plant growth improvement by white-striped plastic mulch was détectable only in the 2015-16 season because of rëlâtively high early season températures, in 2015, there were 27 d in which the maximum daily température exceeded 30 °C between planting and the end of November (FIG. 8).

For the first planting date of 2016, there were only 13 d in which the maximum daily température exceeded 30 °C between planting and the end of November. These data suggest that plants were subjected to greater heat stress during establishment in 2015-16 than in 2016-17. It is possible that prolonged heat stress conditions of 2015-16 led to more consistent growth improvements by white-striped mulch as well.

Table 4. Effect of cultivar and mulch type on canopy area at two times throughout the 2015-16 season.

	Canopy area (cm2 plant-1)
Cultivar Plastic mulch	7 WAPa 12 WAP
Florida Radiance	770 1279
Florida Beauty	713 1229
Black	703 Bb 1267
White-striped	779 A 1241
Source of variation	P value
Cultivar	0.1403 0.8800
Plastic mulch	0.0570 0.2400

a - WAP = Weeks after planting b - Means within a column not followed by the same uppercase letter are staiistically different at P < 0.10 according to Tukey’s test

[00151] Plant biomass measurements performed at the end of the 2015-16 season showed that white-striped mulch increased root dry weight by 26% compared to black mulch (Table 5). Shoot dry weight, however, was unaffected by plastic mulch colorwhen sampled at the end of the season. Kadir et al. (2006) reported that strawberry roots are more sensitive than shoots to the adverse effects of high température stress. In a growth chamber experiment, it was found that increasing daytime air températures from 20 to 30 °C had no effect on shoot biomass accumulation, but reduced root biomass by 20% (Kadir et al., 2006). In our experiment, runner growth was inconsistentîy affected by white-striped mulch (data not shown). Taken together, our results suggest that under stressfuî growing conditions, such as the consistently high (> 30 °C) températures experienced in the fa il of 2015, white-striped mulch can effectively improve plant growth.

Table 5, Effect of cultivar and muich type on end-of-season dry weight partitioning measurements in the 2015-16 season.

Cultivar Plastic mulch	Root DW3 (g)	Shoot DW (g)	RSR*
Florida Radiance	5.30 bc	40.0	0.108 b
Florida Beauty	7.90 a	43.8	0.168 a
Black	5.49 b	47.8	0.122
White-striped	6.90 a	46.0	0.154
Source of variation		P value
Cultivar	0.0051	0.1666	0.0192
Plastic muich	0.0189	0.6719	0,1421

^a DW = Dry weight ^b RSR = Root-to-shoot ratio ^c Means within a column not followed by the same lowercase letter are significantly différant at P < 0.05 according to Tukey’s test

[00152] Increased earîy and total yields by white-striped mulch

[00153] The yield response to white-striped plastic mulch varied depending on seasonal conditions and planting date (Table 6). The response was relatively more consistent across cuitivars for the 2015-16 season and for the second planting of the 2016-17 season. Because the plastic mulch * cultivar interaction was not significant for these two trials, the data discussed in this section are pooied by the main effect of plastic mulch type. In 201516, yield improve ments by white-striped muïch were 31% in the earîy (November-Januaryj season but non-significant in the iate (February-March) season, resuîting in non-significant effects on total season yield. In 2016-17, the mid-October planting date resulted in significant yield improvements by white-striped muîch of 20% in the earîy season and 15% across the entire season.

Table 6. Effect of cultivar, muîch type, and their interaction on earîy and totaî yield of strawberries in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.

Marketable fruit yield (t ha¹ )

	15-16	16-17 P1a	16-17 P2
	Plastic Nov— Feb—	Nov- Feb-	Nov- Feb-
Cultivar	Total	Total	Total
	mulch Jan Mar	Jan Mar	Jan Mar

Florida Radiance	Black	5.2db	14.9	20.1c	8.1c	15.1b	23. ID	8.9c	13.6 22.5ab
	Whitestriped	7.4c	14.0	21 Abc 11.8ab	17.9ab29.6BC	11.2ab	15.3 26.5a
Florida Beauty	Black	9.5b	16.2	25.7ab 11.3abc 14.2b	25.5CD	8.5c	10.9 19.4b
	Whitestriped	12.0a	16.1	28.1a	10.3bc	13.7b	24.0D	Ô.3bc	12.5 21.8ab
Fiorida Brilliance	Black	N/Ac	N/A	N/A	14.5a	19.4a	33.9AB	10.1bc	13.6 23.7ab
	Whitestriped	N/A	N/A	N/A	14.5a	21.1a	35.5AB	12.3a	14.6 26.9a
Pooied data

Florida Radiance Florida Beauty Fiorida Brilliance	6.3b 10.8a N/A	14.5b 20.8b 16.1a26.9a	9.9b 10.8b 14.5a	16.5b 14.0c 20.2a	26.4b 24.8b 34.7a	10.1a 8.8b 11.2a	14.4 24.5a 11.8 20.6b 14.1 25.3a
N/A	N/A
Black White-	7.4b	15.5	22.9	11.3	16.2	27.5	9.1b	12.8 21.9b
striped	9.7a	15.1	24.8	12.2	17.6	29.7	10.9a	14.1 25.1a

Source of variation P value

Cultivar 0.0000 0.04600.0003 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0002 0.04280.0062

Plastic mulch 0.0003 0.54470.1147 0.1930 0.30140.2066 0.0001 0.12210.0225

Cultivar χ Plastic

0.7292 0.57020.6029 0.0246 0.2087 0.0251 0.3191 0.92810.8056 mulch ³ The first (29 Sept. 2016) and second (17 Oct. 2016) planting dates of 2016-17 are denoted as ‘16-17 PT and ‘16-17 P2’, respectively.

^b Means within a column not foîîowed by îhë same iowercase Setter are significantly 5 different at P < 0.05, while means within a column not followed by the same uppercase letterare significantly different at P< 0.10, according to Tukey’s tesi.

^c N/A = Not applicable

[00154] The average maximum daily températures of November and December 2015 were 10 2.7 and 3.0 °C above the 10~year averages for those months, respectively (FIG. 8). These rernarkably high average maximum températures in the early season îikely resulted in proportionally high heat stress mitigation by white-striped mulch. White-striped mulch led to an 11% improvement in canopy size across both cuitivars when measured in late November 2015. Canopy size, which we are using as a proxy for leaf area, has been shown to be directîy related to the number of fruits produced by a strawberry plant (Darrow, 1966). The increase in canopy size during the cnricai transition period from végétative establishment to reproductive development may partially explain the large magnitude of eariiness improvement by white-striped mulch in this season

[001551 Because there was less heat stress in 2016—17 compared to 2015-16, there was also less heat stress mitigation by white-striped plastic mulch, and subsequently less yield improvement. By delaying transpianting to mid-Ociober in 2016-17, ail treatments experienced a trend of reduced earty and total season yields compared to the earlier planting. This is most likely because plants had less time to establish vigorous végétative growth before the onset of fîowering and fruiting. it is also possible that the later planting date delayed the transition from végétative to reproductive growth such that it occurred during a period of higher-than-average températures, which intensified the effects ofwhitestriped mulch to result in improved eariiness. The average maximum air températures of December, January, and February of the 2016-17 season were 2.2,2.5, and 2.5 °C above the 10-year averages for those months, respectively (FIG. 8). Since these high températures continued into the winter months, the effect of white-striped mulch was apparently significant enough to also improve total season yields for the second crop of the 2016-17 season. These results suggesl that there exists a complex relaiionship between unique seasonal conditions, the crop's phenology, and physiologicai responses to microenvironment modification by white-striped plastic mulch.

[00156] Regardless ofthe magnitude of yield improvement by white-striped mulch, it would appear that the effect results from an increase in both the number of fruit produced by each plant and the average fruit size (Table 7). The response of marketabie fruit number to whitestriped mulch was more pronounced than the response of fruit size. In the early part of 2015-16, the number of marketabie fruit per plant increased by 26% over white-striped mulch while fruit size was increased by only 3.5%. For the second planting of 2016-17, increases in early season marketabie fruit number and fruit size by white-striped mulch were 14% and 11%, respectively. In the same trial, total season marketabie fruit number was improved 12% by white-striped mulch while fruit size remained unaffected. In terms of early season marketabie fruit yield, fruit number, and fruit size, the results of our study are very similar to those obtaîned tn one of the original évaluations of colored plastic mulch for Florida strawberry production. In that study, significant early (then considered Nov.-Feb.) yield improvements by entirely wînite plastic mulch of 30% and 33% in two respective seasons were reported (Albregts and Chandler, 1993). White mulch improved the number of fruit per piant by 18% without affecting fruit size in the first season, while improving fruit number and size by 20% and 11%, respectively, in the second season. In both the current experiment and the 1993 study, white mulch ied to significantly improved early season fruit set and yields without having as significant effects on plant and fruit size. This suggests 5 that in both cases, yield improvement by white-striped mulch resulted from a physiologicai shift in development, rather than a consistent improvement in overall plant grow.

Table 7. Effect of plastic mulch type on the number of marketable fruit per plant and fruit weight averaged across ail cuitivars for the 2015-16 season and second planting of the

2016-17 season.

Plastic mulch	No. marketable fruit plant-1
15-16	16-17 P2a
Nov-Jan	Nov-Jan	Total
Black	10.0 bb	12.0 b	28.2 b
White-striped	12.6 a	13.7 a	31.5 a
Source of variation		P value
Plastic mulch	0.0008	0.0021	0.0304
Fruit size (g)
Black	17.3 b	14.8 b	18.0
White-striped	17.9 a	16.5 a	18.5
Source of variation		P value
Plastic mulch	0.0422	0.0437	0.1859

^a The second planting date of 2016-17 (17 Oct. 2016) is denoted as ‘16-17 P2’.

^b Means within a column not followed by the same lowercase letter are significantly different at P < 0.05 according to Tukey’s test.

[00157] Comparisons of late season yield between the 1993 study and the present study highlight the potential importance of white-striped mulch, which can retain some soil warming capabilities in the winter via the black shoulders (FIG. 7A). in Albregts and Chandler (1993), both the bed tops and rounded shoulders were painted white. Because 20 their entirely white-painted mulch reduced January and February afternoon soil températures at a 10-cm depth by up to 3.0 °C compared to black mulch, it was likely not capable of sufficiently warming soils in Florida’s cool winter months. As a resuit, yields suffered over the white mulch in the late season months of March and April. Despite strong trends of improved early season yieid by white mulch, late season yields were reduced enough to decrease total season yields below those of the black muich treatment in two of their three trials. In other environments where soil warming by black mulch is considered bénéficiai for optimum strawberry yields, such as California and Canada, entirely white mulch has also proved detrimental (Hughes et al., 2013; Johnson and Fennimore, 2005). This phenomenon of colcFseason yield réduction by white mulch was not observed in our study, likely because of the black shoulders. There was a trend of improved total season yield by white-striped mulch in ail three trials (Table 6). White-striped mulch was apparently effective ai maintaining optimal soil microenvironments throughout the Florida production season, which is characterized by high températures during establishment and occasionally freezing températures during peak production.

[00158] Cultivar-dependent yield responses to white-striped mulch

[00150] The plastic muich * cultivar interaction played a significant raie in improving early and total yields of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ when planting was advanced to midSeptember in the 2016-17 season (Table 6). For the first planting date of 2016-17, early and total yields of ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ showed improvements by whitestriped mulch of 46% and 28%, respectively, while neither ‘Florida Beauty’ nor ‘Florida Brilliance’ exhibited significant yield benefits. Geneiic différences between the three cultivars are likely responsible for their varying responses to white-striped mulch. ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ is known for having a relatively weak plant habit and performs best when pianted between 5 Oct. and 15 Oct. (Whitaker et al·, 2008). By advancing planting ahead of the recommended period, ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ was likely exposed to heat stress beyond the cultivais genetic capability to adapt and sustain normal yields. Tnüs, wniîë-stripëd muich mây hâve proved pârticulâriy important for improving thê early season-yields of 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ compared to the other two cultivars tested. This effect may be seen across ail three trials, as ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ consistentiy exhibited the most positive response of fruit eariiness to white-striped mulch (Table 6).

[00160] ‘Florida Beauty’ is day neutral and possesses a compact plant canopy, making it well-suîted for early planting (Whitaker et al., 2017). Because it can initiale flowering at longer photoperiods and higher températures than short-day cultivars, ‘Florida Beauty’ is recommended for planting between 20 Sept, and 1 Oct. under subtropical production Systems in the northem hemisphere. This helps to ensure the establishment of adéquate végétative growth before the plants start producing harvestable fruit in mid-November. Since températures in the early part of the 2016-17 season were not excessively high and ‘Florida Beauty’ is well adapted to advanced planting, these factors may hâve contributed to the lack of yield improvements by white-slriped mulch in the 2016-17 season, However.

it is likely that even ‘Florida Beauty’ was not fuliy capable of coping with the high températures early in the 2015-16 season. It seems that as a resuit, the cultivar benefited from an early season yield improvement of 26% by whitë-stripëd muich. ‘Florida Briiliance’ was only tested in the 2016-17 season, so we are not able to compare its response to muich type under differing seasona! températures. The cultivais yield and earliness were unaffected by white-striped muich when pianting was advanced in 2016-17. However, when planted in mid-October, ‘Florida Briiliance’ exhibited an early yield increase of 22% by white-striped muich. These data suggest that ‘Florida Briiliance’ is also weli-suited for advanced pianting, since its performance was only improved by white-striped muich for the iater pianting date.

[00161] Effect of white-striped muich on fruit quality.

[00162] In both instances of early yield improvement by white-striped muich, fruit size was aiso improved. The average fruit size across ait cuitivars was increased 3.5% and 11% during the early parts ofthe 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, respectively (Table 7). Plastic muich color had no sîgnificant effect on soluble solids content during either the early or late season (data not shown.

[00163] We also observed a réduction in elongated fruit produced by ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ pianted on white-striped muich in the 2016-17 season (Table 8). ‘Florida Radiance’ (known as ‘Florida Fortuna¹ intemationally), which currently accounts for 50% and 60% of Spain and Florida’s strawberry markets, respectively, will sometimes produce elongated or “bullet-shaped” fruit when transplanted eariy and exposed to high températures in October and November (Whîtakeretal., 2008). This physiological disorder, which is not observed in ‘Florida Beauty’ or ‘Florida Briiliance’, concerns growers since the irregu la rly-shaped fruit are considered unmarketable if the effect becomes too pronounced. For the advanced pianting, 2.25% of the marketabie yield were elongated over black muich, but only 0.40% were elongated over white-striped muich. Similar réductions were also observed when pianting was delayed to mid-October.

Table 8. Effect of plastic muich type on the absolute yield of elongated fruit and percentage of marketable fruit produced by ‘Florida RadianceV’Florida Fortuna’ during the 2016-17 season.

Elongated fruit yield

Plastic muich t ha¹ % yield

Black 0.52 a³ Z25 a

White-striped 0.12 b 0.40 b

Source of variation P value

Plastic muich 0.0459 0.0000 ^a Means within a coiumn not foliowed by the same lowercase Setter are signifîcantly different at P < 0.05.

[00164] Practical implications of whiie-striped muich

[00165] Subtropical strawberry growers hâve long sought solutions for improving eariy season fruit yieid. Traditionally, growers transplant in eariy to mid-October and harvest from November to March. With much of the fruit harvest concentrated in February and March, fruit volumes are iimited in the early season, so market prices tend to be much higherduring this time. Motivated to shift the production window and help capitalize on high wintertime 10 demand, University of Florida researchers hâve begun releasing strawberry varieties that are both well-suited for early planting dates and hâve higher eariy yields at traditional planting dates. White-striped muich appears to effectively compliment advanced planting practices and eariy yielding cuitivars to further augment earîiness for winter strawberry production in Florida. White-striped muich also has the potential to reduce heat stress in 15 other subtropical strawberry producing countries, such as Australie, Brazil, India, and

Thailand (Curi étal., 2016; Das étal, 2007; Pipattanawong, 2015). White-striped muich is proposed as an easily-implementabie. !ow-cost solution for producing a greater number of iarger fruits during the early season. In the case of ‘Florida Radian ce’/’Florida Fortuna’, white-striped muich also alleviates the probiem of elongated fruit to offer a more consistent 20 yield of regulariy shaped marketable fruit. Overali, our results suggest that implementing white-striped plastic muich is a promising strategy for subtropical strawberry growers to advance planting dates and improve early season yields.

3. EXAMPLE 3

[00166] The objective of this Example was to evaluate productivity and mortality of three 25 varieties of strawberries, and four types of muich, as described below.

[00167] The trial was established in a complété tunnel ai Frescapricho, S.L. (N37°5'23.48‘7W6°32’25.51''). Three varieties ('Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna', 'Florida BriHiance’ and 'Florida Beauty’) and four types white-striped mulching (black, white, reflecting siiver plastics and acrylic based spray paint) were tested. 'Fiorida 30 Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ was the witness. Production and mortality of the varieties pianted on the different types of muiching were compared.

[00168] Plantation was under conventional System, on sandy soil which was previously dîsinfected with Agroceihone® (1.3 Dichioropropene -60.8 %- and Chloropicrin -33.3 %), by irrigation system (23 g/ mi). Planting framework was 27 x 27 cm. Plantation date was 3? October 15 (‘Florida Beauty’) and 16 ( Honda Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ and ‘Florida

Brilliance’), the root system of the plants was not disinfected and the covering structure (600 gauges plastic) was applied on November 1. A Datalogger System was used to hâve a continuous record of the maximum, minimum températures and relative humidity of the trial. Environmental conditions were recorded starting on November 23, when the Dataloggerwas available.

[00169] ‘Florida Beauty’ (Rio Eresma nursery) and ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (Campinas nursery) plant quality was good and looked healthy in general, ‘Florida Briiliance’ plants (Campinas nursery) had to be carefully selected before plantation, due to the small size and the apparently poor root System. The final design of the trial can be se en in the following Table 9:

Table 9: Triai Design for Example 3

Bed 1	Black piastic muich bed 'Florida Brilliance’ (98 piants)		Black piastic muich bed 'Florida Beauty’ (98 plants)		Black plastic muich bed ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (98 piants)
Bed 2	Acryiic-based spray peint muich bed ‘Florida Brilliance’ (98 plants)		Acryiic-based spray paint muich bed 'Florida Beauty' (98 plants)		Acryiic-based spray paint muich bed ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (98 plants)
Bed 3	Reflecting silver plastic muich bed ‘Florida Brilliance’ (98 plants)		Reflecting silver plastic muich bed Florida Beauty (98 plants)		Reflecting silver plastic muich bed ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (98 plants)
Bed 4	White plastic muich bed 'Florida Brilliance’ (98 plants)		White plastic muich bed ‘Florida Beauty’ (98 plants)		White plastic muich bed ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (98 piants)
Bed 5	Black plastic muich bed ‘Florida Brilliance’ (98 plants)		Black plastic muich bed 'Florida Beauty’ (98 piants)		Black plastic muich bed ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (98 plants)

[00170] The trial site was evaiuaied once per week, recording production and mortality per muiching treatment and variety. In addition, the second quaüty. rotten fruit and mortality causes, and necessary operations (trimming of the flowers, weeds élimination, etc.) for the best development of the plants were taken in account.

[00171] The season began with medium-high températures during the first stages of the plants’ development. Maximum températures were between 36.3 and 13.1 °C (14:33-16:33 pm), minimum levels remained between 2.0 and 15.9 °C (1:33-8:33 am). Relative humidity 5 were between 99.9 and 20.2 % (iast data during the central hours of the day). These weather conditions as weîî as the late date of plantation caused a low speed plant development, which did not allow early fruit production in general (first harvestings between weeks 51, at the latest, the first week of 2019). The eariiness and production of the plants dépend widely on the variety and the type of mulching treatment.

[00172] One factor to take in account when reviewing the results is that first ‘Florida Beauty’ flowers were trimmed in November 6, in order to stîmulate the plant development.

[00173]'Florida Beauty’ pianted on Black and Reflecting Silver Plastics was the earliest variety of the trial (first harvesting December 19). ‘Florida Brilliance’ was the following, pianted on Reflecting Silver Plastic, a week later. ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ was 15 the latest, two weeks later than ‘Florida Beauty,’ pianted on Reflecting Silver Plastic and White Spray Paint treatments. Black Plastic was the treatment that produced the latest fruits for ali varieties except White Spray Paint for ‘Florida Beauty.’

a. Productivity

[00174] ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’.

[00175] The first harvest was on December 31 pianted on white spray paint and reflective silver plastic, and more than a week later pianted on white and black plastic. The total accumuiated fruit production until January 9, was 11.6, 6.4, 4.5 and 0.9 g plant, pianted on reflective silver plastic, white spray paint, white and biack plastic respectively (FIG. 9), indicating ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ was the most productive when pianted on 25 reflective silver plastic.

[00176] Referring to FIGs. 10A and 10B, 100 % of total production was first quality for ail type of white-striped mulching, only in biack plastic appeared second-class fruit (66.7 %, due to small-sized fruits), but this is not necessarily significant, because of the total production was very small (iess than 1.0g· plant). In addition, no rotten fruit was registered 30 for the considered period. Images of the ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ pianted on the four mulches are provided in FIG. 11.

[0G177] ’Flûridâ Brilliance’

[00178] The first harvest was on December 24 pianted on reflective silver plastic, iess than a week later (January 4) pianted en white plastic and two weeks later on white spray paint 35 mulching (January 8). Black plastic did produced any fruit as of January 9 observation.

[00179] The total accumuiated fruit production until the last observation was 6.9, 2.6 and

2.4 g plant (FIG. 12A), planted on refiective silver plastic, white plastic and white spray paint respectively, indicating that ‘Florida Briliiance,’ as well as ‘Florida Radiance7’Florida Fortuna’, was the most productive when it was planted on refiective silver plastic, though 40.5 % less productive than 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna' on this type of mulching. in addition, ‘Florida Briliiance’ was 42.2 % and 62.5 % less productive than ‘Florida Radiance'/’Fiorida Fortuna’, when it was planted on white plastic and uviiite spray paint respectively. Agaîn this is not necessarily significant because the productions were very small in al! cases.

[00180] Referring to FIGS. 12B and 13, 100 % of total production was first quality for black plastic, white spray paint and refiective silver plastic. 15.4 % ofthe production has been second quality due to misshapen fruits for white plastic. In addition, no rotten fruit has been registered for the considered period. Images of the 'Florida Briliiâncë’ planted on the four mulches are provided in FIG. 14.

[00181]‘Florida Beauty’

[00182]‘Florida Beauty’ was the eariiest variety planted on refiective silver plastic (first harvest on December 19, almost two weeks earlier than ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, planted on the same mulching treatment). The same earliness resulted for black plastic, but against what is good data for the refiective plastic, black plastic makes the variety the least productive in this type of mulching. White plastic and white spray paint first harvestings, were two and four days later than the others respectively.

[00183] Referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, the total accumulated fruit production as of the observation on January 9, was 31.4, 20.6, 14.3 and 3.6 g plant, planted on refiective silver and white plastics, white spray paint and black plastic respectively, makîng ‘Florida Beauty’ the most productive variety in ail cases for this period: 63.0 and 78.0 % more productive than ‘Florida Briliiance’ and ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna¹ respectively, planted on refiective silver plastic; 78.1 and 87.4 % more productive than ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ and ‘Florida Briliiance’ respectively, planted on refiective white plastic; 83.2 and 55.2 % more productive than ‘Florida Briliiance’ and ‘Florida RadianceV'Florida Fortuna’ respectively, planted on white spray paint mulching; and finally, 100.0 and 75.0 % more productive than ‘Florida Briliiance’ and ‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna' respectively, planted on black plastic.

[00184] Referring to FîGS. 15B and 16, ali the trêatments hâve produced high levels of second quality fruit, always due to small, misshapen fruits or cracking. White spray paint (20.3 %), followed by white plastic (14.6 %) and reflecting silver plastic (12.4 %) presented the worse values, white black plastic only 2.8 % and it also the same value for rotten fruit, though just the same as the previous cases, this is not necessarily significant because the production on the black plastic mulching was very low. Images of the 'Florida Beauty¹ pianted on the four mulches are provided in FIG. 17.

b. Mortaîity

[00185] Referring to FIG. 18A, black plastic produced the highest mortaîity for 'Florida

Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ (18.2 %). ‘Florida Brilliance’ and ‘Florida Beauty’ had a good behaviorwith respect to this parameter, keeping the mortaîity values at very low values (2.0 and 1.5 % respectsvely).

[00186] Referring to FIG. 18B. white spray paint maintained mortaîity values very low for ail varieties. No mortaîity for'Florida Beauty’was recorded, pianted on this kind of mulching.

[00187] Referring to FIG. 19A, the reflecting silver plastic was the best mulching for 'Florida

Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’ and ‘Florida Beauty’ (0.0 % mortaîity and it also, as observed above, best productions). On the contrary, is the worst muiching for 'Florida Brilliance,’ since the highest values of mortaîity occurred with this treatment. Even so, 3.7 % is a low value for mortaîity in this context.

[00188] Referring to FIG. 19B, the white plastic was again, the same as the black plastic, a bad treatment for ‘Florida Radian ce 7’ Florida Fortuna’ but not for the others. 8,2 % is a relatively high value for the mortaîity in this context, though is not as high as the value for the black plastic.

[00189]‘Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’

[00190] Referring to FIG. 20, white and black plastics showed the first values for mortaîity the first week of November. Both values were low, though white was double that of black plastics (2.0 and 1.0 % respectively). Later mortaîity stopped, until the middle of December, when the mortaîity for both ifeatments appeared again. The différence between both treatments was, once the mortaîity appeared, much higher on black than in white plastic.

The problem for the white spray paint appeared the second week of January, but still was only 1.0 %. No mortaîity was reported for refiective silver plastic.

[00191] Referring to FIG. 21, on black plastic mulching, the mortaîity was apparently due to anthracnose and Phytophthora spp. symptoms. On white spray paint and white plastic, only anthracnose symptoms were reported.

[00192] 'Florida Brilliance’

[00193] Referring to FIG. 22, ‘Florida Brilliance’s mortaîity appeared for ail treatments the first week of November. The highest value was for refiective silver plastic (3.1 %). Later, mortaîity stopped for ail treatments except for the refiective silver plastic until the end of December, and black plastic, which begin again the second week of January. The mortaîity 35 remained in ail cases below 3.5 %.

[00194] Referring to FIG, 23, On black and white plastic mulching, the mortaîity was apparently due to anthracnose symptoms. On reflective silver piastic, it seemed to be Phytophthora spp. Symptoms.

[00195] ‘Florida Beauty’

[00196] Referring to FIG. 24, No mortality was reported for white spray paint and reflective silver plastic and in ‘Florida Beauty.' Only black and white plastics produced a minimum mortality (1.5 and 1.0 % respectively) the first week of November. Referring to FIG. 25, The mortality causes were virotic and thin plants (plants without reserves enough for the establishment of the root system).

4. EXAMPLE 4

[00197] The objective of this Example was to examine the effects of reflective-striped plastic mulch on soi! température, and photosynthesis rates across three of Florida’s most current eariy-yielding strawberry cultivars - ‘Florida Radiance/’Fiorida Fortuna’, 'Florida 127’, and ‘Florida Brilliance’ - as compared to black mulch and fully metalized mulch, throughout the 2018=2019 growing season.

[00198] a. Plant establishment and treatments

[00199] A field trial was conducted at the GCREC in Balm, FL during the 2018-2019 season. The sile’s soil (Myakka fine sand siliceous hyperthermie Oxyaquic Alorthod) had a pH and organic mattercontent of 6.8 and 1.5%, respectively. Raised beds were made using commercial farm equipment on 14 Aug. 2018. Field préparation was performed as in the Example 1. The installation of experiment mulch films was completed on 26 September 2018.

[00200] Bare-root transplants of three strawberry cultivars, 'Florida Radiance’/’Florida Fortuna’, ‘Florida 127’, and ‘Florida Brilliance’, were received from a commercial strawberry nursery (Production Lareault Inc., Quebec, Canada) several days before transplanting. Transplants were planted in their respective plots on 27 September at a density of 16 plants per plot. To aid in establishment, the plants received 9 hours of overhead irrigation during daylight hours on each of 10 days after transplanting. Fertilizer (6-2-4 N-P2O5-K2O) was applied through the drip tape three times weekly at a rate of 7.84 kg N ha^-1 w^-1. After establishment, plants were watered daily via drip irrigation. Pest and disease control were performed based on weekly scouting reports and current recommendations from the University of Florida (Peres, 2015).

[00201] b. Soi! Température

[00202] Soil température, plant growth, fruit yield and quality were monitored from November through February of the 2018=2019 growing season, using the same methods used for Examples 1 and 2, The same trends that were observed in Examples 1 and 2 with respect to soil température, plant growth, fruit yield and quality were again observed during Example 3.

[00203] Referring to FIG. 27, thermographie images were taken using a thermal caméra (FLIR E53; FLIR Systems, Wilsonviiie, OR, USA) on représentative plots frorn each muich to confimn the soil température results. Images were taken around noon during the earîy growth stage. The images show that with the solid black mulch the entire bed exhibited increased températures, while the fully metalized mulch produced relatively lower bed températures, indicating cooling of the bed under the metalized mulch. Finaîîy, with the metalized-striped much, the soil exhibited warming in the bed shoulders (where the black muich is présent) and cooling in the central zone, within the refiective stripe. This demonstrates that as compared to black plastic mulch, refiective-stripe mulch films can lower the root-zone température under the stripe, while warming the root-zone température on the bed shoulders. The cooling effects within the stripe is important to reduce beat stress in newly established transplants, which are highly sensitive to heat stress. On the other hand, soil warming is bénéficiai for fruit development during cool winter months. This rootzone température optimization throughout the growing season can contribute to the fruit yield increases especialîy during the earîy season.

[00204] c. Photosynthèse Effects

[00205] Photosynthesis rates were determined for a représentative plot using reflectivestriped mulch. Referring to FIG. 28A, photosynthesis measurements were performed using an infrared gas analyzer (LI6400XT; LI-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE, USA) on both upper and lower leaf surfaces around noon during the earîy growth stage. Measurements were made ai different light levels (0, 200, 400, 600, 1000, 1400, and 2000 pmol/m²/sec) to characterize photosynthèse light responses. During measurements, reference CO2 concentration, air flow rate, and block température were maintained constant at 400 pmol/mol, 500 pmol/sec, and 28 ’C, respectively.

[00206] Referring to FIG. 28B, the schematic illustration shows that plants grown on refiective-striped mulch films can receive both direct sunlight and refîected light, as compared to plants grown on black plastic mulch wtiich can receive only direct sunlight. Referring to FIG. 28A, both upper and lower leaf surfaces showed similar light responses, with photosynthesis increasîng with light intensity. Notably, photosynthesis of lower leaf surface was about 65% of the upper leaf surface, suggesting that plants grown on reflective-stripe mulch films can improve light capture and hence photosynthesis, which in tum contributes to the promotion of plant growth and fruit production.

[00207] Referring to FIGS. 23A=29B, a spectroradiometer(SS=110; Apogee Instruments, Inc., Logan, UT, USA) was used to characterize the light émission spectrum for frie sunlight, as well as for the light that was filtered through ope leaf, Measurements were made during during Example 3.

[00203] Referring to FIG. 27, thermographie images were ta ken using a thermal camera (FLIR E53; FLIR Systems, Wilson ville, OR, USA) on représentative plots from each mulch to confirm the soil température results. Images were taken around noon during the eariy growth stage. The images show that with the solid black mulch the entire bed exhibited increased températures, while the fully metalized mulch produced relatively lower bed températures, indicating cooling of the bed under the metalized mulch. Finally. with the metalized-striped much, the soii exhibited warming in the bed shoulders (where the black muich is présent) and cooling in the central zone, within the reflective stripe. This demonstrates that as compared to black plastic mulch, reflective-stripe mulch films can lower the root-zone température under the stripe, while warming the root-zone température on the bed shoulders. The cooîing effects within the stripe is important to reduce heat stress in newly established transplants, which are highly sensitive to heat stress. On the other hand, soil warming is bénéficiai for fruit development during cool 'winter months. This rootzone température optimization throughout the growing season can contribute to the fruit yield increases especially during the eariy season.

[00204] c. Photosynthetic Effects

[00205] Photosynthesis rates were determined for a représentative plot using reflectivestriped mulch. Referring to FIG. 28A, photosynthesis measurements were performed using an infrared gas anaiyzer (LÎ6400XT; U-COR Biosciences, Lincoln, NE, USA) on both upper and lower leaf surfaces around noon during the eariy growth stage. Measurements were made at different light leveis (0, 200, 400, 600, 1000, 1400, and 2000 pmol/m²/sec) io characterize photosynthetic light responses. During measurements, reference CO₂ concentration, air flow rate, and block température were maintained constant at 400 pmol/mol, 500 pmol/sec, and 28 °C, respectively.

[00206] Referring to FIG. 28B, the schematic illustration shows that plants grown on reflective-striped mulch films can receive both direct sunlight and refîected light, as compared to plants grown on black plastic mulch which can receive only direct sunlight. Referring to FIG. 28A, both upper and lower leaf surfaces showed similar light responses, with photosynthesis încreasing with light intensity. Notably, photosynthesis of lower leaf surface was about 65% of the upper leaf surface, suggesting that plants grown on reflective-stripe mulch films can improve light capture and hence photosynthesis, which in tum contributes to the promotion of plant growth and fruit production.

[00207] Referring to FIGS. 29A-29B, a spectroradiometer (SS-110; Apogee Instruments, Inc., Logan, UT, USA) was used to characterize the lightémission spectrum forthe sunlight, as well as for the light that was filtered through one leaf, Measurements were made during the peak fruit production period. Referring to FIG. 29A, the direct sunlight had a ratio of red light to far-red light of 1.512. Referring to FIG. 29B, in comparison, for light that passed through one leaf layer, the ratio of red light to far-red light was 0.169. The significant réduction in the ratio of red light to far-red light suggests that strawberry leaves absorb more red light than far-red light. As shown in the schematic of FIG. 29C, it is believed that the low red/far-red ratio can promote flowering (Takeda et al. 2008), and therefore it is expected that the disclosed reflective-stripe mulch films can promote flowering by changing the light quality of reflected light.

E. REFERENCES

[00208] The following references, which are cited herein, are incorporated by reference in their entirety, to the extent they are consistent with the présent disclosure.

Albregts, E.E. and C.K. Chandier, 1993. Effect of polyethylene mulch color on the fruiting response of strawberry. Soi! Crop Sci. Soc. Fia. 52:40-43.

Andersen, P.C., S.M. Oison, M.T. Momol, and J.H. Freeman, 2012. Effect of plastic mulch type and insecticide on incidence oftomato spotted wilt, plant growth, and yield of tomate, Hortscience 47:861-865,

Andino, J.R, and C.E. Motsenbocker, 2004. Colored plastic mulches influence cucumber beetle populations, vine growth, and yield of watermelon. Hortscience 39:1246-1249.

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Csizinszky, A.A., D.J. Schuster, and J.E. Polston, 1999. Effect of uîtravioiet-reflective mulches on tomate yields and on the siïvëriëaf wniteny. Hortscience 34:311-914.

Diaz-Pérez, J.C., 2010. Bell pepper (Capsicum annumL) grown on plastic film mulches; effects on crop microenvironment, physiologies! attributes, and fruit yield. Hortscience 45:1196-1204.

Diaz-Pérez, J.C. and K.D, Batal, 2002. Colored plastic film mulches affect tomate growth and yield via changes in root-zone température. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 127:127-135.

Diaz-Pérez, J.C., S.C, Phatak, D. Giddings, D. Bertrand, and H.A. Mills, 2005. Root zone température, plant growth, and fruit yield of tomatillo as affected by plastic film mulch. Hortscience 40:1312-1319.

Gallardo, R.K., H. Li, V. McCracken, C. Yue, J. Luby, and J.R. McFerson, 2015. Market intermediaries’ willingness to pay for appls, peach, cherry, and strawberry quality attributes. Agribusiness 31:259-280.

Geater, C.A., G.R. Nonnecke, W.R. Graves, A.S. Aiello, and C.A, Dilley, 1997, High root-zone températures inhibtt growth and development of Fragaria species. Fruit Var. J. 51:94-101.

Gonzaiez-Fuëntës, J.A., K. Shackel, J. Heinrich Lieth, F. Albomoz, A. BenavidesMendoza, and R.Y. Evans, 2016. Diurnai root zone température variations affect strawberry water relations, growth, and fruit quality. Scientia Hort. 203:169-177.

Greer, L. and J.M, Dole, 2003. Aluminum foil, aluminium-painted, plastic, and degradable mulches increase yields and decrease insect vectored viral diseases of vegetables. Horttechnology 13:276-284.

Guan, Z., W. Feng, and A.J. Whidden, 2016. Top challenges facing the Florida strawberry industry: insights from a comprehensive industry survey. Fia. Coop. Ext. Serv. FE972.

Guien, H. and A. Eris, 2015. Some physiological changes in strawberry (Fragaria ^ananassa 'Camarosa’) plants under heat stress. J. Hort. Sci. Biotechnol. 78:894’896.

Ham, J.M., G.J. Kluitenberg, and W.J. Lamont, 1993. Optical-properties of plastic mulches affect the field température régime, J. Amer, Soc, Hort. Sci. 118:188193.

Heide, O.M., J.A. Stavang, and A. Sansteby, 2013. Physiology and genetics of flowering in cultivated and wiid sirawberries - a review. The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 88:1-18.

Hellman, E.W. and J.D. Travis, 1988. Growth inhibition of strawberry at high températures, Adv, Strawb. Prod. 7.

Hutton, M.G. and D.T. Handley, 2007. Effects of silver rêfiective mulch, white interrow mulch, and plant density on yields of pepper in Maine. Horttechnology 17:214-219.

Kadir, S., S. Gaganpreet, and K. Al-Khatib, 2006. Strawberry (Fragana ^ananassa Duch.) growth and productivity as affected by température. Hortscience 41:14231430.

Kumakura, H. and Y. Shishîdo, 1994. The effect of daytime, nighttime, and mean diurnai températures on the growth of Morioka-16 strawberry fruit and plants. J. Jap. Soc. Hort. Sci. 62:827-832.

Lamont, W.J., 2005. Plastics: Modifying the microclimate for the production of vegetable crops. Horttechnology 15:477-481.

Ledesma, N. and N. Sugiyama, 2005. Pollen quality and performance in strawberry plants exposed to high-temperature stress. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 130:341 -347.

Ledesma, N.A., M. Nakata, and N. Sugiyama, 2008, Effect of high température stress on the reproductive growth of strawberry cvs. ‘Nyoho’ and ‘Toyonoka’. Scientia Hort. 116:186-193.

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Sakamoto, M., U. Mayuka, M. Kengo, and S. Takahiro, 2016. Effect of root-zone température on the growth and fruit quality of hydroponîcally grown strawberry plants. J. Agric. Sci. 8.

Takeda, F., D.M. Glenn, and G.W. Stutte, 2008. Red light affects flowering under long days in a short-day strawberry cultivar. HortScience 43:2245-2247.

Tarera, J.M., 2000. Microclimate modification with plastic mulch. Hortscience 35:169180.

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Vos, J.G.M., T.S. Uhan, and R. Sutarya, 1995. Integrated crop management of hot pepper (Capsicum Spp) under tropical iowland conditions - Effects of rice straw and plastic mulches on crop health, Crop Prot 14:445-452.

Wang, S.Y. and M.J. Camp, 2000. Températures afterbloom affect plant growth and fruit quality of strawberry. Scientia Hort. 85:183-199.

Whitaker, V.M., C.K. Chandler, B.M. Santos, and N.A. Peres, 2008. 'Florida Radiance’ strawberry. Fia. Coop. Ext. Serv. HS1151.

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[00209] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the présent disciosure withoui départing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. Otherembodiments ofthe disclosurewill be apparentto those skilled in the art from considération of the spécification and practice cf the disclosure disclosed herein. It ss intended that the spécification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true sçope and spirit of the disclosure being indjeated by the following claims.

Claims (17)

1. A muich film comprising:

a centrai portion extending in a first direction and having a first side edge and a second side edge, said central portion comprising a refiective material;

a first peripheral portion adjacent the first side edge of the central portion and extending in the first direction; and a second peripheral portion adjacent the second side edge of the centra! portion and extending in the first direction;

wherein the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion comprise black muich.

2. The muich film of claim 1, comprising a black muich film extending in the first direction, and comprising the first peripheral portion and the second peripheral portion.

3. The muich film of claim 2, wherein the central portion comprises a refiective coating on the black muich film.

4. The muich film of any one of the preceding daims, wherein the central portion comprises a refiective film or sheet disposed on the black muich film.

5 conditions in the soil is reduced, as compared to similar methods utiiizing only a black muich.

5. The muich film of any one of the preceding daims, wherein the refiective material has an emissivity of less than about 0.4.

6. The muich film of any one of the preceding daims wherein the refiective material is white or silver in coior.

7. The muich film of any one of the preceding daims, wherein the refiective material comprises aluminum.

o.

The muich film of any one of the preceding daims, wnerein the œntralized portion has a width measured orthogonal to the first diredion that is at least about 30% to about 50% of a width ofthe entïre muich film.

9. A method for production of a crop, comprising:

providing a bed of soil having a central raised portion and two shoulder portions; disposing on the bed of soil the muich film according to any one of daims 1 to 8, wherein the central portion ofthe muich film generally corresponds to the raised portion of the bed, and the first and second peripheral portions of the film generally correspond to the shoulder portions of the bed;

planting a plant into the bed of soii through a hole in the central portion of the muich film;

providing water and sunlight to the plant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the soil température in the central raised portion of the bed of soil is at least about 3 °C iower than for a similar method using only a black muich.

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, wherein the soil température in the shoulder portion of the bed of soil is higher than for a similar method using only a reflective muich.

12. The method of any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the duration of heat stress

13. The method of any one of claims 9 to 12. wherein the method results in an early season fruit yield that is greater than for a similar method utiiizing only a black muich.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method results in fruit quality, late season yields, 10 production costs, or combination thereof, that are equal to or better than those resulting from a similar method utiiizing only black muich.

15 température that is at least 2 “C lowerthan a plastic muich surface température resulting from a similar method using only a black muich film.

15. The method of any one of cîaims 9 to 14, resulting in a transplant mortality rate of Iess than 10%.

16. The method of any one of claims 9 to 15, resulting in a plastic muich surface

17. The method of any one of claims 9 to 16, resulting in a canopy4eve! air température that is ai least 2 °C iower than a canopy4evel air température resulting from a similar method using only a black muich film.