Novel 3-D Spacer Textiles to Protect Crops from Insect Infestation and That Enhance Plant Growth

Grayson L. Cave, Andre J. West, Marian G. McCord, Bryan Koene, J. Benjamin Beck, Jean M. Deguenon, Kun Luan and R. Michael Roe
Additional contact information
Grayson L. Cave: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Campus Box 7647, North Carolina State University, 3230 Ligon Street, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Andre J. West: Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Marian G. McCord: Department of Forest Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Bryan Koene: Luna Innovations, 301 1st St. SW, Suite 200, Roanoke, VA 24011, USA
J. Benjamin Beck: Luna Innovations, 301 1st St. SW, Suite 200, Roanoke, VA 24011, USA
Jean M. Deguenon: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Campus Box 7647, North Carolina State University, 3230 Ligon Street, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Kun Luan: Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
R. Michael Roe: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Campus Box 7647, North Carolina State University, 3230 Ligon Street, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Pesticide-free, 3-D, spacer fabrics (Plant Armor Generation (PA Gen) 1 and 2) were investigated for proof-of-concept as an insect barrier to protect plants and improve plant agronomics for organic farming. The time to 50% penetration (TP 50 ) for tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) adults in laboratory Petri dish bioassays was 30 and 175 min for PA Gen 1 and 2, respectively, and 12 min for the control (a commercially available, single layer-crop cover, Proteknet). PA Gen 2 was ≥90% resistant to penetration of unfed caterpillar neonates, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), while the TP 50 ‘s for Gen 1 and Proteknet were 3.1 and 2.35 h, respectively. In small cage studies, PA Gen 2 covered potted cabbage plants were 100% resistant to penetration by these insects through 10 d after which the study was ended. In small field plot studies for 3 summer months, cabbage plants grew approximately twice as fast when covered versus not covered with Gen 1 and Gen 2 without the need for insecticides or herbicides. This was not observed for the control crop cover. Martindale abrasion tests demonstrated Gen 1 and 2 were at least 6- and 1.8-fold more durable than the control crop cover used. Data are also presented on percentage light, water, air, and water vapor penetration across each textile and operational temperatures and humidity for cabbage plants covered and uncovered in small field plots.

Keywords: insect control; organic farming; non-insecticidal; spacer fabric; enhanced plant growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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