Spectral Transmittance of 197 Horticultural Screens and Nets, 2017-2018

197 measurements of spectral transmittance for horticultural nets and screens from five manufacturers. The dataset was collected by researchers from the University of Helsinki and North Carolina State University in July-August 2017 and 2018. Measurements were taken outdoors near solar noon using an array spectrometer calibrated for 290-900 nm, covering ultraviolet, photosynthetically active radiation, and near-infrared wavelengths.

Use Cases

• Modeling plant photomorphogenesis based on transmitted spectral irradiance in the UV, PAR, and FR ranges.
• Selecting appropriate shading or pest-blocking materials for specific crops based on their spectral transmittance profiles.
• Analyzing the impact of different commercial screens and nets on the solar spectral photon irradiance reaching plants.

Strengths

• Includes 197 distinct material samples from five different companies.
• Measurements cover a broad spectral range from 290 to 900 nm, relevant to plant photoreceptors.
• Data collection followed a published protocol with repeated, randomized measurements to ensure comparability.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data collection was limited to clear, sunny days near solar noon in two specific geographic locations and time periods.

Provenance

Source

T. Matthew Robson, University of Helsinki

Collection Method

Outdoor spectral measurements using a calibrated array spectroradiometer, following a protocol published in Kotilainen et al., (2018).

Time Range

Late July and early August 2017, and July-August 2018.

Geography

NC State University campus, USA (35.78°N, -78.67°W) and Viikki Field Plots, University of Helsinki, Finland (60.22°N, 25.01°E).