Agrotextiles and crop protection textiles

Agrotextiles are used to promote the growth, protection, and storage of crops and animals. For these purposes, there are various types of agrotextiles, and some of the most important are nets or barriers for the protection of crops, fishing nets, ground, or root covers. Antibird nets are a physical and visual barrier that keep pests away from growing plants or from fruits at harvest time. Consequently, this type of agrotextile is considered an alternative to the intensive use of pesticides; because it is potentially recyclable, it is classified as an eco-friendly alternative and as a strategy of integrated pest management based on passive methods of sustainable crop protection. By characterizing the mechanical properties of agrotextiles, in addition to the tensile strength corresponding to the maximum stress, it is possible to determine properties such as stiffness, creep resistance, breaking stress, and the deformation performance under load.