Smart Farming with Shade Nets: A Complete Guide

INTRODUCTION

The recent trend in global climate change mainly due to anthropogenic  factors have yielded no good to human beings as a whole. The population pressure on agricultural land with addition of 2 crore people to existing base population each year in India vehemently exaggerates the over exploitation of the same. With present 140.8 Mha of net cultivated area which is on ever declining side, the challenges of sustainable food production posed by both erratic climatic factors and rise in population pressure on agricultural land has its answers in protected cultivation

Shade nets are an essential solution for protecting crops from extreme weather conditions, pests, while providing a controlled environment for growth. Our high-quality shade nets offer maximum durability and UV protection, ensuring your crops thrive even under harsh conditions. Whether it's for horticulture, floriculture, or high- value crops, our shade nets are designed to provide optimal protection.

SHADENET STRUCTURE, ADVANTAGAE AND APPLICATIONS

Shadenets are constructed using various materials like plastics, wood, GI pipes, angle irons to name a few house is a framed structure made of materials such as GI pipes, angle iron, wood or bamboo. This framed structure is covered mostly with plastic net which are mostly polyethylene based materials. It modifies the microclimate of crop by altering the percentage of shade which is the result of reduction in intensity of light and heating parameters. As different crops have different photoperiodic requirement, this can be partially done by the shade net structures which is able to control the abiotic parameters partly.

1. PLANNING CONSIDERATION FOR SHADE- NETS

Before construction of the shade house structure care should be taken regarding the type of crop to be grown, local climatic conditions and locally available materials (Fig. 1). There should be enough facilities of subsequent expansion which is the key to future plans.

(A)  Site Selection:

The location of the shade net house is crucial in present context. The distance between the shade net and market place and the connectivity is essential for forward and backward linkage. Shade-Net Cloth To Create A Controlled Environment  and choose an area with excellent sunlight exposure and good drainage, protected from strong winds. Consider proximity to markets and access to transportation. Ensure the chosen site maintains recommended distances from trees and industrial buildings for crop protection and safety. Proper site selection is a long-term investment critical for maximizing crop yield and ensuring the success of the shade net structure.

(B)  Orientation:

The prevailing wind direction and ample amount of light intensity are two key factors for orientation of the shade net house. The north-south orientation is preferable for getting optimum solar radiation and to act as a windbreak structure it should be oriented in perpendicular direction to the most prevailing wind direction.

(C)  Structural materials:

The main frame and cladding materials are two most basic and important components of the shade house structure. The frame of the shade net structure acts as a supporting base for the cladding material and helps in protection against natural forces and weather anomalies like heavy downpour, wind excess, hail storms, blazing radiation etc. The duration of shade net house made up of angle iron can be up to 20 years whereas it is 3-4 years for bamboo made structures. The design of shade net house frames depend upon the weather conditions, intensity of usage and aspects of engineering skill.

Shade nets are available in different shade percentages or shade factor i.e., 15%, 35%, 40%, 50% 75% and 90% (for example 35% shade factor means - the net will cut 35% of light intensity and would allow only 65% of light intensity to pass through the net). It varies from crop to crop and variety to variety. For example crops like tomato performs better both in terms of quality and yield parameters in 35% shade factors. For majority of the crops shade factor ranging between 50-70% is considered as the standard range.

Crop Type	Shade Percentage Required	Purpose/Notes
Vegetables (Capsicum, Cucumber, Tomato, Lettuce, Spinach, Cabbage, etc.)	35–50%	Protects from excess sunlight, keeps uniform temperature.
Fruit Crops (Strawberry, Papaya, Banana, Grapes, Pomegranate – in nurseries)	35–50%	Helps during seedling/nursery stage; reduces sun scorch.
Flowers (Roses, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Gerbera)	50–75%	Improves flower size, color, and vase life.
Orchids, Anthuriums, Ferns (shade-loving plants)	75–90%	Require low light, high humidity for growth.
Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (Aloe vera, Tulsi, Stevia, etc.)	35–50%	Protects from direct radiation, ensures leaf quality.
Nurseries (All seedlings, tissue culture plants, grafts)	50–75%	Prevents seedling mortality, hardens plants before field planting.
Spices & Plantation Crops (Cardamom, Coffee, Cocoa, Black Pepper)	50–70%	Ensures better vegetative growth and yield.
Fodder Crops (For hydroponics or protected fodder units)	35–50%	Prevents drying, maintains moisture.
General Purpose (Drying crops like chillies, turmeric, cocoa, etc.)	50–75%	Avoids discoloration, preserves quality.

 

2. ADVANTAGES OF SHADENETS 

•  Highly renumerative during off-seasons.
•  Useful in nursery raising and raising of graft saplings with higher survival efficacy.
•  Losses due to various biotic and abiotic factors are significantly minimized.
•  Highly useful for hardening treatments including the same for tissue cultured seedlings.
•  Used as a drying area for various agricultural produce due to better control over abiotic factors.
•  Lower pest incidence level as compared to open field conditions.
• Useful for various composting units due to efficient control over immediate environment
• Highly useful in growing vegetables, flowers, fruits and ornamental crops of various growth habit.

3. APPLICATIONS OF SHADE NET 

Nurseries – Protect seedlings and saplings from harsh sunlight, heavy rains, and winds.

Vegetable & Fruit Cultivation – Maintains controlled light, temperature, and humidity for crops like capsicum, tomato, cucumber, strawberry, etc.

Floriculture – Ensures quality flowers like roses, orchids, gerberas by protecting from direct heat and pests.

Plant Hardening – Used for acclimatizing tissue culture plants before open field planting.

Protected Farming – Extends growing season and supports off-season cultivation.

Dairy Farms & Poultry – Provides shade for cattle and poultry, reducing heat stress and improving productivity.

Drying of Crops & Spices – Used for drying coffee beans, cocoa, chillies, cardamom, etc., without direct exposure to strong sunlight. 

Seasonal Use of shadenet

Summer (March–June in India)

Best time to use shade nets, as crops are protected from excessive heat, sunburn, and water stress.Prevents  flower drop, leaf scorch, and fruit cracking.

Monsoon (July–September)

Shade nets protect crops from heavy rains, strong winds, and hail.Maintains  controlled humidity for nurseries and delicate plants.

Winter (October–February)

In most crops, light intensity is already low, so 35–50% nets are enough.Shade nets help in frost protection and reduce chilling injury in nurseries.

CONCLUSION

The lower cost of cultivation and higher returns are keys to success for any agricultural technology. The recovery of initial cost of the shade net house to reach the break even point solely depends on the value of crop at the point of consideration. Taking above parameters into consideration, greater life span of the structure, lower initial cost of the structure, high value crops with good keeping quality and gauging the market demand are keys to the stake holders of protected cultivation.