The application of UV absorber UV-P in agricultural cover films: a powerful tool to improve crop quality

1. Introduction: The relationship between sunlight and crops “double-edged sword”

Sunlight, as an important source of energy for life on Earth, plays a crucial role in the growth of crops. However, this “double-edged sword” is not always so friendly. Ultraviolet rays (UV), especially UVA and UVB with short wavelengths, can promote photosynthesis in plants to a certain extent, excessive ultraviolet rays may cause unnegligible harm to crops. Just as humans will get sunburned when exposed to the scorching sun for a long time, crops will also experience problems such as leaf aging and fruit quality due to excessive ultraviolet rays.

To solve this problem, scientists have turned their attention to UV absorbers, with UV-P standing out for its outstanding performance. UV-P is an efficient UV absorber that can effectively filter out harmful UV light while allowing the visible light needed by plants to pass through. This is like wearing a “sun protection clothing” on crops, allowing them to avoid ultraviolet rays while enjoying the favor of sunshine. This technology not only helps to increase crop yields, but also significantly improves its quality and makes agricultural products more competitive in the market.

Next, we will explore in-depth the specific application of UV-P in agricultural cover films and how it can improve crop quality through scientific methods. From product parameters to practical application effects, to reviews of relevant research at home and abroad, this article will provide you with a comprehensive perspective to help you better understand the importance and potential value of this technology.

2. Basic characteristics and functions of UV absorber UV-P

A. Chemical structure and physical properties of UV-P

UV absorber UV-P, full name of 2-(2′-hydroxy-5′-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, is a highly efficient ultraviolet light stabilizer widely used in plastic products. Its molecular structure contains benzene ring and triazole ring, which together confer excellent UV absorption capacity to UV-P. Specifically, the benzene ring is responsible for absorbing the energy of UV light, while the triazole ring converts it into harmless thermal energy through an electron transfer mechanism, thereby avoiding damage to the material or organisms by UV light.

From the physical nature, UV-P has the following characteristics:

High Transparency: UV-P itself is white powdery and will not significantly affect the transparency of the material after being added to the plastic. This means it can protect crops from UV rays without affecting light.
Good heat and weather resistance: UV-P can maintain its stability even in high temperatures or extreme climates, and is not easy to decompose or fail.
Low Volatility: Compared with other types of UV absorbers, UV-P is not easy to evaporate, so it can work effectively in the long run.

The following is a comparison table of some basic parameters of UV-P:

parameter name	Value Range
Appearance	White Powder
Density (g/cm³)	1.40 – 1.50
Decomposition temperature (°C)	>300
Large absorption wavelength (nm)	310 – 360

B. Main functions of UV-P

Ultraviolet shielding
The core function of UV-P is to selectively absorb UV rays, especially UVA and UVB with wavelengths between 290-380 nanometers. Through this process, it can effectively reduce the direct radiation of ultraviolet rays to crops and reduce the risks of leaf damage and fruit spoilage. For example, using a UV-P-containing covering film in tomato cultivation can significantly reduce the incidence of surface cracks in the fruit.
Delaying material aging
Agricultural cover films are usually made of polyethylene (PE) or other polymers, which are prone to degradation under the action of ultraviolet rays, resulting in a shorter service life. By absorbing ultraviolet rays, UV-P can significantly delay this aging process, extend the use cycle of the covering film, and reduce agricultural production costs.
Enhance crop stress resistance
UV rays not only cause direct damage to crops, but may also weaken their immune system and make them more susceptible to pests and diseases. UV-P indirectly enhances the stress resistance of crops and improves overall health by reducing the impact of ultraviolet rays.
Optimize the lighting environment
The selective absorption properties of UV-P allow it to retain visible and infrared light to the greatest extent while filtering harmful ultraviolet rays. This is particularly important for crops that require sufficient light, such as light-loving plants such as strawberries and cucumbers. By improving light conditions, UV-P helps to improve the photosynthesis efficiency of crops, thusPromote growth and development.

C. Summary of the advantages of UV-P

Compared with other UV absorbers, UV-P has the following significant advantages:

High efficiency: UV-P has extremely high absorption efficiency, and its ultraviolet barrier ability per unit mass is far superior to similar products.
Safety: As a food-grade additive, UV-P is non-toxic and harmless to the human body and the environment, and meets the development requirements of green agriculture.
Economic: Due to its long-term and stable characteristics, UV-P can reduce the frequency of replacing the cover film, thereby reducing long-term operating costs.

In short, UV-P has become an indispensable high-tech material in the agricultural field with its unique chemical structure and excellent physical properties. It not only provides a safer and healthier growth environment for crops, but also provides strong technical support for the sustainable development of modern agriculture.

3. Current status of UV-P application in agricultural cover films

A. Functional requirements for agricultural cover films

Agricultural cover film, as an indispensable part of modern agricultural production, includes thermal insulation, moisturizing, grass protection and regulating the light environment. With the advancement of science and technology, people’s requirements for covering films are also increasing, especially when facing ultraviolet rays, how to effectively protect crops has become an important topic. UV-P is used to meet this need. By adding an appropriate amount of UV-P to the cover film, its protection against ultraviolet rays can be significantly enhanced.

B. Application of UV-P in different types of covering films

1. High light-transmitting cover film

For crops that require a lot of light, such as tomatoes and peppers, high-transparent cover films are preferred. This type of covering film will add a certain proportion of UV-P during the manufacturing process to ensure that it can absorb ultraviolet rays fully and ensure sufficient visible light transmission. Experimental data show that a high-transparent cover film containing UV-P can increase crop yield by about 15%-20%, and significantly reduce leaf burns caused by ultraviolet rays.

2. Reflective Covering Film

Reflective cover film is mainly used for night insulation and daytime reflection of strong light, and is especially suitable for crop cultivation in high-temperature areas in summer. The role of UV-P in this covering film is more complex. It not only absorbs ultraviolet rays, but also needs to be combined with other components to achieve effective reflection of light. Studies have shown that a reflective covering film containing UV-P can make the day-night temperature difference of crops more reasonable, which is conducive to sugar accumulation, and thereby improve the sweetness of fruits.

3. Aging-resistant covering film

Aging-resistant covering film is mainly aimed atThe design of greenhouses that have been used for a long time requires strong UV resistance and mechanical strength. UV-P plays a dual role here, absorbing ultraviolet rays to protect crops on the one hand, and delaying the aging rate of the covering film on the other hand. Experiments have shown that the service life of using aging-resistant covering film containing UV-P can be extended to more than twice that of ordinary films.

C. Application case analysis

Case 1: Strawberry planting

After using a large strawberry planting base, a high-transparent covering film containing UV-P was found to have increased by about 18% in size and the color was more vivid. In addition, since UV-P effectively blocks ultraviolet rays, the health of strawberry leaves has improved significantly, and the incidence of disease has been reduced by nearly 30%.

Case 2: Vineyard Management

In grape cultivation, the use of a reflective covering film containing UV-P not only improves the sweetness of the grapes, but also effectively reduces fruit surface damage caused by ultraviolet rays. According to farmers’ feedback, this new type of cover film has increased the market price of grapes by about 25%.

D. Comparison of domestic and foreign application status

Domestic Application

In China, UV-P is already widely used in agricultural cover films, especially in areas with developed facility agriculture, such as Shouguang, Shandong, Lianyungang, Jiangsu, etc. Support from governments and research institutions has promoted the rapid promotion of this technology, and many farmers have benefited from it.

International Application

In foreign countries, especially in European and American countries, UV-P has started earlier and its technology is more mature. For example, vegetable planting bases in California, USA widely use UV-P-containing covering films to cope with strong sunshine conditions. Some European countries pay more attention to environmental protection and sustainable development and have developed biodegradable and UV-P-containing agricultural covering films.

From the above analysis, it can be seen that the application of UV-P in agricultural cover films has achieved remarkable results, and with the continuous advancement of technology, its application prospects will be broader.

IV. The specific effect of UV-P on crop quality improvement

A. Improve photosynthesis efficiency

UV-P creates a more ideal light environment for crops by effectively filtering harmful ultraviolet rays. This optimized lighting condition directly promotes the progress of photosynthesis. For example, in cucumber planting experiments, after using a UV-P-containing cover film, the chlorophyll content of the leaves increased by 12% and the photosynthesis rate increased by 15%. This means that crops can use solar energy more effectively and synthesize more organic matter, thereby accelerating growth and development.

B. Improve the appearance and nutritional value of the fruit

UV-P not only protects crops from UV damage, but also significantly improves the appearance quality and nutritional value of the fruit. Taking blueberries as an example, blueberries grown under traditional covering films often cause the peel to be dim due to ultraviolet radiation., rough texture. After using a UV-P-containing cover film, the peel of the blueberries is brighter, the fruit is moderately hard and has a better taste. In addition, experimental data show that the anthocyanin content in blueberries treated with UV-P has increased by 20%, stronger antioxidant capacity, and significantly improved nutritional value.

C. Enhance crop disease resistance

Overexpression of ultraviolet rays will lead to a decrease in crop immunity and increase the probability of pests and diseases. UV-P indirectly enhances the crop’s disease resistance by reducing the direct impact of UV rays on crops. In tomato planting trials, researchers found that the incidence of gray mold in tomato plants using UV-P covering film was reduced by 35%. This is because UV-P not only protects the leaves from ultraviolet damage, but also improves the effectiveness of its own defense system by maintaining the healthy state of the plant.

D. Data support and experimental verification

In order to more intuitively demonstrate the effect of UV-P on crop quality improvement, the following table summarizes some experimental data:

Crop Type	Experimental Indicators	Comparison results (UV-P vs Normal membrane)
cucumber	Photosynthesis rate	Advance by 15%
Blueberries	Anthocyanin content	Increase by 20%
Tomato	The incidence of grey mold	Reduce by 35%
Strawberry	Single fruit weight	Add 18%
Grapes	Sugar and Acid Ratio	Advance by 22%

These data fully demonstrate the significant effect of UV-P in improving crop quality. Whether in terms of physiological indicators or economic benefits, the application of UV-P has brought significant improvements, injecting new vitality into modern agricultural production.

V. Economic benefits and social value of UV-P in agricultural cover film

A. Economic Benefit Analysis

The application of UV-P in agricultural cover films not only improves crop quality, but also significantly enhances the economic benefits of agricultural production. First, by reducing the damage to crops by ultraviolet rays, UV-P effectively reduces the incidence of pests and diseases and reduces the use of pesticides. According to statistics, the average pesticide cost per hectare can be saved by using UV-P covering film on average. Secondly, sinceV-P extends the service life of the covering film, and farmers do not need to frequently replace the film, further reducing maintenance costs. For example, the service life of a normal covering film is generally about 6 months, while the aging-resistant covering film containing UV-P can reach 12-18 months, and the service life is doubled or even more.

In addition, the application of UV-P also brings direct economic benefits. Quality crops tend to be more popular in the market and have higher prices. Taking strawberries as an example, strawberries grown with UV-P covering film have better weight and color than products grown with ordinary films, and the market price is 20%-25% higher on average. Similar situations also occur in high value-added crops such as grapes and blueberries. Therefore, in the long run, the application of UV-P not only reduces production costs, but also significantly improves the market competitiveness of agricultural products, bringing tangible economic benefits to farmers.

B. Embodiment of social value

In addition to economic benefits, the application of UV-P in agricultural cover films also has far-reaching social value. First of all, the use of UV-P is in line with the development concept of green agriculture. As a food-grade additive, UV-P is non-toxic and harmless to the human body and the environment, and fully meets the high standards of food safety requirements of modern consumers. At the same time, by reducing the use of pesticides, UV-P indirectly reduces the negative impact of agricultural activities on the ecological environment, which helps achieve sustainable development of agriculture.

Secondly, the application of UV-P has promoted the progress and popularization of agricultural science and technology. With the promotion of UV-P technology, more and more farmers are beginning to realize the important role of science and technology in agricultural production. This awakening of consciousness not only improves farmers’ professional skills, but also injects new impetus into rural economic development. Especially in areas with developed facilities agriculture, the application of UV-P has become one of the important means to promote industrial upgrading.

After

, the application of UV-P will also help narrow the urban-rural gap and promote social equity. By improving agricultural production efficiency and agricultural product quality, UV-P has created more economic opportunities for farmers, allowing them to better integrate into the development trend of modern society. This positive change not only benefits individual farmers, but also contributes to the harmonious development of the entire society.

C. Comprehensive Assessment

From the perspective of economic benefits and social value, the application of UV-P in agricultural cover film is undoubtedly successful. It not only helped farmers achieve the goal of increasing income and saving expenditure, but also had a positive impact on many aspects such as environmental protection, scientific and technological progress and social equity. In the future, with the further improvement of technology and the increase in promotion efforts, UV-P will surely play a more important role in the development of modern agriculture.

VI. Prospects of UV-P in agricultural cover film

With the acceleration of global climate change and agricultural modernization, the application prospects of UV-P in agricultural cover films are becoming more and more broad. In the future, the development of UV-P technology will mainly focus on the following directions:

A. Functional complexity

Future agricultural cover films may integrate multiple functional materials to form multifunctional composite films. For example, combining UV-P with antibacterial agents, insect repellents, etc. can not only filter ultraviolet rays, but also effectively prevent the occurrence of pests and diseases. This composite membrane will greatly simplify agricultural production processes and improve efficiency. Imagine that a piece of film can solve problems such as ultraviolet protection, disease prevention and control, and soil moisturizing at the same time. What a convenient solution it will be!

B. Environmental protection and degradability

At present, plastic pollution problems are becoming increasingly serious, and the environmental protection of agricultural cover films has also become the focus of attention. One of the focus of future research will be to develop a biodegradable and UV-P-containing cover film. After completing its mission, this new material can naturally decompose and return to nature without posing a burden to the environment. This is not only a commitment to the earth, but also a responsibility to future generations.

C. Intelligence and customization

With the development of IoT technology, smart agricultural covering film will become possible. Future UV-P cover films may be able to automatically adjust the UV absorption intensity based on real-time weather data, and even feedback the health of crops through sensors. In addition, according to the needs of different crops, covering films with specific parameters can also be customized to truly achieve “tailor-made”. Such intelligent and customized services will make agricultural production more accurate and efficient.

D. Technological innovation and cost control

Although UV-P technology is relatively mature, reducing costs is still the key to promotion. Future research will continue to explore more efficient production processes and cheaper raw material alternatives to ensure that this technology is affordable to more farmers. At the same time, technological innovation will also bring higher performance and longer service life, further improving the economic benefits of agricultural production.

E. International Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing

In the context of globalization, international cooperation will become a new driving force for the development of UV-P technology. Through cross-border knowledge sharing and technological exchanges, countries can jointly overcome technical difficulties and share research results. This collaboration not only helps accelerate technological advancement, but also promotes sustainable development of global agriculture.

In short, the application of UV-P in agricultural cover film is in a stage of rapid development, and the future is full of infinite possibilities. Through continuous technological innovation and widespread application, we have reason to believe that this technology will bring revolutionary changes to global agriculture and help achieve the dual goals of food security and environmental protection.

7. Conclusion: UV-P leads the new future of agriculture

Looking through the whole text, we can clearly see that the application of UV absorber UV-P in agricultural cover films has achieved remarkable achievements and has shown great development potential. It not only puts on “invisible sunscreen” for crops, but also completely changes the appearance of traditional agriculture through various methods such as optimizing the lighting environment, enhancing stress resistance, improving yield and quality.. As an agricultural expert said: “The emergence of UV-P is like a timely rain, injecting new vitality into modern agriculture.”

The significance of UV-P is much more than that. Its efficiency, safety and economicality make it an important force in promoting the development of green agriculture. In today’s pursuit of sustainable development, the application of UV-P not only meets farmers’ desire for high yields and high quality, but also provides feasible solutions for ecological protection and resource conservation. It can be said that UV-P is not only a technological innovation, but also a transformation of concepts – from simply pursuing production to a balanced development of quality and environment.

Looking forward, UV-P technology will continue to move forward in the direction of functional complexity, environmentally friendly and biodegradable, and intelligent customization. Every technological breakthrough will bring more possibilities to agriculture; every application expansion will create greater value for farmers. We have reason to believe that with the help of UV-P, the tomorrow of agriculture will be better and the life of human beings will be more colorful.

Let us look forward to this “invisible sunscreen” that will continue to write its legendary chapter!