What's the difference between a shading agent and a diffuse coating?

During warm and sunny periods many crops need a little help to continue a strong growth. Eventhough sunlight is essential for photosynthesis and growth of all plants, too much sunlight in spring and summer can lead to burning and stress symptoms in a lot of crops. To prevent this from happening, growers protect their crop during these periods by applying a greenhouse shading paint or diffuse coating on the roof of their greenhouse. These products are designed to reflect and keep out excessive sunlight and heat from the greenhouse (shading agent) or to prevent damaging by diffusing incoming sunlight as much as possible (diffuse coating).
Diffuse coatings
Han van der Kooij
 Product Manager Crop Protection | April 20, 2020 | 3 min. reading time 

Shading agents offer reflection

Greenhouse shading paint reduces the temperature inside the greenhouse by partially reflecting sunlight. This prevents peaks in the greenhouse climate and results in a more stable growing climate. In this way shading paint offers full protection throughout the season and prevent light stress symptoms and damaging of fruit and crop caused by light burn. Do you want to know more about the difference between shading agents and diffuse coatings? Download the free whitepaper 'Liquid Shading Agents and Diffuse Coatings'.

Diffuse coatings offer transmission

In contrast to greenhouse shading paint, diffuse coatings are intended to let through as much light as possible. Instead of reflection diffuse coatings offer transmission. Diffuse coatings scatter sunlight over a bigger/larger surface and by this it simultaneously ‘divides’ the radiant energy over a larger surface. By highly diffusing incoming sunlight up to three times more valuable photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) will reach the middle a bottom parts of the crop and eliminates shadow formation of the greenhouse construction. All this ensures a higher reception of light in the greenhouse which in turn leads to more and better growth of crop and fruit. In floriculture diffused light has proven to lead to more growth and in the cultivation of vegetable crops it has shown to increase production and at the same time improve fruit quality. In the video below, the effect of diffuse light is explained.
The video above shows the difference between the shading agents Q3 and Q4.  
Overview of properties shading agents vs diffuse coatings
 Shading Agent
Diffuse coating
Reflects excessive sunlight ✔-
Prevents shadow formation -✔
Reduces temperature ✔-
Reduce plant temperature -✔
Becomes transparent -*✔
Adjustable shading percentage ✔-
Even temperature distribution -✔
* Only Temperzon T74 has this property.  
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Shading agents and coatings
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ArticleVideoFloricultureVegetable growing

What's the difference between a shading agent and a diffuse coating?

During warm and sunny periods many crops need a little help to continue a strong growth. Eventhough sunlight is essential for photosynthesis and growth of all plants, too much sunlight in spring and summer can lead to burning and stress symptoms in a lot of crops. To prevent this from happening, growers protect their crop during these periods by applying a greenhouse shading paint or diffuse coating on the roof of their greenhouse. These products are designed to reflect and keep out excessive sunlight and heat from the greenhouse (shading agent) or to prevent damaging by diffusing incoming sunlight as much as possible (diffuse coating).
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Shading agents and coatings
Han van der Kooij
Han van der Kooij
 Product Manager Crop Protection | April 20, 2020 | 3 min. reading time 
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Diffuse coatings

Shading agents offer reflection

Greenhouse shading paint reduces the temperature inside the greenhouse by partially reflecting sunlight. This prevents peaks in the greenhouse climate and results in a more stable growing climate. In this way shading paint offers full protection throughout the season and prevent light stress symptoms and damaging of fruit and crop caused by light burn. Do you want to know more about the difference between shading agents and diffuse coatings? Download the free whitepaper 'Liquid Shading Agents and Diffuse Coatings'.

Diffuse coatings offer transmission

In contrast to greenhouse shading paint, diffuse coatings are intended to let through as much light as possible. Instead of reflection diffuse coatings offer transmission. Diffuse coatings scatter sunlight over a bigger/larger surface and by this it simultaneously ‘divides’ the radiant energy over a larger surface. By highly diffusing incoming sunlight up to three times more valuable photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) will reach the middle a bottom parts of the crop and eliminates shadow formation of the greenhouse construction. All this ensures a higher reception of light in the greenhouse which in turn leads to more and better growth of crop and fruit. In floriculture diffused light has proven to lead to more growth and in the cultivation of vegetable crops it has shown to increase production and at the same time improve fruit quality. In the video below, the effect of diffuse light is explained.
The video above shows the difference between the shading agents Q3 and Q4.  

Overview of properties shading agents vs diffuse coatings 




Shading agent
Diffuse coating
Reflects excessive sunlight through shading
           ✔ 

Prevents shadow formation through light diffusion

            ✔ 
Reduces greenhouse temperature 
           ✔ 

Reduces plant temperature
             ✔ 
Becomes transparent when wet
            *            ✔ 
Adjustable shading percentage
           ✔ 

Ensures an even temperature distribution in the crop

            ✔ 
* Only Temperzon T74 has this property.  
Related Products
Contact form
Can't find your answer? Fill out the contact form and our specialist Han van der Kooij will get back to you. On weekdays, even within 24 hours.
Han van der Kooij
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The main difference between powder and liquid shading agents is their composition and obviously their form: powder shading agents are fixed and liquid shading agents are: liquid. 
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Whitepaper - Shading agents and diffuse coatings
Many crops cannot withstand full sun, high temperatures, or both. In that case, a chalk agent and/or diffuse coating is the solution. But which different products are there?


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Categories:
Shading agents and coatings
Tags:
ArticleVideoFloricultureVegetable growing