Sudlac

Strawberry grower: a two-layer shading strategy applied by drone

Greenhouse shading coating helps strawberries cope with the first heat while keeping the light they need. In South-West France, Luc Pondarré grows strawberries on about 6 ha and shades his greenhouses with Transpar, then Eclipse LD. The coatings are applied by drone, with advice from Frédéric at Sudlac.

Chapter I: The challenge
Chapter II: The solution
Chapter III: The impact

Chapter I: The challenge

Created in 2001 and handed down by Luc Pondarré's parents and grandparents, the farm has grown one hectare at a time. It now covers about 6 ha of multi-span greenhouses, with some 5 m structures added in 2015. The strawberry varieties include Ciflorette, Gariguette and Charlotte.

uses case sudlac - Luc

The Challenge:

Why does strawberry shading need a plan?

Strawberries need a lot of light at the start of the season. They are also very sensitive to the first heat, which makes the crop difficult to manage. A variety such as Ciflorette struggles to colour and its calyx burns quickly, so light and heat have to be balanced carefully. Shading therefore has to follow the needs of the strawberries, block by block.

Luc Pondarré applies Transpar in the first half of March. Its light transmission allows early application and softens the first sunburn risk, while keeping light available for growth. Eclipse LD follows in April as a second layer and filters more infrared when temperatures rise. Splitting the shading in this way gives better light management over the season.

Both layers have been applied by drone, "which was the perfect option for us", says Luc Pondarré. As he holds the pilot licence himself, each block is treated when the strawberries need it, with the dose and the date he chooses. Frédéric Robert, sales consultant and technical expert at Sudlac, supported him throughout the choice of products and timing.

Luc Pondarré sees the effects of this two-layer shading strategy on his strawberries and on his workload:

Better colouring:
"The effect on the crop is a better colouring, so better rated and better valued on the market."

Fewer passes:
"These products are not temporary, so there are fewer passes. The coating lasts longer on the greenhouse and, economically, it is profitable."

More marketable yield:
"We also see fewer deformed fruits, so a bit more marketable yield."