Mil-spec anti-mosquito fabric tripled strawberry yields

Researchers at North Carolina State University stretched Plant Armor, a porous 3D-knitted fabric originally developed to make military uniforms mosquito-resistant, over PVC hoop domes and got 3.56 times more strawberry fruit. The fabric blocks aphids while letting light, air and rain through, and keeps plants warmer to speed fruiting. Next come trials on commercial farms.

• Strawberries under Plant Armor produced 3.56 times more fruit
• The fabric blocks aphids completely while passing light, air and rain
• The cover is a 1-meter dome built from PVC pipes
• Plants fruited sooner without growing larger or producing more leaves