Hi Phil,

Our farm used something similar to row covers over our Blue Crop blueberries for an experiment to test if insect netting would control spotted wing drosophila. The insect netting is also white, but heavier than row crop material. The netting required structural support to keep it off the plants. What I can tell you is that the light under the netting was not less than outside the net (which was a surprise). I dont know if the row cover could be measured with a light meter to see how much light penetrates through it.

The insect net was kept on the plants through the end of the season – It was a study done through a NE SARE grant for Hay Berry Farm LLC in Hoosick Falls, NY. A subsequent study, more extensive, on blueberries through NE SARE was done on The Berry Patch farm in Stephentown, NY. That data should be available on their site.

Best, Lawrie

The netting kept the swd completely out of the blueberries. I would expect the row cover might do fine if it doesn’t rip.