Laboratory for Agriculture Plastics Evaluation (LEPA)

Aims

The aim of the Laboratory for Agriculture Plastics Evaluation (LEPA) is to provide the agriculture producer with an objective evaluation of the durability and transparence of covers (polietilene films and shadow cloths) for greenhouses, assessing their mechanical and optical properties.

Structure
 

Direction

  • Dra. Claudia Sainato

Investigators

  • Profesora Ana María Landini
  • Ingeniero Agrónomo Horacio Malleville

Services

The services provided by the LEPA include the estimation of transmitted light, shadow and diffuse light in the active photo-synthetic radiation area, polietilene films and shadow cloths for greenhouses. Such estimations are made according to ASTM regulation standards.

In general, this services is requested by manufacturers or importers of these materials and producers willing to engage in greenhouse crops.

The fee for each sample is $50 (fifty pesos) for all the cases mentioned. 10 cm x 10 cm samples are needed. Results are given in an estimated term of a week.

Background
 

The LEPA was created in 1995 by the Departments of Physics and Floriculture in answer to the demand by small and large greenhouse producers, interested in getting advise on the optical properties of films in the market. In 1997 an agreement was subscribed with the Centro de Investigaciones de la Industria del Plástico (CITIP) (Plastic Industry Research Center), from the INTI. The CITIP also evaluated the mechanic properties, tension and elongation of the samples maximum charge and their evolution in time in processes of accelerated aging in laboratory.

Information

Laboratorio de Evaluación de Plásticos para la Agricultura (LEPA) - FAUBA Wernicke Hall
Tel.: (011) 5287-0469 | Secretaría 5287-0332 | E-mail: csainato@agro.uba.ar