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Hkkjrh; ekud IS 16202 : 2014

Indian Standard (Reaffirmed 2018)

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Agro Textiles — Woven Ground

Covers for Horticulture
Application — Specification

ICS 58.080.990

© BIS 2014

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BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
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MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
NEW DELHI-110002
www.bis.org.in www.standardsbis.in

June 2014 Price Group 4

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Technical Textiles for Agro-tech Sectional Committee, TXD 35

FOREWORD
This Indian Standard was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the draft finalized by the Technical
Textiles for Agro-tech Sectional Committee had been approved by the Textile Division Council.
Weed control has been an on-going problem in horticultural crops. However, a wide range of agrotextiles fabrics
like polypropylene woven ground covers are now available, which offer perfect solution for successfully
suppressing the weed growth and providing other benefits as provided by traditionally used materials for this
application.
The ground covers made up of natural or synthetic materials are either woven or non-woven products and are
used to meet diverse needs of crops in the horticulture sector like suppression of weed growth around the plant,
water conservation, soil temperature moderation, increase in yield etc, by blocking extreme climatic conditions
of sunlight or cold.
UV stabilized woven ground covers made out of polypropylene tape yarn fabric are durable and ideal product for
weed free surfaces around the crops besides providing other benefits and promoting the growth of crops. They
allow roots to breathe and water, air and nutrients to permeate through. This maintains higher soil temperatures
and promotes more rapid and even plant growth. Ground covers made of woven fabric of UV stabilized
polypropylene tape yarns survive through the effect of continuous exposure to sunlight.
The composition of the Committee responsible for the formulation of this standard is given in Annex D.
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the final value,
observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in accordance with IS 2 : 1960
‘Rules for rounding off numerical values (revised)’. The number of significant places retained in the rounded off
value should be the same as that of the specified value in this standard.
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Indian Standard
AGRO TEXTILES — WOVEN GROUND COVERS FOR
HORTICULTURE APPLICATION — SPECIFICATION
1 SCOPE
This standard prescribes constructional and other
requirements for 100 gsm woven ground covers made
from UV stabilised polypropylene tape yarns for
applications in horticulture.
2 REFERENCES
The standards listed in Annex A contain provisions
which through references in this text, constitute
provisions of this standard. At the time of publication,
the editions indicated were valid. All standards are
subject to revision, and parties to agreements based in
this standard are encouraged to investigate the
possibility of applying the most recent editions of the
standards indicated in Annex A.
3 TERMINOLOGY
For the purpose of this standard the following
definitions shall apply:
3.1 Horticulture — Horticulture is the science or art
of cultivating fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental
plants. Etymologically, “horticulture” can be broken
down into two Latin words: hortus (garden) and cultus
(tilling).
3.2 Woven Fabrics — Fabric composed of at least
two sets of yarns — one warp (longitudinal) and one
filling (crosswise) — laced at right angles to each other.
3.3 Ground Covers — Ground covers are made up
of natural or synthetic materials that are either woven
or non-woven products used to suppress weed growth
around the crop by covering the soil, blocking extreme
climatic conditions of sunlight or cold.
4 MANUFACTURE
4.1 Polypropylene Tapes
Polypropylene ground covers shall be woven from PP
tapes, which shall be stabilized by adding suitable UV
stabilizer. The linear density of polypropylene tape
shall be approximately 1 200 denier. The heat shrinkage
of the tape at 60°C shall not exceed 5 percent and shall
not exceed 8 percent at 95°C. For determining the
shrinkage, the tape shall be subjected to the specified
temperature for a period of 10 min in an air circulating
oven and hot water bath respectively.
1
IS 16202 : 2014
4.2 Fabric
The ground covers shall be woven with plain weave
and a sett of 80 ends/dm and 40 picks/dm. The tolerance
on ends/dm and picks/dm shall be ± 2.
The width of the ground cover shall be minimum
90 cm. The width of the ground cover may range from
90 cm to 450 cm as per customer requirements. Guiding
stripes of suitable colour may be inserted while
weaving to help the plant alignment at the time of
laying.
4.3 Colour
The colour of the fabric shall preferably be black.
However any other colour or colour combination may
be supplied as per the agreement between the
manufacturer and the supplier. The colour or colour
combination shall be as specified in the contract or
order. In case a sample has been agreed upon and
sealed, the supply shall be made in conformity with
the sample in such respects.
5 REQUIREMENTS
5.1 The ground cover shall meet the requirements as
given in Table 1. Besides the ground cover shall meet
the requirements specified in 5.2.
5.2 Dimensions and Mass
The ground cover shall be made to the dimensions as
specified in the contract or order. The dimensions shall
be determined by the method prescribed in IS 1954.
The following tolerance shall be permissible for length,
width and mass (g/m2):
Dimension Tolerance, Percent
Length ± 1 percent of declared length
Width ±1 percent of declared width
Mass (g/m2) ± 5 percent on declared mass
6 MARKING AND LABELLING
6.1 The ground cover fabric roll shall be marked
legibly with the following information:
a) Indication of the source of manufacture;
b) Declared length and width of the ground
cover;
c) Mass per square meter of the ground cover;
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IS 16202 : 2014

Table 1 Requirements for 100 gsm Woven Ground Covers Made from PP
(Clause 5.1)
Sl Characteristic(s) Requirement(s) Method of Test,
No. Ref to
(1) (2) (3) (4)

i) Mass, g/m2, Min 100 IS 1964

ii) Tensile strength (grab), kgf, Min IS 1969 (Part 2)
a) Warp way 65
b) Weft way 35
iii) Tear strength, kgf, Min IS 6489 (Part 1)
a) Warp way 30
b) Weft way 18
iv) Air permeability, cft/ft²/s, Min 20 IS 11056
v) Index puncture resistance, kgf, Min 25 Annex B
vi) UV accelerated exposure testing, percent strength retained, Min 70 Annex C
vii) Water permeability lt/m2/s, Min 7 IS 14324
viii) Water vapour permeability, g/m²/day, Min 730 ISO 11092

d) Batch No.; and 8.2 The number of ground cover rolls to be selected
e) Any other information desired by the buyer. from a lot shall be as given in Table 2.
8.3 The conformity of the lot to the requirements of
6.2 BIS Certification Marking
this standard shall be determined on the basis of the
The ground cover may also be marked with the tests carried out on the samples selected from it.
Standard Mark.
9 NUMBER OF TEST SPECIMENS AND
6.2.1 The use of the Standard Mark is governed by
CRITERIA FOR CONFORMITY
the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act,
1986 and Rules and Regulations made thereunder. The The ground cover from each roll selected from the lot
details of the conditions under which a license for the shall be tested for various requirements of this standard.
use of the Standard Mark may be granted to Any ground cover roll failing to meet one or more of
manufacturers or producers may be obtained from the the corresponding requirements prescribed under 4
Bureau of Indian Standards. and 5 shall be considered as defective. The lot shall be
accepted, if no defective roll is found.
7 PACKING
The ground cover fabric shall be packed in rolls as per Table 2 Scale of Sampling and
the contract or order. Each roll shall be protected by Criteria for Conformity
wrapping it in a LDPE film of minimum thickness of (Clause 8.2)
40 microns to prevent it from the adverse impact of
Sl No. of Ground No. of Ground Permissible No.
heat and moisture, oil, grease, dirt, dust and other stains No. Cover Rolls in Cover Rolls to be of Defectives
during shipment and storage prior to use. the Lot Selected
(1) (2) (3) (4)
8 SAMPLING
i) Up to 50 5 0
8.1 Lot ii) 51 to 100 8 0
iii) 101 to 300 13 0
All ground cover rolls of same size dispatched to a iv) 301 and above 20 0
buyer against one dispatch note shall constitute a lot.

2
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IS 16202 : 2014

ANNEX A
(Clause 2)
LIST OF REFERRED INDIAN STANDARDS
IS No. Title IS No. Title
1954 : 1990 Determination of length and width of (Elmendorf) (second revision)
woven fabrics — Methods (second 7702 : 2012 Textiles — Determination of
revision) thickness of textiles and textile
1964 : 2001 Textiles — Methods for deter- products (first revision)
mination of mass per unit length and 11056 : 2013 Textiles — Determination of the
mass per unit area of fabrics (second permeability of fabrics to air (first
revision) revision)
1969 (Part 2) : Textiles — Tensile Properties of 14324 : 1995 Geo textiles — Methods of test for
2010 fabrics — Determination of determination of water permeability
maximum force and elongation at — Permittivity
maximum force: Part 2 Grab method ISO 11092 : Textiles — Physiological effects —
(third revision) 1993 Measurement of thermal and water-
6489 (Part 1) : Textiles — Tear properties of fabrics: vapour resistance under steady-state
2011 Part 1 Determination of tear force conditions (sweating guarded-
using ballistic pendulum method hotplate test)

ANNEX B
[Table 1, Sl No. (v)]
TEST METHOD FOR INDEX PUNCTURE RESISTANCE

B-1 SCOPE
B-1.1 This test method is used to measure the index
puncture resistance of ground covers.
B-2 PRINCIPLE
B-2.1 A test specimen is clamped without tension
between circular plates of a ring clamp attachment
secured in a tensile testing machine. A force is exerted
against the center of the unsupported portion of the
test specimen by a solid steel rod attached to the load
indicator until rupture of the specimen occurs. The
maximum force recorded is the value of puncture
resistance of the specimen.
B-3 APPARATUS
B-3.1 Tensile/Compression Testing Machine, of the
constant-rate-of extension (CRE) type.
B-3.2 Ring Clamp Attachment, consisting of
concentric plates with an open internal diameter of
45 ± 0.025 mm capable of clamping the test specimen
without slippage. A suggested clamping arrangement
is shown in Fig. 1. The external diameter is suggested
to be 100 ± 0.025 mm. The diameter of the six holes
used for securing the ring clamp assembly is suggested
to be 8 mm and equally spaced at a radius of 37 mm.
The surfaces of these plates can consist of grooves with
rings or coarse sandpaper bonded onto opposing
surfaces.
B-3.3 Solid Steel Rod, with a diameter of 8 ± 0.01 mm
having a flat end with a 45° × 0.8 mm chamfered edge
contacting the test specimen’s surface (see Fig. 1 and 2).
B-4 SAMPLING
B-4.1 Laboratory Sample
For the laboratory sample take a swatch extending the
full width of the product, of sufficient length along the
selvage from each sample roll so that the requirements
of B-4.2 can be met.
B-4.2 Test Specimens
Select from the laboratory sample, sufficient number of
samples each having a minimum diameter of 100 mm
to facilitate clamping. Space the specimens along a
diagonal on the unit of the laboratory sample. Take no
specimens nearer the selvage or edge of the ground
cover.
B-5 CONDITIONING
B-5.1 Bring the specimens to moisture equilibrium
in the atmosphere for testing ground covers (65 ± 5

3
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IS 16202 : 2014

FIG. 1 T EST FIXTURE DETAIL (NOT TO SCALE)

F IG. 2 T EST PROBE DETAIL (NOT TO SCALE)

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percent relative humidity and 27 ± 2°C temperature).
Equilibrium is considered to have been reached
when the increase in the mass of the specimen, in
successive weightings made at intervals of not less
than 2 h, does not exceed 0.1 percent of the mass of
the specimen.
B-6 PROCEDURE
B-6.1 Select the load range of the tensile/compression
testing machine such that the rupture occurs between
10 and 90 percent of the full-scale load.
B-6.2 Center and secure the specimen between the
ANNEX C
[Table 1, Sl No. (vi)]
UV RESISTANCE TEST
C-1 TEST SPECIMENS
The test specimens for breaking strength shall be cut
from the sample as specified in IS 1969 (Part 2) for
grab test.
C-2 TEST CONDITIONS
C-2.1 the test shall be carried out with fluorescent
UV-B lamp (313 nanometer or its equivalent).
C-2.2 the duration of the test shall be 144 h (that is
6 days).
C-2.3 The test cycle shall be 8 h at 60 ± 3°C with UV
radiation alternating after 4 h at 50 ± 3°C with
condensation.
C-2.4 Irradiation level throughout the test shall be
maintained at 0.63 + 0.03 W/m².
C-3 TEST PROCEDURE
C-3.1 Determine the original average breaking
strength of ground cover specimens separately as per
the grab test specified in IS 1969 (Part 2).
C-3.2 Expose the specimens alternately to ultraviolet
light alone and to condensation in one respective cycle.
5
IS 16202 : 2014
holding plates ensuring that the test specimen extends
to or beyond the outer edges of the clamping plates.
B-6.3 Test at a machine speed of 300 ± 10 mm/min
until the puncture rod completely ruptures the test
specimen.
NOTE — The rate of testing specified is not an indication of
the performance of the specimen for its end use.
B-7 CALCULATION
B-7.1 Calculate the average puncture resistance and
standard deviation for all tests as read directly from
the recording instrument.
C-3.2.1 The type of fluorescent UV lamp, the timing
of the UV exposure and the temperature of
condensation shall be specified in C-2.
C-3.3 Determine the average breaking strength of the
specimens separately after UV exposure as mentioned
above.
C-3.4 Determine the percent retention of original
strength as follows:
b
Percent retention of original = ´ 1 00
a
breaking strength
where
a = average breaking strength before UV
exposure as obtained in C-3.1, and
b = average breaking strength after UV exposure
as obtained in C-3.3.
NOTES
1 The UV source is an array of fluorescent lamps (with lamp
emission concentrated in the UV range).
2 Condensation is produced by exposing the test surface to a
heated, saturated mixture of air and water vapour, while the
reverse side of the test specimen is exposed to the cooling
influence of ambient room air.
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IS 16202 : 2014

ANNEX D
(Foreword)
COMMITTEE COMPOSITION
Technical Textiles for Agro-tech Sectional Committee, TXD 35

Organization Representative(s)
The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills Research Association, Mumbai DR U. K. GANGOPADHYAY (Chairman)
Business Co-ordination House Pvt Ltd, New Delhi SHRI SAMIR GUPTA
SHRIMATI RITIKA GUPTA (Alternate)
Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai DR S. K. CHATTOPADHYAY
DR R. GURUPRASAD (Alternate)
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET), SHRI P. K. SAHOO
Bhopal DR AJAY KUMAR NEEMA (Alternate)
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET), DR S. N. YADAV
Bhubaneswar
CTM Technical Textiles Ltd, Ahmedabad SHRI AMIT AGARWAL
SHRIMATI JYOTI AGARWAL (Alternate)
Department of Jute & Fibre Technology, Kolkatta D R SWAPAN K UMAR GHOSH
PROF S. C. RAY (Alternate)
Directorate General of Supplies & Disposals, New Delhi ADDL DIRECTOR GENERAL (QA)
Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan D R R. S. SPEHIA
Flora Agrotech, Vapi SHRI S ANJAY LOHIYA
Garware Wall Ropes Limited, Satara SHRI S ANJAY RAUT
SHRI S. G. PALUSKAR (Alternate)
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi DR T. V. S. RAJPUT
DR NEELAM PATEL (Alternate)
Indian Institute of Packaging, New Delhi SHRI M ADHAB CHAKRABORTY
Indian Jute Industries’ Research Association, Kolkata SHRI P. K. CHOUDHURY
SHRI D. K. BISWAS (Alternate)
Indian Technical Textile Association, Mumbai SHRIMATI SHASHI S INGH
MS P RIYANKA PRAJAPATI (Alternate)
Lamifab & Paper (P) Ltd, Aurangabad SHRI KAMLEISH DHOOT
SHRI KISHORI LAL DHOOT (Alternate)
National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture, SHRI K RISH S. IYENGAR
New Delhi SHRI K. K. KAUSHAL (Alternate)
National Horticultural Board, Gurgaon REPRESENTATIVE
National Jute Board, Kolkatta SHRI TAPOBRATA SANYAL
SHRI ALOK KUMAR KHASTAGIR
Navsari Agricultural University, Gujarat DR V. K UMAR
DR R. G. PATIL (Alternate)
Neo Corp International Limited, Pithampur SHRI S UNIL KUMAR TRIVEDI
SHRI ASHOK KUMAR GUPTA (Alternate)
Office of the Textile Commissioner, Mumbai SHRI M. BALUCHAMY
SHRI J. AHMED (Alternate)
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana D R RAKESH SHARDA
Reliance Industries Ltd, New Delhi SHRI M. S. VERMA
SHRI SHRICHAND S ANTANI (Alternate)
Shri Ambica Polymer Pvt Ltd, Ahmedabad SHRIMATI JYOTIKA NAGRI
SHRIMATI ANUJA MALVIYA (Alternate)
Texel Industries Limited, Kalol SHRI SHAILESH R. MEHTA
SHRI SUSHIL PACHISIA (Alternate)
The Bombay Textile Research Association, Mumbai SHRI V. K. PATIL
SHRI C. H. SAKHARKAR (Alternate)

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IS 16202 : 2014

Organization Representative(s)
The Synthetic & Art Silk Mills Research Association, Mumbai DR M ANISHA MATHUR
SHRI P. R. S URVASE (Alternate)
BIS Directorate General SHRI P RABHAKAR R AI,
Scientist ‘E’ and Head (TXD)
[Representing Director General (Ex-officio)]
Member Secretary
SHRI J. K. GUPTA
Scientist ‘C’ (TXD), BIS

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harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods
and attending to connected matters in the country.

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implementing the standard, of necessary details, such as symbols and sizes, type or grade designations.
Enquiries relating to copyright be addressed to the Director (Publications), BIS.

Review of Indian Standards

Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the basis of comments. Standards are also reviewed
periodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no changes are
needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up for revision. Users of Indian Standards
should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest amendments or edition by referring to the latest issue of
‘BIS Catalogue’ and ‘Standards : Monthly Additions’.

This Indian Standard has been developed from Doc No.: TXD 35 (1089).

Amendments Issued Since Publication

Amend No. Date of Issue Text Affected

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