Is Biodegradable Plastic Mulch the Solution to Agriculture’s Plastic Problem?

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 1068-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Y. Sintim ◽  
Markus Flury
Keyword(s):  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Plastic Mulch

scholarly journals Barriers and bridges to the adoption of biodegradable plastic mulches for US specialty crop production

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Goldberger ◽  
Robert Emmet Jones ◽  
Carol A. Miles ◽  
Russell W. Wallace ◽  
Debra A. Inglis
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Specialty Crop ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch

AbstractCommercial farmers have been using polyethylene plastic mulch since the 1950s. Despite the affordability and effectiveness of polyethylene mulch, the disposal process is financially and environmentally costly. Biodegradable plastic mulches, an ecologically sustainable alternative to polyethylene mulch films, were introduced in the 1980s. Biodegradable plastic mulches can be tilled into the soil or composted at the end of the season, reducing the labor and environmental costs associated with plastic removal and disposal. However, research results are mixed as to the effectiveness, degradability and ease-of-use of biodegradable plastic mulches. In 2008–2012, researchers, funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant, conducted surveys and focus groups in three different agricultural regions of the USA to better understand the barriers and bridges to the adoption of biodegradable plastic mulches for specialty crop production systems. Data on the experiences and views of specialty crop growers, agricultural extension agents, agricultural input suppliers, mulch manufacturers and other stakeholders showed that the major adoption barriers were insufficient knowledge, high cost and unpredictable breakdown. The major bridges to adoption were reduced waste, environmental benefits and interest in further learning. These findings are discussed with reference to the classic innovation diffusion model, specifically work on the innovation–decision process and the attributes of innovations. The study results can be used to guide the activities of those involved in the design, development and promotion of biodegradable plastic mulches for US specialty crop production systems.

Interaction of Lumbricus terrestris with macroscopic polyethylene and biodegradable plastic mulch

2018 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. 1600-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Henry Y. Sintim ◽  
Andy I. Bary ◽  
Douglas G. Hayes ◽  
Larry C. Wadsworth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lumbricus Terrestris ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Plastic Mulch

Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable plastic mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality

Geoderma ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 381 ◽  
pp. 114665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Y. Sintim ◽  
Sreejata Bandopadhyay ◽  
Marie E. English ◽  
Andy Bary ◽  
José E. Liquet y González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Quality ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Continuous Use

scholarly journals The Succession of Bacterial Community Attached on Biodegradable Plastic Mulches During the Degradation in Soil

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhicheng Ju ◽  
Xiongfeng Du ◽  
Kai Feng ◽  
Shuzhen Li ◽  
Songsong Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Degradation Process ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Opposite Trend ◽  
Plastic Components ◽  
Degradation In Soil

Despite the increasing application of biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) in agriculture, the colonization and succession of the attached microbial community on BDMs during their degradation processes remain poorly characterized. Here, we buried four types of commonly used BDMs, including pure polylactic acid (PLA), pure polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and two mixtures of PLA and PBAT (85:15 and 15:85 w/w), and one classic polyethylene (PE) mulch in soil for 5 months. Both plastic components and incubation time significantly shaped the β-diversities of microbiota on the plastic mulches (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, the microbial compositions and community structures on BDMs were significantly different from PE mulch, and when excluding PE mulch, the microbiota varied more with time than by the composition of the four BDMs. The orders Burkholderiales and Pseudonocardiales were dominant on most BDMs across different time points. The genus Ramlibacter was revealed as a common biomarker for both PLA and PBAT by random-forest model, and all biomarkers for the BDMs belonged to the dominant order Burkholderiales. In addition, degradation-related and pathogen-related functional taxa were enriched in all mulches among all 40 functional groups, while surprisingly, potential pathogens were detected at higher levels on BDMs than PE. For community assembly on all mulches, the drift and dispersal processes played more important roles than selection, and in particular, the contribution of stochastic drift increased during the degradation process of BDMs while selection decreased, while the opposite trend was observed with PE mulch. Overall, our results demonstrated some degradation species and pathogens were specifically enriched on BDMs, though stochastic processes also had important impacts on the community assembly. It suggested that, similar to conventional plastic mulch, the increased usage of BDMs could lead to potential hazards to crops and human health.

Green Cultivation with Biodegradable Plastic Mulch

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 24-27
Author(s):  
China Plastic & Rubber Journal
Keyword(s):  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Plastic Mulch

scholarly journals Above-soil and in-soil degradation of oxo- and bio-degradable mulches: a qualitative approach

Soil Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Martín-Closas ◽  
J. Costa ◽  
A. Cirujeda ◽  
J. Aibar ◽  
C. Zaragoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Crop Season ◽  
La Mancha ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
Degradable Materials

Degradable materials have been suggested to overcome accumulation in the field of persistent plastic residues associated with the increasing use of polyethylene mulches. New degradable materials have been proven successful for increasing crop productivity; however, their degradation in the field has been hardly addressed. A qualitative scale was used in the present study to assess the above-soil and in-soil degradation of degradable mulches during the cropping season. Degradation was determined in three biodegradable plastic mulches (Biofilm, BF; Mater-Bi, MB; Bioflex, BFx), two paper sheet mulches (Saikraft, PSA; MimGreen, PMG) and one oxo-degradable plastic mulch (Enviroplast, EvP). Polyethylene (PE) mulch was used as control. Mulches were tested in five Spanish locations (Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja, Navarra, Aragón and Catalunya), with three crop seasons of processing tomato. Biodegradable plastic mulches BF and MB degraded more and faster above-soil than paper mulches; among biodegradable mulches BF degraded more than MB, and MB more than BFx. The above-soil degradation of the oxo-degradable mulch EvP was highly dependent on location and crop season, and it degraded more than PE. Main environmental factors triggering above-soil degradation were radiation, rainfall and crop cover. In-soil, paper mulches and BF degraded more and faster than MB, whereas BFx and EvP barely degraded. Environmental factors triggering in-soil degradation during the crop season were rainfall and irrigation water. The effect of soil parameters (organic matter, nutrient availability) on degradation during the cropping season was not evidenced. The qualitative scale used proved convenient for determining mulch field degradation. A visual scale for supporting the qualitative evaluation is provided. In order to standardise parameters and criteria for future studies on field mulching degradation evaluation, a unified degradation qualitative scale is suggested.

scholarly journals Degradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films in soil environment by phylloplane fungi isolated from gramineous plants

AMB Express ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Motoo Koitabashi ◽  
Masako T Noguchi ◽  
Yuka Sameshima-Yamashita ◽  
Syuntaro Hiradate ◽  
Ken Suzuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Phylloplane Fungi ◽  
Mulch Films
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