Melt-blended biodegradable mulching films with zeolite fillers from industrial by-products: A scalable, solvent-free route for controlled zinc delivery

An enormous amount of plastic waste resulting from the agricultural activities is produced every year. Part of this plastic remains in the fields, while the other part is sent to recycling or landfill. The use of biodegradable (BD) mulch films can play a key role towards a sustainable development in agricultural sector because they can be plugged in the soil, after its use, together with the crop residues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of white-on-black biodegradable mulch films in contrast to the conventional polyethylene (PE) mulch film in autumn-winter cycle strawberry production, monitoring the variation on soil warming, lifetime of the films in the field as well as the effects on fruit yield. Soil temperatures showed differences among treatments during summer period under open field conditions and autumn-winter season under tunnel. Although the degradation rate of BD mulch films varied along the crop cycle, they provided adequate bed cover and weed suppression until crop end. Plants had similar monthly crop yield distribution, and percentage of commercial and uncommercial fruits between mulch treatments. From the overall results obtained, biodegradable mulch films may be a promising alternative to PE mulching but there should be economic incentives for growers to implement this sustainable practical as its price at present are not yet competitive.

The development and application of biodegradable mulching film is an efficient way to solve the “white pollution” of farmland. In the actual production, we found that the mulch film produced by different processing technology with the same formula showed quite different application properties. Here, the poly (butyleneadipate‐co‐terephthalate)/polylactide (PBAT/PLA) composite films with two die/screw diameters and eight blow‐up ratio were prepared by extrusion blowing. Results showed increasing blow‐up ratio can significantly improve the tensile strength at the transverse direction. In addition, the optical and water vapor barrier performances of the PBAT/PLA composite films were slightly effected. With the increasing of blow‐up ratio, the transverse molecular chain orientation of the polymer increases, resulting in changes in mechanical performance. This work can contribute to better understand the relationship between the performance and the manufacturing parameters of the biodegradable mulching films and foster the end‐user confidence in the eco‐friendly biodegradable mulch films. Highlights Eight PBAT/PLA mulch films with different blow‐up ratios were obtained. The properties of PBAT/PLA mulch films were mainly affected by blow‐up ratio. The relation between performance and manufacturing parameters was clarified. Die and screw diameter have no significant effect on film properties.

Biodegradable film mulching increases soil microbial network complexity and decreases nitrogen-cycling gene abundance

The influence on soil environment by continuing use of the biodegradable plastic films (biodegradable mulching films) in farmland was investigated. The difference was not seen in the amount of soil bacteria between mulching film plowing sections and non-plowing sections. The total bacteria amount did not increase by the effect of plowing the biodegradable mulching film. Poly-(butylene succinate and adipate) (PBSA) and poly-(e-caprolactone) (PCL) decomposing bacteria did not increase in PBSA and PCL mulching film plowing sections comparing polyethylene covering section (PE) and no-film section. Polylactic acid (PLA) decomposing bacteria were not detected in all sections. Total denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) band patterns did not show a clear transition of the bacterial community structure in both the cultivating and promoting sections. In usual usage condition of the biodegradable plastic films, it was hardly influence to the soil environment such as bacterial community structure in farmland.

Evaluating the effects of biodegradable and plastic film mulching on soil temperature in a drip-irrigated field

Biodegradable mulch film enhances the environmental sustainability compared with traditional polyethylene film from multidimensional perspectives

Growers are interested in biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based polyethylene mulch film (PEM). However, many growers cite limited knowledge about biodegradable mulch films (BDMs) as a significant barrier to adoption. Agronomic field tests of BDMs are often limited temporally or spatially, and the variability of performance results relative to PEM may be contributing to this perceived knowledge gap. Our objective was to use data available in the scientific literature to provide the first quantitative performance benchmark of BDMs against PEM. We extracted data from 66 articles for meta-analysis. Response ratios were calculated for comparison of BDMs relative to black PEM, and differences among categorical groups were determined using 95% bootstrap confidence intervals. Overall, BDMs reduced soil temperature by 4.5% ± 0.8% (±one standard error) compared to PEM, and temperatures were coolest beneath paper-based BDM. Starch-polyester BDM was less effective than PEM for weed control, but paper-based BDM reduced weed density and biomass by 85.7% ± 9.2%. Paper-based BDMs were particularly useful for controlling Cyperus spp. weeds. Despite differences in soil temperature and weed suppression, crop yields were not different between BDMs and PEM. Future research should focus on reducing costs, adding functional value, and increasing the biodegradability of BDMs.

Plastic residual film pollution in China is severe, and the use of degradable mulch film instead of plastic mulch can effectively alleviate this situation. The substitution of common polyethylene plastic mulch film with biodegradable mulch film in the agricultural production of cotton and maize in an arid region was investigated in the present study. Using bare soil as the control, we compared the effects of common polyethylene plastic film and biodegradable mulch film on crop growth, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) in maize and cotton. The results indicated that: (1) the biodegradable mulch film in this region remained intact for 60 days after being laid down, significantly degrading after 120 days, and was associated with increased soil temperature, moisture conservation, and degradability in comparison to a bare soil control; (2) Both the biodegradable mulch film and the polyethylene plastic film significantly increased various physiological parameters, such as crop height, stalk diameter, and leaf area; (3) The biodegradable mulch film had a significant effect on crop yield by 69.4–76.2% and 65.2–71.9%, respectively, compared to the bare soil control. (4) Compared to the bare soil control, the biodegradable mulch film effectively increased WUE in the crops by 64.5–73.1%. In summary, biodegradable mulch film had comparable results to the common polyethylene plastic film in increasing crop growth, yield, and WUE. As the biodegradable mulch film causes no residual pollution, it is thus preferable to common plastic mulch film for agricultural applications in arid regions and supports the sustainable development of agroecosystems. Therefore, the use of degradable mulch films in agricultural production is more environmentally friendly and more conducive to the sustainable development of agricultural systems.

The effects of biodegradable and plastic film mulching on nitrogen uptake, distribution, and leaching in a drip-irrigated sandy field

Effects of plastic film mulch biodegradability on nitrogen in the plant-soil system

ABSTRACTMulching films serve various functions, such as temperature regulation, moisture retention, and weed suppression. They can substantially increase crop yields and are widely adopted in agricultural practices. However, the use of traditional plastic mulch films is limited by their difficult recycling processes and poor biodegradability, leading to soil contamination and negatively affecting crop growth. Consequently, eco‐friendly alternatives are gaining attention as replacements for conventional petroleum‐based films in agricultural applications. Enhancing the performance of these eco‐friendly films remains a crucial challenge. Traditional polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films have inherent limitations, including low mechanical strength and poor water resistance. In this work, a PVA/sodium alginate (SA)/glycerol (GLY)/glutaraldehyde (GA) film was prepared that is biodegradable, demonstrates superior mechanical properties, and offers exceptional transparency through glutaraldehyde crosslinking. The impact of GA on films was examined using characterization techniques. The findings revealed that the composite film has a uniform, compact surface with no observable holes or aggregation. The mechanical performance and water vapor barrier properties (WVP) of the film were significantly enhanced after GA crosslinking. The tensile strength and elongation at the break of the PVA/SA/GLY/GA film reached 33.73 MPa and 362.89%, respectively. This work offers a straightforward approach to the development of sustainable agricultural materials.

PBAT/PPCP Biodegradable Mulching Films with Enhanced Weatherability and Water Barrier Properties for Increased Cotton Yields

Polyethylene mulch film (PEM) is widely utilized in garlic cultivation, significantly enhancing garlic yield. However, the prolonged use of this material leads to serious environmental issues that adversely affect soil health and plant growth. To promote the adoption of biodegradable mulch film (BDM) in garlic cultivation, we investigate the effects of BDMs with thicknesses of 0.006 mm, 0.008 mm, and 0.010 mm on garlic growth and soil properties, comparing them with the commonly used PEM 0.008 mm. The results indicated that the agronomic traits of garlic were significantly improved under both PEM and BDMs compared to no mulching, with yield increases ranging from 75.42% to 90.39%. The highest garlic yield was observed with the BDM 0.008 mm. Most above-ground agronomic traits of garlic did not exhibit significant differences between PEM and BDMs, although a few traits showed slight increases under the BDMs 0.008 mm and 0.010 mm. The quality characteristics of garlic bulbs, including the contents of soluble sugar, vitamin C, and allicin, did not differ significantly between PEM and BDMs. Soil temperature was significantly higher under both PEM and BDMs compared to no mulching. In comparison to PEM 0.008 mm, the application of BDMs 0.006 mm and 0.008 mm significantly enhanced potassium availability in the soil. Furthermore, the activities of catalase, phosphatase, and invertase were notably increased under the BDM 0.008 mm, suggesting that this type of mulch could improve the physicochemical properties of the soil. Additionally, the BDM 0.008 mm remained intact throughout the low-temperature overwintering period, began to partially degrade as temperatures rose in March and April, and exhibited considerable fragmentation during the maturity and harvest periods of garlic. Its degradation rate was well aligned with the growth requirements of garlic. Taken together, these findings suggested that the BDM 0.008 mm is particularly effective, resulting in significant yield increase and an appropriate degradation rate. These results provided a valuable reference for the selection and application of BDM in garlic cultivation.

Polybutylene adipate terephthalic acid (PBAT) biodegradable mulching films effectively affect the nutrition metabolism and growth of chewing cane compared to polyethylene mulching films

Evaluating the effects of biodegradable film mulching on soil water dynamics in a drip-irrigated field