Agronomic evaluation of green biodegradable mulch on melon

Abstract

A two-year research was carried out in 2004-2005 in order to evaluate the effects of biodegradable green mulch on melon (<em>Cucumis melo</em> L. var. <em>reticulatus</em> Naud.) yield and quality. The loss of quality due to the presence of spot caused by the residues of biodegradable plastics was also investigated. The research was conducted over two years, in open field, at S. Piero a Grado, Pisa, Italy, (lat. 43.67498, long. 10.34737), from the beginning of May to the end of July of each year. The films tested in the first year experiment were two biodegradable ones with different colours (black and green) compared with a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film, while in 2005 three biodegradable films, (two green and one black) were compared with a traditional LDPE film. The two green biodegradable films had different properties related to the biodegradation rate, faster in film <em>Cv205</em>, because of a different degree of Mater Bi polymer inside the film. In each year a randomized block design with four replications was followed. Green biodegradable films allowed obtaining a higher yield than LDPE films maybe because of the higher soil temperatures reached, and excellent fruit quality, especially for the soluble solids content and the ripening process. At the same time, the presence of residues on the fruit skin was rather low because of the degradation of films occurred at the ripening time. In the first year, the percentage of spotted fruits was low for every kind of film, while in the second one the green film showed a higher presence of residues on skin compared with the black one. The biodegradable materials covered the soil for the whole crop cycle with a good mulching effect, and the successive degradation allowed to avoid the removal and disposal of plastic film, with a certain economic advantage

Appraisal of Biodegradable Mulching Films and Vegetal-Derived Biostimulant Application as Eco-Sustainable Practices for Enhancing Lettuce Crop Performance and Nutritive Value

“…Our findings concerning the beneficial effect of mulching versus bare soil were also reported in previous studies on open-field and greenhouse vegetables. For instance, melon plants had more fruits and higher fruit mean weight when grown with biodegradable films and LDPE, as compared to bare soil [2]. An increase in marketable yield in the presence of polyethylene and biodegradable (Mater-Bi ® ) films when compared to bare soil was also observed in pumpkin [24], tomato [1,4,25], strawberry [3,26], garlic chives [5], as well as lettuce [27].…”

“…The introduction of this technique in agriculture dates back to the 1970s, and its success is still linked to multiple benefits. In fact, plastic films can: (i) increase soil temperature and keep it constant throughout the first 20-30 cm layer, so that plants' roots develop faster [1,2]; (ii) reduce soil evapotranspiration and preserve moisture; (iii) prevent soil erosion and excessive leaching of nutrients from plants' rhizosphere; and, (iv) improve the performance of plants in a quantitative and qualitative manner [1,[3][4][5]. In addition, mulching films suppress weeds growth, protect crops against pests and various diseases, and reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides.…”

“…In fact, these materials are entirely degraded by soil microorganisms and they are mineralized in carbon dioxide and methane, water, and biomass, without the production of toxic substances. Any biodegradable material is designed to disappear within the soil in 5-6 months after the end of the crop [2].…”

Adoption of biodegradable mulching films in agriculture: is there a negative prejudice towards materials derived from organic wastes?

“…A number of studies have recently analysed the agronomic and environmental performance of paper mulch (Martin-Closas et al, 2003;Moreno et al, 2013;Haapala et al, 2014), polyethylene with additives for degradation or biodegradable films (Filippi et al, 2011;Saraiva et al, 2012;Benincasa et al, 2014). By conducting field experiments, these studies showed that these potential substitutes of conventional films offer the advantage of degrading into non-toxic components.…”

Optimising the use of plastic protective covers in field grown melon on a farm scale

“…However, solarisation, cultivar disease resistance, and the use of grafted plants may help limit these problems (Alan et al, 2007;Castronuovo et al, 2005;Tamietti and Valentino, 2006;Trionfetti Nisini et al, 2002). In contrast to high tunnels, either low tunnels, floating row covers or ground mulches are usually disposable and thus expensive (cost of material, setup and disposal), although biodegradable films are now available which would help avoid at least usage/disposal costs (Filippi et al, 2011;Vox et al, 2005;Waterer, 2010). In any case, the profit margin of using plastic protections just for a warming effect may be quite small, particularly when considering that cheap products may often be gathered from nearby cultivation areas with milder spring climates.…”