The Mater-Bi® biodegradable film for strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) mulching: effects on fruit yield and quality

Abstract

Two trials in different agricultural farms were carried out from October 2014 to June 2015 with the aim to assess the advantages linked to the substitution of the low density polyethylene (LDPE) films for soil mulching with the Mater-Bi ® biodegradable films in the strawberry cultivation under tunnel in Campania. Lifetime of biodegradable mulch and influence of type of mulch on the yield and the quality of cvs Sabrina and Fortuna were evaluated. Plants were cultivated on mulched, raised beds, high 40 cm from bottom soil. Mater-Bi ® film was 20 μm thick while LDPE film was 50 μm thick. The physical-chemical parameters (firmness, pH, total soluble solid content, titratable acidity and skin colour) and some bioactive compounds (total polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, antioxidant activity) of fruits were determined by three samplings effected in consecutive months (from March to May 2015) of the harvest cycle. Biodegradable film guaranteed an effective mulch along the whole strawberry cycle (9-10 months including the time of drawing up of film). Yields of cv Sabrina on LDPE was 18% higher than those on Mater-Bi ® while the opposite was detected in cv Fortuna (+10%). The physical-chemical parameters of fruits were not modified by the mulches. The content of the bioactive compounds, instead, resulted, in each time of sampling, significantly higher in fruits picked on Mater-Bi ® based film.

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

“…In our work, when averaged over biostimulant application, lettuce plants that were grown under Mater-Bi ® 2 had the highest total ascorbic acid and carotenoids content. Similarly, Morra et al [3] recorded a higher antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, and anthocyanins in two strawberry cultivars grown under biodegradable Mater-Bi film as compared to those cultivated with LDPE or in bare ground. These results are also confirmed for melon plants that are grown with biodegradable mulching films [27,49].…”

“…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 use of plastic films may have preserved soil moisture and prevented water evaporation and the excessive leaching of nutrients in the rhizosphere [1].…”

“…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.…”

“…Plastic films are widely used for growing vegetables under both open-field and greenhouse conditions [6]. Moreover, these films are mainly made by low-density polyethylene (LDPE) [3], having a strong resistance and high durability, even though, like all petroleum products, they are non-compostable and non-biodegradable. The presence of LDPE residues in the soil beyond the duration of a crop cycle is associated to soil contamination with phthalate and phthalic acid esters due to thermal degradation [7].…”

“…Therefore, farmers must manually or mechanically collect from the field and recycle or dispose them to comply with the legislative directives of each country. Unfortunately, the frequent illegal burning of plastic mulches by farmers is becoming a common practice, with the aim of reducing production costs by avoiding disposal expenses, which results in a consequent emission of toxic and harmful substances for humans and the environment [1,3]. In such a way, plastic mulching films increase plastic wastes that are used in agriculture, such as pipes and fittings; agricultural packaging, such as bags, liners, and containers [3].…”