Preformed and sprayable polymeric mulch film to improve agricultural water use efficiency

Raju Adhikari, Keith L. Bristow, Philip S. Casey, George Freischmidt, John W. Hornbuckle and Benu Adhikari

Agricultural Water Management, 2016, vol. 169, issue C, 1-13

Abstract: Plastic mulch films are widely used in agriculture to enhance crop production by suppressing weeds, conserving soil water and increasing soil temperature. The majority of plastic mulch films are however not biodegradable and are typically removed after each growing season. Recovery of these plastics from the soil is difficult and can affect successive crop yields while causing substantive cost to the environment and farmers. Due to increasingly stringent regulations regarding use of non-degradable plastic in agriculture they are likely to be phased out in the near future. In the past 10 years several classes of ‘biodegradable’ materials have been studied but most of these films are reported to be relatively weak in mechanical properties, not efficiently degradable and cost prohibitive.

Keywords: Moisture loss; Polymer; Permeability; Crop yield; Bioplastic; Water vapour transmission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:169:y:2016:i:c:p:1-13

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2016.02.006

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