Influences of a Highly Reflective Mulching Membrane on Heat Propagation throughout the Soil

Mattia Manni, Alessia Di Giuseppe, Andrea Nicolini, Fabio Sciurpi and Franco Cotana
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Mattia Manni: Interuniversity Research Center on Pollution and Environment “Mauro Felli”, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Alessia Di Giuseppe: Interuniversity Research Center on Pollution and Environment “Mauro Felli”, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Andrea Nicolini: Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Fabio Sciurpi: Department of Architecture, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
Franco Cotana: Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 17, 1-11

Abstract: Agro-food chain impacts global greenhouse gas emissions by around 30%. To reduce this score without worsening food crops’ yield, new and more sustainable technologies (i.e., mulching membranes, advanced irrigation systems) were implemented. Within this framework, the present study aims to assess the influences on heat propagation throughout the soil of a highly reflective mulching membrane. An experimental facility was implemented in which the surface temperatures of both the soil and the membrane were monitored together with the temperature of the soil (at three depths). Five statistical days were defined by considering the same amount of percentiles of the monitored temperatures (0th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 100th percentiles). Then, the attenuation and the phase shift of the thermal wave throughout the soil and the cooling potential of the membrane were calculated. Although negligible variations from the uncovered soil were observed in surface temperature, the membrane enables a greater attenuation of the thermal wave throughout the soil. This can be up to 16 °C cooler than the surface, with potential benefits for plant growth. Furthermore, the membrane optical properties permit to offset carbon emissions from agriculture activities by around 0.1 tCO 2-eq m −2 .

Keywords: cool materials; sustainable agriculture; monitoring campaign (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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