Biodegradable Spray Mulch Applications in Greenhouse Agroecosystems

Michele Caputo, Carlo Di Cesare, Paola Iovieno, Barbara Immirzi, Daniela Baldantoni (), Marija Stipic, Massimo Zaccardelli and Accursio Venezia
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Michele Caputo: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy
Carlo Di Cesare: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy
Paola Iovieno: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy
Barbara Immirzi: Institute on Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council, 80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
Daniela Baldantoni: Department of Chemistry and Biology “Adolfo Zambelli”, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Marija Stipic: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy
Massimo Zaccardelli: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy
Accursio Venezia: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-15

Abstract: The replacement of synthetic chemical herbicides and traditional plastic sheets is a major challenge of modern horticulture in view of a sustainable weed management. In the first step of this research, we tested the weed control efficacy of two biodegradable polymers, chitosan and galactomannan, applied to the soil surface as spray mulching, with or without the addition of charcoal as a light masking agent, and five essential oils with recognized herbicide properties. The results showed the ability of chitosan in reducing the number and the biomass of annual plants, regardless of the addition of charcoal and essential oils. In the second step, we tested the efficacy of one or three days of false seeding to increase the effectiveness of chitosan against seed germination. The results showed, on average, a reduction of 79% of annual weed presence after three days of false seeding. In both steps, the microbial biomass and three indicators of microbial activity (i.e., basal respiration, FDA hydrolysis activity, and D-glucosamine-induced respiration) were measured in the soil under the experiments in order to investigate possible alterations of soil biological activity induced by the treatments. The results provided no evidence of negative impact of the treatments on soil microbial biomass and activity.

Keywords: chitosan; galactomannan; annual plant inhibition; false seeding; soil biological quality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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