The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Shaozhong Kang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of different Plastic film Mulches and wetted soil percentages on potato grown under drip irrigation
Agricultural Water Management, 2017Co-Authors: Youliang Zhang, Fengxin Wang, Clinton C Shock, Shaozhong Kang, Kaijing Yang, Jingtao QinAbstract:Abstract Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), an important food crop of Northwest China, is commonly grown using transparent Plastic film Mulch for water conservation since both irrigation water and precipitation are scarce. In order to improve production efficiency, field experiments were conducted at Shiyanghe Experimental Station, China Agricultural University, Wuwei, Gansu Province, China using Plastic Mulch and drip irrigation to study the influence of two typical Plastic Mulches (transparent and black) and three wetted soil percentages on potato root distribution, evapotranspiration, tuber yield and quality, and water use efficiency (WUE) in 2014 and 2015. Using a wetted soil percentage of 55%, three soil surface treatments were tested: transparent Plastic Mulch, black Plastic Mulch, and a non-Mulched check. With the transparent Plastic Mulch, three wetted soil percentages 35%, 55%, and 75% were evaluated. The soil retained moisture better in the Mulched treatments than in the non-Mulched treatment. As the plant canopy increased, the differences diminished. Potato grown without Plastic Mulch developed more roots than potato grown with Mulch. The soil water fluctuations in the top of the bed with black Plastic Mulch were greater than with transparent Plastic Mulch. Potato grown with either Plastic Mulch had greater yield and WUE than potato grown without Plastic Mulch. Potato grown with transparent Plastic Mulch had 10% and 7% greater WUE in 2014 and 2015, respectively than potato grown with black Plastic Mulch but the differences were not statistically significant. For different wetted soil percentages, the irrigation frequency was higher with the 35% wetted soil treatment than with 55% or 75%. The irrigation at 35% principally only affected the soil water in the upper soil in contrast to the 55% or 75% treatments. The 35% wetted soil treatment had more root development in 2015. Potato evapotranspiration increased as the wetted soil percentage increased. The 75% wetted soil treatment had significantly more evapotranspiration than the 35% wetted soil treatment in 2015. The 35% wetted soil treatment had the highest WUE, 17% and 25% higher than the 75% wetted soil treatment in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The 35% wetted soil percentage irrigation regime combined with transparent Plastic Mulch merits wider testing for potato production in arid Northwest China.
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potato performance as influenced by the proportion of wetted soil volume and nitrogen under drip irrigation with Plastic Mulch
Agricultural Water Management, 2017Co-Authors: Kaijing Yang, Fengxin Wang, Clinton C Shock, Shaozhong Kang, Zailin Huo, Na SongAbstract:Abstract Scarce water resources and substantial food demands require efficient water use in arid Northwestern China. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the proportion of wetted soil (P) and nitrogen fertilizer (N) on potato yield, crop evapotranspiration (ETc), water use efficiency (WUE), and quality under drip irrigation with Plastic Mulch. In 2012, a factorial trial was conducted with two soil wetting proportions (40% and 70%) and five N rates (90, 135, 180, 225 and 270 kg N ha−1). In 2013, a factorial trial tested two soil wetting proportions (50% and 75%) and four N rates (90, 150, 210 and 270 kg N ha−1). Results showed that seasonal ETc was greater with higher P, but the difference in ETc was not significant among different N rates. Although tuber yields of different P levels were not statistically different, yields with lower P were numerically larger than with higher P. The water was used more efficiently with lower proportions of wetted soil. Potato yield, WUE, and tuber starch and vitamin C content responded quadratically to the rate of applied N. Tuber protein was positively and linearly correlated with the N rate. The results suggest that potato could be cultivated with a moderate P (40–50%) and an intermediate rate of applied N (135–150 kg N ha−1) under drip irrigation with Mulch, achieving acceptable yields and quality while saving irrigation water and conserving N fertilizer.
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duration of Plastic Mulch for potato growth under drip irrigation in an arid region of northwest china
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2010Co-Authors: Xiaoyan Hou, Fengxin Wang, Shaozhong Kang, Jiangjiang Han, Shaoyuan FengAbstract:Abstract Field experiments were conducted to examine the effect the duration of Plastic Mulching has on soil temperature, evapotranspiration, potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and yields, and water use efficiency (WUE), under drip irrigation in an arid region of Northwest China in 2006 and 2007. The duration of coverage with 0.0075 mm thick, transparent Plastic Mulch on potato beds varied from zero days (i.e. no cover) to the entire season. The average daily air temperature during the two growing seasons was adequate for potato growth, but there were days when the maximum air temperature was above 30 °C. Daily mean soil temperature under the Plastic Mulch was 2–9 °C higher than for non-Mulching conditions. The Mulch effect on soil temperature was greatest during the early growth and became less as the plant canopy increased. Differences in the air and soil temperature between years could explain the difference of potato growth under different Mulch durations for the two growing seasons. Mulch reduced irrigation water required and evapotranspiration; however, extending Mulch duration beyond 60 days had little effect on evapotranspiration. Both tuber yield and WUE demonstrated benefiting from early Plastic Mulching. Mulch cover for 60 days was favorable for potato production in both years compared to potatoes grown without Mulch.
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potato growth with and without Plastic Mulch in two typical regions of northern china
Field Crops Research, 2009Co-Authors: Fengxin Wang, Shaozhong Kang, Shaoyuan Feng, Xiaoyan Hou, Jiangjiang HanAbstract:Abstract Plastic film Mulching is an important agricultural practice to save water and improve crop productivity in Northern China. Three field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of Plastic Mulch on soil temperature, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation in two typical regions of Northern China in 2001 and 2006. Results suggest that daily mean soil temperature under Mulch was 2–9 °C higher than without Mulch, especially during the early growth. Potato growth was restrained under Mulching conditions in the North China Plain mainly due to the higher air temperature in this region and thus the higher soil temperature. The negative effects of Mulching included a lower emergence and fewer marketable tubers per plant. Evapotranspiration and potato tuber yield were both reduced by Mulch, especially in the North China Plain. In northwest China, Mulch favorably increased the weight of jumbo tubers (W ≥ 300 g) per plant. Mulching duration had little effect on potato evapotranspiration in northwest China. However, both tuber yield and water use efficiency (WUE) decreased with increases in Mulch duration, which suggests the Plastic Mulch should be removed early.
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evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of spring maize with Plastic Mulch using eddy covariance in northwest china
Agricultural Water Management, 2008Co-Authors: Shaozhong Kang, Lu ZhangAbstract:Spring maize under Plastic Mulch is the staple food crop in northwest China. Studying its evapotranspiration (ET) and crop coefficient (Kc) is important for managing water-saving irrigation in the region. Eddy covariance (EC) was applied to measure spring maize ET in 2007 in northwest China, focusing on the characteristics of the maize ET and Kc processes under Plastic Mulch. An interesting result was that a higher Kc in this study relative to the value of FAO 56 was presented in the mid and late season, e.g. average Kc was 1.46, 1.39 and 1.22 during the heading, filling and maturity stage, respectively. This result was mainly due to that (1) the Plastic Mulch had an effect on anti-senescence of maize and great green leaf still existed before the harvest; (2) the FAO 56 PM model may underestimate the reference crop ET in the mid and late season of maize in the region; (3) the planting density was higher in the study, which was about 374,800 plants ha-1. Though Kc during the mid and late season was high, a high water use efficiency of 25.2 kg ha-1 mm-1 was still obtained in the study. Our study confirmed that Plastic Mulch has beneficial effect on improving maize water use efficiency in this severe water shortage region of northwest China.
Thomas C Mueller - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of metam sodium on the dissipation and residual biological activity of the herbicides eptc and pebulate in surface soil under black Plastic Mulch
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2000Co-Authors: Carrie L Stiles, David L Coffey, Darren K. Robinson, Carl E. Sams, Thomas C MuellerAbstract:Metam sodium is a potential replacement for methyl bromide, which is used to control soil pests. Metam sodium rapidly breaks down in the soil to form methylisothiocyanate (MITC). Dissipation of the herbicides EPTC and pebulate in a silt loam soil under Plastic Mulch in the absence and presence of metam sodium was examined in field experiments in 1998 and 1999 at Knoxville, Tennessee. EPTC half-life (DT50) was 9 d, but when applied in conjunction with metam sodium DT50 increased to 22 d. Similarly, average pebulate DT50 was 8 d and increased to 23 d when applied in conjunction with metam sodium. This increase in herbicide DT50 with the addition of metam sodium is thought to be due to a reduction in soil microorganisms that degrade EPTC and pebulate. EPTC applied with metam sodium injured tomato plants and reduced total crop yield more than EPTC, pebulate, or pebulate with metam sodium. The increased tomato injury may have been related to the greater and prolonged activity of EPTC and slower EPTC dissipatio...
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influence of metam sodium on the dissipation and residual biological activity of the herbicides eptc and pebulate in surface soil under black Plastic Mulch
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2000Co-Authors: Carrie L Stiles, David L Coffey, Darren K. Robinson, Carl E. Sams, Thomas C MuellerAbstract:Metam sodium is a potential replacement for methyl bromide, which is used to control soil pests. Metam sodium rapidly breaks down in the soil to form methylisothiocyanate (MITC). Dissipation of the herbicides EPTC and pebulate in a silt loam soil under Plastic Mulch in the absence and presence of metam sodium was examined in field experiments in 1998 and 1999 at Knoxville, Tennessee. EPTC half-life (DT(50)) was 9 d, but when applied in conjunction with metam sodium DT(50) increased to 22 d. Similarly, average pebulate DT(50) was 8 d and increased to 23 d when applied in conjunction with metam sodium. This increase in herbicide DT(50) with the addition of metam sodium is thought to be due to a reduction in soil microorganisms that degrade EPTC and pebulate. EPTC applied with metam sodium injured tomato plants and reduced total crop yield more than EPTC, pebulate, or pebulate with metam sodium. The increased tomato injury may have been related to the greater and prolonged activity of EPTC and slower EPTC dissipation in the presence of metam sodium or MITC.
Jennifer M Debruyn - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality
Geoderma, 2021Co-Authors: Henry Y. Sintim, Sreejata Bandopadhyay, Marie E. English, Andy I. Bary, Carol A. Miles, Sean M Schaeffer, Jennifer M Debruyn, José E. Liquet Y González, Markus FluryAbstract:Abstract There is an increased interest in the use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch due to limited disposal options for conventional polyethylene Mulch. However, information about the impact of continuous use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch on the environment is limited. Here, we show the effects on soil and groundwater quality from the use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches for crop production for four consecutive seasons. Two soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch products were assessed at two locations (Knoxville, TN and Mount Vernon, WA) having different climates (humid subtropical and cool Mediterranean), with cellulosic-paper Mulch, polyethylene Mulch, and no-Mulch included as control treatments. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties were first assessed in the spring of 2015 (prior to any field operations), and then a few days after harvest in the fall of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Water samples were collected in the fall of 2018 from lysimeters installed at 55-cm depth and analyzed for nutrient composition. Compared to the no-Mulch treatment, the soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches and polyethylene Mulch increased the soil aggregate stability (by 6–16%) and water infiltration rate (by 10–12%) by protecting the soil surface from disturbance. Residual nitrate and nitrite under the Plastic Mulch after harvest were lower than under no-Mulch (by 4.1 kg ha−1 to 7.3 kg ha−1) due to increased yield and associated enhanced nutrient uptake. However, Plastic Mulching, especially the polyethylene Mulch, reduced soil microbial activity, measured as burst CO2-C by 6 g kg−1 day−1 to 54 kg−1 day−1, but had no effect on extractable organic carbon concentrations nor specific extracellular enzyme activity rates. Within the four-year period, the soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches had overall positive effects on soil and groundwater quality, except for reduced burst microbial respiration, which was more pronounced in Mount Vernon.
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Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films for Sustainable Specialty Crop Production
Polymers for Agri-Food Applications, 2019Co-Authors: Douglas G. Hayes, Sreejata Bandopadhyay, Marie E. English, Marife B. Anunciado, Shuresh Ghimire, Carol A. Miles, Sean M Schaeffer, Jennifer M Debruyn, Markus Flury, Henry Y. SintimAbstract:Plastic Mulch films are employed in the production of vegetables and other specialty crops worldwide due to the benefits they provide, such as reduction of weeds and water loss by evaporation, and control of soil temperature. The benefits can lead to better product quality and yield, and to a more efficient utilization of agricultural inputs such as water. Unfortunately, polyethylene (PE), the most commonly employed constituent of Plastic Mulches, is poorly biodegradable, thereby requiring the Mulch’s’ expensive and laborious retrieval after harvest. The opportunities for recycling and landfilling of PE Mulches are not readily available or are impractical. Residual PE fragments are readily dispersed in soil-related ecosystems and watersheds, where they can harm micro- and macro-organisms. Biodegradable Plastic Mulches (BDMs) have been developed to address the disposal-related deficiencies. Although the purchase costs of BDMs are over two-fold higher than PE Mulches, BDMs are inexpensively plowed into the soil after harvest. Despite the environmental benefits of replacing PE Plastic Mulches with BDMs, and potential savings of labor costs at harvest, the long-term impact of multiyear BDM employment on soil health and specialty crop productivity is still a concern. This chapter provides a review of BDMs in specialty crop production, including commonly employed polymeric constituents. The authors’ recent interdisciplinary research on the long-term impacts of BDMs on specialty crop production and soil fertility will also be discussed.
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biodegradable Plastic Mulch films impacts on soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions
Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018Co-Authors: Sreejata Bandopadhyay, A.m. Pelacho, L Martinclosas, Jennifer M DebruynAbstract:Agricultural Plastic Mulch films are widely used in specialty crop production systems because of their agronomic benefits. Biodegradable Plastic Mulches (BDMs) offer an environmentally-sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene (PE) Mulch. Unlike PE films, which need to be removed after use, BDMs are tilled into soil where they are expected to biodegrade. However there remains considerable uncertainty about long-term impacts of BDM incorporation on soil ecosystems. BDMs potentially influence soil microbial communities in two ways: First, as a surface barrier prior to soil incorporation, indirectly affecting soil microclimate and atmosphere (similar to PE films) and second, after soil incorporation, as a direct input of physical fragments, which add carbon, microorganisms, additives and adherent chemicals. This review summarizes the current literature on impacts of Plastic Mulches on soil biological and biogeochemical processes, with a special emphasis on BDMs. The combined findings indicated that when used as a surface barrier, Plastic Mulches altered soil microbial community composition and functioning via microclimate modification, though the nature of these alterations varied between studies. In addition, BDM incorporation into soil can result in enhanced microbial activity and enrichment of fungal taxa. This suggests that despite the fact that total carbon input from BDMs is minuscule, a stimulatory effect on microbial activity may ultimately affect soil organic matter dynamics. To address the current knowledge gaps, long term studies and a better understanding of impacts of BDMs on nutrient biogeochemistry are needed. These are critical to evaluating BDMs as they relate to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.
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Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films: Impacts on Soil Microbial Communities and Ecosystem Functions.
Frontiers in microbiology, 2018Co-Authors: Sreejata Bandopadhyay, L. Martín-closas, A.m. Pelacho, Jennifer M DebruynAbstract:Agricultural Plastic Mulch films are widely used in specialty crop production systems because of their agronomic benefits. Biodegradable Plastic Mulches (BDMs) offer an environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional polyethylene (PE) Mulch. Unlike PE films, which need to be removed after use, BDMs are tilled into soil where they are expected to biodegrade. However, there remains considerable uncertainty about long-term impacts of BDM incorporation on soil ecosystems. BDMs potentially influence soil microbial communities in two ways: first, as a surface barrier prior to soil incorporation, indirectly affecting soil microclimate and atmosphere (similar to PE films) and second, after soil incorporation, as a direct input of physical fragments, which add carbon, microorganisms, additives, and adherent chemicals. This review summarizes the current literature on impacts of Plastic Mulches on soil biological and biogeochemical processes, with a special emphasis on BDMs. The combined findings indicated that when used as a surface barrier, Plastic Mulches altered soil microbial community composition and functioning via microclimate modification, though the nature of these alterations varied between studies. In addition, BDM incorporation into soil can result in enhanced microbial activity and enrichment of fungal taxa. This suggests that despite the fact that total carbon input from BDMs is minuscule, a stimulatory effect on microbial activity may ultimately affect soil organic matter dynamics. To address the current knowledge gaps, long term studies and a better understanding of impacts of BDMs on nutrient biogeochemistry are needed. These are critical to evaluating BDMs as they relate to soil health and agroecosystem sustainability.
Fengxin Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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influence of different Plastic film Mulches and wetted soil percentages on potato grown under drip irrigation
Agricultural Water Management, 2017Co-Authors: Youliang Zhang, Fengxin Wang, Clinton C Shock, Shaozhong Kang, Kaijing Yang, Jingtao QinAbstract:Abstract Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), an important food crop of Northwest China, is commonly grown using transparent Plastic film Mulch for water conservation since both irrigation water and precipitation are scarce. In order to improve production efficiency, field experiments were conducted at Shiyanghe Experimental Station, China Agricultural University, Wuwei, Gansu Province, China using Plastic Mulch and drip irrigation to study the influence of two typical Plastic Mulches (transparent and black) and three wetted soil percentages on potato root distribution, evapotranspiration, tuber yield and quality, and water use efficiency (WUE) in 2014 and 2015. Using a wetted soil percentage of 55%, three soil surface treatments were tested: transparent Plastic Mulch, black Plastic Mulch, and a non-Mulched check. With the transparent Plastic Mulch, three wetted soil percentages 35%, 55%, and 75% were evaluated. The soil retained moisture better in the Mulched treatments than in the non-Mulched treatment. As the plant canopy increased, the differences diminished. Potato grown without Plastic Mulch developed more roots than potato grown with Mulch. The soil water fluctuations in the top of the bed with black Plastic Mulch were greater than with transparent Plastic Mulch. Potato grown with either Plastic Mulch had greater yield and WUE than potato grown without Plastic Mulch. Potato grown with transparent Plastic Mulch had 10% and 7% greater WUE in 2014 and 2015, respectively than potato grown with black Plastic Mulch but the differences were not statistically significant. For different wetted soil percentages, the irrigation frequency was higher with the 35% wetted soil treatment than with 55% or 75%. The irrigation at 35% principally only affected the soil water in the upper soil in contrast to the 55% or 75% treatments. The 35% wetted soil treatment had more root development in 2015. Potato evapotranspiration increased as the wetted soil percentage increased. The 75% wetted soil treatment had significantly more evapotranspiration than the 35% wetted soil treatment in 2015. The 35% wetted soil treatment had the highest WUE, 17% and 25% higher than the 75% wetted soil treatment in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The 35% wetted soil percentage irrigation regime combined with transparent Plastic Mulch merits wider testing for potato production in arid Northwest China.
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potato performance as influenced by the proportion of wetted soil volume and nitrogen under drip irrigation with Plastic Mulch
Agricultural Water Management, 2017Co-Authors: Kaijing Yang, Fengxin Wang, Clinton C Shock, Shaozhong Kang, Zailin Huo, Na SongAbstract:Abstract Scarce water resources and substantial food demands require efficient water use in arid Northwestern China. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the proportion of wetted soil (P) and nitrogen fertilizer (N) on potato yield, crop evapotranspiration (ETc), water use efficiency (WUE), and quality under drip irrigation with Plastic Mulch. In 2012, a factorial trial was conducted with two soil wetting proportions (40% and 70%) and five N rates (90, 135, 180, 225 and 270 kg N ha−1). In 2013, a factorial trial tested two soil wetting proportions (50% and 75%) and four N rates (90, 150, 210 and 270 kg N ha−1). Results showed that seasonal ETc was greater with higher P, but the difference in ETc was not significant among different N rates. Although tuber yields of different P levels were not statistically different, yields with lower P were numerically larger than with higher P. The water was used more efficiently with lower proportions of wetted soil. Potato yield, WUE, and tuber starch and vitamin C content responded quadratically to the rate of applied N. Tuber protein was positively and linearly correlated with the N rate. The results suggest that potato could be cultivated with a moderate P (40–50%) and an intermediate rate of applied N (135–150 kg N ha−1) under drip irrigation with Mulch, achieving acceptable yields and quality while saving irrigation water and conserving N fertilizer.
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effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato tuber yield and quality under Plastic Mulch in arid northwestern china
Field Crops Research, 2011Co-Authors: Fengxin Wang, Clinton C Shock, Liyun Chu, Xuan XueAbstract:Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of drip irrigation regimes on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth, tuber yield and quality, and water use efficiency (WUE) when grown under Plastic Mulch in an arid area of Northwestern China in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The 2008 experiment consisted of a drip irrigation check without Plastic Mulch and four different drip irrigation frequency treatments with Plastic Mulch: once every day, once every 2 days, once every 4 days, and once every 8 days. In 2009 and 2010 the drip check treatment without Mulch was irrigated at −25 kPa soil matric potential (SMP) during three potato development stages and four different SMP drip irrigation strategies were compared during the potato development stages (using Plastic Mulch): S1 (−25 kPa SMP during the three development stages), S2 (−25 kPa SMP during tuber initiation and bulking and −35 kPa SMP during maturation), S3 (−25 kPa SMP during tuber initiation and maturation and −35 kPa SMP during bulking), S4 (−35 kPa SMP during the three development stages). Plastic Mulch negatively affected tuber yield, WUE, and tuber quality. In the presence of Plastic Mulch, tuber yield, specific gravity, starch content, and vitamin C content seemed to be enhanced as the irrigation frequency increased, although the differences were not statistically significant. Irrigation frequency did not affect WUE for potato grown under Plastic Mulch. Analysis of plant height, tuber yield and WUE showed that a drip irrigation threshold of −35 kPa SMP led to obvious water stress for potato growth in this arid area. Under Plastic Mulch in 2010, S2 was the optimum drip irrigation regime because of the significantly higher yield than S3 and S4, the highest WUE and significantly firmer tubers than any of the other irrigation regimes tested.
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duration of Plastic Mulch for potato growth under drip irrigation in an arid region of northwest china
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2010Co-Authors: Xiaoyan Hou, Fengxin Wang, Shaozhong Kang, Jiangjiang Han, Shaoyuan FengAbstract:Abstract Field experiments were conducted to examine the effect the duration of Plastic Mulching has on soil temperature, evapotranspiration, potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and yields, and water use efficiency (WUE), under drip irrigation in an arid region of Northwest China in 2006 and 2007. The duration of coverage with 0.0075 mm thick, transparent Plastic Mulch on potato beds varied from zero days (i.e. no cover) to the entire season. The average daily air temperature during the two growing seasons was adequate for potato growth, but there were days when the maximum air temperature was above 30 °C. Daily mean soil temperature under the Plastic Mulch was 2–9 °C higher than for non-Mulching conditions. The Mulch effect on soil temperature was greatest during the early growth and became less as the plant canopy increased. Differences in the air and soil temperature between years could explain the difference of potato growth under different Mulch durations for the two growing seasons. Mulch reduced irrigation water required and evapotranspiration; however, extending Mulch duration beyond 60 days had little effect on evapotranspiration. Both tuber yield and WUE demonstrated benefiting from early Plastic Mulching. Mulch cover for 60 days was favorable for potato production in both years compared to potatoes grown without Mulch.
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potato growth with and without Plastic Mulch in two typical regions of northern china
Field Crops Research, 2009Co-Authors: Fengxin Wang, Shaozhong Kang, Shaoyuan Feng, Xiaoyan Hou, Jiangjiang HanAbstract:Abstract Plastic film Mulching is an important agricultural practice to save water and improve crop productivity in Northern China. Three field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of Plastic Mulch on soil temperature, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation in two typical regions of Northern China in 2001 and 2006. Results suggest that daily mean soil temperature under Mulch was 2–9 °C higher than without Mulch, especially during the early growth. Potato growth was restrained under Mulching conditions in the North China Plain mainly due to the higher air temperature in this region and thus the higher soil temperature. The negative effects of Mulching included a lower emergence and fewer marketable tubers per plant. Evapotranspiration and potato tuber yield were both reduced by Mulch, especially in the North China Plain. In northwest China, Mulch favorably increased the weight of jumbo tubers (W ≥ 300 g) per plant. Mulching duration had little effect on potato evapotranspiration in northwest China. However, both tuber yield and water use efficiency (WUE) decreased with increases in Mulch duration, which suggests the Plastic Mulch should be removed early.
Markus Flury - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Four years of continuous use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch: impact on soil and groundwater quality
Geoderma, 2021Co-Authors: Henry Y. Sintim, Sreejata Bandopadhyay, Marie E. English, Andy I. Bary, Carol A. Miles, Sean M Schaeffer, Jennifer M Debruyn, José E. Liquet Y González, Markus FluryAbstract:Abstract There is an increased interest in the use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch due to limited disposal options for conventional polyethylene Mulch. However, information about the impact of continuous use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch on the environment is limited. Here, we show the effects on soil and groundwater quality from the use of soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches for crop production for four consecutive seasons. Two soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulch products were assessed at two locations (Knoxville, TN and Mount Vernon, WA) having different climates (humid subtropical and cool Mediterranean), with cellulosic-paper Mulch, polyethylene Mulch, and no-Mulch included as control treatments. Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties were first assessed in the spring of 2015 (prior to any field operations), and then a few days after harvest in the fall of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Water samples were collected in the fall of 2018 from lysimeters installed at 55-cm depth and analyzed for nutrient composition. Compared to the no-Mulch treatment, the soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches and polyethylene Mulch increased the soil aggregate stability (by 6–16%) and water infiltration rate (by 10–12%) by protecting the soil surface from disturbance. Residual nitrate and nitrite under the Plastic Mulch after harvest were lower than under no-Mulch (by 4.1 kg ha−1 to 7.3 kg ha−1) due to increased yield and associated enhanced nutrient uptake. However, Plastic Mulching, especially the polyethylene Mulch, reduced soil microbial activity, measured as burst CO2-C by 6 g kg−1 day−1 to 54 kg−1 day−1, but had no effect on extractable organic carbon concentrations nor specific extracellular enzyme activity rates. Within the four-year period, the soil-biodegradable Plastic Mulches had overall positive effects on soil and groundwater quality, except for reduced burst microbial respiration, which was more pronounced in Mount Vernon.
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Impact of Agricultural Weathering on Physicochemical Properties of Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films: Comparison of Two Diverse Climates Over Four Successive Years
Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 2021Co-Authors: Marife B. Anunciado, Henry Y. Sintim, Marie E. English, Sean M Schaeffer, Douglas G. Hayes, Larry C. Wadsworth, Markus FluryAbstract:Biodegradable Plastic Mulch films (BDMs) are essential in the production of vegetable and specialty crops due to their promotion of increased crop yield and quality. Unlike conventional polyethylene (PE) Mulches, BDMs can be tilled into the soil after crop harvest to undergo biodegradation, thereby leading to minimal environmental impact. Agricultural weathering impacts both the performance of BDMs during crop production as a barrier to weeds and biodegradability of BDMs in the soil. To better understand the relative importance of climatic factors, the change of physicochemical properties of BDMs during single-season, 3–4 month, field trials for vegetable production at two diverse climates (Knoxville, TN and Mount Vernon, WA) across four successive years (2015–2018) was evaluated. Mulch treatments consisted of four commercially available BDMs composed primarily of polybutylene co-adipate- co-terephthalate (PBAT) that differed in color and polymeric feedstock, a black experimental BDM prepared from polylactic acid/polyhydroxybutyrate (PLA/PHA) blend, and conventional PE Mulch. Solar radiation, an important factor to degradation of Mulches, was higher in WA than TN in most sampling years. Yet, degradation occurred more greatly for BDMs in TN, which is attributable to higher temperatures in TN. Mulch deterioration did not very extensively between years. Loss of mechanical properties and color was greater than chemical property changes. Differences in the extent of molecular weight decrease between years correlated significantly with solar radiation exposure at the two locations. A black-colored PBAT-based BDM was less susceptible to degradation than equivalent clear and white-on-black films, due to carbon black acting as a photostabilizer. The impact of weathering also differed between three commercially available PBAT-based films. The PLA/PHA Mulch was more susceptible to degradation than PBAT-based BDMs, particularly in the warmer location, TN, partially due to a leaching out of PHA and lower-molecular weight polymer molecules. The extent of change for physicochemical properties of BDMs due to agricultural weathering is greatly affected by polymeric composition, and is greater in warmer climates.
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Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films for Sustainable Specialty Crop Production
Polymers for Agri-Food Applications, 2019Co-Authors: Douglas G. Hayes, Sreejata Bandopadhyay, Marie E. English, Marife B. Anunciado, Shuresh Ghimire, Carol A. Miles, Sean M Schaeffer, Jennifer M Debruyn, Markus Flury, Henry Y. SintimAbstract:Plastic Mulch films are employed in the production of vegetables and other specialty crops worldwide due to the benefits they provide, such as reduction of weeds and water loss by evaporation, and control of soil temperature. The benefits can lead to better product quality and yield, and to a more efficient utilization of agricultural inputs such as water. Unfortunately, polyethylene (PE), the most commonly employed constituent of Plastic Mulches, is poorly biodegradable, thereby requiring the Mulch’s’ expensive and laborious retrieval after harvest. The opportunities for recycling and landfilling of PE Mulches are not readily available or are impractical. Residual PE fragments are readily dispersed in soil-related ecosystems and watersheds, where they can harm micro- and macro-organisms. Biodegradable Plastic Mulches (BDMs) have been developed to address the disposal-related deficiencies. Although the purchase costs of BDMs are over two-fold higher than PE Mulches, BDMs are inexpensively plowed into the soil after harvest. Despite the environmental benefits of replacing PE Plastic Mulches with BDMs, and potential savings of labor costs at harvest, the long-term impact of multiyear BDM employment on soil health and specialty crop productivity is still a concern. This chapter provides a review of BDMs in specialty crop production, including commonly employed polymeric constituents. The authors’ recent interdisciplinary research on the long-term impacts of BDMs on specialty crop production and soil fertility will also be discussed.
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Interaction of Lumbricus terrestris with macroscopic polyethylene and biodegradable Plastic Mulch
Science of the Total Environment, 2018Co-Authors: Liang Zhang, Henry Y. Sintim, Marife B. Anunciado, Andy I. Bary, LARRY CLIFTON WADSWORTH, Douglas G. Hayes, Markus FluryAbstract:Polyethylene Mulch films used in agriculture are a major source of Plastic pollution in soils. Biodegradable Plastics have been introduced as alternative to commonly-used polyethylene. Here we studied the interaction of earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) with polyethylene and biodegradable Plastic Mulches. The objective was to assess whether earthworms would select between different types of Mulches when foraging for food, and whether they drag macroscopic Plastic Mulch into the soil. Laboratory experiments were carried out with earthworms in Petri dishes and mesocosms. The treatments were standard polyethylene Mulch, four biodegradable Plastic Mulches (PLA/PHA [polylactic acid/polyhydroxy alkanoate], Organix, BioAgri, Naturecycle), a biodegradable paper Mulch (WeedGuardPlus), and poplar litter, which served as control. Four and three replicates for the Petri dish and mesocosm experiments were used, respectively. Macroscopic Plastic and paper Mulch pieces (1.5 cm × 1.5 cm and 2 cm × 2 cm) were collected from an agricultural field after a growing season, after being buried in the soil for 6 and 12 months, and after being composted for 2 weeks. We found that earthworms did not ingest polyethylene. Field-weathered biodegradable Plastic Mulches were not ingested either, however, after soil burial and composting, some biodegradable Plastics were eaten and could not be recovered from soil any longer. Earthworms, when foraging for food, dragged Plastic Mulch, including polyethylene and biodegradable Plastic, and poplar leaves into their burrows. The burial of macroscopic Plastic Mulch underground led to a redistribution of Plastics in the soil profile, and likely enhances the degradation of biodegradable Mulches in soil, but also can lead to leaching of Plastic fragments by macropore flow.
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modeling the effect of biodegradable paper and Plastic Mulch on soil moisture dynamics
Agricultural Water Management, 2017Co-Authors: Henry Y. Sintim, Shuresh Ghimire, Andy I. Bary, Carol A. Miles, Mustafa Saglam, D A Inglis, Markus FluryAbstract:Plastic Mulch films are often used in agriculture to conserve soil moisture. Most of the Plastic Mulch currently used worldwide is made of non-biodegradable polyethylene, which has to be removed and disposed after harvest, incurring significant environmental costs. Biodegradable paper or Plastic Mulch could offer a valuable alternative to polyethylene. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of biodegradable Mulches and standard polyethylene Mulch on soil moisture dynamics during a growing season. A field experiment was carried out with pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), which were irrigated and grown on raised beds covered with the following Mulch treatments: no Mulch, biodegradable paper, biodegradable Plastic, and polyethylene. Soil moisture was measured at 10- and 20-cm depths. A numerical model (HYDRUS-2D) was used to simulate the moisture dynamics under the different Mulch treatments, each represented by different boundary conditions at the soil surface. Polyethylene Mulch, which created an impermeable surface layer, effectively reduced evaporation and maintained highest water content among the treatments. Biodegradable paper Mulch, which was partially permeable to evaporation and rainfall throughout the growing season, resulted in soil moisture that was intermediate between that obtained for no Mulch and polyethylene. Biodegradable Plastic Mulch, which was similar to that of polyethylene Mulch initially in terms of effects on soil moisture, disintegrated during the growing season and allowed rainfall to penetrate and water to evaporate from the soil surface. Field data and model simulations both indicate that the biodegradable paper and Plastic Mulches provide comparable soil moisture dynamics as polyethylene Mulch.