Avaliação do desempenho de diferentes plásticos biodegradáveis na cultura do mo...

• Author(s): Andrade, Cláudia Santos ; Campo, Jacinta L. ; Palha, Maria da Graça ; Duarte, Elizabeth
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/5710
• Origin: Repositório da UTL
• Subject(s): strawberry; conventional mulch films; autumn-winter crop; sustainability
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: Portuguese

Description

An enormous amount of plastic waste resulting from the agricultural activities is produced every year. Part of this plastic remains in the fields, while the other part is sent to recycling or landfill. The use of biodegradable mulch films can play an important role towards a sustainable development in agricultural sector. These plastics can be plugged in the soil, after its use, together with the crop residues. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of three different biodegradable mulch films (P1, P2 and P3) against the conventional polyethylene mulch film (P4), in the production of strawberries, during the autumn-winter cycle. The parameters followed during the crop cycle were the plastic degradation and the yield. The biodegradable mulch films had different behaviours during the crop cycle, P3 showing the best performance with 85% soil coverage at the end of the crop cycle, followed by P2 and P1 with 70% and 20%, respectively. The soil coverage of the conventional mulch film was 100%. Compared to conventional mulch film, biodegradable mulches led to a crop yield decrease. As a conclusion, this innovative agricultural practice can be an interesting alternative and a good opportunity for the farmers to try these promising alternatives to polyethylene, without compromising the economic viability of its use.