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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Polymer Coated Urea in ‘Russet Burbank’ Potato: Yield and Tuber Quality
ClearBlending controlled-release urea and urea under ridge-furrow with plastic film mulching improves yield while mitigating carbon footprint in rainfed potato
Researchers found that blending controlled-release urea with conventional urea under plastic film mulching in rainfed potato farming increased tuber yield by up to 27% while reducing the carbon footprint by 14%, offering an effective strategy for sustainable dryland agriculture.
Identifying the Influencing Factors of Plastic Film Mulching on Improving the Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Potato in the Northwest China
This meta-analysis found that plastic film mulching increased potato yield by 25-30% and improved water use efficiency in water-scarce Northwest China. The benefits varied by precipitation level, fertilizer application, and mulching method, providing guidance for optimizing this widely used agricultural practice.
Effect of Agrotechnical Measures on Chemical Composition of Early Potato Tubers
This study examined how different farming practices — fertilization, irrigation, and crop rotation — affect the nutritional and chemical composition of early potato tubers. The results can help farmers optimize practices to improve food quality while maintaining sustainable agriculture.
A comparative assessment of polymer-coated and non-coated urea in direct-seeded rice: agronomic, economic, and environmental performance and sensitivity analysis
A field and modeling study in Japan compared polymer-coated urea (slow-release fertilizer wrapped in plastic capsules) with conventional urea, finding that despite the plastic pollution cost of the capsules, the coated fertilizer had a lower overall environmental cost because it reduced nitrogen runoff losses. However, the authors note that the environmental cost of microplastic pollution from the capsules is highly uncertain because the ecological harm of agricultural microplastics is still poorly understood. If alternative low-loss nitrogen application methods achieving over 50% nitrogen recovery can be developed, they could replace coated urea without the plastic pollution trade-off.
Preparation of a novel economically efficient and environment friendly controlled release urea from liquefied corn straw and castor oil
This study developed bio-based polyurethane coatings for controlled-release urea fertilizer using combinations of castor oil and liquefied corn straw, testing six formulations and finding that higher straw content improved degradability while maintaining nutrient release performance.
A Comparative Plant Growth Study of a Sprayable, Degradable Polyester–Urethane–Urea Mulch and Two Commercial Plastic Mulches
Researchers compared a new biodegradable sprayable mulch film with conventional polyethylene mulches in a greenhouse tomato growing trial. They found that the biodegradable polyester-urethane-urea film provided similar water savings and crop yields as traditional plastic mulches while avoiding the environmental drawbacks of persistent plastic residues. The study suggests that sprayable biodegradable mulches could be a viable alternative to reduce microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Spatiotemporally Matched Nitrogen Release from a Double Core-Shell Urea Improves Rice Growth
Researchers evaluated a novel double core-shell controlled-release urea fertilizer designed to match the biphasic nitrogen uptake pattern of rice plants. Over a two-year field experiment, the fertilizer delivered two distinct nitrogen release peaks aligned with vegetative and reproductive growth stages, improving photosynthetic efficiency and grain yield. The study suggests this approach could reduce nitrogen fertilizer input by nearly 17% without compromising rice yields.
Siloxane and Nano-SiO2 Dual-Modified Bio-Polymer Coatings Based on Recyclable Spent Mushroom Substrate: Excellent Performance, Controlled-Release Mechanism, and Effect on Plant Growth
Researchers developed improved controlled-release urea coatings using spent mushroom substrate modified with siloxane and nano-silica. The dual modification extended the nitrogen release period from 23 to 42 days and reduced water absorption, offering a sustainable bio-based alternative to petrochemical coatings for agricultural fertilizers. This study focuses on agricultural polymer coatings rather than environmental microplastic contamination.
Bio-based polyurethane as a sustainable coating material for controlled-release fertilizer
Researchers developed a bio-based polyurethane coating from palm kernel oil to create controlled-release fertilizer as an alternative to petroleum-based coatings. They found that adjusting the coating thickness and composition could effectively regulate how quickly nutrients are released to plants. The study offers a more sustainable approach to agricultural fertilizer delivery that reduces both environmental pollution and dependence on fossil fuel-derived materials.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers stress-tested 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under controlled greenhouse conditions to compare their performance in reducing ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. They found strong performance tradeoffs among products, with six fertilizers performing well across both measures, including polymer-coated formulations. The study notes that polymer coatings used in fertilizer technology, including biodegradable options like PLA, represent a potential source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Organic Mulching to Conserve Soil Nutritional Quality and Enhance Wheat Yield
Organic mulching with farm manure and wheat straw preserved soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels while significantly increasing wheat grain and straw yields. Combining both mulch types at higher rates was most effective, offering a practical strategy to maintain soil nutritional quality under intensive farming.
Biodegradable plastic mulch films increase yield and promote nitrogen use efficiency in organic horticulture
Researchers tested biodegradable plastic mulch films in organic lettuce production and found they increased crop yields while improving how efficiently plants used nitrogen from organic fertilizers. The biodegradable films performed comparably to conventional polyethylene mulch in weed suppression and soil warming benefits. The study suggests biodegradable mulch could be a practical tool for organic farmers, avoiding the plastic waste problem of traditional film mulches.
Nutrient Management Influences Root Characteristics and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in the Vegetable-Based Agroecosystem in the Northwestern Himalayas
This paper is not about microplastics — it evaluates how different fertilizer combinations affect root growth and nitrogen use efficiency in vegetable crops.
Exploring the Potential of 3D-Printable Agar–Urea Hydrogels as an Efficient Method of Delivering Nitrogen in Agricultural Applications
This study explored 3D-printable agar-urea hydrogels as controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers, demonstrating that the biodegradable gel matrix can deliver nitrogen to agricultural soils in a sustained manner, offering a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fertilizer applications.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers stress-tested 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under greenhouse conditions and found significant performance tradeoffs between reducing ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. Six fertilizers performed well across both measures, including two inhibitor-based products and four polymer-coated formulations. The study notes that polymer coatings on fertilizers, including those made from biodegradable plastics like PLA, can themselves become sources of microplastics in agricultural soils.
Fully bio-based polyurethane coating for environmentally friendly controlled release fertilizer: Construction, degradation mechanism and effect on plant growth
Researchers developed a fully bio-based polyurethane coating for controlled-release fertilizers using castor oil and a plant-derived chemical. Unlike conventional polyurethane coatings that persist in soil as microplastics, this coating showed strong biodegradability while still effectively controlling nutrient release. The study offers a practical solution to reduce microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from fertilizer coatings.
Biodegradable Mulch for Vegetable Production. A Review
This review examined biodegradable plastic mulches as alternatives to conventional polyethylene mulch films in vegetable production, summarizing yield benefits and degradation performance. Replacing conventional plastic mulch with truly biodegradable alternatives could reduce the large amounts of agricultural microplastics shed by mulch film fragmentation.
Comparative analysis of the effects of conventional and biodegradable plastic mulching films on soil-peanut ecology and soil pollution
A three-year field study comparing conventional and biodegradable plastic mulch on peanut farms found that conventional plastic improved crop yield by 10.77%, soil nutrients, and beneficial bacterial communities compared to biodegradable alternatives, but left significantly more plastic residue in the soil.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers evaluated 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under greenhouse conditions, finding that polymer-coated and inhibitor-based products showed significant performance tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. Six fertilizers performed well overall, and the study found that even fertilizers within the same class performed differently depending on the substrate used. The research highlights that polymer coatings on fertilizers, including biodegradable plastics, are a potential environmental source of microplastics.
Effect of Different Mulch Types on Soil Environment, Water and Fertilizer Use Efficiency, and Yield of Cabbage
Researchers compared different mulch types including biodegradable films for cabbage cultivation in arid mountain regions, evaluating effects on soil temperature, moisture retention, water and fertilizer use efficiency, and crop yield under challenging growing conditions.
Assessment of the Agricultural Effectiveness of Biodegradable Mulch Film in Onion Cultivation
This multi-year, multi-region field trial compared biodegradable (BD) mulch film versus conventional polyethylene (PE) film and no-mulch in onion cultivation across 2023-2024. BD and PE films produced similar yields (>13% higher than no-mulch), comparable soil properties, and equivalent weed suppression, confirming BD film as a viable alternative that avoids persistent plastic residues in soil.
Evaluating novel biodegradable polymer matrix fertilizers for nitrogen‐efficient agriculture
Researchers designed and evaluated biodegradable polymer matrix fertilizers for nitrogen-efficient agriculture, testing their performance in simulated tropical conditions and finding improved nitrogen retention compared to conventional fertilizers, though with some trade-offs in release kinetics.
Degradation characteristics of biodegradable film and its effects on soil nutrients in tillage layer, growth and development of taro and yield formation
Researchers compared three types of biodegradable plastic mulch films (PBAT, PCO2, PPC) to conventional plastic mulch in taro farming over two growing seasons, finding all three biodegradable options improved crop yield versus no mulch at all. The biodegradable films also influenced soil nutrient levels differently, with PBAT degrading fastest and PCO2 showing the strongest positive effects on plant growth.
Ultraviolet Shielding Performance of Coconut Coir as a Filler in Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Plastic Mulch
Researchers explored using coconut coir as a natural filler in low-density polyethylene plastic mulch to improve its resistance to UV degradation. Since UV exposure breaks down LDPE mulch into microplastics in agricultural soils, the coconut coir additive was tested for its UV shielding performance. The study investigates a potential approach to reduce microplastic generation from agricultural plastic films while using a renewable, natural material.