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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Biodegradable film: a sustainable alternative to polyethylene film for Loess Plateau maize production
ClearThe effects of biodegradable mulch film on the growth, yield, and water use efficiency of cotton and maize in an arid region
Researchers compared biodegradable and conventional plastic mulch films in Chinese agriculture, finding that biodegradable films improved water use efficiency and crop yield comparably to conventional plastic while reducing long-term plastic accumulation in soil. Degradable mulch films represent a promising strategy to reduce agricultural microplastic pollution.
Effects of Biodegradable Film and Polyethylene Film Residues on Soil Moisture and Maize Productivity in Dryland
Researchers found that biodegradable agricultural films are a viable alternative to conventional polyethylene mulch films, with higher degradation rates and less impact on soil moisture and maize root growth, ultimately improving grain yield and water use efficiency over a two-year field experiment.
The Effects of Biodegradable Mulch Film on the Growth, Yield, and Water Use Efficiency of Cotton and Maize in an Arid Region
Biodegradable mulch film maintained crop growth and water use efficiency comparable to conventional polyethylene film in Chinese cotton and maize fields for the first 60 days, then began to degrade. Replacing conventional plastic mulch with biodegradable alternatives could reduce microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.
Degradable film mulching increases soil carbon sequestration in major Chinese dryland agroecosystems
Researchers compared biodegradable and conventional plastic film mulches used in farming and found that biodegradable films increased carbon storage in soil while traditional plastic mulch reduced it, suggesting that switching to biodegradable alternatives could help fight climate change while cutting plastic pollution.
Rice Cultivation under Film Mulching Can Improve Soil Environment and Be Beneficial for Rice Production in China
This review examines the benefits and drawbacks of growing rice under plastic film mulch in China, which improves water efficiency and yield but contributes to microplastic contamination of agricultural soil. While degradable films and organic fertilizers offer partial solutions, long-term plastic residue in farmland remains a concern. The study highlights the tension between agricultural productivity and the risk of microplastic pollution entering the food supply through soil.
Testing Biodegradable Films as Alternatives to Plastic-Film Mulching for Enhancing the Yield and Economic Benefits of Processed Tomato in Xinjiang Region
Biodegradable mulch films were tested against conventional plastic mulch in processed tomato fields in Xinjiang, China, with results showing comparable yields while substantially reducing plastic residue accumulation in soil.
Biodegradable Film Mulching Increases Soil Carbon Sequestration and Microbial Network Complexity in a Long-Term Field Study
Scientists studied biodegradable plastic mulch (the plastic sheeting farmers use to cover soil) and found it helps soil store more carbon and support healthier microbial communities compared to regular plastic mulch. However, the biodegradable plastic still breaks down into microplastics in the soil, raising questions about long-term environmental effects. This matters because while biodegradable farm plastics may help fight climate change by storing carbon, we still need to understand how the microplastics they leave behind might affect our food system.
Impact of long-term conventional and biodegradable film mulching on microplastic abundance and soil organic carbon in a cotton field
Researchers compared microplastic accumulation in topsoil after years of conventional polyethylene versus biodegradable film mulching in Chinese cotton fields. Despite biodegradable films being designed to break down, soils under biodegradable mulching had comparable microplastic counts to conventional mulching after multiple seasons, raising questions about whether bioplastic mulches truly reduce field microplastic pollution.
Impacts of conventional and biodegradable microplastics in maize-soil ecosystems: Above and below ground
Researchers compared the effects of conventional plastics (polyethylene and polypropylene) and biodegradable plastics (PBAT and PCL) on corn plants and soil health. One biodegradable plastic, PCL, reduced plant production by about 74% and severely disrupted soil enzyme activity and microbial communities. This study cautions that simply replacing conventional plastics with biodegradable alternatives in farming is not guaranteed to be safer for soil ecosystems.
Effects of different mulch materials on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of wheat in Loess tableland
Not relevant to microplastics — this agricultural study compares different mulching materials (including plastic film) on wheat yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau of China, with no focus on microplastic pollution from plastic mulch.
Effects of small ridge and furrow mulching degradable film on dry direct seeded rice
Researchers tested biodegradable mulch films in micro-ridge-furrow planting (raised beds with channels) for dry-seeded rice in semiarid China, finding that biodegradable film outperformed traditional plastic film in soil temperature, plant growth, and grain yield. This method reduces plastic pollution in agricultural fields while maintaining or improving crop productivity.
Past, present, and future perspectives of biodegradable films for soil: A 30-year systematic review
This systematic review tracks 30 years of research on biodegradable films for agricultural soil use, analyzing trends and future directions. As concerns grow about conventional plastic mulch leaving microplastic residues in farmland, biodegradable alternatives are gaining attention. The review identifies which biodegradable materials show the most promise for replacing traditional plastic films while maintaining crop benefits.
Comparing the impact of microplastics derived from a biodegradable and a conventional plastic mulch on plant performance
Researchers directly compared how microplastics from biodegradable and conventional plastic mulch films affect plant growth and found that biodegradable plastic particles actually reduced plant biomass more than conventional plastic particles in some cases. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer for agriculture, since their breakdown products may still harm crops that end up in the human food supply.
Environmental risk of multi-year polythene film mulching and its green solution in arid irrigation region
Researchers found that 19 years of polythene film mulching accumulated up to 2,900 microplastic particles per kilogram of soil along with elevated plasticizer concentrations, and demonstrated that biodegradable film alternatives could significantly reduce this environmental contamination.
Effects of Different Mulch Types on Farmland Soil Moisture in an Artificial Oasis Area
Not relevant to microplastics — this study compares how different mulch materials (including conventional polyethylene plastic films) affect soil moisture retention in an arid farming region of China, focusing on water management rather than plastic fragmentation or microplastic contamination.
Exploring the Occurrence Characteristics of Microplastics in Typical Maize Farmland Soils With Long-Term Plastic Film Mulching in Northern China
A survey of 225 soil samples from maize farmland with long-term plastic film mulching in northern China found widespread microplastic contamination, with abundance, distribution, and polymer composition reflecting the history of film use and agricultural management practices.
Field test on the biodegradation of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) based mulch films in soil
Researchers buried four types of supposedly biodegradable plastic mulch films — used in farming to suppress weeds — in agricultural soil for over two years and found that all four still left behind microplastic fragments. This shows that even biodegradable plastics can accumulate in soil if used repeatedly each growing season.
Impact of long-term conventional and biodegradable film mulching on microplastic abundance, soil structure and organic carbon in a cotton field
Researchers compared microplastic levels in cotton fields after 23 years of plastic film mulching and found that switching to biodegradable film actually produced more total microplastics than continuing with conventional polyethylene film. The biodegradable film broke down into many small particles that also reduced beneficial soil microbes and dissolved organic carbon. This challenges the idea that biodegradable agricultural films are a simple solution to farmland plastic pollution.
iMulch: an investigation of the influence of polymers on a terrestrial ecosystem using the example of mulch films used in agriculture
This research project studied how plastic mulch films used in farming break down into microplastics in soil, comparing conventional polyethylene films with biodegradable alternatives. The findings show that both types of mulch release microplastic particles into agricultural soil, though they behave differently in the environment, raising questions about the true sustainability of biodegradable farm plastics.
Dry Direct-Seeded Rice Yield and Water Use Efficiency as Affected by Biodegradable Film Mulching in the Northeastern Region of China
This study evaluated dry direct-seeded rice yield and water use efficiency under biodegradable film mulching compared to conventional polyethylene mulch in a rain-fed agricultural context. Biodegradable films showed comparable agronomic performance to PE films while offering environmental benefits through reduced plastic persistence in soil.