Use of Degradable Materials in the Cultivation of Horticultural Crops

News source: Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station, Taiwan ROC.
See PDF file for e-mail address, 2002-04-01

Use of Plastic Films

The Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station began in 1991 to evaluate the feasibility of using degradable plastic films for the production of horticultural crops. Products from China, Korea, Japan, Israel, Germany, United States and Taiwan were used for comparison.

No Heavy Metal Residues in Soil

The results were as follows: No difference was observed over nine consecutive years in yield as well as the content of heavy metals (iron, lead, nickel, copper, cadmium and chromium) in the edible parts of cabbage, mustard and head lettuce that grew in the soil which contained the disintegrated remains of the PE films. The same results were also obtained in trials of musk melon and paddy rice over six consecutive years.

Biodegradable Plastic

Biodegradable plastic (including UPEC, Bio Multi B, Eco Green B, Cell Green multi, Kiemaru, Mater-Bi, Novon and ECM) were adopted as mulching materials for crops of musk melon, cherry tomato and cabbage. The results indicated that no differences were found in the growth and yield when different mulching films were used.

Biodegradable Rubbish Bags in Compost

Biodegradable rubbish bags incorporated into different kinds of organic wastes were composted and evaluated. The results indicated that biodegradable trash bags could be incorporated with household, yard or fruit-vegetable wastes, and fermented in a composting plant for 2-3 months or longer. All of the biodegradable trash bags had degraded completely after 50 days. All of the final products (organic compost) were good in quality, and promoted the growth of leafy vegetables.

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