Plastic Mulch Pollution and Introduction of Biodegradable Plastic Mulches – A Review

The use of plastic mulch in agriculture has increased dramatically in the last 10 years throughout the world. The adverse effects of plastic mulch pollution in agriculture forced the scientists to search for alternatives. Studies in Xinjiang showed that residual plastic film mulch levels of 200 kg m-2 in the topsoil (0–20 cm) affected the emergence rate of cotton seeds and reduced cotton production by 15%. Soil mulching for 5–20 consecutive years led to a 122–146% increase in the salt content of the topsoil. Efficiency of both plastic mulches and biodegradable mulches compared in terms of crop production, period of weed control, etc.