Biodegradable Spray Mulching and Nursery Pots: New Frontiers for Research

Agricultural activities need plastics 1'or many applications such as films lor soil mulching and pots lbr plants tr"ansplanting. The use of plastic proc{ucts, made of fossil raw materials, sucll as polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropyÌene results in huge quantities of plastic wastes to be disposecl of. In the past two decades, the growing environmental awareness strongly encouraged researchers and industries toward the use of biodegradab|: polymers 1òr solving the plastic wasle problem. Researchers have made strong eflbrts to identify new biopolymers corning fionl renewable sources as valid ecosustainable alternatives to petroleum based plastic commodities. The rnain reseai'ch results and current applications concernìng the biodegraclable plastics in agriculture, such as thermo-extrucled later-Ili and sprayable water-botn polysaccharides based coatings. are described in this chapter. A liner-rp o1'triopolymers cuning from raw and renewable sources, such as polysaccharides. a1'e reported; the inh'insic chemicc»physical properlies of polysaccharides, responsible for the realization of clry water stable hydr.ogels, suitable for the formation of both soil mulching coatings ancl transplanting biopots. are investigated. A clescription of the natural actditives, fillers and cellulosic fibers included in the polymeric matrices. able to enhance the mechanical performance of coatings and pots is provitled, together with tlie outputs in the specific applications.