Biodegradable polymeric materials based on hydrolyzed proteins for agricultural applications

Aim of the research is the development of biodegradable polymeric materials based on hydrolyzed proteins, derived from waste products of the leather industry. Soil mulching coatings, made with the biodegradable materials, were applied to the soil by means of spray techniques; the coatings were tested in an ornamental cultivation carried out inside a greenhouse. Containers for seedlings transplant were realized using the biodegradable materials; seedling production and post-plant performance were analyzed. The containers were tested in a pepper cultivation carried out inside the greenhouse. The innovative biodegradable spray coatings lasted in the field up to 9 months. The biodegradable containers for seedlings transplanting showed a good resistance during the first stage of use, when the seedlings were grown from the seeds before the transplanting; the biodegradable materials showed a soil fertilizing effect, due to the slow release of proteinaceous material, as a result of the biodegradation process.