Utilization of a biodegradable mulch sheet produced from poly(lactic acid)/ecoflex/modified starch in mandarin orange groves.
We have developed a mulch sheet made by inflation molding of PLA, Ecoflex((R)) and modified starch, which all have different biodegradabilities. A field test of use as an agricultural mulch sheet for mandarin oranges was carried out over two years. The mechanical properties of the mulch sheet were weakened with time during the field test, but the quality of the mandarin oranges increased, a result of the controlled degradation of the sheet. The most degradable modified starch degraded first, allowing control of the moisture on the soil. Accelerator mass spectroscopy was used for evaluation of the biomass carbon ratio. The biomass carbon ratio decreased by degradation of the biobased materials, PLA and modified starch in the mulch sheet.
Tachibana
Yuya
Y
Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture, 60, Ogura, Wakayama, 649-6261, Japan.|National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.
Maeda
Takuya
T
Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture, 60, Ogura, Wakayama, 649-6261, Japan.
Ito
Osamu
O
Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture, 60, Ogura, Wakayama, 649-6261, Japan.
Maeda
Yasukatsu
Y
Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture, 60, Ogura, Wakayama, 649-6261, Japan.
Kunioka
Masao
M
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 1-1-1, Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8565, Japan.
D063566:Biodegradable Plastics / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002957:Citrus / Q000254:growth & development; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*
D063566:Biodegradable Plastics; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; C472388:ecoflex; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D013213:Starch