A sustainable mulch has been developed and validated that improves the existing mulches being free of environmentally harmful substances. This mulch is based on the blends of agricultural by-products and paper slurry and is applied in pasty conditions on the soil thus creating a sheet of the desired thickness on the soil. Weed control is high when the sheet dries out rapidly. At present, work is focused on designing a machine prototype to be able to apply the blends on the soil in a mechanized way.
Weed control next to the trees in perennial crops (vineyards, almond trees, fruit orchards, oaks for truffle production, olives, etc.) as well as of weeds growing in the tree wells in the cities are nowadays difficult to control. In the case of using herbicides, these products need to be applied very carefully in the first years of tree establishment to avoid damages. Moreover, there are less active ingredients authorized due to environmental restrictions and most existing products are very specific, so that weed control of the emerging plants with herbicides is complex. In urban environments, the restrictions of any pesticides are even greater and alternative solutions to the use of chemicals are envisaged. Mulching is a widespread alternative in these situations with specific materials. Its use increases yield and crop quality. However, most of the materials used require residue processing in specialized installations due to their polluting components (polyethylene, BDM, etc.).
A sustainable mulch has been developed and validated that improves the existing mulches being free of environmentally harmful substances. This mulch is based on the blends of agricultural by-products and paper slurry and is applied in pasty conditions on the soil thus creating a sheet of the desired thickness on the soil. Weed control is high when the sheet dries out rapidly. At present, work is focused on designing a machine prototype to be able to apply the blends on the soil in a mechanized way.
Innovative advantages:
· The same advantages of a plastic or paper mulch
· Weed control without using chemical products (herbicides)
· Nutrient contribution
· Irrigation water saving
· Soil temperature regulation
· Use of agricultural by-products as blend components. Circular economy
The implemented blends remain correctly on the soil one year after application. Currently, the work is focused on the design of a prototype to allow the mechanized application of the blends on the soil.
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