date:Jul 12, 2023
il after careful removal by farmers as they stick to the ground and break off.
After decades of annual plastic mulch application and removal, the researchers observed the accumulation of plastic fragments within farm soils, even in well-managed fields, notes the study.
Researchers found that as the levels of macroplastic pollution increased, soil moisture content, microbial respiration and plant-available nitrogen declined.
There are existing alternatives to PE mulches, such as biodegradable