Assessing biodegradable mulch duration and weed suppression during late summer cucumber production in Mississippi and Louisiana

Authors: FONTENOT, KATHRYN - Louisiana State University; KIRK-BALLARD, HEATHER - Louisiana State University; COKER, CHRISTINE - Mississippi State University; STRAHAN, RON - Louisiana State University; BACAS, ISABEL - Louisiana State University; ELY, ROBERT - Mississippi State University

Submitted to: Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/26/2021
Publication Date: 9/6/2021
Citation: Fontenot, K., Kirk-Ballard, H., Coker, C., Strahan, R., Bacas, I., Ely, R. 2021. Assessing biodegradable mulch duration and weed suppression during late summer cucumber production in Mississippi and Louisiana. Horticulturae. 7(9):290. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7090290.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7090290

Interpretive Summary: In farming, the use of plastic mulch to control weeds and improve crop yields has long been the norm. However, concerns about its environmental impact and high labor costs have prompted farmers to seek alternatives. A recent study aimed to address this by testing various biodegradable mulch options for their effectiveness in controlling weeds and supporting crop growth.The study, conducted across two locations in Louisiana and Mississippi, compared different types of mulch, including paper-based and biodegradable plastic, against the traditional non-biodegradable black plastic mulch and no mulch at all. The results showed that while the paper-based mulches degraded significantly over time, they still managed to suppress weeds, particularly a pesky weed called nutsedge, almost as effectively as the industry-standard plastic mulch.Interestingly, despite the degradation of the paper-based mulches, they maintained their ability to control weeds, which is crucial for crop health and productivity. In fact, when looking at the combined data from both states, the heavyweight paper mulch performed just as well as the traditional plastic mulch in terms of both the number of fruits produced and their average weight.This study offers promising insights for farmers looking to reduce their reliance on plastic mulch while maintaining crop quality and yield. By demonstrating the effectiveness of biodegradable alternatives, it not only addresses environmental concerns but also offers a practical solution to the rising labor costs associated with traditional mulching methods.

Technical Abstract: Environmental concerns as well as labor costs associated with the use of polyethylene plastic mulch have turned producers’ focus to alternative mulch treatments. A preliminary study was conducted to evaluate nutsedge control, mulch degradation, and cucumber yields on biodegradable mulches at two locations (Louisiana and Mississippi). Mulch treatments included two paper-based mulch products, two biodegradable plastic mulches, the industry standard non-biodegradable black plastic mulch, and an unmulched control. The heavy weight paper-based mulch and light weight paper mulches in the Louisiana location were reduced to 50% or less coverage at the end of the study. Similarly, the paper-based mulches both degraded below 40% at the conclusion of the study at the Mississippi location. The heavy weight paper mulch was able to hold back nutsedge (p = 0.05) at similar rates as the two biodegradable plastic mulches and industry standard plastic mulch, while the light weight paper mulch and unmulched plots were ineffective at reducing emerged sedges. There were no statistical differences in nutsedge control (averaging < 14 emerged plants per 1.5 m subplots) between all mulch materials at the conclusion of the study in the Mississippi location. Combining both states yield data, the heavyweight mulch (8.7 fruit, 5.3 lb) performed comparably to the industry standard plastic mulch (5.8 fruit, 3.5 lb) in terms of both average fruit number and average weights harvested off 9.1 m rows at each harvest date.