Soil Degradable Bioplastics for a Sustainable Modern Agriculture

This book shows how the use of biodegradable plastics in agriculture can have a profound positive impact on plasticulture. Starting with an organic chemistry approach to biodegradable and compostable plastics, both natural and synthetic, it then analyzes the technological and agronomic aspects of existing bioplastics for protected cultivation (mulching, direct cover, low tunnels). It describes the new sprayable biodegradable mulching method, which is based on the use of waterborne polysaccharides and cellulosic fibers. A further chapter describes the research and technology of biodegradable plastics for different agricultural practices. It also includes chapters on life cycle assessment (LCA) of biodegradable plastics for agriculture, and existing and developing standards in the field. It is a valuable resource for agronomists, chemical and materials engineers, polymer technologists and scientists, as well as for a more general readership interested in the application of green chemistry principles to the vast world of crop production.

Mario Malinconico< is Research Director at the Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council, Italy.

The World of Plasticulture. - Biodegradable and Biobased Plastics: An Overview. - Biodegradable Materials in Agriculture: Case Histories and Perspectives. - Agronomic Effects of Biodegradable Films on Crop and Field Environment . - Biodegradable Spray Mulching and Nursery Pots: New Frontiers for Research. - Standards for Soil-Biodegradable Plastics. - Life Cycle and Environmental Cycle Assessment of Biodegradable Plastics for Agriculture.