Effects of different paper mulches on soil temperature and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in the temperate zone
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Haapala , T , Palonen , P , Tamminen , A & Ahokas , J 2015 , ' Effects of different paper mulches on soil temperature and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in the temperate zone ' , Agricultural and Food Science , vol. 24 , no. 1 , pp. 52-58 .
| Title: | Effects of different paper mulches on soil temperature and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in the temperate zone |
| Author: | Haapala, Tapani; Palonen, Pauliina; Tamminen, Antti; Ahokas, Jukka |
| Contributor organization: | Department of Agricultural Sciences Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS) Research group of Pauliina Palonen Plant Production Sciences |
| Date: | 2015 |
| Language: | eng |
| Number of pages: | 7 |
| Belongs to series: | Agricultural and Food Science |
| ISSN: | 1459-6067 |
| URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10138/165417 |
| Subject: |
biodegradable plastic mulch
kraft paper weeds yield soil temperature BLACK POLYETHYLENE MULCH BIODEGRADABLE MULCH WEED-CONTROL PICKLING CUCUMBER PLASTIC MULCH IRRIGATION TOMATOES QUALITY LETTUCE GROWTH 4111 Agronomy |
| Peer reviewed: | Yes |
| Rights: | cc_by |
| Usage restriction: | openAccess |
| Self-archived version: | publishedVersion |
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(Helsingfors universitet, 2016)Mulching, as a cultivation technique, has been adopted since the early twentieth century in agriculture for improving various aspects of crop production. However, the use of mulching was boosted by the introduction of plastic mulch, which has been reported as a harmful substance to the farm environment. Therefore, the need for an environmentally benign mulch material is obvious. The present study investigated the effects of paper and biodegradable plastic mulches on the cucumber yield, soil temperature and moisture content (at 10 cm depth), and the control of weed growth in an agricultural field located at the University of Helsinki in Southern Finland. The degradability of mulches was also investigated. The null hypothesis was that all the mulches would have a similar effect on the abovementioned aspects. Four paper mulches, i.e., BP, KB, CK, and OB, accompanied by biodegradable mulch (BIO) and a bare soil (BG) treatment were under investigation. Each of these treatments had 4 replicates, and a randomized complete block design (RCBD) was adopted. Sensors were installed at 10 cm depth in each study plot to measure the soil temperature and moisture content. In addition, the experimental plots were watered by drip irrigation. All the attained data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. The results of the study revealed noteworthy positive effects (P<0.05) of mulch application on cucumber yields together with soil temperature, early fruiting, and weed growth regulation compared to the un-mulched bare ground, exclusive of soil moisture content. The daytime soil temperature (DST) was higher than at night (NST), indicating a positive association of the mulch effect with plant growth and crop earliness. However, no suggestive improvement in soil moisture was found through mulch application during the study period. Edge degradation was only found for paper mulches during the study period, suggesting their environment friendliness. The CK and KB papers were the most effective and most environmentally positive mulch materials, and could be a suitable choice for Finnish vegetable growers. The findings of this study could assist paper manufacturers in improving the qualities of mulch papers regarding vegetable production. Future research aims at assessing the effects of mulches on the physiology of plants studied under mulched techniques together with the development of cheaper and more environmentally benign mulch materials.