Table 1 Comparison of various characteristics between organic and plastic mulching
From: Mulching as water-saving technique in dryland agriculture: review article
Subject | Organic mulching | Plastic mulching |
|---|---|---|
Materials type | Bio-based cellulose, chips, leaf, paper | Acetate, polyethylene, polymeric material |
Durability | Temporary and decay over time | Long-lasting, 2–3 crop seasons |
Thickness | 3–5 cm, controlled by application rates | 15–20 μm; 15 μm is most effective |
Colors | Natural | Black, silver, white, red, blue, yellow, etc. |
Weed control | Effective but grass material grows weed | High weed competition except the transparent color |
Solarization | Not effective in most of the cases | Most effective by boosting soil temperature |
Pest management | Reduces thrips and fungal disease | Reduces thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies |
Fragments | Degradable to soil | Problematic and contaminated after 1-2 seasons |
Availability | Locally available | Not locally available |
Priority mulch | Straw (rice and wheat) | Black plastic |
Costing | Cheap | Expensive |
Labor | Not laborious | Laborious during setting and removing |
Degradability | Naturally decompose and add nutrients | Discarded and buried that polluted soil |
Plant growth | Moderate growth | Fast growth and earlier harvesting |
Water infiltration | Increases | Restricts water flow |