BLACK POLYPROPYLENE MULCH TEXTILE IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

Black polyethylene mulch is used for weed control in a range of crops under the organic system. The use of black polypropylene mulch is usually restricted to perennial crops. The trial was conducted at Experimental station of Department of Crop Production of the Czech University of Life Science Prague-Uhříněves in Czech Republic. For the experiments were used black polypropylene woven mulch (comparison wit bare soil), two varieties of early potatoes Finka and Katka. Black polypropylene textile was used in potatoes by organic agriculture and it had positive effect on soil temperature (in the depth of 100 mm). Slightly higher soil temperatures under black polypropylene mulch in the vegetation period after planting had favourable influence on earlier stands emergence. The soil water potential (in the depth of 250 mm) and also the soil water content have been beneficial for black polypropylene mulch. Significantly lower values of the soil water potentials have been found in the period after planting and at the end of vegetation. Black polypropylene mulch provided favourable temperatures and soil moisture. Post harvest analyses were focused on the determination of the yield and quality tubers from each variant

Effects of Aluminum Foil Mulch on Parasitism and Fecundity of Apterous \u3ci\u3eMyzus Persicae\u3c/i\u3e (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Chinese cabbage plants grown in flats containing either aluminum foil mulch or no mulch cover were uniformly infested with a single apterous adult Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and exposed in a greenhouse to a free-flying population of the parasite Aphidius ervi (Haliday). Aphid fecundity. plant growth, and temperature were greater in reflective mulch plots. Aphid pardSitism was lower over mulched plots until foliage growth obscured the mulch. Later. parasitism was more frequent in mulched plots. The effects upon parasitism, fecundity. and microclimate may explain instances where aluminum mulches have not reduced aphid populations

Influence of grass mulch application on tubers size and yield of ware potatoes

The aim of the experiment was to investigate the effect of grass mulch and the term of its application on the yield and quality of potatoes and weed biomass under organic system. The experiment with 2 varieties of early potatoes (Finka and Katka), 2 row spacings (28 000 and 38 000 tubers per hectare) and 2 terms of grass mulch application (after planting and after second hoeing) was carried out in the Czech Republic in 2008. Results showed that the yield was influenced mostly by mulching (55.9 %), then by variety (39.2 %) and by growth structure (4.9 %). The highest yield was reached in the variant with grass mulch applicated after planting. The yield of this variant increased statistically about 9.3 t/ha in comparison with control variant (bare soil). Results of the weed control showed a positive effect of grass mulch on weed biomass, where the lowest weed biomass was found out in variant with grass mulch applicated after planting (weed biomass was lower by 67.6 % in comparison with the control variant - bare soil)

Mulching and soil tillage influence on the thermal behaviour of a Luvisol surface layer

Important energy exchanges at soil surface regulate the thermal environment within top soil layer and the boundary layer above it. By this reason, the application of mulches or the modelling of micro relief by soil tillage are common practises to modify the thermal regime of a soil. The aim of this study is to compare the effect on thermal behaviour of a Luvisol resulting of soil tillage and the application of stubble mulch and, different amounts of straw mulch. For this purpose, experiments were performed from January to May 2007 in a field sowed with winter wheat. Temperatures were measured with copper-constantan (Type T) thermocouples placed over straw and over stubble, at soil surface and at 2, 4 and 8 cm depth. Temperatures above canopy were also recorded. Daily mean temperatures and thermal amplitudes in the top soil layer covered by straw mulch were smaller than those verified either by stubble mulch or with soil tillage. Daily minimum temperatures in mobilized plots or covered by stubble mulch were smaller than those verified in plots covered by straw mulch, therefore being the former treatments more susceptible to frost than the later ones. Thermal differences between the four plots decreased significantly with wheat growth. Implications of these techniques of soil temperature control for crop growth are also discussed

Coloured mulch as a weed control technology and yield booster for summer savory

An investigation into the effect of coloured mulch technology as a technique to control weeds when growing the essential oil plant, summer savory (Satureja hortensis) was made. As well as weed control, the effects on the production of crop biomass and essential oil content and quality were also considered. The mulch treatments produced significantly more biomass than either of the control treatments (which used no mulch either with or without herbicide). The white mulch treatment produced the greatest biomass, closely followed by the red mulch treatment. The blue mulch treatment was third in ranking, although not significantly greater than the black mulch. Estimates of the quantity of essential oil produced by each treatment followed a similar trend to that shown by biomass production

Growing Sweetcorn in Alaska's Cool Environments

Sweet corn can be grown in Alaska's cool environments by employing clear polyethylene mulch to raise soil temperatures. Rows should be run north and south, spaced about 5 feet apart for 4-foot wide mulch. Weeds can be controlled under clear polyethylene mulch by spraying with atrazine after seeding and before mulching

GROWING OF THE ORGANIC POTATOES WITH USING OF THE MULCHING MATERIALS

Mulching which has become more popular lately is an important way of soil protection in the plant production. Mulching massively reduces soil erosion [DÖRING ET AL., 2005], virus vector in seed potatoes [DÖRING ET AL., 2006] and it may also act as a tool for the control of nitrogen losses by immobilization of post-harvest nitrate [DÖRING ET AL., 2005]. Mulch especially reduces water evaporation from soil and helps to maintain stable soil temperature [JI AND UNGER, 2001; KAR AND KUMAR, 2007]. For that reason, the cover of mulch influences soil moisture as well [BRANT ET AL., 2006]. Next, mulching has a positive effect on the weed density, which has been documented by results of some authors [DÖRING ET AL., 2005; JOHNSON ET AL., 2004; SINKEVIČIENE ET AL., 2009]. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of different mulch materials (organic and plastic mulch) on yield and on some factors that influence potatoes production in potato growing region of the Czech Republic. The research was mainly focused on the effect of mulching on air temperature, air relative humidity and occurrence of the late blight

Ecological growing of potatoes with using of grass mulch and black textile mulch

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of different mulch materials on the occurrence of Colorado Potato Beetle, weed biomass and especially on the yield of ware potatoes. The experiment with different types of mulching (grass mulch, black textile mulch, non-mulched control) and 2 varieties (Finka and Katka) was carried out under organic system in 2009. The results showed that the grass mulch was the best mulching material for reaching the highest yield, where an increase of the yield of ware tubers by 6.6 - 7.8 t/ha in comparison with non-mulched control variant was observed. In the experiment the mulching of organic potatoes had a positive effect on a lower activity of an oviposition of Colorado Potato Beetle and a consecutive occurrence larvae by the variant with the grass mulch, a lower weed infestation by the variant with the black mulch textile in comparison with non-mulched control

Weed Control in Annual Strawberries Grown with Plastic Mulch: Efficacy, Phytotoxicity, and Soil Persistence Studies

Cool soil temperatures in Alaska are a limiting factor for many crops. Clear plastic mulch has been shown to increase soil temperatures, and use of this mulch has allowed the production of many warm season crops farther north than they could otherwise be grown. Clear plastic mulch and row covers are used in interior Alaska to promote early growth and increase yields of strawberries