Implementing Mulching or Mulches in Vegetable Crops
Presentation
Technique characterization
Technique description :
Information originally from the Practical guide for designing vegetable cropping systems saving phytosanitary products (2014) / Technical sheet T20.
Principle :
Technique that consists of placing materials on the soil forming a screen, in order to limit the development of weeds, protect the soil from heavy rain, limit evaporation, prevent soiling of vegetables... The usable materials are diverse : plastic films, straw, bark …
Technique details :
Placement must be done just before planting the crop and after soil preparation.
The soil must be clean, well prepared, as for a crop.
Mulch must be rolled out on a carefully prepared and dried soil; it must be fixed on the edges using soil.
For plastic films, the choice of mulch type (especially color) depends notably on the targeted objective and the crop. For example, a black mulch (more effective against weeds) penalizes soil warming; for demanding crops such as melon, it is recommended to choose an opaque thermal mulch (soil warming, limits weeds).
To limit the use of herbicides, it is important to combine mulching with other weed management techniques within the cropping system, such as false seedbed, diversified succession, alternating plowing/no-till, use of mechanical weeding (see dedicated sheets).
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Plot
Application of the technique to...
All crops : Easily generalizable
Easily generalizable
Technique applicable to various vegetable crops in open field (lettuce, melon...) under shelters (lettuce, tomato...) and in greenhouses (cucumber, tomato...).
All soil types : Easily generalizable
Easily generalizable
All climatic contexts : Easily generalizable
Easily generalizable
Regulation
There is an Afnor standard for biodegradable mulches.
The NF EN 17033 Plastics - Biodegradable thermoplastic mulching films for use in agriculture and horticulture - Requirements and test methods standard was published on 24 January 2018.
Plastic mulches follow the general waste regulation for their recycling.
Effects on cropping system sustainability
Environmental criteria
Effect on air quality : Increasing
phytosanitary emissions : DECREASE
Effect on water quality : Increasing
pesticides : DECREASE
Other : No effect (neutral)
Comments :
Water and air quality :Decrease in pollutant transfers to water and air thanks to reduction of herbicides and fungicides and reduction of leaching.
Fossil energy consumption : Reduction in fuel consumption if mulching replaces treatments (herbicides, fungicides).
Other impacts : Increase in the amount of waste to be treated after use, especially in the case of non-recyclable plastic materials.
Agronomic criteria
Productivity : Increasing
Increasing
Decrease in risk of contamination of leaves and fruits by certain soil-borne bio-aggressors (Sclerotinia and Rhizoctonia in lettuce and melon)
Production quality : Increasing
Increase in visual quality thanks to cleanliness of harvested product
Soil fertility : Increasing
Increasing
Increase in organic matter content in case of mulch
Protection of soil structure (compaction, erosion, crusting) against rain in open field
Limitation of leaching risk
Water stress : Variable
Variable
In principle, longer maintenance of soil moisture.
Economic criteria
Operational costs : Variable
Variable
Reduction in water consumption ;
Saving of labor (weed pulling) or treatments ;
Requires an investment ranging from €0.05 to €0.15/m² (2013) depending on thickness, type of mulch and soil coverage percentage ;
Waste treatment can reach €75/t (2013) when non-degradable plastics have contamination level above 60%.
Social criteria
Working time : Variable
Total working time : Variable
Installation time depends on mechanization.
In case of mulches, shredding, transport, spreading and burying times can be long.
For some crops (lettuce…), harvesting can be facilitated.
For biodegradable mulches, shredding at end of crop may be necessary.
Favored or disadvantaged organisms
Favored Bioagressors
| Organism | Technique impact | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| snail | MEDIUM | pest, predator or parasite | In the case of plant mulches, slugs and snails can be favored |
| slug | MEDIUM | pest, predator or parasite | In the case of plant mulches, slugs and snails can be favored |
| brown rhizoctonia | MEDIUM | pathogen (bioagressor) | Certain fungi species can be favored by a microclimate created by plastic mulching (rhizoctonia for example) |
Disadvantaged bioagressors
| Organism | Technique impact | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| weeds | STRONG | weeds | |
| vegetable crop flies | MEDIUM | pest, predator or parasite | Presence of plastic mulch or plant mulch can disturb egg-laying of some flies species (Delia platura, Delia radicum, Psila rosae) on soil or at plant collar |
| sclerotinia | LOW | pathogen (bioagressor) | Presence of plastic mulch on soil can possibly prevent plant contamination by spore projection present in soil (case of sclerotinia in lettuce crop) |
| thrips of vegetable crops | MEDIUM | pest, predator or parasite | Presence of plastic mulch or light-colored plant mulch (e.g. hemp mulch) on soil disturbs recognition of open field crops by thrips as well as their biological cycle. |
Favored Auxiliaries
| Organism | Technique impact | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spiders | STRONG | Natural enemies of bioagressors | In case of plant mulches, Carabids, spiders, antagonistic fungi, earthworms and other soil detritivores, as well as bacterial flora are favored |
| Predatory and granivorous ground beetles | STRONG | Natural enemies of bioagressors | In case of plant mulches, Carabids, spiders, antagonistic fungi, earthworms and other soil detritivores, as well as bacterial flora are favored |
| Fungi (auxiliary) | STRONG | Natural enemies of bioagressors | In case of plant mulches, Carabids, spiders, antagonistic fungi, earthworms and other soil detritivores, as well as bacterial flora are favored |
| Earthworm | STRONG | Soil functional organisms | In case of plant mulches, Carabids, spiders, antagonistic fungi, earthworms and other soil detritivores, as well as bacterial flora are favored |
For more information
- Agronomic and environmental interest of wood chips in organic vegetable crops
- -Chamber of Agriculture of Finistère, Technical brochure, 2009
- Update on alternative methods : mulching in vegetable crops
- -CTIFL, Technical brochure, 2013
- Biodegradable mulches in organic vegetable farming : products and standardization
- -Mazollier C.
GRAB, Technical brochure, 2009
- Recycling of mulching films
- -ADIVALOR, Technical brochure
- Weed management in organic vegetable farming
- -Aurelle V., Depernet C., Eynard A., Paris P., Perrin A., Pujol Z., Tinoco M-I.
CIVAM 09, ERABLES 31, Technical brochure, 2015
Chamber of Agriculture of Ain, Technical brochure, 2016
See page 4
Keywords
Bioagressor control method : Physical control
Mode of action : Action on initial stock Barrier
Strategy type regarding pesticide use : Substitution
Appendices
S'applique aux cultures suivantes
Favorise les bioagresseurs suivants
Favorise les auxiliaires
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
