Agronomic performances of biodegradable films as an alternative to polyethylene mulches in vineyards

Abstract

The use of polyethylene (PE) mulch at planting ensures the successful and homogeneous establishment of vineyards and also leads them to produce one year earlier. However, as they are rarely removed from the vineyards, the aesthetic and environmental impact of those films is devastating. Biodegradable films already used in horticulture would be an environmentally friendly alternative. For that purpose, the considered materials should meet the requirements of the perennial crop and associated farming practices i.e. remain intact in the field long enough to provide its expected positive effects on the crop. Moreover, its biodegradation at the topsoil must be guaranteed afterwards.

The agronomic performances of AGROBIOFILM (ABF), a Mater–Bi®-based biodegradable mulch film have been compared with PE and bare soil on Vitis vinifera L. (cv. Chardonnay) in a 3-year full-scale field experiment conducted in the south of France. The impact of mulching on agronomic performances was evaluated during the three first crop cycles by monitoring vine growth and fruiting. Grapevine growth and fruiting production were found to be significantly higher for both mulched modalities (PE and ABF) than for the bare soil. This positive mulch-induced effect appeared from the first growing season and persisted three years later although the biodegradable mulch started deteriorating 4 months after planting. This long-term effect generated by a mulch film exhibiting a short lifespan leads to reconsider the material life expectancy required in the case of vineyard. Those results also prove the ability of a biodegradable film such as AGROBIOFILM to replace PE-based ones.