Phylloplane Fungal Enzyme Accelerate Decomposition of Biodegradable Plastic Film in Agricultural Settings

Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly
ISSN 00213551
NII recode ID (NCID) AA0068709X
JARQ vol.50 no.3 cover
Full text

The rate at which biodegradable plastic (BP) mulch films decompose in agricultural fields depends on environmental conditions. If degradation of used mulch film is insufficient for plowingdown, they impede agricultural work and get entangled in farm equipment. We developed a new technique to accelerate the degradation of BP mulch films in agricultural fields by applying an enzyme from a Paraphoma-like phylloplane fungus (strain B47-9). Spray treatment of the enzyme solution alone significantly accelerated film degradation, and the additional application of a moistureretaining agent, carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt (CMC), further accelerated decomposition. Commercially available BP mulch films started to break down one day after treatment with the enzyme solution and CMC. Within seven days of treatment, small tears in the film turned into long cracks, covering 6.2% of the total film area.

Date of issued
Creator Motoo KOITABASHI Yuka SAMESHIMA–YAMASHITA Takashi WATANABE Yukiko SHINOZAKI Hiroko KITAMOTO
Subject biodegradable mulch film accelerated degradation moisture-retaining agent
Publisher Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences
Available Online
NII resource type vocabulary Journal Article
Volume 50
Issue 3
spage 229
epage 234

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