Effects of Multicropping Plastic Mulch on Soil Dynamics and Yield in Vegetable Production

• DOI: 10.21273/horttech05578-24
• Publication Date: 2025-05-08T13:37:39Z
• Authors: Melanie C. Hill; Joara Secchi Candian; Fernanda Souza Kr...; Paul C. Bartley; Andre Luiz Biscai...
• Keywords: Plastic mulch; Plastic film

The use of plastic mulching for vegetable production systems is a common practice in the southeastern United States. Plastic known to benefit crop growth and yield. However, mulch application removal from fields time-consuming expensive. To reduce time expense removal, growers have double-, triple-, or even quadruple-cropped on single mulch, where second, third, fourth grown after preceding harvested. evaluate potential detrimental effects multicropping systems, an on-farm experiment was conducted quantify impact single-, triple-cropped mulches soil physical properties productivity zucchini yellow squash. Results indicated that penetration resistance increased with double- compared single-cropped plastic. No significant compaction differences between much at 0 (507.8 kPa) 20 (577.37 days planting (DAP) were measured. Conversely, increasing successive substantially later season. maximum first 20-cm depth 760.29, 1363.49, 1941.72 kPa, respectively, 40 DAP. Soil volumetric water content affected significantly by top 8 inches decreased 16% double-cropped 9% DAP 35% 41% mulch. greatest aboveground dry biomass observed averaging 64.5 g 83.66 squash zucchini, respectively. Single-cropped produced total yield zucchini. there no single- This research promising start identifying point which short-term benefits offset reductions quality findings this study demonstrate refine rotation extended lifetime decisions multicropped plasticulture as cost-effective environmentally sound approach.