Abstract
A polyethylene mulch system that changes its predominant surface color from black to white in the field has been developed and used to grow tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Mountain Pride) and squash [ Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Alef. cv. Dixie Hybrid]. The system uses a black photodegradable polyethylene mulch placed on top of a white nondegradable polyethylene mulch (photodegradable mulch overlay system). As the black photodegradable mulch degrades with increasing exposure to radiation, the white mulch surface is exposed. Differences among plastic systems in the percentage that breaks down may be explained by differential shading of the mulch by the vegetative growth of the crops. None of the formulations of the Plastigone brand photodegradable mulches in the photodegradable mulch overlay system had an effect on tomato or squash production. As the color of the system changed from black to white, soil temperatures under the mulch decreased. Tomato production remained unaffected in one of the two years as long as the mulch remained black for at least the first 20 days during that season. In year 2, the controlled mulch system color change affected neither tomato nor squash production relative to nondegradable white and black mulches used as controls.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
A color-changing polyethylene mulch system was developed and used to grow tomatoes.
- Taxon
- tomatoes
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Material
- cv. Mountain Pridee0
- Outcome
- polyethylene mulch system that changes its predominant surface color from black to white in the fielde0
Not reportedValue
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“A polyethylene mulch system that changes its predominant surface color from black to white in the field has been developed and used to grow tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Mountain Pride)”
Claim · model-written summary
A color-changing polyethylene mulch system was developed and used to grow squash.
- Taxon
- squashe0
- Material
- cv. Dixie Hybride0
- Outcome
- polyethylene mulch system that changes its predominant surface color from black to white in the fielde0
Not reportedValue
Verbatim
e0“A polyethylene mulch system that changes its predominant surface color from black to white in the field has been developed and used to grow tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Mountain Pride) and squash [ Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Alef. cv. Dixie Hybrid]”
Claim · model-written summary
Differential crop shading may explain differences among mulch systems in plastic breakdown.
- Taxon
- cropse0
- Treatment
- differential shadinge0
- Outcome
- percentage that breaks downe0
- Qualifier
- differential shading of the mulch by the vegetative growth of the cropse0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Differences among plastic systems in the percentage that breaks down may be explained by differential shading of the mulch by the vegetative growth of the crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Photodegradable mulch formulations did not affect tomato production.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Treatment
- formulations of the Plastigone brand photodegradable mulchese0
- Outcome
- tomatoe0
- Direction
- had an effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“None of the formulations of the Plastigone brand photodegradable mulches in the photodegradable mulch overlay system had an effect on tomato or squash production”
Claim · model-written summary
Photodegradable mulch formulations did not affect squash production.
- Taxon
- squashe0
- Treatment
- formulations of the Plastigone brand photodegradable mulchese0
- Outcome
- squash productione0
- Direction
- had an effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“None of the formulations of the Plastigone brand photodegradable mulches in the photodegradable mulch overlay system had an effect on tomato or squash production”
Claim · model-written summary
As mulch color changed from black to white, soil temperature beneath it decreased.
- Taxon
- tomatoes
Solanum lycopersicume1 - Treatment
- color of the system changed from black to whitee0
- Outcome
- soil temperatures under the mulche0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“As the color of the system changed from black to white, soil temperatures under the mulch decreased”
e1“used to grow tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Mountain Pride) and squash [ Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Alef. cv. Dixie Hybrid]”
Claim · model-written summary
In one year, tomato production remained unaffected if mulch stayed black for at least the first 20 days.
- Taxon
- Tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Treatment
- mulch remained black for at least the first 20 dayse0
- Outcome
- Tomato productione0
- Direction
- remained unaffectede0
- Qualifier
- in one of the two yearse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Tomato production remained unaffected in one of the two years as long as the mulch remained black for at least the first 20 days during that season”
Claim · model-written summary
In year 2, controlled mulch color change did not affect tomato production relative to white and black control mulches.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Treatment
- controlled mulch system color changee0
- Outcome
- tomatoe0
- Direction
- affected neithere0
- Qualifier
- In year 2e0
- Comparator
- nondegradable white and black mulchese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“In year 2, the controlled mulch system color change affected neither tomato nor squash production relative to nondegradable white and black mulches used as controls”
Claim · model-written summary
In year 2, controlled mulch color change did not affect squash production relative to white and black control mulches.
Verbatim
e0“In year 2, the controlled mulch system color change affected neither tomato nor squash production relative to nondegradable white and black mulches used as controls”
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See all 210 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.