Paper · 1995 · HortScience

Development of a Polyethylene Mulch System that Changes Color in the Field

Heather A. Hatt Graham; Dennis R. Decoteau; Dale E. Linvill

9
claims
10
verbatim quotes
25
citations
2
research areas
✓
Open access

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

Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

A color-changing polyethylene mulch system was developed and used to grow tomatoes.

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.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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)”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–200 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

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]”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 0–271 · show in text ↑
Associationhypothesisoriginal resultmeasured

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 549–709 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Photodegradable mulch formulations did not affect tomato production.

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.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 711–872 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 711–872 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

As mulch color changed from black to white, soil temperature beneath it decreased.

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.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“As the color of the system changed from black to white, soil temperatures under the mulch decreased”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 874–973 · show in text ↑
e1

“used to grow tomatoes ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Mountain Pride) and squash [ Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo (L.) Alef. cv. Dixie Hybrid]”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 127–271 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

In one year, tomato production remained unaffected if mulch stayed black for at least the first 20 days.

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.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 975–1122 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

In year 2, controlled mulch color change did not affect tomato production relative to white and black control mulches.

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.

Solanum lycopersicum
Solanum lycopersicum · TaxonKod B · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1124–1288 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultno effectmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

In year 2, controlled mulch color change did not affect squash production relative to white and black control mulches.

Taxon
squashe0
Treatment
controlled mulch system color changee0
Outcome
squash productione0
Direction
affected neithere0
Qualifier
In year 2e0
Comparator
nondegradable white and black mulchese0

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”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1124–1288 · show in text ↑

mulching · yield · Cucurbita (pumpkins)Results differ

43 papers: 33 positive, 10 negative or no effect

9 papers in the same direction as this paper · 33 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

39 papers more in this group

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mulching · organism · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Positive and negative results

9 papers: 5 positive, 4 negative or no effect

3 papers in the same direction as this paper · 5 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

5 papers more in this group

See all 9 papers →

mulching · yield · Solanum lycopersicum (tomato)Positive and negative results

210 papers: 184 positive, 26 negative or no effect

25 papers in the same direction as this paper · 184 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive

206 papers more in this group

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.