Plastic in Agriculture: Are Soil-Biodegradable Mulches the Sustainable Answer?

Agricultural mulch films—those thin plastic layers often seen blanketing fields of strawberries, tomatoes, or other high-value crops—have long played a vital role in enhancing farm productivity. By conserving soil moisture, suppressing weed growth, and boosting crop yields, these films have become essential tools in modern agriculture. However, conventional plastic mulches (PMs), typically made from fossil-derived polymers like polyethylene, have raised significant environmental concerns due to their persistence in soils and the challenges associated with their disposal.