Affiliation:
1. University of Zagreb, Faculty of Textile Technology
Abstract
The nonwoven mulches produced from regenerated viscose and PLA fibres as well as conventional agro foil were placed on the soil by randomly arranged blocks of four replication plots. After 50 days, the soil samples beneath each mulch and on the control field were collected, where the bacteria and fungi population as well as the physio-chemical properties of the soil were measured. The severe reduction in bacterial population in soil under the agro foil and mulches made of PLA fibres occurs due to the prevalence of high soil temperature. The bacterial population of soil beneath the mulches made of viscose fibre significantly increased due to favourable anaerobic conditions, respectively soil temperature and moisture. Under all mulches, compared to the control field, a higher fungal population was observed. The fungal population under the nonwoven mulch produced by viscose fibres was 161% higher in comparison to the control field. The available nutrient contents of soils under the nonwoven mulches were higher compared to the control field. The control field showed higher available nutrient contents of soil than the field covered by conventional agro foil.
The results of the study reveal that usage of nonwoven mulches made of viscose fibres is most appropriate for short-term mulching application since successfully increases microbial population and improves the physio-chemical properties of soil.
Funder
European Union from the European Structural and Investment Funds, the Operational programme Competitiveness and Cohesion, the European Regional Development Fund
Subject
Colloid and Surface Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
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