Issued by 2026 Magazine

Biodegradable mulch: feedback from field trials

Science

To conclude our report – which began in December – on the SOPAM project on biodegradable mulch, we would like to share some testimonials from those who took part in the experiments.

Madeleine de Turckheim
Engineer in charge of the market gardening division, SudExpé

SOPAM enabled us to assess the feasibility of replacing plastic mulch with biodegradable mulch as part of a global project complementing funding from the Occitanie Region (South-West France). We were involved at several levels: in field trials, production (yield) and post-production (quality), as well as packaging and marketing. The results show that biodegradable mulches work, although their performance is sometimes inferior to polyethylene films, particularly in terms of thermal properties, which can lead to lower yields. Producers are willing to adopt alternatives if yields are satisfactory and the economic equation is viable. Work on acceptance still needs to be further developed. We will continue our work with new projects dedicated to this fundamental issue from 2027 onwards.

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