Plasticulture Engineering and Technology

Rohitashw Kumar, Vijay P. Singh

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781032045696
• eBook ISBN: 9781000559422
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Environmental Management
• Index: Technology & Engineering

The utilization of successful plasticulture engineering technology can ideally optimize crop yields and provide both economic and environmental benefits, such as reducing the need for water and fertilizer. This book discusses the myriad important aspects of crop production that utilize plastic, such as micro-irrigation, water management, plastic mulch films, protected cultivation and low tunnels, crop covers, canal linings, silage bags, and more. It also examines the latest methods for vertical farming and technological aspects, such as smart agriculture using the internet of things (IoT).The current state of the art, as well as potential future uses,ofplastics isdiscussed in addition to the benefits and limitations of plastics applications in agriculture generally.

Features

• Illustrates application of plastic in protected cultivation, water management, aquaculture, and hi-tech horticulture using innovative technologies to enhance water use efficiency and crop productivity
• Presents precision farming for climate-resilient technologies
• Includes real-world examples to present practical insights of plastic engineering for climate change mitigation strategies.

Plasticulture Engineering and Technology will serve as a useful resource for students, professionals, and researchers in agriculture and agricultural engineering, hydrology, hydraulics, water resources engineering, irrigation engineering, and environmental science.

1 Introduction

DOI: 10.1201/9781003273974-1

1.1 Definition

Plasticulture is defined as the practice of using plastic materials in agricultural applications, and according to the American Society for Plasticulture, it means “use of plastics in agriculture.” Plastic materials are broadly referred to as “ag plastics.” Plastics are applied in agriculture in different ways, including plastic mulch films, micro-irrigation (sprinkler, drip irrigation, rain gun, foggers, etc.), crop covers, greenhouses and low tunnels, silage bags, hay bale wraps, plastic trays, and pots used in the production of transplant and bedding plants (Lamont and Orzolek, 2004). Plastic materials gave way to different types of polyethylene films, which have revolutionized the protection of crops (Emmert, 1957; Agrawal, and Agrawal, 2005; Singh and Asrey, 2007). The history of plastic cultivation dates back to 1948, when Professor Emmert from the University of Kentucky first used polyethylene as a greenhouse film to replace glass (Anderson and Emmert, 1994; Jensen, 2004). In the United States, Emmert is known as the father of agricultural plastic development. With his contributions to greenhouses, mulches, and row covers, he described the principles of plastic technology (Emmert, 1957).

Although plasticulture includes micro-irrigation (drip and sprinkler), soil fumigation film, mulching, water storage, silage bags, and nursery pots are most frequently used, denoting the use of all kinds of plastics. Such variety ranges from plastic mulch film, row coverings, and high and low tunnels (polytunnels) to plastic greenhouses. Because of its affordability, flexibility, and easy manufacturing, polyethylene (PE) is used by a majority of growers. Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density (LLDPE) forms have different thicknesses. It can be modified by adding some elements of plastic that give properties beneficial to plant growth, such as reduced water loss, UV stabilization to cool soil and prevent insects, elimination of photosynthetically active radiation to prevent weed growth, and antidrip/antifog.

1.2 Plasticulture Development

Baekel, who coined the term “plastic,” invented the world’s first fully synthetic plastic (Bakelite) in New York in 1907. Many chemists have contributed to the materials science of plastics including Nobel laureate Hermann Staudinger, who is called “the father of polymer chemistry,” and Herman Mark, who is known as “the father of polymer physics.”

The first use of plastic film in agriculture was an effort to make a cheaper version of a glasshouse. Professor E.M. Emmert built the first plastic greenhouse in 1948, a wooden structure covered with cellulose acetate film and further used a more effective polyethylene film. After the introduction of plastic film in agriculture, by the early 1950s, larger-scale mulching was used in vegetables. By 1999, almost 30 million acres worldwide were covered by plastic mulch, but only a small percentage of this acreage (185,000 acres) was in the United States, and the majority of the plastic growth was occurring in economically poor areas of the world and unproductive desert regions, such as the Thar Desert.

In the agricultural sector, plastic farming is a technology that entails the use of plastics. In the late 1900s, polyethylene was available, and tar-coated paper mulches began to be used. When Warp (1971) developed the first glass replacement for widespread agricultural use, the science of plastic cultivation began. In 1938, British scientists first produced polyethylene as a film sheet. The earliest method of modifying the microclimate of crops using organic and inorganic materials was mulching (Jaworski et al., 1974).

The greenhouse technology around the world was used in two areas, with 80% throughout the Far East (Japan, Korea, China) and 15% in the Mediterranean basin. The area of greenhouse cover is increasing at a fast rate; during the last decade, it was estimated to grow every year by 20%. In the Middle East and Africa, the use of plastic greenhouses increased by 15–20% per year. In Europe, there was a weak growth area, i.e., covering greenhouses. In China, its growth is about 30% per year and, further, China translating into a volume of plastic film reaching 1,000,000 tons/year. In 2006, 80% of the area covered by plastic mulch was found in China with a growth rate of 25% per year. Plastic film is designed and developed to increase the yield of agricultural produce, shorten growth time, and increase produce size. Developments in plastic film encompass durability, optical (ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and middle infrared) properties, and the antidrip or antifog effect.

In the 1980s, plasticulture involved more than 2 million tons of plastic consumption per year in the world. A great number of polymers were used, from the expanded polystyrene of seedling trays to the polypropylene strings for plant knitting. The plastics in agriculture in the United States (polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) resin) were first used in greenhouses that produced vegetables for commercial sale. Emmert evaluated in 1960 plastic film that covered his greenhouse at the University of Kentucky. Interest in this new technology led to the formation of the National Agricultural Plastics Association (NA...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 Plastic Film Properties
• Chapter 3 Micro-Irrigation
• Chapter 5 Application of Plastic in Water Management
• Chapter 6 Soil Conditioning and Solarization Using Plastics
• Chapter 7 Irrigation Scheduling to Enhance Water Use Efficiency
• Chapter 8 Plastics for Crop Protection
• Chapter 9 Plastics in Drying and Storage
• Chapter 10 Plastics in Aquaculture
• Chapter 11 Plastics in Animal Husbandry
• Chapter 12 Plastics as Cladding Material
• Chapter 13 Plastics in Postharvest Management
• Chapter 14 Plastics in Horticulture
• Chapter 15 Plastic Mulching
• Chapter 16 Hydroponics and Vertical Farming
• Chapter 17 Design of Protected Structures
• Chapter 18 Application of Plastic in Farm Machinery
• Chapter 19 Smart Farming Using Internet of Things
• Sample Question Papers
• Index