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The prolonged use of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) based mulching films has resulted in significant environmental pollution. Due to the thickness of the plastic film and the difficulty of recovery, these films are often intentionally or unintentionally discarded directly into agricultural soils, and their residues are nothing but a direct source of meso-, micro- and nanoplastics, which also lead to serious side effects on human health. To ensure the sustainability of agriculture, there is great interest in developing biodegradable bio-based polymer films for agricultural mulching that can be directly incorporated into the soil after use.
The Mulching+ project aims to develop biodegradable polymer films that can be directly buried in the soil after use, enhancing their environmental sustainability. In nature polysaccharides are abundant, versatile, biodegradable, and biocompatible. Their chemical functionalities can be tailored for specific applications, making them ideal for supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
FIRST RESULTS
The first results, detailed below, are promising and show that MULCHING+ films don’t compromise the soil fertility, but modify positively the soil characteristics, fostering a sustainable management of the agricultural ecosystems, decreasing input of chemical fertilizers and providing alternatives to the use of conventional plastics.
ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS
Ciaramitaro, V., Piacenza, E., Paliaga, S., Cavallaro, G., Badalucco, L., Laudicina, V. A., & Chillura Martino, D. F. (2024). Exploring the Feasibility of Polysaccharide-Based Mulch Films with Controlled Ammonium and Phosphate Ions Release for Sustainable Agriculture. Polymers, 16(16), 2298 https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16162298
Paliaga, S.; Badalucco, L.; Ciaramitaro, V.C.; Martino, D.F.C.; Gelsomino, A.; Kandeler, E.; Marhan, S.; Laudicina, V.A. Fertilizer Enriched Bio-Based Mulch Films Increase Nitrogen and Phosphorus Availability and Stimulate Soil Microbial Biomass and Activity. Applied Soil Ecology 2025, 211, 106159 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2025.106159
Sidari, R.; Pittarello, M.; Rodinò, M.T.; Panuccio, M.R.; Lo Verde, G.; Laudicina, V.A.; Gelsomino, A. Isolation and Selection of Cellulose-Chitosan Degrading Bacteria to Speed up the Mineralization of Bio-Based Mulch Films. Frontiers in Microbiology 2025, 16, 1597786, doi:10.3389/fmicb.2025.1597786. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1597786
Pittarello M, Rodinò MT, Sidari R, Panuccio MR, Cozzi F, Branca V, Petrovičová B, Gelsomino A. Employment of Biodegradable, Short-Life Mulching Film on High-Density Cropping Lettuce in a Mediterranean Environment: Potentials and Prospects. Agriculture. 2025; 15(11):1219. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15111219
Rodinò, M.T.; Pacheco, N.I.N.; Gelsomino, A. Soil and Earthworm-Derived Enzymatic Activities in Soil Microcosms Following Addition of a N- and P-Enriched Polysaccharide-Based vs a Conventional Starch-Based Mulching Film. The Science of the Total Environment 2025, 993, 180013, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180013. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180013
Paliaga S, Badalucco L, Chillura Martino DF, Ciaramitaro VC, Stazi SR, Allevato E, Vinciguerra V, Laudicina VA. Biodegradability of Innovative Bio-Based Films Enriched with Monoammonium Phosphate. Horticulturae. 2026; 12(2):253. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12020253
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