Films application in mesocosm experiment 

These were buried in field into the Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria (Calabria, Italy) and filled with soil from a citrus orchard to which perlite and compost were added. Twenty-four mesocosms were prepared to test eight different treatments comparing the innovative MULCHING+ films with PE films and biodegradable Mater-Bi films (Novamont S.p.A.). 

Moreover, for the increase in biodegradation capability we tested 123 bacterial strains. The four strains selected were sequenced and utilized to create the bacterial consortium for further treatments in the field trials.During the first year of the experimental trial in the mesocosms, the films were applied and buried repeatedly to evaluate the effect of MULCHING+ films on the main chemical (N and P pools, pH, etc.) and biochemical parameters (determination of the biological fertility index, BFI). In addition, the microarthropod community was evaluated, as detailed in the dedicated web section. At the end of the first crop cycle (lettuce) in May 2024, we didn’t find differences between the eight treatments concerning dry matter, chlorofyll content, carotenoids, total polyphenols and flavonoids. These results confirm that the burying of the innovative MULCHING+ films and Mater-bi don’t have negative impacts on the crops.

Next steps

Different crop rotations will be introduced in the mesocosm trial to evaluate the long-term effects on the soil-plant system following repeated applications over a period of 6 months. Next tests will be done on pepper fruits and leaves and on the microbial community for the assessment of the films burying impact on soil.