article · Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture
Coloured plastic mulches modify the radiation budget and reduce soil water loss across crop production systems. Different colours exert specific influences on soil physical conditions: black and blue mulches increase soil temperature, whereas clear and white films decrease it. These coverings improve moisture retention, water holding capacity, and water use efficiency. Agronomic benefits include higher numbers of fruits, roots, tubers, and bulbs, alongside enhanced produce quality such as increased total soluble solids, Vitamin C, and juice content. Mulching also curbs weed growth and viral plant diseases. However, drawbacks exist, including microplastic contamination, soil puddling, degradation of soil structure, reduced microbial activity, and, in certain crops, suppressed growth or heightened pest infestation. Effective application therefore requires careful evaluation of cropping season, root zone temperature, specific crop varieties, and pest dynamics.
Farmers face growing challenges from water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate variability. Understanding how different plastic mulch colours alter soil temperature and moisture enables growers to optimise crop yields and product quality while controlling weeds. However, recognising environmental trade-offs such as microplastic accumulation is essential for balancing short-term agronomic gains with long-term soil health.
Coloured plastic mulches represent an applied and utilised technology for commercial growers, horticultural enterprises, and agricultural input suppliers seeking to optimise water management and crop quality. Because the abstract identifies drawbacks such as microplastics and soil degradation, these insights point to commercial opportunities for input manufacturers to supply tailored, colour-specific, or environmentally benign mulching products aligned with specific crop and seasonal requirements.
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Abstract Mulches are materials applied in a soil surface for different roles and purposes. Plastic mulches with different colour have been developed and utilized in different crop production systems. Using coloured plastic mulches is mainly focused in modifying the radiation budget and decreasing the soil water loss. Besides, it helps to regulate soil temperature, water use efficiency, plant growth, yield, quality and weed and insect infestation. In this review, the knowledge and possible application of coloured plastic mulches, which can improve the soil physical properties, growth, yield, and quality crops has been reviewed and discussed. The role of coloured plastic mulches to mitigate the harmful effect of environmental stress in crops is also examined. Various physicochemical processes leading to improved crop production under the effect of coloured plastic mulches are also discussed. The combined results indicated that, effect of coloured plastic mulches is highly significant on soil temperature, moisture and water holding capacity. While black and blue plastics increase soil temperature, clear and white decreases it. Higher number of fruits, number of roots, tubers and bulbs was recorded in use of coloured plastic mulches. Similarly, the TSS, Vitamin C and juice percentage of different plants also showed significant improvement. It is also reported that weed infestation and viral diseases is highly reduced. Coloured plastic mulches also have some negative impacts like, decrease growth and yield in some plants, increase pest infestation, microplastics contamination, soil puddling, soil structural loss and reduce activity of soil-microorganisms. Therefore, use of coloured plastic mulches require close inspection of interaction with factors like; cropping season, root zone temperature, crop type, insect pest infestation and water use efficiency factors.
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DOI: 10.1186/s40538-020-00201-8
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