Accelerated Test of Paper Mulch Degradation

In 1994, field trials were undertaken to evaluate the agronomic performance of a range of paper mulches in vegetable production. During the course of the experiments, the majority of the paper mulches tested degraded part way through the growing season. Before the next growing season, a range of Kraft papers differing in densities and compositions were subjected to an accelerated degradation test to determine which mulches would be suitable for use under Quebec field conditions. A mixture of equal parts black soil, sand, and manure (two parts sheep manure and one part liquid cow manure) was placed into trays of 26 x 52 cm. Experimental papers were cut into strips measuring 2.5 x l.5 cm and put into the trays such that half of the strips were covered with the mixture. The trays were placed in a growth cabinet (30C with a relative humidity of 50%). Three replicates of each treatment were sampled 3, 5, 7, 11, and 14 days after placement to determined the amount of degradation that had taken place. It was found that the length of time taken for degradation in the accelerated system was 3.7 times less than that of the field.