Development of natural fiber-based degradable nonwoven mulch from recyclable mill waste

The extensively used agricultural polyethylene mulch is associated with serious environmental pollution because it is difficult to degrade. This study evaluated the feasibility and degradability of a new mulch that was fabricated entirely from recyclable biodegradable natural fibers. In 2018, three types of this new natural fiber-based mulch were prepared from textile mill waste using needle-punched nonwoven technology and characterized using both laboratory and field tests. Physical parameters, including air permeability, thermal insulation value, and light transmittance, were determined through laboratory tests. Other parameters, including soil moisture content, soil temperature, weed suppression, agronomic traits, cotton yield, and soil burial degradation, were investigated through field tests, with a degradable plastic film as the control. The results showed that the crop yield from the best new mulch treatment (2802.2 kg/arc) and the degradable plastic film treatment (2851.3 kg/arc) were similar. The superior thermal insulation value of the new mulch, which was at least 9.4% higher than the control, facilitated its capacity to substantially moderate soil temperature. The weed germination suppression ratio of the new mulch was 50% higher than the control because it was 100- fold thicker and showed 54.6% lower light transmittance. In addition, after 90 days in the soil, the new mulch evidently degraded. Therefore, this newly developed degradable nonwoven mulch addresses the issue of industrial waste utilization, thereby preventing agricultural pollution. In the future, enhancing the soil moisture retention capacity of the new mulch will greatly facilitate its application.