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Polymer Materials for Agricultural Application II

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Dear Colleagues,

Polymer materials are inputs that support the development of more sustainable and resilient agricultural systems. Granular fertilizers, including (bio)fertilizers with phosphorus recovered from bioeconomy side-streams and mineral nutrients from nutrient-rich wastes, benefit from coatings with biodegradable polymers when promoting controlled release. Biopolymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lignin, act as formulation ingredients for plant biostimulants. Most of these biopolymers, especially in their nanoforms, are also active ingredients or precursors of active ingredients—e.g., bioactive peptides, lignin derivatives, or oligosaccharins acting on the tissular and cellular plant regulatory network. Several polysaccharides (chitin/chitosan and polysaccharides from yeast or (micro)algae cell wall) were registered as active ingredients of low-risk plant protection products. Other agricultural applications of polymer materials include seed coating, film-forming formulation for extended fruits and vegetables shelf life, enhancers of water-holding in soil, and biodegradable mulch film. This Special Issue welcomes original articles, communications, reviews, and perspectives on the applications in the agriculture of polymer materials.

Dr. Florin Oancea
Dr. Diana Constantinescu-Aruxandei
Guest Editors

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Keywords

(bio)polymer coating for controlled-release fertilizers
novel fertilizing products based on (nano)lignin and their derivatives
plant biostimulants based on proteins and/or bioactive peptides
oligosaccharins acting as elicitors of plant defense
low-risk plant protection products based on polymer material
mulch film produced from natural polymers
polymer material for seed coating and seed biostimulation
polymer materials for soil improvement and stabilization
edible films for an extended shelf life of fruits and vegetables

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Research

18 pages, 4524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Method for Simulating the Anti-Damage Performance of Consolidation Soil Balls at the Roots of Seedlings during Transportation Using Consolidated Soil Columns

by Shaoli Wang, Shengju Song, Xuping Yang, Zhengqi Xiong, Chaoxing Luo, Donglu Wei, Hong Wang, Lili Liu, Xinxin Yang, Shaofeng Li and Yongxiu Xia

Polymers 2023, 15(20), 4083; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15204083 - 14 Oct 2023

Viewed by 899

Abstract

In the process of landscaping or afforestation in challenging terrain, in order to improve the survival rate of transplanted seedlings, it is necessary to transplant seedlings with a mother soil ball attached. During transportation, the soil ball at the root of the seedlings is very susceptible to breakage due to compression, bumps, and collisions. In order to ensure the integrity of the soil ball of the transplanted seedlings and improve the survival rate of seedlings, a method of chemically enhancing the soil surface strength was employed. Specifically, a polymer-based soil consolidating agent was used to solidify the root balls of the seedlings. To examine the abrasion resistance performance of the soil balls formed by consolidating the surface with polymer adhesive during the transportation process, we utilized a polymer-based consolidating agent to prepare test soil columns and developed a method to simulate the damage resistance performance of seedling root balls during transportation using these soil columns. The method primarily encompasses two aspects of testing: compressive strength testing of the consolidated soil columns and resistance to transportation vibration testing. The first method for testing the resistance to transportation vibration of the consolidated soil columns is a combination test that includes three sets of tests: highway truck transportation vibration testing, combined wheel vehicle transportation vibration testing, and impact testing. Although the method is cumbersome, testing is more accurate. The second method for testing the resistance to transportation vibration of the consolidated soil columns involves simultaneously testing multiple consolidated soil columns using a simulated transportation vibration test platform. The testing method is concise and efficient, and the test results are more intuitive. The combined assessment of the resistance to transportation vibration and compressive strength testing of the consolidated soil columns allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the soil columns’ resistance to damage during transportation. This study mainly provides a quick and effective method for detecting the damage resistance of consolidated soil columns/balls during transportation, providing technical support for the application of polymer-based consolidation agents in the field of seedling transplantation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials for Agricultural Application II)

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