Domestic technical textiles Industry Segment-wise consumption of ...

At present, mulch mats are being used mainly in vegetable (which are short duration crops) and few
fruit crops. Mulch mats keep ripening fruits, off the soil. The reduced contact with the soil decreases
fruit rot as well as keeps the fruit and vegetables clean. This is beneficial for the production of several
fruits including strawberries. Before plantations of the seedlings, the beds of the field are covered with
the mulch film (generally a black opaque film) and the holes are made at the desired spots where in
the seeds are planted. The use of mulch mats along with the use of drip irrigation can lead to
significant increase in productivity. But, the non-biodegradable mulches must be removed from the
field and disposed off properly.
Product characteristics and Raw-materials
Mulch mats are made of both natural (wool and jute) and man made fibres (LLDPE, HDPE). Mulch
mats can be classified as:-
• Woven
• Non-woven
• Mulch-films
Wool fibre is used for designing Non-woven Mulch mat, LLDPE polymer is used for Mulch films
(Extruded sheets in various thicknesses, microns) and fibres like jute and cotton are used for Woven
mulch mats.
Mulch mats made of biodegradable material are incorporated into the soil as fertiliser for the next
crop. Wool mulch mats allow water to enter in to the soil (unlike black sheet) and act as a barrier to
prevent excessive soil desiccation during dry period. It also provides better insulation and prevents
damage from ground frost. On the other hand, HDPE/LLDPE mulch films are cheaper and last for one
to four years.
Mulch films made of LLDPE are most commonly used for mulching in India. Reliance industries Ltd
is the major supplier of LLDPE. The films of various thicknesses are manufactured by the process of
extrusion. The thickness of the films is based on the crop requirement and the time-period for which
the mulch films are intended to be used. For instance, some manufacturers recommend 7 microns film
for crops like groundnut. Mulch films of thickness 100 microns are used for mango trees, which are
used over many years. The most common thicknesses of films are 25, 50 and 100 microns. The
coverage of mulch films is dependent on the thickness. UV master-batch is added to ensure UV
stabilisation.