Evaluation of the radiometric properties of starch-based biodegradable films for crop protection

Laboratory and field tests were carried out in order to evaluate the radiometric properties of biodegradable starch-based films, which represent a sustainable alternative to low density polyethylene films used for soil mulching and low tunnel covering in agriculture. The highest value of the solar transmissivity coefficient recorded for the biodegradable films tested was 88%, obtained with a film having a thickness of 30 μm, comparable with the value of a low density polyethylene film with a thickness of 40 μm. The biodegradable films showed a high capacity for reducing thermal radiative losses from the protected volume because they recorded very low transmissivity coefficients in the long wave infrared band, less than 3%. The evaluation of the performance in the field showed that the biodegradable films are as suitable for crop protection as low density polyethylene films.