Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research

Farouk Al-Hajjar

Shawqui M Lahalih

Saed-el-Deen Akashah

A degradable agricultural mulch film as disclosed herein includes a plurality of layers for the controlled release of plant nutrients. The first layer is formed from a water-soluble synthetic resin, a releasable form of nitrogen and a releasable form of a plant nutrient in addition to nitrogen. A second layer includes a water-soluble synthetic resin having an average molecular weight which is greater than the average molecular weight of the water-soluble synthetic resin in the first layer and a releasable form of nitrogen admixed therein. The second layer also includes a thin film of water-resistant polymer to retard the degradation rate of the second layer and to slow the release of nitrogen in the second layer. And in the preferred embodiment of the invention a second film of water-resistant polymer which is relatively thin with respect to the first film separates the first and second layers.

Multilayer degradeable and controlled release multinutrient mulch film,

An agricultural mulch film is prepared by mixing conventional plant nutrients with a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol. The mixture is cast in the liquid form and allowed to dry to form a thin film. The dried film is then coated with a thin layer of a water-resistant resin such as polyvinyl acetate to form a composite mulch film. The release of the nutrients contained in the mulch film is controlled by the addition to the water-soluble polymer mixture of either (1) a nitrification inhibitor along with urea, or (2) a water-soluble urea-formaldehyde condensation product. The release of the nutrients is also controlled somewhat by the water-resistant resin coating. Other additives may be added to the mulch film to produce a multi-purpose product.

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Jabriaya, Kuwait

Farouk Al-Hajjar