How much does each plastic film mulching machine cost, and its suitable seasons and techniques
Plastic film mulching refers to a measure of covering the ground with agricultural plastic film. It is a commonly used measure that can both prevent soil erosion and increase crop yields.So how much does a plastic film mulching machine cost on the current market? In what season is plastic film used? What are the techniques? According to the Shandong agricultural machinery market, prices vary with different brands, model sizes and crops used, with market prices ranging from 450-3000 yuan.
In what season is plastic film used?
The main functions of plastic film are:
1. Raising ground temperature: promoting seed germination, plant rooting or root growth;
2. Preserving soil moisture (moisture retention): reducing evaporation and saving irrigation water;
3. Weed control: after weeds grow, they find it hard to survive for long under the cover of the plastic film.
Therefore: 1. Use plastic film when sowing in open fields in spring (to raise ground temperature, preserve soil moisture, save irrigation water and control weeds).
2. Use plastic film when sowing in greenhouses (to reduce evaporation, lower greenhouse humidity and control weeds).
What are the plastic film mulching techniques?
The greatest effect of plastic film mulching cultivation is raising soil temperature. During the low-temperature period in winter and spring, after being exposed to sunlight during the day with plastic film mulching, the soil layer 0-10 cm deep can increase in temperature by 1-6°C, and by more than 8°C at most. Entering the high-temperature period, if there is no shade, the temperature of the soil surface layer under the plastic film can reach 50-60°C, and when the soil is dry, the surface temperature will be even higher. However, when there is crop shade, or when the surface of the plastic film is covered with soil or silt, the soil temperature under plastic film mulching is only 1-5°C higher than in the open field, and when the soil is moist the soil temperature will even be 0.5-1.0°C lower than in the open field, and at most 3°C lower. At night, due to the influence of outside cold air, the soil temperature under the plastic film is only 1-2°C higher than in the open field. The warming effect of plastic film mulching varies with the mulching period, mulching method, weather conditions and type of plastic film.
I. Effects of plastic film mulching
Because the film has strong airtightness, it can significantly reduce soil moisture evaporation, making soil moisture stable and able to remain moist for a long time, which is beneficial to root growth. In dry areas, artificial soil moisture creation and supplementary moisture methods can be used for drought-resistant sowing. Under relatively dry conditions, the soil water content in the soil layer 0-25 cm deep is generally more than 50% higher than in the open field. As the soil layer deepens, the moisture difference gradually decreases.
Crops grow vigorously after plastic film mulching, and transpiration consumes more water, so under the same management conditions they tend to show water shortage, and attention should be paid to irrigation to prevent drought-induced yield reduction. Because plastic film mulching has the effect of raising temperature and preserving moisture, it is conducive to the proliferation of soil microorganisms, accelerates the conversion of humus into inorganic salts, and is beneficial to crop absorption. According to measurements, after plastic film mulching, available nitrogen can increase by 30-50%, potassium by 10-20%, and phosphorus by 20-30%. After plastic film mulching, the leaching, loss and volatilization of nutrients can be reduced, and nutrient use efficiency can be improved. However, the nutrients under plastic film mulching are relatively higher in the early stage of crop growth and tend to decrease in the later stage. When producing vegetables, attention should be paid to topdressing in the later stage, otherwise yield will be affected. In addition, plastic film mulching can avoid soil compaction caused by irrigation or rainwater erosion, reduce the labor for intertillage, and make the soil loose with good permeability. It can increase the total soil porosity by 1-10%, reduce bulk density by 0.02-0.3 g/cm3, and increase stable soil aggregates by 1.5%, coordinating the fertilizer, water, air and heat conditions in the soil. At the same time, it can prevent the occurrence of returning alkali and reduce salt damage.
After plastic film mulching, at noon the middle and lower leaves of the plants can receive 12-14% more reflected light, increasing the light amount by 3-4 times compared with the open field, thus making the fruit on the lower part of fruit trees color better, flowers brighter, and tobacco leaves better in color. The photosynthetic intensity of tomatoes can increase by 13.5-46.8%, and the chlorophyll content increases by about 5%, and it can further delay the senescence period of the middle and lower leaves and promote dry matter accumulation, thus increasing yield.
Between the plastic film and the ground surface on sunny days with high temperatures, a high temperature of about 50°C often occurs, causing grass buds and weeds to wither and die. Using herbicides together before and after covering the film can further prevent weeds from growing densely and reduce the labor occupied by weeding. However, poor film mulching quality or failure to apply herbicides can also cause weed infestation. After plastic film mulching, because the plants grow robustly, disease resistance can be enhanced and the incidence of disease reduced. Covering with silver-gray reflective film has an even better aphid-repelling effect and can reduce the spread and harm of viral diseases.
II. Adverse effects of plastic film mulching techniques
1. Because organic matter decomposes quickly afterward, crop utilization is high, and fertilizer supplementation is low, soil fertility declines, or due to untimely topdressing management, early maturity without increased yield may occur, and there may even be a phenomenon of yield reduction.
2. On dry sandy land, barren land and heavy clay land, plastic film mulching cultivation should not be used. Because after dry sandy land is covered with film, the soil temperature tends to become high at noon, and under relatively severe drought conditions it may instead cause yield reduction.
3. On barren land, after film mulching it is inconvenient to topdress, and if the base fertilizer applied at sowing is insufficient, mulching also cannot increase yield.
4. Heavy clay land has many clods when dry, and it is difficult to harrow them fine during land preparation. After film mulching it is very hard to fit tightly against the ground, and when a strong wind blows the plastic film is easily torn and blown away.
5. Residual film in the field is difficult to clear and pollutes the soil. Recycling and utilizing residual film is difficult, and discarding it at will pollutes the environment. Residual film should be thoroughly removed and burned in a centralized manner.
III. Plastic film mulching methods
The methods of plastic film mulching vary with local natural conditions, crop types, production seasons and cultivation habits.
1. Flat bed mulching
The bed surface is flat, with bed ridges, the bed width is 1.00-1.65 m, and the bed length depends on the plot. Before sowing or transplanting, lay the plastic film flat on the bed surface and press the surroundings tightly with soil. It is suitable for short-term temporary mulching. During mulching, labor is saved and watering is easy, but after watering it is easy to cause silt pollution on the bed surface. In the early stage of mulching there is a warming effect, and as pollution worsens, in the later stage there is a cooling effect. It is generally mostly used for growing onions, garlic and trellised vegetables, and is also used for crops such as wheat and cotton and for cutting propagation of fruit tree seedlings.
2. High ridge mulching
The bed surface is ridge-shaped, with a ridge bottom width of 50-85 cm, a ridge surface width of 30-50 cm, and a ridge height of 10-15 cm. The plastic film is laid over the ridge surface. The ridge spacing is 50-70 cm. Each ridge is planted with a single row or double rows of cabbage, lettuce, sweet pepper, cauliflower, etc. High ridge mulching receives light better, the ground temperature rises easily, and watering is also convenient, but in dry areas the ridge height should not exceed 10 cm.
3. High bed mulching
The bed surface is flat-topped, 10-15 cm above the ground level, and the bed width is 1.00-1.65 m. The plastic film is laid flat on the surface of the high bed. It is generally used for growing trellised vegetables such as cucurbits, legumes and solanaceous fruits, as well as grain and cotton crops. High bed mulching has a relatively good warming effect, but the center of the bed is prone to drought.
4. Furrow bed mulching
Make the bed into a furrow about 50 cm wide and 15-20 cm deep, transplant the grown seedlings in the furrow, then cover the furrow with plastic film. When the seedlings grow and press against the plastic film, cut a cross in the plastic film at the top of the seedlings, called cutting an opening for ventilation. After the late frost passes, the seedlings extend out of the film through the opening and grow. When the seedlings grow taller, tear the plastic film again to let it fall to the ground and cover the roots. It is commonly called "cover the sky first, then cover the ground." In this way, transplanting can be advanced by 7-10 days. It protects seedlings from late frost damage. It both protects seedlings and protects roots, achieving the effects of early maturity, increased yield and increased income. In early spring, vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, kidney beans, sweet pepper, tomato and cucumber can be transplanted earlier, and crops such as watermelon, melon and grain can also be sown earlier.
5. Furrow planting with slope mulching
Open sloped furrows 40 cm deep and 60-80 cm wide at the top on the ground, with two furrows 2-5 m apart (2 m for melon, 5 m for watermelon), and the ground between the two furrows is ridge-round. On both sides inside the furrow, lay 70-75 cm plastic film along the slope, and the ground on both sides of the furrow is ridge-round. On both sides inside the furrow, lay 70-75 cm plastic film along the slope, and plant cucurbits on both sides of the furrow.
6. Hole and pit mulching
On the surface of a flat bed, high bed or high ridge, use a hole puncher to make pits about 10 cm deep and 10-15 cm in diameter, sow or transplant crops in the holes, with plant and row spacing determined according to crop requirements, then cover the tops of the pits with plastic film, and after the seedlings press against the film cut openings for ventilation. Crops such as potatoes can be planted.