Performance Changes and Application of PBAT Biodegradable Mulch Film in Fresh Maize Planting

Abstract

Abstract Mulching is essential for high-quality, fresh-eating maize production. This work fabricated biodegradable mulch films by blow molding from poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blended with various additives and evaluated their field performance in Nanjing. Under consistent field management, we systematically monitored the dynamic degradation of four film formulations and their effects on fresh-eating maize yield. The film performance ranked JAAS-II > JAAS-I > JAAS-III > JAAS-IV > polyethylene (PE) mulch. JAAS-II was the optimal formulation for fresh-eating maize cultivation under natural climatic conditions in Nanjing, Jiangsu. This finding offers scientific support for addressing the scenario-matching challenge in practical biodegradable mulch applications.