Limit search to available items
Book Cover
E-book

Title A guide to the manufacture, performance, and potential of plastics in agriculture / edited by Michael D. Orzolek
Published Oxford ; Cambridge, MA : William Andrew, 2017

Copies

Description 1 online resource
Series PDL Plastics design library
PDL handbook series.
Contents Front Cover -- A Guide to the Manufacture, Performance, and Potential of Plastics in Agriculture -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- List of Contributors -- Biography of the Editor -- 1 Introduction -- History-North America -- Film Manufacturing -- Additives -- Plastic Mulch -- Row Covers -- Drip Irrigation -- High/Low Tunnels -- Plastic Greenhouses -- Rigid Molded Plastics -- Plastics in Animal Production -- Disposal of Plastics -- Plasticulture in Europe: History -- Protected Cultivation: Early History -- Mulches -- Low Tunnels -- Floating Row Covers -- Greenhouses -- Greenhouse Area -- Covering Materials -- Rigid Types -- Flexible Types -- Screenhouses -- Irrigation and Drainage -- Ensilage -- Other Applications -- Residues -- Good Agricultural Practices-Integrated Pest Management -- Further Reading -- 2 Plastic Film Production -- Introduction -- Polymer Properties -- Extrusion -- The Extruder -- The Die -- Flat Film Extrusion -- Blown Film Extrusion -- Additional Film Production Considerations -- Main Processing Parameters -- Conclusion -- 3 Plastic Mulches for the Production of Vegetable Crops -- Specifications -- Importance of Color -- Advantages of Plastic Mulches -- Earlier and Higher Overall Yields -- Reduced Evaporation -- Fewer Weed Problems -- Reduced Fertilizer Leaching -- Reduced Soil Compaction -- Root Pruning Eliminated -- Cleaner Product -- Gas Exchange -- Aids in Fumigation and Soil Solarization -- Reduced Drowning of Crops -- Ability to Double/Triple Crop -- Disadvantages of Plastic Mulches -- Removal and Disposal -- Greater Initial Cost -- References -- 4 Row Covers -- Introduction -- Row Cover Materials -- Effects of Row Covers on the Crop Microclimate -- Temperature -- Light -- Relative Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit -- Airflow -- Effects of Row Covers on Crops -- Season Extension and Yield Increases
Insect Pests -- Beneficial Insect Populations -- Crop Quality -- Overwintering -- Strawberry -- Blackberry -- Winter Vegetable Production -- Overwintering Vegetables -- Container-Grown Nursery Stock -- Summary -- References -- 5 Drip Irrigation -- Introduction -- What Is Drip Irrigation -- Origins of Drip Irrigation -- Uses of Drip Irrigation -- Advantages of Drip Irrigation -- Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation -- Installation of Drip Irrigation Systems -- Drip Tubing and Tape -- Emitters -- Tubing Placement in the Row -- Injection and Safety Equipment -- Filtration -- Operating the Irrigation System -- Soil Water-Holding Capacity and Available Water -- Determining Crop Water Use -- System Run Times -- An Example -- Water Application Uniformity -- Irrigation Controllers -- Soil Moisture Sensors -- Clogging Prevention -- Injecting Fertilizers Through the Drip Irrigation System -- Flushing the System -- Reusing the Tubing or Tape -- Summary -- References -- 6 High Tunnels -- 7 Plastics in Greenhouse Production -- Introduction -- Plastic Greenhouse Coverings -- Plastic Pots, Trays, and Flats -- Plastics in Hydroponics -- References -- 8 Horticulture Plastics -- History of Container-Grown Plants -- Specialized Growing Media -- The Modern Plastic Growing Container -- Container Standards -- Nursery Containers -- Pot-In-Pot -- Air-pruning Pots -- Reusable and Recycling -- Eco-friendly Growing Containers -- Bioplastic -- Summary -- References -- 9 Plastics in Animal Production -- Polymers and Types of Plastic Used on Livestock Farms -- Polymers and Their Products -- Amount of Plastic Used on Farms -- Plastic Film for Animal Feed Storage -- History of the Development of Plastic for Silage Conservation -- Plastic Films for Horizontal Silos -- Stretch Films for Wrapped Bales -- Other Feed Conservation Applications
Innovative Oxygen Barrier Films for Silage Conservation -- Oxygen Barrier Films for Horizontal Silos -- Oxygen Barrier Stretch Films for Wrapped Bales -- New Perspectives of Bioplastics on Livestock Farms -- References -- 10 Disposal of Plastics -- Introduction -- Recycling -- Energy Reclamation -- Chemical Recycling -- Direct Combustion -- Landfilling -- Reuse -- References -- Index -- Back Cover
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Vendor-supplied metadata
Subject Plastics in agriculture -- United States
Polymers.
Plastic films.
polymers.
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING -- Agriculture -- General.
Plastic films
Plastics in agriculture
Polymers
United States
Form Electronic book
Author Orzolek, M. D. (Michael D.), editor.
LC no. 2017302049
ISBN 9780081021767
0081021763