An assessment of bioplastic applications in agriculture within a sustainable framework

The Earth's surface temperature has been exceeding normal levels since the 1950s. Global warming poses threats to human and living health. Various solutions are being explored to protect water resources. Another challenge facing humanity is the increasing demand for food due to population growth. Enhancing agricultural productivity is necessary to meet this demand. The effective use of plastic mulches in agriculture, as evidenced by numerous studies, positively impacts water efficiency, productivity, and quality. However, petroleum-based plastics contribute to global warming by increasing carbon emissions and can persist in the environment for years, even when they begin to degrade, breaking down into small particles that mix into soil, water, and food, posing risks to human, animal, and environmental health. The use of biodegradable bioplastic mulch materials, which naturally decompose without polluting soil and the environment, has become essential in agriculture. To replace petroleum-based mulches with biodegradable and eco-friendly bioplastic alternatives, it is imperative to achieve significant product quality, including water vapor permeability and mechanical properties, to meet the economic expectations of supply and demand. This study demonstrates the strong relationship between sustainability and the agricultural sector, examines research related to bioplastic mulch materials, evaluates the current state of products in the market, compares their characteristics, and also assesses research conducted to the perspectives of production, application, and characterization.