Black-White Plastic Mulch: Cooling Crops, Boosting Harvests

Ever see farm fields covered in plastic that's white on top and black underneath? That's specialized black-white plastic mulch – a clever tool revolutionizing farming, especially in hot climates.

How It Works (The Science):

White Top: Highly reflective. It bounces sunlight away (up to 80-90%!), significantly cooling the soil surface (5-15°C cooler than black plastic). This protects plant roots and fruits from heat stress.

Black Bottom: Totally opaque. It blocks sunlight completely, killing weeds underneath without chemicals. It also conserves soil moisture by reducing evaporation.

Key Benefits for Farmers & Crops:

Beat the Heat: Essential for growing strawberries, melons, peppers, tomatoes, and berries in summer or warm regions. Prevents heat damage to roots and fruits touching the soil.

Natural Weed Killer: Eliminates weeds under the film, saving labor, herbicides, and water/nutrients stolen by weeds.

More Light, Better Fruit: The reflected light brightens the undersides of leaves and fruits, improving photosynthesis and leading to more uniform color, higher sugar content, and better quality (e.g., redder strawberries, more even watermelon ripening).

Save Water: Reduces evaporation, meaning less frequent irrigation is needed.

Pest Deterrent: The bright reflective surface can confuse and repel certain flying insects like aphids and whiteflies.

Using It Right:

Crucial: White side MUST face up towards the sun; black side touches the soil.

Plants grow through pre-cut holes in the film.

Often paired with drip irrigation underneath for efficient watering.

After harvest, the film should be removed and recycled or disposed of properly to avoid plastic pollution (biodegradable options are emerging).