Isolation of Native Soil Microorganisms with Potential for Breaking Down Biodegradable Plastic Mulch Films Used in AgricultureGraham Bailes 1, Margaret Lind 1, Andrew Ely 1, Marianne Powell 2, Jennifer Moore-Kucera 3, Carol Miles 2, Debra Inglis 2, Marion Brodhagen 1
1Biology Department, Western Washington University, 2Washington State University Northwestern Research and Extension Center, 3Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University
Plastic films labeled "biodegradable" are commercially available for agricultural use as mulches. Tillage represents an attractive disposal method, but degradation under field conditions is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to develop methods for isolating native soil fungi and bacteria that colonize plastic mulch films after field burial.
