Agricultural Economics Department
Cornhusker Economics
Date of this Version
8-28-2024
Document Type
Newsletter Issue
Citation
Cornhusker Economics (August 28, 2024)
Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Abstract
A research team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University, and South Dakota School of Mines are working on creating an alternative product that would use locally available materials to create a spray-on, biodegradable polymer that can suppress weeds and will biodegrade in a timeframe that is amenable to crop production. We broadly refer to this technology as BioWRAP (Bioplastics with Regenerative Agricultural Properties).
Our results show that the home garden market is potentially a significant one for a BioWRAP product. Continued work in the development of the BioWRAP technology is necessary to determine what the cost of a retail product is likely to be, as well as whether a product will be able to get USDA certified organic status.
Included in
Agricultural Economics Commons, Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Horticulture Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Sustainability Commons, Weed Science Commons