Biodegradable Raffia Twine: characteristics and considerations before its acquisition

Today, environmental preservation has drawn the attention of hundreds of non-governmental organizations and citizens as well, who are extremely aware of the ecological damage resulting from accelerated industrialization, the alternative of using biodegradable products in agriculture such as the raffia twine or crop support twine, is becoming more relevant in the market for small, medium and large farmers looking for good options that respect the environment and comply with sustainable farming practices.

Now more than ever, “biodegradability” is earning the respect of the agricultural industry, not only for the benefits it provides to the crops per se, but also for the important reduction in operational costs, while it also significantly decreases the negative impact on the environment. From the point of view of its application, the raffia twine can be recollected with the residual plant mass when the crop is terminated. It is important to have a twine as clean as possible to benefit the ecosystem.  

It is obvious that under current modern greenhouse structures these crop support twines for tying plant grafts are essential for the correct growth of popular varieties, as is the case of tomatoes, peppers and zucchini or squash.

These twines require specific physical properties to enable a correct plant growth cycle such as resistance to weight support, the strength and elongation, anti-UV durability and of course to comply with the overall technical product data specifications.

It is no secret that the damage caused by plastic is, sometimes, almost irreversible due to the time it takes to degrade from dumpsites and landfills. That is why biodegradable raffia becomes more relevant, as these twines are manufactured based on BIO-polymers, and thus they naturally degrade at the end of their use into compost due to the activity of microorganisms, turning finally into CO2, water and biomass.

Considerations before acquiring biodegradable tutor twines

When purchasing any agricultural twine, it is recommended to look closely at the mechanical attributes by testing it manually to verify its strength and resistance.

It is worth mentioning that the correct use of this raffia will allow you to delay its degradation when it is exposed to external factors such as temperature, humidity and solar radiation. Due to its proactive degradation it is suggested to adjust the twine to the natural growth cycle of the crop and avoid overexposure to pro-degradent factors, without advancing or extending its installation on the crop unnecessarily.

The external factors that must be considered for the proper operation of the biodegradable tutor twine are:

• Soil conditions
• Temperature
• Solar radiation
• Humidity

 

 

Since each case is different, depending on the location of the crop, the farmer should ideally check with his supplier and discuss all the requirements.

Another critical issue is the storage of the biodegradable tutor twine prior to be used in the season. The raffia spools must be stored away from factors that could create problems regarding their mechanical properties (resistance, durability, elongation…) and the degradation of the product. For that reason, they must be kept inside their original packaging, in the correct vertical position and ideally stored indoors in a dry place away from sunlight and humidity.

An important recommendation is to avoid using carry-on stocks from the previous season as most definitely the overall physical properties of the product will be affected.

It is an excellent opportunity to implement safe environmental practices in traditional agriculture with products specifically developed for an eco-friendly application. Bellow you will find a product sheet for a biodegradable raffia product available in the market for crop support:

Reyenvas – BioTutor 100% compostable