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This study evaluated the potential economic returns of two years of on-farm plastic mulch experiments for `Market Topper' cabbage and `Vates' collard greens conducted on a field with serious weed and nematode problems in Butler County, Alabama. Assuming 1987 and 1988 wholesale prices for vegetable crops in Alabama and other appropriate prices for various inputs used, and after adjusting the cost of plastics in the enterprise budgets for having used the same in the two years, the estimated return for cabbage harvested from plastic mulch experiments was 5 times greater in 1987 ($2,776.83 and $551.02) and more than 10 times in 1988 ($2,775.00 and $49.40) than from non-covered field. The estimated return for collard greens from plastic mulch experiments was also 5 times greater in 19.87 ($1,416.70 and $287.96) and more than 10 times in 1988 ($339.50 and -$444.20) than from non-covered field. Questions remain as to the perceived economic benefits for other farmers and the non-biodegradable nature of the plastic used.
This study evaluated the potential economic returns of two years of on-farm plastic mulch experiments for `Market Topper' cabbage and `Vates' collard greens conducted on a field with serious weed and nematode problems in Butler County, Alabama. Assuming 1987 and 1988 wholesale prices for vegetable crops in Alabama and other appropriate prices for various inputs used, and after adjusting the cost of plastics in the enterprise budgets for having used the same in the two years, the estimated return for cabbage harvested from plastic mulch experiments was 5 times greater in 1987 ($2,776.83 and $551.02) and more than 10 times in 1988 ($2,775.00 and $49.40) than from non-covered field. The estimated return for collard greens from plastic mulch experiments was also 5 times greater in 19.87 ($1,416.70 and $287.96) and more than 10 times in 1988 ($339.50 and -$444.20) than from non-covered field. Questions remain as to the perceived economic benefits for other farmers and the non-biodegradable nature of the plastic used.