Uses of Rubber Mulch
Rubber mulch can be applied to the exposed soil between row crops in fields, between plants in gardens, and between tree rows in orchards. Root crops such as potatoes, carrots, and radishes require soft soils (Sharma, 2016), as soil compaction can negatively affect the growth and quality of the product (Johansen, 2015). Using rubber mulch when growing these crops will help reduce soil compaction because tires are designed to absorb and withstand pressures, and to act as a cushion (2Rymar, 2016). The rubber can also be helpful when dealing with irrigated crops, mulch helps retain water and prevent runoff (Kirnak, 2006). Rubber mulch does absorb water like wood mulch, so all of the irrigated water is going into the soils. Mulch also helps to suppress weed growth (Meyer, 1997), which could save the farmer money in labour costs and reduce herbicide costs, and increase crop quality. Soil erosion can also be controlled by covering exposed soils with mulch (Meyer, 1997).
It could also be used in animal housing areas to reduce mud around feeding and watering areas, as it has excellent drainage, compared to exposed dirt that may be compacted down due to heavy livestock such as cattle repeatedly standing on it. It will not compress under heavy weight, so drainage is never compromised (2Rymar, 2016), and the area can be easily cleaned using water, or by rain. It could also be used under, or as a replacement for animal bedding in barns because the drainage will help keep the animals away from urine and feces, and improve their overall health. Using rubber flooring has also been shown to improve reproductive health in cattle (Kremer, 2012).
It could also be used in animal housing areas to reduce mud around feeding and watering areas, as it has excellent drainage, compared to exposed dirt that may be compacted down due to heavy livestock such as cattle repeatedly standing on it. It will not compress under heavy weight, so drainage is never compromised (2Rymar, 2016), and the area can be easily cleaned using water, or by rain. It could also be used under, or as a replacement for animal bedding in barns because the drainage will help keep the animals away from urine and feces, and improve their overall health. Using rubber flooring has also been shown to improve reproductive health in cattle (Kremer, 2012).
Advantages of Rubber Mulch
There are several advantages to using rubber mulch. As mentioned above, using mulch helps to retain moisture, which is especially important when using irrigation (Kirnak, 2006). It helps to reduce soil erosion, soil compaction and weed growth (Meyer, 1997). These are all factors that affect crop production, and using much could help improve crop production, and therefore productivity and profits. Increasing profits could make this product worth the high cost overall. The mulch could be pushed aside during plowing and planting, but completely removing the product could be quite difficult as the individual pieces of mulch are quite small, less than 1 inch long (3Rymar, 2016). The product is easy to clean, as just water is needed to wash away any debris. The product is virtually maintenance free and very easy to maintain once applied.
Benefits to Nepal
Rubber mulch could provide several benefits to the people of Nepal. The sales of the product will increase the local economy and provide additional income to the distributors. The overall soil health of the fields would be improved due to reduced soil compaction (Meyer, 1997). Less irrigation would be required (Kirnak, 2006), so more fresh water would be available for livestock and human consumption. There would also be less mud if used in livestock housing, which would aid in keeping livestock clean, dry, and healthy. By suppressing weed growth, there would be a lesser need for the use of herbicides (Meyer, 1997), reducing the amount of chemicals required to be applied to the fields, helping to prevent herbicide resistance, and reducing the amount of exposure farmers have with chemicals