German project develops biodegradable film to protect roots of young trees

The BioRootGuard research project is developing a biodegradable plastic film to protect the roots of young trees during the installation phase, reducing losses associated with the larvae of the May beetle and the Japanese beetle.

The German research project BioRootGuard is developing a biodegradable plastic film to protect the roots of young trees during the installation phase, reducing losses associated with the larvae of the May beetle and the Japanese beetle. The two pests are pointed out as a growing threat to large-scale reforestation efforts, in a context where young trees also face stress factors associated with climate change. The objective of the project is to create a solution that functions as temporary protection for the root zone and that, once the period of use is over, biodegrades in the forest soil without the need for removal. BioRootGuard is being developed by a consortium of industry and research partners, led by FKuR Kunststoff, with expertise in the areas of materials, forestry sciences, and environmental research. The project is financed by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture of Germany, through the Agency for Renewable Resources, within the framework of the “Sustainable ...