Isolation and identification of soil bacteria capable of degrading biodegradable mulch films

Agricultural mulch films (AMFs) enhance crop productivity by controlling soil temperature and moisture and suppressing weed growth. Conventional AMFs made from polyethylene (PE) pose disposal challenges and contribute to long-term plastic pollution. Biodegradable mulch films (BMFs) offer a promising alternative, but their degradation in soil remains slow and inconsistent. This study employed a culture-enrichment approach to isolate soil bacteria (i.e., Pseudomonas guariconensis and Achromobacter denitrificans) capable of accelerating BMF biodegradation. Bioaugmentation with P. guariconensis enhanced CO₂ evolution in soil, with 48% and 36% carbon mineralization for two commercial BMFs (i.e., Bio360 and EcoVio), compared to 17% and 6.2% in non-inoculated soils. These findings demonstrate that targeted bacterial enrichment can accelerate BMF degradation, highlighting the potential for bioaugmentation to mitigate plastic accumulation in agricultural soils.