Source: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY submitted to
BIOPLASTIC CONTAINER CROPPING SYSTEMS: GREEN TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GREEN INDUSTRY
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0226252
Grant No.
2011-51181-30735
Cumulative Award Amt.
$1,949,642.00
Proposal No.
2011-01375
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2011
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2016
Grant Year
2011
Program Code
[SCRI]- Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Recipient Organization
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
2229 Lincoln Way
AMES,IA 50011
Performing Department
Horticulture
Non Technical Summary
One of the most significant obstacles to sustainability in the container specialty crops industry is the nearly universal reliance of present systems on containers (pots) made from non-renewable petroleum-based plastics. While the efficiency and productivity of container systems that utilize these materials are rarely questioned, the rising cost of petroleum materials, the non-renewable and non-domestic nature of their source, and the environmental damage caused by disposal of non-biodegradable plastics demonstrate a profound weakness in the sustainability and long-term profitability of these systems. Unlike petroleum-based materials, which will continue their steep increase in cost due to dwindling petroleum supplies and tougher sanctions against fossil fuels and derivatives, the cost of bio-based materials, such as bioplastics, will remain competitive and may decrease as the biorenewables infrastructure is optimized. Additional economic benefits that would arise from the development and implementation of bioplastic container cropping systems would be the profit realized from the use of domestic raw materials and the development of new domestic jobs. Problems with the present petroleum-based plastic container systems center around their increasing cost, non-renewable material source, and heavy environmental load, but the utility and performance of petroleum-based plastics are unequaled by any existing non-petroleum alternative materials. Therefore, the development and utilization of bioplastic container systems in which container materials are both biorenewable and biodegradable will provide the best long-term solution to the problems of petroleum-based plastics. In this research and extension project, materials scientists and engineers will create prototypes of specialty crop containers for evaluation of container-crop performance, container storage stability, biodegradation rate, and environmental and economic impact. Evaluations will include prototypes constructed from all suitable emerging bioplastics and existing non-petroleum alternative containers. As results are obtained, research and extension staff will submit detailed technical and scientific articles for publication in national and international journals, and extension and outreach materials generated through this project will deliver consumer information on bioplastic container cropping systems to all interested parties. Results of this project will contribute to long-term profitability and sustainability of the specialty crop industry by developing, evaluating, and presenting new economical, eco-friendly technology. The bioplastic containers and practices developed and released through this project will provide viable alternatives for replacing non-sustainable petroleum-based container systems and will initiate a shift of resource revenue from foreign petroleum to domestic biorenewables while eliminating the harmful environmental effects of petroleum-based plastic containers. The results of our comprehensive evaluations will provide hard data to guide specialty-crop policy and practice and to aid individual and corporate decision-making toward sustainability.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
50%
Developmental
50%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2052410202040%
4022410202030%
5112410202030%
Knowledge Area
511 - New and Improved Non-Food Products and Processes; 205 - Plant Management Systems; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The goals of our trans-disciplinary research and extension project are to: 1) define, develop, and evaluate emerging bioplastic materials for use in specialty cropping systems; 2) analyze and report the economic, environmental, and social advantages and impacts of bioplastic material types and bioplastic container cropping systems in general; 3) work with stakeholders to define and report best practices and industry priorities based on these results; 4) network with extension agencies and stakeholders to educate the public and integrate these technologies and best practices into the green industry; and 5) publish a comprehensive report of project results in book form in 2016. Results from this project will provide new sustainable technology for the container specialty crops industry by presenting fully developed biorenewable, biodegradable containers, container materials, and specifications to industry. The bioplastic materials and processes developed in this project will be used, either directly or with further development, to replace the non-sustainable petroleum-based materials commonly used in container-cropping systems. Project staff from each discipline will analyze, interpret, and prepare results for presentation at regional, national, and international conferences and will prepare and submit manuscripts for publication in scientific and technical journals. Results will be disseminated continuously through presentations and discussions at national, regional, and local meetings, conferences, and trade shows of the specialty crops, plastics, and biomass-production industries. Updates and breakthroughs will be published online and in print via plastics and green industry newsletters and forums, and continuous progress reports will be maintained on the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems website (www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic). Inservices will be provided on results of this research and on emerging bioplastics technology for extension county faculty, who are the first line of contact for many stakeholders. As the technology becomes available, field days will be organized for introduction and demonstration of the technology to industry groups, consumers and master gardeners, and interested faculty from across the United States. Research and extension staff will submit detailed technical and scientific manuscripts for publication in national and international journals as results are obtained throughout the project. Along with manuscripts submitted to journals, project staff and stakeholders will prepare an overall project summary in the form of a book entitled "Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry." News releases, wiki articles, and slideshare programs will be developed for the eXtension.org website to communicate the fundamentals of the technology and provide research updates. A Community of Practice will be created on the eXtension website to facilitate networking and synergistic interaction among researchers, extension faculty, and stakeholders.
Project Methods
Development of superior bioplastic formulations and manufacturing techniques applicable to specialty crop containers will advance through three rounds of innovation and evaluation. In each round of technology development, materials scientists and biosystems engineers will create prototypes of specialty crop containers for evaluation of containerized crop-production performance, post-production landscape performance, container storage stability, biodegradation rate, and environmental and economic impact. After each round of evaluations, project staff and stakeholders will meet to interpret results and define adjustments and improvements to material formulations and manufacturing processes for the next round of innovation. Evaluations will include prototypes constructed from all suitable emerging bioplastics, existing non-petroleum alternative containers, and standard petroleum-based containers as controls. At the conclusion of all three rounds of bioplastic container development and evaluation, the project staff and stakeholder panel will gather as a task force to present and interpret results from all project trials, assessments, and evaluations and to use these results to define the best bioplastic specialty crop products and practices. This final cumulative assessment will rate and rank container materials based on overall suitability and potential to achieve the best overall quality, functionality, durability, efficiency, domestic profitability, and sustainability. This assessment will also define each material's key strengths and weaknesses to enable industry stakeholders to make informed decisions as to which materials and containers will best meet their unique industry needs and goals. Results will be disseminated continuously through presentations and discussions at national, regional, and local meetings of the specialty crops, plastics, and biomass production industries. Extension efforts will utilize existing federal, state, and county programs to reach producers, consumers, and stakeholders with the knowledge generated by this research. Research and extension staff will submit detailed technical and scientific manuscripts for publication in national and international journals as results are obtained throughout the project. Along with manuscripts submitted to journals, project staff and stakeholders will prepare an overall project summary in the form of a book entitled "Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry." News releases, wiki articles, and slideshare programs will be developed for the eXtension.org website to communicate the fundamentals of the technology and provide research updates. A Community of Practice and/or a Collaboration space will be created on the eXtension website to facilitate networking and synergistic interaction among researchers, extension faculty, and stakeholders. Assessment of outcomes and impacts will occur through tracking website visits, industry focus group meetings, quantitative pre- and post-seminar surveys, and existing assessment mechanisms available through eXtension.org.

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for the knowledge and technology generated by the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project include researchers in the areas of biorenewables, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, environmental studies, horticulture, materials science, natural resources, marketing, and sustainability. These audiences are being reached through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences. Because of the applied nature of our research and extension project, the ultimate audiences for the knowledge and technology generated are consumers and industry stakeholders active in the areas of biorenewable materials supply and processing; container manufacturing; growers supply; specialty-crops production; wholesale and retail greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers; landscape design, construction, and maintenance companies; extension agents and other industry affiliates such as distributors, consultants, and recyclers. These stakeholders and consumers are being reached through international, national, regional, and local conferences and workshops, press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project websites and video channels, our comprehensive bioplastic container systems book, and also with one-to-one communications. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A total of eight graduate students (seven Master's and one Ph.D.) have worked toward degrees with all or part of their graduate research being performed under the bioplastic container project.Funding for their research projects was provided in whole or in part by federal and/or matching funds budgeted for this project.By the end of the project, four of the degrees had been granted, and the remaining four are expected to finish by spring of 2017.We also had a Post-doctoral research associate that worked and gained experience under this project during 2015 and 2016. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Communities of interest are receiving our results through publications in peer-reviewed journals (15 by the end of the project), trade publications and research reports (8 total), book chapters (15 total), newspaper articles (2 total), and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences, as well as through annual reports, meeting proceedings, tours, and in-services specialized for plastics industry professionals and greenhouse and nursery growers. Along with presentations at general horticulture and plastics conferences, presentation of detailed results and in-depth discussions with stakeholders were facilitated during three nationwide conferences organized specifically to disseminate results from our project. These Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems conferences were held in Ames, Iowa on August 15, 2012; Columbus, Ohio on January 12, 2014; and Ames, Iowa on October 29, 2015. Our results are continuously disseminated through four websites, two of which are dedicated to research and extension information exclusive to our project. The addresses for these websites are: 1) , 2) 2) , 3) , and 4) . Results and information are also being disseminated in video form through two YouTube Channels, one for research information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCoPRMsDRlyzT7gvSJDWFrhA) and one for extension information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCU2Efag8fB2rFYiKOGz0m2g). Results, conclusions, and broader applications of our research are widely disseminated through our comprehensive report published in book form. This book fulfills the 5th main goal of our project and is available free of charge to anyone with internet access. The book can be downloaded free of charge at: . What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The widespread use of petroleum-based plastic containers by growers of specialty crops has enabled the industry to reach high levels of efficiency and productivity, but the heavy use of non-renewable, non-degradable petroleum-based container materials causes substantial environmental impact and excessive consumption of finite fossil-fuel resources. During our project, we produced and evaluated containers made of 70 unique formulations of emerging bioplastics and biocomposites, many of which were novel formulations blended specifically to provide functionality during crop production and biodegradability. Along with basic information on all 70 biocontainer material formulations, our project generated in-depth systems-based information on nine of the top-performing bioplastic container types, all of which are equally or more effective for producing high-quality plants than are petroleum-plastic containers, and far exceed the functionality of uncoated fiber containers. Bioplastic containers can be mass-produced on existing plastics-processing equipment and are made from materials that are 99% to 100% biorenewable. Some are biodegradable in soil, many are degradable in home compost, and nearly all of them are degradable in industrial compost. They can provide a substantial improvement in sustainability compared to petroleum-based containers, and depending on the type, they can offer all of the functional advantages of petroleum-plastic containers, with some offering additional functions, such as fertilization and capacity to improve root structure. Publications generated from our research provide comprehensive results and information on the availability, cost, processability, functionality, effectiveness, economic impact, sustainability, biodegradability, marketability, and acceptance of bioplastic containers by consumers and industry. Along with the impact of knowledge specific to containerized specialty cropping systems, much of the knowledge generated by our project will also be useful in diverse areas of materials science, sustainable development, sustainable packaging, marketing of sustainable products, and biobased crop nutrition. Objective 1) Define, develop, and evaluate emerging bioplastic materials for use in specialty cropping systems... We performed four rounds of development and evaluation: Round 1 - Wide-scale screening of 30+ bioplastics and biocomposites (4.5" containers made on a prototype mold); Round 2 - Improved prototypes (19 total) chosen based on results of round-1 evaluations (4.5" and #1 trade-gallon containers made on prototype molds); Round 3 - Container manufacturing collaborations with industry partners using the 8 best containers identified in round 2 evaluations (4.5" and #1 trade-gallon made on commercial molds); and Round 4 - Commercial stakeholder production and extension distribution of the 4 best bioplastic and biocomposite container types (4.5" made on a commercial mold). In our evaluations of effectiveness of biocontainers made of bioplastics and biocomposites, blends and composites of polylactic acid (PLA) were among the strongest performers across measurements of processability, mechanical properties, durability, functionality, and plant production. Containers made of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) performed well for plant production and were suitable for end-of-life biodegradation in garden soil after use. Containers made of blended PLA and soy polymer (SP.A) provided intrinsic slow-release nutrients to plants at a level that can reduce application of synthetic fertilizer by as much as 80%. The PLA-SP.A containers also improve root structure by eliminating root circling, and they are appropriate for end-of-life degradation in garden soil, home compost, or industrial compost. All nine of the top-performing bioplastic container types are worthy of commercialization based on functionality and effectiveness. Other factors investigated by our project (such as material availability, cost, appearance, marketability, and comparative sustainability) will help guide stakeholders in their choices of which container types to commercialize. Objective 2) Analyze and report the economic, environmental, and social advantages and impacts of bioplastic material types and bioplastic container cropping systems in general... Under the current market situation, the cost of materials for the nine best bioplastic containers from our project range from $0.01 to $0.17 more than petroleum-based plastic for a 4.5" injection-molded container. Even in the current market, many of the biocontainer types can be considered cost competitive if marketed in a way that can attract a premium price from certain consumers. Without exception, surveys and experimental auctions specific to horticulture show that a meaningful percentage of consumers are willing to pay a price premium for plants produced in sustainable containers. These data indicate that consumers may be willing to pay from $0.33 to $1.14 more for a plant produced in a bioplastic container. Placing this in the context of probable cost increase for PLA-based biocontainers, the potential increase in profit for plants grown in biocontainers compared to plants produced and sold in petroleum-based containers ranges from approximately $0.29 to $1.10 per plant. Life-cycle assessments comparing the environmental impacts of bioplastic containers and petroleum-based containers show substantial reductions in global warming potential and fossil fuel resource consumption with bioplastic containers. Containers made of bioplastic-coated paper fiber showed an extremely low environmental impact. Objective 3) Work with stakeholders to define and report best practices and industry priorities based on these results... We used Round-3 biopolymer and biocomposite containers and collaborated with commercial greenhouse growers across the Upper Midwest to examine the effectiveness of bioplastic containers in a real-world setting. In our stakeholder trials, the performance and effectiveness of bioplastic containers were acceptable to all growers that evaluated them, with the exception of one container type (the biocontainer with the highest fertilizer nutrient content), which performed poorly for some growers who maintained high moisture and irrigation levels during plant production. Based on these results, we crafted reports and presentations that outlined the strengths and weaknesses of the top nine biocontainer types and provided guidelines for best practices to ensure growers can utilize the full potential of each type of biocontainer. Objective 4) Network with extension agencies and stakeholders to educate the public and integrate these technologies and best practices into the green industry... Extension and outreach was continuous throughout the 5-year project. Results of our project were shared with stakeholders at venues ranging from county extension presentations to international conferences. In the final year of the project we collaborated with a manufacturing stakeholder (Laurel Biocomposite LLC, Laurel, NE), who manufactured 28,000 injection-molded bioplastic containers that were distributed by extension specialists to growers across the United States for testing in their own cropping systems and to introduce them and their customers to the strong potential of bioplastic containers. Objective 5) Publish a comprehensive report of project results in book form in 2016... Our book titled "Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems; Green technology for the Green Industry" provides a comprehensive report and discussion of all components of our project, the status of bioplastic container cropping systems technology, recommendations for best products and practices, guidelines for implementation of bioplastic containers, and the broader implications of our research results. The book is available electronically free of charge at: www.public.iastate.edu/~jschrade/Bioplastic/Book.html.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: McCabe, K.G., J.A. Schrader, C.J. Currey, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2016. Soy-composite biocontainers allow for reduced fertilizer inputs during container-crop production. HortScience 51:927-934.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2016 Citation: McCabe, K.G., C.J. Currey, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, J. Behrens, and W.R. Graves. 2016. Pelletized soy-based bioplastic fertilizers for container-crop production. HortScience (In press).
  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A., H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). 2016. Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: McCabe, Kenneth G. 2015. Horticultural evaluation of soy-based bioplastics for container-crop production. Dept. of Horticulture, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 14916.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A. 2016. Bioplastics for horticulture: An introduction. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Currey, C.J. 2016. A brief history of containers in horticulture. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Grewell, D. 2016. Plastic materials. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Grewell, D. 2016. Polymer processing. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: McCabe, K.G., J.A. Schrader, and C.J. Currey. 2016. Performance of bioplastic and biocomposite containers in greenhouse experiments. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A., J.J. Behrens, M. Michel, and D. Grewell. 2016. Bioplastics and biocomposites for horticulture containers: Processing, properties, and manufacturing potential. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, H.A. Kratsch, and A. Koeser. 2016. Degradability of bioplastic containers in soil and compost. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Flax, N.J., C.J. Currey, K.G. McCabe, and J.A. Schrader. 2016. Greenhouse cultural practices for emerging bioplastic and biocomposite containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A., H.A. Kratsch, and H. Mathers. 2016. Use of bioplastics and biocomposites for nursery containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Montalbo-Lomboy, M., J.A. Schrader, and D. Grewell. 2016. Cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of bioplastic horticulture containers and comparison to standard petroleum-plastic containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kratsch, H.A. and M.L. Hefner. 2016. Factors that influence consumer preference and willingness to pay for bioplastic plant containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kirwan, B., B. Ellison, and A. Nepal. 2016. Consumers willingness to pay for bioplastic plant containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kirwan, B. and A. Nepal. 2016. The socio-economic impacts of bioplastic plant containers. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A. 2016. Status of bioplastic container cropping systems technology: August 2016. In: J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, and W.R. Graves, (Eds). Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems: Green Technology for the Green Industry. Sustainable Hort. Res. Consortium, Ames, IA, USA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Kratsch, H.A., M.L. Hefner, J.A. Schrader, C.J. Currey, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. Factors that may influence the purchasing behavior of U.S. consumers in relation to bioplastic plant containers. ASHS Annual Conference 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, J.J. Behrens, C.J. Currey, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. Performance and compostability of improved horticulture containers made of bioplastics and biocomposites. ASHS Annual Conference 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Flax, N.J., C.J. Currey, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. Biocontainer type and paclobutrazol drench concentration affect growth of angelonia and petunia. ASHS Annual Conference 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Flax, N.J., C.J. Currey, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. Commercial greenhouse producers can produce high-quality annual bedding plants in biopolymer-based biocontainers and are willing to use them. ASHS Annual Conference 2016.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Tan, K., W.R. Graves, J.A. Schrader, H.A. Kratsch, B. Kirwan, and M.L. Hefner. Consumer attitudes and perceptions on bioplastic containers in the horticulture industry. ASHS Annual Conference 2016.


Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences for the knowledge and technology generated by the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project include researchers in the areas of biorenewables, ag economics, ag engineering, environmental studies, horticulture, materials science, natural resources, and sustainability. These audiences are being reached through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences. Because of the applied nature of our research and extension project, the ultimate audiences for the knowledge and technology generated are consumers and industry stakeholders active in the areas of biorenewable materials supply and processing; container manufacturing; growers supply; specialty-crops production; wholesale and retail greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers; landscape design, construction, and maintenance companies; extension agents and other industry affiliates such as distributors, consultants, and recyclers. These stakeholders and consumers are being reached through international, national, regional, and local conferences and workshops, press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project websites and video channels, and also with one-to-one communications. Changes/Problems:Two of the Co-principal Investigators, Dr. Samy Madbouly and Dr. Hannah Mathers, left the project because of changes in their employment. Dr. Madbouly's responsibilities to the project were fulfilled shortly before he left, and Dr. Mather's duties were divided between our two remaining Co-PIs in extension, Dr. Christopher Currey and Dr. Heidi Kratsch. The project has progressed with no interruption. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A total of eight graduate students (seven Master's and one Ph.D.) have worked toward degrees with all or part of their graduate research being performed under the bioplastic container project. Funding for their research projects was provided in whole or in part by federal and/or matching funds budgeted for this project. By the end of FY 2015, three of the degrees had been granted, and the remaining five are expected to finish during FY 2016. We also had a Post-doctoral research associate that worked and gained experience under this project during 2015. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Communities of interest are receiving our results through publications in peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, book chapters, newspaper articles, and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences, as well as through annual reports, meeting proceedings, tours, and in-services specialized for plastics industry professionals and greenhouse and nursery growers. Detailed results and in-depth discussions with stakeholders were presented and facilitated though the Iowa Greenhouse Short Course during FY 2015. Information is also being disseminated through five websites, three of which are dedicated to research and extension information exclusive to our project. The addresses for these websites are: 1) www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic, 2) http://basicgreen.osu.edu/bioplastics, 3) www.nevadabioplastics.com, 4) www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/bioplastic, and 5) www.biocom.iastate.edu. Our main research website for the project continues to draw interest worldwide with an average of 34 visits per month, and now includes visitors from 39 states and 54 countries. Results and information are also being disseminated in video form through two YouTube Channels, one for research information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCoPRMsDRlyzT7gvSJDWFrhA) and one for extension information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCU2Efag8fB2rFYiKOGz0m2g). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?With our experiments, trials, and investigations either finalized or nearly completed, the activities of the project will transition to mainly reporting of results and continued efforts of extension, outreach, and stakeholder networking. We will hold our final Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems conference, which will include the meeting of researchers and stakeholders acting as a task force to discuss and determine the best bioplastic container products and practices for commercialization and implementation by industry. Results and discussion from this meeting will be combined with reviews and discussions developed from research data and publications to provide the content for the overall project and topic summary that will be assembled and available in book form by the end of FY 2016.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project reached milestones in developing, evaluating, and disseminating information about the emerging sustainable technologies of bioplastics and biocomposites for replacing petroleum plastics in modern horticultural containers. In research and development, we refined the knowledge of bioplastics for this application, providing conclusions and guidelines for production and use of the eight best biocontainers from our years of evaluations. We defined the processing parameters for these high-performing bioplastic materials and released the information to stakeholders in the plastics industry to facilitate the adoption of the new sustainable materials. We performed the final assessments of economic and environmental impacts and are preparing results for dissemination. Evaluations of the performance and biodegradation of bioplastic and biocomposite materials in soil and compost have generated conclusive results that have enabled the classification of the new containers into four main categories: 1) biocontainers that biodegrade in soil within one to two years, 2) biocontainers that are not degradable in soil, but are biodegradable in home compost, 3) durable biocontainers that are not degradable in soil or home compost, but can be adopted by growers with no change in cultural practices, and 4) biocontainers that provide additional functions beyond those of petroleum-based containers. Our results have been welcomed by researchers and stakeholders both internationally and across the United States. Results of marketing and consumer evaluations showed a complex mixture of opinions toward the ecofriendly biocontainers, but revealed that a large percentage of American consumers welcome the technology and would be willing to pay a premium for plants grown in the sustainable containers. In 2015 we had a marked increase in our collaborations and interactions with industry, relationships that have led to commercialization of technologies developed under this project. Goal 1) Define, develop, and evaluate emerging bioplastic materials for use in specialty cropping systems. We accomplished all of the major goals of our final round of development and evaluation of bioplastic containers, most of which were components of our Container Manufacturing Collaborations and Stakeholder Horticultural Trials. During our manufacturing collaborations, industry partners ran our best bioplastic materials on standard industrial plastics equipment and produced 1500 commercial-grade containers each of 4.5 inch diameter (8 types of bioplastics and biocomposites) and gallon size (2 biocomposites), for a total of 15,000 containers. These containers and materials were distributed to growers and stakeholders across the United States and in two additional countries (Belgium and Canada) for evaluation in commercial greenhouses and nurseries and in academic settings. Grower trials with 4.5-inch biocontainers took place at 17 greenhouses, and trials with gallon containers took place at seven nurseries. Results and feedback from growers provided valuable real-world data that will aid in determining the best bioplastic products for continued commercialization of ecofriendly biocontainer technology. Goal 2) Analyze and report the economic, environmental, and social advantages and impacts of bioplastic material types and bioplastic container cropping systems in general. Analyses were completed in our Economic & Social Impact Assessments and our Life Cycle & Sustainability Assessments, which yielded results that will be summarized and prepared for publication during the final year of the project. In our national survey examining consumer attitudes and behaviors related to bioplastic containers, 1524 consumers from across the country participated and provided results for discerning the probable commercial and social impacts of the sustainable horticulture technology. Three additional regional surveys were performed and results were consistent with the national survey on most topics and confirmed the strength of the data. In 2015, two experiments were performed to evaluate consumers' willingness to pay for the green technology. It was found that more than 90% of horticulture consumers are willing to purchase plants produced in bioplastic pots, and of these, a significant percentage are willing to pay a premium for plants produced in the sustainable containers. Analyses of the potential impact on price and supply of agricultural commodities if the bioplastic container technology is widely adopted revealed that, although there could be a very small increase in the price of corn and soybean (less than 1%), the impact on food prices and availability would be insignificant even if all petroleum-based containers were replaced by containers made of bioplastics. Results of our life cycle assessments show that, on a per weight basis, all but one of our eight best bioplastic and biocomposite formulations produce a lower global warming potential and use less fossil fuel resources than standard polypropylene in both cradle-to-gate and cradle-to-grave analyses. Goal 3) Work with stakeholders to define and report best practices and industry priorities based on these results. Along with our continuous interactions with stakeholders by email, phone, and on-site meetings, our team has hosted and participated in several outreach events and conferences. Results and discussion of our research was a major component of the Iowa Greenhouse Short Course in November 2014, a meeting that brought substantial attention to the bioplastic containers and the improvements in horticultural practices that could be possible with the new technology. Results of our project were shared with stakeholders at venues ranging from county extension presentations to international conferences like ISHS International Horticulture Congress in Brisbane, Australia, and the Greensys 2015 - International Symposium on New Technologies in Evora, Portugal. In addition to publications from previous years, five refereed journal articles, three research reports, one trade article, one book chapter, and two newspaper articles were published in 2015 reporting the improved products and practices developed by our project and tested by stakeholders in the plastics and horticulture industries. Goal 4) Network with extension agencies and stakeholders to educate the public and integrate these technologies and best practices into the green industry. Networking and collaborations with industry stakeholders were among the most important accomplishments of the project during FY 2015. Collaborations with plastic-product manufacturers (VistaTek, LLC and Nursery Supplies Inc.) and bioplastic material providers (Laurel Biocomposite, LLC and Aspen Research Inc.) yielded 15,000 commercial-grade biocontainers made from the best eight bioplastic and biocomposite formulations developed during our project. Research and extension specialists from our team facilitated the distribution, evaluation, and collection of data from 24 growers across the country who tested the containers under standard industry conditions. The collaborations with VistaTek and Laurel Biocomposite led to commercialization of some of the technologies developed during the project, with continued and increased commercialization expected through a new company, SelfEco (http://selfeco.com/collections/home-garden-products), which was established by the owners of VistaTek, LLC of Stillwater, Minnesota. Goal 5) Publish a comprehensive report of project results in book form in 2016. Nearly all of the experiments, trials, and investigations that will contribute to the book on bioplastic container cropping systems were completed by the end of FY 2015. Those components of the project that were not finalized this year are in progress and will be finished soon. Along with extension, outreach, and networking with stakeholders, the preparation of the book will be one of the main goals of FY 2016.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Liu, K., S.A. Madbouly, J.A. Schrader, M.R. Kessler, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Biorenewable polymer composites from tall oil-based polyamide and lignin-cellulose fiber. J. Applied Polymer Sci. 132(48), DOI: 10.1002/app.42592.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Yang, S., S.A. Madbouly, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, M.R. Kessler, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Processing and characterization of bio-based poly(hydroxyalkanoate)/poly(amide) blends: Improved flexibility and impact resistance of PHA-based plastics. J. Applied Polymer Sci. 132(27), DOI: 10.1002/app.42209.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Kratsch, H.A., J.A. Schrader, K.G. McCabe, G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Performance and biodegradation in soil of novel horticulture containers made from bioplastics and biocomposites. HortTechnology 25:119-131.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Grewell, D., J.A. Schrader, and G. Srinivasan. 2015. Developing protein-based plastics. In R.P. Brentin, Ed. Soy-based Chemicals and Materials. Ch. 15. pp. 357-370. Amer. Chem. Soc., Washington DC.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Currey, C., K. McCabe, J. Schrader, W. Graves, J. Behrens, and D. Grewell. 2015. Biocontainers 2.0. GrowerTalks 79(5):74-78.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, W.R. Graves, and D. Grewell. 2014. Function and biodegradation in soil of bioplastic horticulture containers made of PLA-BioResTM composites. Iowa State Research Farm Progress Reports. Paper 2156. .
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ellison, B., B. Kirwan, and A. Nepal. 2015. Consumers willingness to pay for bioplastic plant containers: an experimental auction approach. ResearchGate DOI:10.13140/RG.2.1.2873.3923.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Bioplastics and biocomposites for sustainable horticulture containers: performance and biodegradation in home compost. GreenSys2015 - International Symposium on New Technologies and Management for Greenhouses. Evora, Portugal. 19 July 2015.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: McCabe, K.G., C. Currey, J.A. Schrader, J.J. Behrens, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Growing snapdragon and cyclamen with pelletized soy-bioplastic fertilizers. ASHS Annual Conference 2015.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Lu, Hong. 2014. Processing and characterization of bio-based composites. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 13726.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Yang, Shengzhe. 2014. Novel bio-based and biodegradable polymer blends. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 13713.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Liu, Kunwei. 2014. Novel plant oil-based thermosets and polymer composites. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing. Paper 1584642.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: UNR teams up to develop bio-plastic plant pots, Reno Gazette Article May 23, 2015. .
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Bioplastic containers may be the future of gardening, Reno Gazette Article September 5, 2015. .
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Research: Developing Bioplastic Compostable Plant Containers, University of Nevada Reno Cooperative Extension 2015 Program Highlights. .
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Behrens, J.J., J.A. Schrader, K.G. McCabe, M.M. Michel, D.Grewell, C. Currey, and W.R. Graves. 2015. Evaluation of injection-moldable PLA- and PHA-based biocomposites for horticultural application: Processing, properties, and performance. ASHS Annual Conference 2015.


Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences for the knowledge generated by the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project include researchers in the areas of biorenewables, ag economics, ag engineering, environmental studies, horticulture, materials science, and sustainability. These audiences are being reached through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences. Because of the applied nature of our research and extension project, the ultimate audiences for the knowledge generated are consumers and industry stakeholders active in the areas of biorenewable materials supply and processing; container manufacturing; growers supply; specialty-crops production; wholesale and retail greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers; landscape design, construction, and maintenance companies; extension agents and other industry affiliates such as distributors, consultants, and recyclers. These stakeholders and consumers are being reached through regional and local conferences and workshops, press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project websites and video channels, and also with one-to-one communications. Changes/Problems: One of the Co-principal Investigators (Michael Kessler) left the project and was replaced by two new Co-PIs, Dr. Christopher Currey (Horticulture) and Dr. Samy Madbouly (Materials Science and Engineering). The project has progressed with no interruption. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? A postdoctoral researcher at Iowa State University received specialized training on the use of GaBi Professional Life-cycle Software and Databases. At University of Illinois, A PhD graduate student has played a key role in designing and implementing the choice experiments and experimental auctions, and undergraduate students in the Agricultural and Consumer Economics department and the University of Illinois Horticulture Club have assisted implementation and evaluation of the choice experiments and experimental auctions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Communities of interest are receiving our results through publications in peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, and presentations at international, national, and regional conferences, as well as through annual reports, meeting proceedings, tours, and inservices specialized for greenhouse and nursery growers. Detailed results and in-depth discussions with stakeholders are presented and facilitated though our annual Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems conference, which in 2014 was held at The Ohio State University in conjunction with the Ohio Nursery Short Course and CENTS Conference. Information is also being disseminated through five websites, three of which are dedicated to research and extension information exclusive to our project. The addresses for these websites are: 1) www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic, 2) http://basicgreen.osu.edu/bioplastics, 3) www.nevadabioplastics.com, 4) www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/bioplastic, and 5) www.biocom.iastate.edu. Results and information are also being disseminated in video form through two YouTube Channels, one for research information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCoPRMsDRlyzT7gvSJDWFrhA) and one for extension information (www.youtube.com/channel/UCU2Efag8fB2rFYiKOGz0m2g). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Utilizing the commercial-quality containers manufactured through industrial collaborations with VistaTek, LLC and Nursery Supplies Inc., we will perform our third round of evaluations with the best materials selected during the first three years of the project. Along with the in-house trials at Iowa State University (4.5" greenhouse containers) and The Ohio State University (gallon-sized nursery containers), researchers will collaborate with greenhouse and nursery stakeholders who will perform plant-production trials with bioplastic containers in standard production settings. Three types of grower collaborations will be performed: 1) grower-retailers will produce plants in bioplastic containers, container-plant units will be sold, and researchers will track actual sales to collect marketing data; 2) wholesale grower operations will produce plants by standard methods, and researchers will collect data on plant growth and quality and administer surveys assessing grower impressions and feedback; and 3) informal trials by other growers who will produce plants in bioplastic containers and provide feedback to researchers. Along with evaluations of the best bioplastic containers selected during the first three years of the project, the team will begin to examine bioplastic-based, slow-release fertilizer and evaluate its effectiveness as a component of bioplastic container cropping systems. Results from assessments of environmental impact (life cycle assessment and biodegradation studies) will be reported and made available for extension and outreach. Results will continue to be published in peer-reviewed journals, and applied research summaries will be published in trade magazines, on our project websites, and in video form when applicable. Focus groups and preference surveys will be developed and delivered in conjunction with round #3 stakeholder trials and at conferences. Our third major outreach conference (2015 Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems Conference) will take place in the summer and will focus on outreach to growers to communicate the potential for utilization of bioplastics and to demonstrate to container manufacturers the strong and growing interest in sustainable products and practices that exists among container-crops professionals. These research and extension activities will yield the data required for the development of recommendations for best products and practices.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? During our 2014 project term, we made significant advances in the development of bioplastics technology for utilization in container-crop horticulture systems and made strong progress toward commercialization of this sustainable technology (project goals #1 and #4). Along with our refinement of biocomposite formulations to achieve our highest technological goal (a bio-based plant container that can perform as well as petroleum-plastic containers, then biodegrade readily in soil), efforts during year three of our project produced a suite of bio-based plastic formulations that can be used to fulfill diverse stakeholder preferences and provide choices of container materials with performance properties that range from highly biodegradable to highly durable. These diverse formulations have been evaluated, characterized, and classified into categories, and this information has been presented at conferences and published in scientific journals, conference proceedings, trade articles, and online through our research and extension websites. Our results from FY 2014 have confirmed and further characterized the novel functions of our bioplastic-container formulations that provide intrinsic fertilizer for plants during greenhouse production and additional fertilizer after transplanting when the container is removed, buried near the plant roots, and allowed to biodegrade as the plant grows in the garden or landscape. We have determined that the intrinsic fertilizer available from containers made of blended polylactic acid (PLA) and soy polymer can replace 50% and 80% of the synthetic fertilizer required for production of short- and medium-cycle greenhouse crops of commercial quality. Because the nitrogen source for the intrinsic fertilizer is natural biological nitrogen fixation in the root nodules of soybean, the fertilizer provided by the PLA-Soy containers represents a profound improvement in sustainability over that of energy-intensive synthetic fertilizer. Our evaluations of biodegradation in soil and compost have provided insights and parameters for sustainable end-of-life opportunities for numerous bioplastics and biocomposites. Assessments of economic, environmental, and marketing impacts of bioplastic material types and bioplastic container cropping systems (project goal #2) progressed well during FY 2014. Results of applied research evaluating the biodegradability of bioplastics and biocomposites show that composite materials that include soy- or fiber-based components will be suitable to end their lifecycle as degraded organic matter in soil or compost rather than in a landfill. Research on environmental life-cycle assessment of bioplastic materials for crop containers began in March and is progressing with the utilization of GaBi Professional Life-cycle Software and Databases. Along with the standard available databases, new life-cycle databases are being created by our project for three of the novel biocomposite formulations developed during year-2 of our project, and existing databases are being modified to match the specific formulations for nine others. Team members at the University of Nevada, University of Illinois, and The Ohio State University conducted initial assessments of consumer attitudes and preferences for sustainable materials and bioplastic containers. Results of these assessments indicate that respondents valued plant quality over any one plant-container type, with greater than two-thirds somewhat likely to highly likely to purchase containers identified as either "reusable," "biodegradable," "compostable," or "fertilizing as the plant grows." Overall, most were willing to purchase any of these container types, as long as it could be demonstrated that they improved or were neutral to plant health and the environment. Respondent willingness to pay extra for biorenewable plant containers was income-dependent, and respondents were more willing to pay extra for a container that fertilizes the plant as it grows than for any other container type. Although some respondents indicated that their purchases of horticulture products are based almost exclusively on affordability, other demographic groups indicated a willingness to pay twice as much for a plant container that provides fertilizer to the plant as it grows. During FY 2014, the project began transitioning from materials research and technology development to implementation, commercialization, extension, and outreach (project goals #3 and #4). Implementation and commercialization efforts were enhanced by increased collaborations with industry stakeholders in the areas of biorenewable materials, polymer compounding, plastics molding, and plant-container manufacturing. Key collaborative activities were performed with VistaTek LLC, Nursery Supplies Inc., Aspen Research Inc., Laurel BioComposite LLC, and Belden Plastics Inc. These collaborations served as the industrial evaluations of our bioplastic materials, facilitated the production of containers for commercial trials by greenhouse and nursery stakeholders that will take place in 2015, and enabled steady progress toward commercialization of the technology developed by our project. Extension and outreach efforts increased strongly in 2014 with the increased availability of research results from the first two years of bioplastic container research and development. Our annual project conference and workshop was held at The Ohio State University (OSU), during the OSU Nursery Short Course/ CENTS and provided a unique opportunity for exposure of this project and its results to a broad commercial audience. The program offered ample time for direct interactions with the ISU developers of these bioplastics, economists, engineers, industry stakeholders, horticulturists, and end-users concerned about sustainability. This program included live demonstrations of bioplastic containers with and without live plant trials at Ohio State University and initiated important stakeholder collaboration opportunities toward fulfillment of main objective #4 (to network with extension agencies and stakeholders to educate the public and integrate these technologies and best practices into the green industry). Fifteen thousand brochures were mailed advertising the workshop and 50 international and national participants registered and attended this one-day program. Over 2000 attended the OSU Nursery Short Course and all received an introduction to the Bioplastic project via the mailings. Presentations from the conference were captured and published on the newly established Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems extension website (http://hvp.osu.edu/bioplastics) and on one of our two YouTube channels for the project (17 extension/outreach videos total in FY 2014). Our original "research" website for the project continues to draw interest worldwide with an average of 36 visits per month, and now includes visitors from 32 states and 42 countries. Information generated by our project was also presented at several national meetings and an international horticulture conference in Brisbane, Australia (ISHS 2014), as well as at several local meetings with stakeholders in Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, and Illinois.

Publications

  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: The official Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems extension website (http://basicgreen.osu.edu/bioplastics) is continuously updated, and provides emerging results from research funded by NIFA USDA-SCRI.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Madbouly, S., H. Lu, J.A. Schrader, G. Srinivasan, K.G. McCabe, D. Grewell, W.R. Graves, and M.R. Kessler. 2014. Biodegradation Behavior of Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/Distiller's Dried Grains with Soluble (DDGS) Composites. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. (DOI: 10.1021/sc500440q).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Yang, S., S.A. Madbouly, J.A. Schrader, G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, K.G. McCabe, M.R. Kessler, and W.R. Graves. 2014. Characterization and biodegradation behavior of bio-based poly(lactic acid) and soy protein blends for sustainable horticultural applications. Green Chemistry (DOI: 10.1039/C4GC01482K).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Lu, H., S.A. Madbouly, J.A. Schrader, M.R. Kessler, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2014. Novel bio-based composites of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)/distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). RSC Advances 4(75):39802-39808.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: McCabe, K.G., J.A. Schrader, S. Madbouly, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2014. Evaluation of biopolymer-coated fiber containers for container-grown plants. HortTechnology 24:439-448.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Grewell, D., G. Srinivasan, J. Schrader, W. Graves, and M. Kessler. 2014. Sustainable materials for horticultural application. Plastics Engineering 70(3):44-52.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Kratsch, H.A., H. Mathers, and B. Kirwan. 2014. Consumer Attitudes about Biorenewable Plant-Container Technology and Sustainability in Nevada. poster abstract. 2014 ASHS Annual Conference Proceedings, HortScience 49(8):18261.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mathers, H., L. Case, J. Emerick, H. Kratsch, and James Schrader. 2014. Repairing the break in the "cycle" of "re-cycle": bio-plastic container cropping system. SNA 2014, Southern Nursery Association.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Currey, C., J. Schrader, K. McCabe, W. Graves, D. Grewell, G. Srinivasan, and S. Madbouly. 2014. Bioplastics for greenhouses Soy what? GrowerTalks 77(9):70-74.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Currey, C., J. Schrader, K. McCabe, W. Graves, D. Grewell, G. Srinivasan, and S. Madbouly. 2014. Soy containers: Growing promise, growing plants. GrowerTalks 77(10):60-65.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mathers, H.M., L.T., Case, J. Emerick, H. Kratsch, J. Schrader. 2014. Evaluation of bio-plastic containers: Durability and plant quality. Proceedings of Southern Nurserymen's Association Research Conference 59:271-277.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Mathers, H., Ramirez G. and Case. L. 2013. Evaluation of various bio-plastic one- gallon containers for impact of the nursery environment on the pot durability, appearance and for the pot's influence on plant growth. Yearly research summary report 2013 pp. 10. http://basicgreen.osu.edu/english/resources/yearly-research-summary-reports/
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mathers, H.M. 2014. Bio-plastics. Presented at Southern Nursery Association, Inc. 52nd Annual Research Conference to 70 industry members and university officials. Atlanta, GA. (July 23)
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mathers, H.M. 2014. Sustainable Nursery and Landscape Practices. ONLA's Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show and OSU Nursery Short Course Bioplastics Container Cropping Systems Workshop. 50 industry members. Columbus, OH. (January 12).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mathers, H.M. and J. Emerick. 2014. OSU Nursery Short Course/ CENTS. Bio-plastic container cropping workshop. 50 attendees. January 12, 2014.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Emerick, J. and Mathers, H. 2014. Numerous "in the news" articles and postings. http://basicgreen.osu.edu/news
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, S. Madbouly, K. Haubrich, S. Madbouly, H. Kratsch, C. Currey, and W.R. Graves. 2014. Evaluation and classification of bioplastic plant containers. ASHS Annual Conference 2014.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Currey, C., K. McCabe, J. Schrader, G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, and W. Graves. 2014. Soy-based biocontainers allow for reduced fertilizer inputs. ASHS Annual Conference 2014.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, G. Srinivasan, K. Haubrich, D. Grewell, S. Madbouly, and W.R. Graves. 2014. Development and evaluation of bioplastic containers for sustainable greenhouse and nursery production. ISHS International Horticulture Congress 2014. Brisbane, Australia. 17 Aug. 2014.


Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences for the knowledge generated in the second year of the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project include researchers in the areas of biorenewables, ag economics, ag engineering, environmental studies, horticulture, materials science, and sustainability. These audiences are being reached through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and regional conferences. Because of the applied nature of our research and extension project, the ultimate audiences for the knowledge generated are consumers and industry stakeholders active in the areas of biorenewable materials supply and processing; container manufacturing; growers’ supply; specialty-crops production; wholesale and retail greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers; and landscape design and installation. These stakeholders and consumers are being reached through regional and local conferences and workshops, and also through press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project website. In our second year, we have also had numerous interactions with stakeholders one to one and supplied specific information pertaining to their interests. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Communities of interest are receiving our results through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and regional conferences. They are also receiving our results through press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project website. In our second year, we have also had numerous interactions with stakeholders one to one and supplied specific information pertaining to their interests. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Efforts during the next reporting period will focus on assessing economic, environmental, and social advantages and impacts of bioplastic materials and bioplastic container cropping systems. We will also initiate formal dissemination of our results through established extension networks. News releases, wiki articles, and slideshare programs will be developed for the eXtension.org website to communicate the fundamentals of the technology and provide research updates. A Community of Practice will be created on the eXtension website to facilitate networking and synergistic interaction among researchers, extension faculty, and stakeholders. Applied research staff will prepare, submit, and publish applied articles in trade magazines. Our second major outreach conference (2014 Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems Conference) will take place on January 12, 2014, in Columbus, OH, in conjunction with the OSU Nursery Short Course and the Central Environmental Nursery Trade Show.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Efforts during the second year of our five-year project have produced several improved bioplastic formulations for use in sustainable biobased plant containers that function as well as or better than containers made of petroleum plastic. Blends and composites of three base resins, soy protein, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), have performed among the best in our trials. Based on results of first-year evaluations, we adjusted the chemistry and components of the best materials. During the second year we added 17 new and improved bioplastics and biocomposites to the project, bringing the total number of materials evaluated to 47. We produced improved prototypes of 4.5 inch (11.4 cm) containers and produced the first injection-molded bioplastic nursery containers. The improved materials and prototypes of both container sizes were evaluated for processability, performance during greenhouse production, biodegradation of the used container in soil, and the effect of the degrading materials on garden transplants when the container is removed, crushed, and buried near the plant roots. Results show that all of the injection-moldable bioplastics and biocomposites evaluated in the second year should be suitable for producing containers on standard industry molding machines. All but two of the prototype containers made from the 17 improved materials grew plants as well as did the petroleum-plastic control containers, and two of the prototypes, one made of a PLA-protein compound and the other made of a PLA-lignin composite, grew plants better than petroleum-plastic containers during greenhouse-production trials. These activities and results represent the accomplishment of our first major objective (to define, develop, and evaluate emerging bioplastic materials for use in specialty cropping systems). During the 2013 FY, we formed two important stakeholder collaborations that represent major steps toward fulfilling our fourth main objective (to network with extension agencies and stakeholders to educate the public and integrate these technologies and best practices into the green industry). Through network contacts initiated during our first Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems conference in 2012, we are working with Aspen Research Inc., a bio-polymer producer located in Maple Grove, MN, and VistaTek, a manufacturer of injection-molded plastics located in Stillwater, MN, to bring sustainable bioplastic plant containers to commercial availability. In 2013, Aspen Research used the results from our first-year evaluations to develop and produce a bioplastic material suited for single-use plastic containers used in specialty-crop production. Aspen Research and VistaTek are teaming up to begin production of containers made of this material and a few others that were first blended and evaluated through our Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project. Although the formal extension and outreach efforts designed into our project are just beginning, knowledge generated by our project is already being used by interested parties and is already educating consumers about the potential for improved sustainability of the green industry through the implementation of bioplastics technology. Press releases and news articles reporting results with bioplastic containers developed and evaluated by our project have generated strong interest. Stories and articles published in Greenhouse Management, Nursery Management, Inform, Iowa State University News Service, and the Iowa State Daily have reached thousands of stakeholders and consumers with information about the potential benefits of bioplastic container technology. Knowledge generated by our project is reaching many others through the reports on our Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems website (www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic), which averages 22 visits per month and has had visitors from 25 states and 29 countries. Work has just begun on the assessments of economic, environmental, and social advantages and impacts of bioplastic material types and bioplastic container cropping systems and on the formal dissemination of results. These objectives will be a major focus of our efforts during the remaining three years of the project.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Schrader, J.A., G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, K.G. McCabe, and W.R. Graves. 2013. Fertilizer effects of soy-plastic containers during crop production and transplant establishment. HortScience 48:724-731.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Madbouly, S.A., J.A. Schrader, G. Srinivasan, K. Liu, K.G. McCabe, D. Grewell, W.R. Graves and M.R. Kessler. 2013. Biodegradation behavior of bacterial-based polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and DDGS composites. Green Chem. (online publication, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC41503A).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Grewell, D., G. Srinivasan, J. Schrader, W. Graves, and M. Kessler. 2013. Sustainable materials for horticultural application. SPE-ANTEC Tech. Papers, 59.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Schrader, J.A. 2013. Report on the annual consumption of plastics for specialty-crop containers in the United States. http://www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic/Supplementary/AnnualPlastic.html
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Grewell, D., J. Schrader, M. Kessler, W. Graves, and G. Srinivasan. 2013. Multifunctional sustainable plastics for agricultural applications. Research Institute for Plastics and Rubber - International Colloquium. March 15-18, 27-29, 2013, Medellin, Colombia.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, G. Srinivasan, K. Haubrich, D. Grewell, S. Madbouly, M. Kessler, and W.R. Graves. 2013. Development and evaluation of injection-molded bioplastic container prototypes. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. July 22-25, 2013. Palm Desert, California.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Schrader, J.A., K.G. McCabe, G. Srinivasan, D. Grewell, S. Madbouly, M. Kessler, and W.R. Graves. 2013. Evaluation of bioplastic-coated fiber containers for greenhouse grown plants. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. July 22-25, 2013. Palm Desert, California.


Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Efforts during the first year of our five-year project have produced several novel bioplastic composites and container-forming processes. Two of the novel composites include lignin fiber mixed with biopolymer resins by using a twin-screw extruder. The biocomposites of polyamide/lignin and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)/lignin each contain lignin up to 30% by weight and have good thermal and mechanical properties for use in specialty-crop containers and other applications. Our project has produced and evaluated three additional composites that are novel to crop containers and that improve container performance, reduce cost per container, and increase biodegradation of used containers in soil. Two of these composites combine dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) with the base resins of polylactic acid (PLA) or PHA to form PLA/DDGS and PHA/DDGS composites. The third is a composite of PLA/cornstover. Along with these injection-moldable composites, our project has constructed and evaluated six new coated-fiber containers made of combinations of paper, coir, or wood fiber coated with PLA, polyamide, or polyurethane bioplastics. These bioplastic coatings greatly improve durability and water use efficiency compared to the uncoated fiber containers. In the first year, our team evaluated the processing requirements, biodegradation, and physical and mechanical properties of 30 bioplastics and biocomposites for use as specialty-crop containers and conducted greenhouse and field experiments to assess how well prototype containers made from these materials perform under crop-production and transplant conditions. DISSEMINATION EFFORTS: Containers made of these bioplastics and biocomposites and results of our first-year evaluations were presented in detail at our national "Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems Conference" held on August 15, 2012, at Iowa State University. Stakeholders from all segments of our target audience attended the conference. Information specific to the new composites of polyamide/lignin and PHA/lignin was presented at the "Biopolymers & Biocomposites Workshop" on August 14, 2012. Information about the fertilizer effects of soy-plastic container prototypes was presented at the American Society for Horticultural Science Conference on August 1, 2012. PDF presentations of results and information from our first year of bioplastic container development and evaluation are posted on our project website (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic), which averages 60 visits per month and has had visitors from seven states and seven countries since the presentations were posted. Manuscripts reporting first-year results are being prepared for publication in refereed journals, and extension activities will begin in the second year. Outreach activities during the first year have resulted in new collaborations with two of the country's largest bioplastics suppliers, Metabolix and NatureWorks LLC. We have also established new collaborations with Aspen Research Corporation, a leader in biopolymer material process development, and with R&D/Leverage, a leader in plastics tooling and processing systems. PARTICIPANTS: The Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project is a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional project led by Project Director Dr. William Graves at Iowa State University. Along with providing the project's administrative leadership, Dr. Graves, with the assistance of his Research Associate, Kenny McCabe, is performing the extensive greenhouse evaluations of prototype containers constructed of bioplastics and biocomposites. CoPD Dr. Michael Kessler and his post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Samy Madbouly of Iowa State, are leading the work of identifying, developing, and characterizing the emerging biopolymers used to make the prototype containers. CoPD Dr. David Grewell and his post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Gowrishanker Srinivasan of Iowa State, are leading the technical and problem-solving efforts to adapt the bioplastics for processing on existing plastics-processing equipment. In the first year, container prototypes of 30 bioplastic and biocomposite materials were formed with the assistance of Research Associate, Kyle Haubrich, and industry collaborator R&D/Leverage of Lee's Summit, MO, who provided industrial-scale injection molding equipment and additional expertise in plastics-processing methodology. Our principal contact at R&D/Leverage is Engineering Manager Jeff Cooper. CoPD Dr. James Schrader of Iowa State is performing the evaluations of container/plant units for transplant establishment in the landscape and evaluations of biodegradation of bioplastic and biocomposite materials in soil. CoPD Dr. Barrett Kirwan of the University of Illinois is developing the evaluations of consumer preference and marketability of bioplastic containers and the assessments of overall economic impact of adopting bioplastic container cropping systems. Extension and outreach programs are being developed by our two CoPDs for extension, Dr. Heidi Kratsch of the University of Nevada, who is leading extension efforts in the western United States, and Dr. Hannah Mathers of The Ohio State University, who is leading extension efforts in the eastern United States. Dr. Kratsch is also contributing to the research evaluating the biodegradation of the bioplastics and biocomposites in soil by replicating the experiments in the distinct soils and drier climate of western Nevada. Professional-development opportunities are being provided for two post-doctoral fellows on the project, Dr. Samy Madbouly and Dr. Gowrishanker Srinivasan. Two graduate students in materials science, Kunwei Liu and Timothy Jobes, are receiving training through supervised research opportunities at Iowa State made available by the project. During the first year of the project, we have begun new collaborations with leading bioplastics suppliers, Metabolix and NatureWorks LLC, and with Aspen Research Corporation, a leader in biopolymer material process development. Our principal contacts at these companies are Robert Whitehouse, Richard Bopp, and Paul Rothweiler at Metabolix, NatureWorks, and Aspen Research, respectively. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences for the knowledge generated by the Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems project include researchers in the areas of biorenewables, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, environmental studies, horticulture, materials science, and sustainability. These audiences are being reached mainly through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and regional conferences. Because of the applied nature of our research and extension project, the ultimate audiences for the knowledge generated are consumers and industry stakeholders active in the areas of biomaterials supply and processing; container manufacturing; growers supply; specialty-crops production; wholesale and retail greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers; and landscape design and installation. These stakeholders and consumers are being reached through regional and local conferences, workshops, and field days, and also through press releases, trade publications, and presentations through our project website. Beginning in year two of the project our CoPDs in extension will begin developing formal extension publications and educational programs to reach a larger number of stakeholders and consumers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The main goal of our project for the first year was to identify, develop, and evaluate numerous bioplastic and biocomposite materials for use in sustainable specialty-crop containers that could function as well as, or better than, petroleum-based plastic containers. We seek equivalent or superior performance both during and after plant production. In some applications, plants still in pots will be transplanted or installed in the landscape and will provide a fertilizer or soil-conditioning effect as the bioplastic degrades. Efforts during our first year have produced 17 bioplastic or biocomposite container prototypes that fulfill this goal by functioning as well as petroleum-plastic containers, and one bioplastic container, a blend of soy protein and PLA, that functions better than petroleum-plastic containers during plant production. These 18 materials degrade at varying rates in the soil, but all undergo degradation with no observable detrimental effect to the plants during transplant establishment and growth in the landscape, and some of the materials provide observable benefits as they degrade. All 18 of these materials come from biorenewable sources and are biocompatible, compostable, and biodegrade at varying rates. Results of our evaluations during the first year provide strong proof-of-concept, demonstrating that bioplastic and biocomposite containers will be sustainable replacements for petroleum-plastic containers, and we have identified several materials that can be developed further to fulfill this role. IMPACTS: Knowledge generated through our research and extension project could bring some of the greatest improvements in sustainability to the container-crops industry in decades. The current environmental load from non-degradable petroleum-plastic containers used to grow specialty crops in the United States is enormous. The container-crops industry uses approximately 3 billion plastic containers per year, less than 2% of which are recycled or reused, a practice that contributes approximately 320 million tons of petroleum-plastic into the solid-waste stream annually. Adoption of bioplastics technology for crop containers would replace petroleum plastics with biomaterials that are carbon-neutral and that would end their lifecycles as beneficial organic matter in the soil, with some of the potential materials providing a fertilizer effect as they degrade. Our outreach efforts have led to collaborations with stakeholders from the bioplastics-supply, biopolymer-processing, and plastics-tooling industries who have expressed interest in utilizing the technology developed by this project. Our team of researchers and stakeholders is using the knowledge gained during the first year of the project to select and improve bioplastics and biocomposites for the second round of container development and evaluation in 2013. Knowledge generated by our project is also being utilized by many others through the presentations on our Bioplastic Container Cropping Systems website (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~bioplastic), which averages 60 visits per month and has had visitors from seven states and seven countries.

Publications

  • Schrader, J.A., Srinivasan, G., Grewell, D., and Graves, W.R. 2012. Fertilizer effects of soy-plastic containers during production and transplant establishment of tomato and pepper. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference Technical Program (published abstract).
  • Liu, K., Madbouly, S., Schrader, J., Srinivasan, G., Grewell, D., and Kessler, M. 2012. Thermal and mechanical characterization of novel biobased polyamide/lignin composites. ISU Biopolymers & Biocomposites Workshop. Abstract. http://www.biocom.iastate.edu/workshop/2012workshop/posters/102.html
  • Liu, K., Jobes, T., Madbouly, S., Schrader, J., Srinivasan, G., Grewell, D., and Kessler, M. 2012. Characterization of novel biobased polyhydroxyalkanoate/lignin composites. ISU Biopolymers & Biocomposites Workshop. Abstract. http://www.biocom.iastate.edu/workshop/2012workshop/posters/104.html