Abstract
The effects of recycled paper-mulch, which weighted three fourths of the conventional paper-mulch, on the weed control in rice transplanting cultivation were examined at the plain regin and hilly and mountainous region of Tottori Prefecture. In the plain region covering with the light-weight and black-colored recycled paper-mulch was more effective than when using the light-weight or conventional undyed recycled paper-mulch for weed control. In the hilly and mountainous region at an altitude between 210 and 310 meter above the sea level, the light-weight and black-colored recycled paper-mulch was also as effective as the conventional black-colored recycle paper-mulch. In both regions light-weight and black-colored recycled paper-mulch showed good performance of practical use. About 99.5% of barnyard millet, one of the harmful weeds in the paddy, were controlled by using the recycled paper-mulch. We developed a method of assessing when to introduce or contine use of recycled paper-mulch for rice cultivation based on the population density of barnyard millet.
