Title: Sustainable bio-based planting pots as an approach to reduce plastic waste in the agriculture industry

Authors: Anunay Gupta; Nolan Urahn; Arup Dey; Nita Yodo; David Grewell; Chiwon W. Lee

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA; Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Engineering, Math and Technology, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM 87313, USA ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA ' Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA ' Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA

Abstract: Because of the non-biodegradable nature and the associated environmental damage of plastic pots, there is a need to find an alternative that is more environmentally friendly. In the agriculture industry, planting pots made from bio-based materials can potentially replace traditional plastic pots and provide additional health benefits to plants. This paper reviews the current advancement of bio-based planting pots. Various plant pots available in the market are summarised, focusing on their advantages and limitations. Plant health assessments of specimens grown in bio-based pots and their biodegradability are reviewed and compared with the traditional plastic pots. In addition, the techno-economic evaluation of bio-based and traditional plastic pots is summarised. The customer perception of these bio-based pots was also investigated for a widespread shift towards adopting bio-based plant pots. This literature review aims to help researchers and practitioners develop environmental-friendly bio-based agriculture products by identifying implementation gaps and future research directions.

Keywords: bioplastics; pots; plant health; agriculture; horticulture; sustainable.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAITG.2023.136904

International Journal of Agriculture Innovation, Technology and Globalisation, 2023 Vol.3 No.3, pp.215 - 244

Received: 16 Sep 2022
Accepted: 12 Apr 2023
Published online: 27 Feb 2024 *

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