• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.229-235
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• 2001

The thermal and photometric properties of mulching materials modify the radiation and energy balance on the mulched soil surface and thereby change the soil temperature. The soil surface energy balances and soil temperatures under the mulching treatments of non-mulched control, recycled paper (RPM), and black polyethylene film (BPFM) were compared before and after the establishment of potato canopy. On August 30 in 1998 when potato was not emerged yet and solar radiation was 17.9 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ , the net radiation of the soil surface was estimated as 10.(1, 2. 4, and 1.3 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ under the control, BPFM, and RPM, respectively. The sensible and latent heat loss from the soil surface was 9.65 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ in the control, most of the net radiation being lost through evaporation and convection, whereas it amounted only to 1.39 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ in BPFM and 1.36 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ in RPM. Therefore, the soil heat fluxes were 0.36 1.02, and 0.06 MJ m$^{-2}$ day$^{-1}$ under the control, BPFM and RPM, respectively. On September 27 when potato canopy was fully developed, the soil surface net radiation in the control was sharply decreased as compared to that of Aug. 30, whereas the net radiation of the mulched soil surfaces showed little changes. The soil heat flux was -0.01, 0.95, and 0.12 MJ $m^{-2}$${day}^{-1}$ at the soil surface under the control, BPFM and RPM, respectively. As the mulching treatments brought about such alteration of energy partitioning into the soil, the highest soil temperature was recorded in BPFM and the lowest in RMP without regard to potato canopy development. However, the soil temperature differences among the treatments become smaller when potato canopy were fully developed.