Biodegradable mulch films can help reduce plastic waste in agriculture. A study compared these films to regular plastic mulch for growing strawberries in autumn and winter. The biodegradable films kept the soil warm and suppressed weeds, but degraded at different rates. Both types of mulch had similar effects on fruit yield. Overall, biodegradable mulch films show promise as an eco-friendly alternative to plastic mulch, but they need to be more cost-effective for farmers to use them widely.