Plastic film mulching boosts crop yield and nitrogen efficiency in dry areas.
Plastic film mulching, water storage, and nitrogen fertilization were studied to see how they affect crop yield and nitrogen efficiency in semiarid areas. The study focused on spring wheat grown in soil with low rainfall. Results showed that more water, mulching, and nitrogen increased crop yield significantly. Nitrogen had the biggest impact, followed by water and mulching. When there was little water, mulching didn't make much difference in yield, but when there was more water, mulching for 60 days increased yield. Overall, mulching for the whole growing period didn't make a big difference.