Plastic mulch boosts maize yield by 20% while saving water.
A study looked at how different irrigation, fertilization, and mulching methods affect the yield of spring maize. They tested three levels of irrigation, four levels of fertilizer, and three types of mulch. The best results were seen with moderate irrigation, reduced fertilizer, and plastic mulch, which saved water and increased yield by 20%. Plastic mulch with drip irrigation and fertigation produced the highest grain yield, number of grains per cob, 1000 grain weight, and cob weight per plant. This method can help farmers save water and improve crop yield.