Plastic film cover before planting maize can boost crop yield and water efficiency in dry areas. By using film cover in the fallow season before sowing, researchers found that maize yield increased by 18% compared to traditional cover at planting time. The weight of 1000 maize kernels was also higher with fallow film cover. Soil moisture before planting was greater with fallow cover, leading to better water uptake during the growing season. Water use efficiency for grain yield was higher with fallow cover, showing that this method can help crops grow better and use water more effectively in semi-arid conditions.