The study looked at how different ways of covering the soil with plastic affected water, temperature, and nitrate levels in a dryland wheat field. They tested three methods: planting in furrows with ridges covered in plastic, planting in bunches with flat plastic, and planting conventionally without plastic. The results showed that plastic mulching increased water use by the wheat plants, raised soil temperatures in some areas, and led to higher nitrate levels in the soil, especially with flat plastic mulching. Overall, flat plastic mulching had the biggest impact on soil water, temperature, and nitrate levels in the dryland wheat field.