review · Agronomy
This review examines mulching as a sustainable agricultural practice for water and soil conservation, particularly relevant in dryland contexts where drought and heat stress threaten crop production. Mulching minimises surface evaporation, thereby conserving water and improving soil moisture, which is crucial given increasing global water demand. The practice involves covering the soil surface with materials, predominantly organic ones like crop straw and livestock manures, or inorganic options such as plastic film, gravel, and sand. Key benefits include reducing soil water loss and erosion, enriching soil fauna, improving soil properties and nutrient cycling, and lowering soil pH to enhance nutrient availability. Mulching also helps manage soil temperature and reduces irrigation requirements.
With increasing global population and rising demand for food, sustainable agricultural practices are vital to manage scarce resources. Mulching offers a practical solution to conserve water, improve soil fertility, and maintain crop yields in challenging environments, directly contributing to food security and environmental resilience.
The abstract describes an established agricultural practice with clear benefits for farmers, particularly those in water-stressed regions. It highlights the use of various organic and inorganic materials, suggesting opportunities for suppliers of mulching materials and agricultural extension services promoting sustainable farming techniques. This is an applied and tested practice, ready for widespread adoption and optimisation by agricultural organisations and individual farmers.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
This research was carried out in order to demonstrate that mulching the ground helps to conserve water, because agricultural sustainability in dryland contexts is threatened by drought, heat stress, and the injudicious use of scarce water during the cropping season by minimizing surface evaporation. Improving soil moisture conservation is an ongoing priority in crop outputs where water resources are restricted and controlled. One of the reasons for the desire to use less water in agriculture is the rising demand brought on by the world’s growing population. In this study, the use of organic or biodegradable mulches was dominated by organic materials, while inorganic mulches are mostly comprised of plastic-based components. Plastic film, crop straw, gravel, volcanic ash, rock pieces, sand, concrete, paper pellets, and livestock manures are among the materials put on the soil surface. Mulching has several essential applications, including reducing soil water loss and soil erosion, enriching soil fauna, and improving soil properties and nutrient cycling in the soil. It also reduces the pH of the soil, which improves nutrient availability. Mulching reduces soil deterioration by limiting runoff and soil loss, and it increases soil water availability by reducing evaporation, managing soil temperature, or reducing crop irrigation requirements. This review paper extensively discusses the benefits of organic or synthetic mulches for crop production, as well as the uses of mulching in soil and water conservation. As a result, it is very important for farmers to choose mulching rather than synthetic applications.
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DOI: 10.3390/agronomy12081881
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