Long-term effects of plastic mulching on soil structure, organic carbon and yield of rainfed maize

Plastic film mulching measures are considered effective for conserving water and increasing crop yields. However, the effect of their long-term use on sustaining crop production remain unclear, especially under dryland conditions. A field experiment was conducted for nine years (2013–2021) in the Loess Plateau region of China to evaluate the effects of normal flat sowing with land fully covered by plastic film mulch (P), ridge–furrow planting with 50% coverage with mulch (R), normal flat sowing with land fully covered by biodegradable film mulch (B), and normal flat sowing without mulching (CK). Mulching treatments (P, R, and B) decreased the bulk density of the surface 0.6 m (P