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Data extracted in September 2022
Fiche created in December 2023
Note to the reader: This general fiche summarises all the environmental and climate impacts of MULCHING found in a review of 41 synthesis papers[1]. These papers were selected from an initial number of 551 obtained through a systematic literature search strategy, according to the inclusion criteria reported in section 4. The impacts reported here are those for which there is scientific evidence available in published synthesis papers, what does not preclude the farming practice to have other impacts on the environment and climate still not covered by primary studies or by synthesis papers.
The synthesis papers review a number of primary studies ranging from 19 to 447. Therefore, the assessment of impacts relies on a large number of results from the primary studies, obtained mainly in field conditions, or sometimes in lab experiments or from model simulations.
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE FARMING PRACTICE
- Description:
- Mulching consists on spreading various covering materials on the surface of soil mainly to minimize moisture losses and weed population and to enhance crop yield.
- The most common mulching materials used in commercial agricultural systems are plastic film and straw.
- Key descriptors:
- This review includes several techniques used for soil mulching. These techniques were classified in two main groups: 1) flat planting with mulching; 2) ridge and furrow planting with mulching.
- Flat planting with mulching includes: plastic film mulching (black and trasparent film mulching),straw mulching (straw or other stubbles), gravel mulching, mulching (several mulching materials aggregated) and biodegradable mulching (rice bran, molecular film, vegetative film, starch-polyester mulch, paper-based mulch, other degradable film).
- Ridge and furrow planting with mulching includes: plastic-covered ridge coupled with furrow planting zone with bare soil, plastic-covered ridge coupled with furrow planting zone with mulching (plastic or straw), not covered ridge coupled with furrow planting zone with mulching (plastic or straw).
- Please, note that this is not an exhaustive list of all mulching techniques, but of those found in the synthesis papers that meet the requirements to be included in our review.
- This review does not include mulching done with plants (also called living or biological mulching), since this practice is already covered by another set of fiches (cover and catch crops).
- This review does not include mulching done in other land use that is not agricultural land.
2. EFFECTS OF THE FARMING PRACTICE ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
We reviewed the impacts of mulching, including two groups of interventions: flat planting with mulching and ridge and furrow planting with mulching.
The table below shows the number of synthesis papers with statistical tests reporting i) a significant difference between the Intervention and the Comparator, that is to say, a significant statistical effect, which can be positive or negative; or ii) a non-statistically significant difference between the Intervention and the Comparator. In addition, we include, if any, the number of synthesis papers reporting relevant results but without statistical test of the effects. Details on the quality assessment of the synthesis papers can be found in the methodology section of this WIKI.
Out of the 41 selected synthesis papers, 14 included studies conducted in Europe, and 40 have a quality score higher than 50%.
Table 1: Summary of effects. Number of synthesis papers reporting positive, negative or non-statistically significant effects on environmental and climate impacts. The number of synthesis papers reporting relevant results but without statistical test of the effects are also provided. When not all the synthesis papers reporting an effect are of high quality, the number of synthesis papers with a quality score of at least 50% is indicated in parentheses. Some synthesis papers may report effects for more than one impact, or more than one effect for the same impact.
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| Statistically tested | Non-statistically tested | ||
Impact | Metric | Intervention | Comparator | Significantly positive | Significantly negative | Non-significant | |
Decrease Air pollutants emissions | NH3 emissions | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Increase Carbon sequestration | Soil organic carbon | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
Decrease GHG emissions | CH4 emission | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
CH4 uptake | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
Ridge and furrow with mulching | Flat planting with no mulching | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
GHG emission | Gravel mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
N2O emission | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Gravel mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
Ridge and furrow with mulching | Flat planting with no mulching | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
Decrease Global warming potential (LCA) | GHG emission yield scaled | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Decrease Nitrogen footprint (LCA) | Nitrogen footprint | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Decrease Nutrient leaching and run-off | N leaching and run-off | Mulching (several mulching materials aggregated) | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
P leaching and run-off | Mulching (several mulching materials aggregated) | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Decrease Pests and diseases | Weed density or biomass | Biodegradable mulching | Plastic film mulching | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Increase Plant nutrient uptake | Nutrient use efficiency | Plastic film and straw mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Decrease Plastic residues | Plastic film residues | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Increase Soil biological quality | Soil biological quality | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Decrease Soil erosion | Soil erosion | Mulching (several mulching materials aggregated) | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Increase Soil nutrients | Soil nutrients | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Increase Soil physico-chemical quality | Soil physico-chemical quality | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 |
Increase Soil water retention | Soil water retention | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ridge and furrow with mulching | Flat planting with no mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Decrease Water footprint (LCA) | Water footprint | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Decrease Water use | Crop water consumption | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Straw mulching | No mulching | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Water supply | Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Water use efficiency | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Biodegradable mulching | Plastic film mulching | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
Mulching (several mulching materials aggregated) | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Ridge and furrow with mulching | Flat planting with no mulching | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Increase Crop yield | Crop yield | Biodegradable mulching | No mulching | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Biodegradable mulching | Plastic film mulching | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
Gravel mulching | No mulching | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Plastic film and straw mulching | No mulching | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Plastic film mulching | No mulching | 26 | 1 | 4 (3) | 0 | ||
Ridge and furrow with mulching | Flat planting with no mulching | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
Straw mulching | No mulching | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
3. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE EFFECTS ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
The factors significantly influencing the size and/or direction of the effects on the impacts, according to the synthesis papers included in this review, are reported below. Details about the factors can be found in the summaries of the meta-analyses available in this WIKI.
Table 2: List of factors reported to significantly affect the size and/or direction of the effects on environmental and climate impacts, according to the synthesis papers reviewed. The reference number of the synthesis papers where those factors are explored is given in parentheses.
Impact | Factors |
Air pollutants emissions | Cropping system type (Ref17), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref10) and Mineral N fertiliser application rate (Ref17) |
Carbon sequestration | Climate (Ref23), Crop type (Ref19, Ref23, Ref37), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref23), Plant density (Ref23), Soil texture (Ref23) and Type of mulching (Ref19) |
GHG emissions | Climate (Ref18, Ref18, Ref32), Crop type (Ref2, Ref19, Ref32), Duration of treatment (Ref32), Film ratio (Ref8), Film thickness (Ref19), irrigation (Ref19), Irrigation method (Ref2), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref32), Mulching area (Ref2), Mulching material (Ref2, Ref8), Mulching patterns (Ref2), N application rate (Ref18), Planting method (Ref8), Soil organic carbon (Ref32), Soil texture (Ref8, Ref32), Straw C/N ratio (Ref32) and Type of mulching (Ref19) |
Nitrogen footprint (LCA) | Mean annual precipitation (Ref26) |
Plant nutrient uptake | Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref34, Ref41), Tillage (Ref34) and Water consumption (Ref41) |
Soil biological quality | Climate (Ref23), Crop type (Ref23), Fertliser type (Ref4), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref23), Mulching material (Ref4), Plant density (Ref23), Soil pH (Ref4) and Soil texture (Ref23) |
Soil water retention | Film type (Ref27), Mean annual precipitation (Ref1), Mean annual temperature (Ref1), Mulching cycle (Ref27), Plastic film residue (Ref27), Soil depth (Ref16, Ref37), Soil texture (Ref1) and Tillage intensity (Ref1) |
Water footprint (LCA) | Crop type (Ref7) and Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref7) |
Water use | Climate (Ref9), Crop type (Ref9, Ref16, Ref22, Ref30, Ref37), Geographical area (Ref9), Mean annual precipitation (Ref3, Ref6, Ref16), Mean annual temperature (Ref1, Ref3, Ref36), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref16, Ref41), Mulching material (Ref6), Planting method (Ref6), Plastic film residue (Ref30), Region/geographic area (Ref36), Soil depth (Ref16), Soil texture (Ref1, Ref9), Soil type (Ref9), Tillage intensity (Ref1) and Water consumption (Ref9, Ref36, Ref41) |
Crop yield | Climate (Ref1, Ref9, Ref11, Ref18, Ref18, Ref23), Crop type (Ref2, Ref8, Ref9, Ref19, Ref22, Ref23, Ref30, Ref37), Geographical area (Ref9), Irrigation method (Ref2), Mean annual precipitation (Ref3, Ref16, Ref26, Ref37, Ref39), Mean annual temperature (Ref3, Ref36, Ref39, Ref41), Mineral fertiliser addition (Ref36), Mineral N fertiliser amount applied (Ref16, Ref34, Ref41), Mineral N fertiliser application rate (Ref37), Mulching material (Ref2, Ref6, Ref8, Ref36), N application rate (Ref18), Plant density (Ref23), Planting method (Ref8), Plastic film residue (Ref27, Ref30), Region/geographic area (Ref36), Soil organic matter (Ref41), Soil texture (Ref1, Ref8, Ref13, Ref23), Soil type (Ref9, Ref39), Tillage (Ref34), Tillage intensity (Ref1), Type of country (Ref23), Type of mulching (Ref19) and Water consumption (Ref9, Ref36, Ref41) |
4. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW SEARCH STRATEGY
Table 3: Systematic review search strategy - methodology and search parameters.
Parameter | Details |
Keywords | WOS: ("crop residue*" OR "residue* from crop*" OR "field residue*" OR "plant residue*" OR "agricult* residue*" OR "legume residue*" OR "pruning residue*" OR "plant litter" OR "straw" OR "stubble*" OR "residue* retention" OR "residue* return" OR "residue* burning" OR "residue* incorporation" OR "mulch*" ) (All Fields) AND ( "meta-analy*" OR "systematic* review*" OR "evidence map" OR "global synthesis" OR "evidence synthesis" OR "research synthesis") (All Fields) |
Time reference | No time restriction. |
Databases | Web of Science and Scopus: run on 27 September 2022 |
Exclusion criteria | The main criteria that led to the exclusion of a synthesis paper are: |
5. SYNTHESIS PAPERS INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW
Table 4: List of synthesis papers included in this review. More details can be found in the summaries of the meta-analyses.
Ref Num | Author(s) | Year | Title | Journal | DOI |
Ref1 | Adil M., Zhang S., Wang J., Shah A.N., Tanveer M., Fiaz S. | 2022 | Effects of Fallow Management Practices on Soil Water, Crop Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Winter Wheat Monoculture System: A Meta-Analysis | FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, 13:825309. | 10.3389/fpls.2022.825309 |
Ref2 | Guo, C, Liu, XF | 2022 | Effect of soil mulching on agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in China: A meta-analysis | PLOS ONE, 17(1), e0262120. | 10.1371/journal.pone.0262120 |
Ref3 | Han X., Feng Y., Zhao J., Ren A., Lin W., Sun M., Gao Z. | 2022 | Hydrothermal conditions impact yield, yield gap and water use efficiency of dryland wheat under different mulching practice in the Loess Plateau | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 264, 107422. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107422 |
Ref4 | Li Y., Xie H., Ren Z., Ding Y., Long M., Zhang G., Qin X., Siddique K.H.M., Liao Y. | 2022 | Response of soil microbial community parameters to plastic film mulch: A meta-analysis | GEODERMA, 418, 115851. | 10.1016/j.geoderma.2022.115851 |
Ref5 | Mak-Mensah E., Yeboah F.K., Obour P.B., Usman S., Essel E., Bakpa E.P., Zhang D., Zhou X., Wang X., Zhao X., Zhao W., Wang Q., Adingo S., Ahiakpa J.K. | 2022 | Integration of ridge and furrow rainwater harvesting systems and soil amendments improve crop yield under semi-arid conditions | PADDY AND WATER ENVIRONMENT, 20(3), 287-302. | 10.1007/s10333-022-00900-y |
Ref6 | Minhua Y., Yanlin M., Yanxia K., Qiong J., Guangping Q., Jinghai W., Changkun Y., Jianxiong Y. | 2022 | Optimized farmland mulching improves alfalfa yield and water use efficiency based on meta-analysis and regression analysis | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 267, 107617. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107617 |
Ref7 | Wang L., Li L., Xie J., Luo Z., Sumera A., Zechariah E., Fudjoe S.K., Palta J.A., Chen Y. | 2022 | Does plastic mulching reduce water footprint in field crops in China? A meta-analysis | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 260, 107293. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107293 |
Ref8 | Wei H., Zhang F., Zhang K., Qin R., Zhang W., Sun G., Huang J. | 2022 | Effects of soil mulching on staple crop yield and greenhouse gas emissions in China: A meta-analysis | FIELD CROPS RESEARCH, 284, 108566. | 10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108566 |
Ref9 | Zhang W., Dong A., Liu F., Niu W., Siddique K.H.M. | 2022 | Effect of film mulching on crop yield and water use efficiency in drip irrigation systems: A meta-analysis | SOIL AND TILLAGE RESEARCH, 221, 105392. | 10.1016/j.still.2022.105392 |
Ref10 | Abdo A.I., Shi D., Li J., Yang T., Wang X., Li H., Abdel-Hamed E.M.W., Merwad A.-R.M.A., Wang L. | 2021 | Ammonia emission from staple crops in China as response to mitigation strategies and agronomic conditions: Meta-analytic study | JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, 279, 123835. | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123835 |
Ref11 | He G., Wang Z., Hui X., Huang T., Luo L. | 2021 | Black film mulching can replace transparent film mulching in crop production | FIELD CROPS RESEARCH, 261, 108026. | 10.1016/j.fcr.2020.108026 |
Ref12 | Lei T., Luo C., Zhang R., Hu C., Xu J., Sadras V., Yang X., Zhang S. | 2021 | Partial-film mulch returns the same gains in yield and water use efficiency as full-film mulch with reduced cost and lower pollution: a meta-analysis | JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, 101(14), 5956-5962. | 10.1002/jsfa.11248 |
Ref13 | Li Y., Yang J., Shi Z., Pan W., Liao Y., Li T., Qin X. | 2021 | Response of root traits to plastic film mulch and its effects on yield | SOIL AND TILLAGE RESEARCH, 209, 104930. | 10.1016/j.still.2020.104930 |
Ref14 | Liu R., Thomas B.W., Shi X., Zhang X., Wang Z., Zhang Y. | 2021 | Effects of ground cover management on improving water and soil conservation in tree crop systems: A meta-analysis | CATENA, 199, 105085. | 10.1016/j.catena.2020.105085 |
Ref15 | Qin X., Huang T., Lu C., Dang P., Zhang M., Guan X.-K., Wen P.-F., Wang T.-C., Chen Y., Siddique K.H.M. | 2021 | Benefits and limitations of straw mulching and incorporation on maize yield, water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 256, 107128. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107128 |
Ref16 | Ren A.-T., Zhou R., Mo F., Liu S.-T., Li J.-Y., Chen Y., Zhao L., Xiong Y.-C. | 2021 | Soil water balance dynamics under plastic mulching in dryland rainfed agroecosystem across the Loess Plateau | AGRICULTURE, ECOSYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT, 312, 107354. | 10.1016/j.agee.2021.107354 |
Ref17 | Sha Z., Liu H., Wang J., Ma X., Liu X., TomMisselbrook | 2021 | Improved soil-crop system management aids in NH3 emission mitigation in China | ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, 289, 117844. | 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117844 |
Ref18 | Wang H., Zheng J., Fan J., Zhang F., Huang C. | 2021 | Grain yield and greenhouse gas emissions from maize and wheat fields under plastic film and straw mulching: A meta-analysis | FIELD CROPS RESEARCH, 270, 108210. | 10.1016/j.fcr.2021.108210 |
Ref19 | Yu Y., Zhang Y., Xiao M., Zhao C., Yao H. | 2021 | A meta-analysis of film mulching cultivation effects on soil organic carbon and soil greenhouse gas fluxes | CATENA, 206, 105483. | 10.1016/j.catena.2021.105483 |
Ref20 | Zhang S., Wang H., Sun X., Fan J., Zhang F., Zheng J., Li Y. | 2021 | Effects of farming practices on yield and crop water productivity of wheat, maize and potato in China: A meta-analysis | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 243, 106444. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106444 |
Ref21 | Chen, J, Xiao, HB, Li, ZW, Liu, C, Ning, K, Tang, CJ | 2020 | How effective are soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) in reducing soil and water losses in the red soil hilly region of China? A meta -analysis of field plot data | SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 735, 139517. | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139517 |
Ref22 | Gu X., Cai H., Fang H., Li Y., Chen P., Li Y. | 2020 | Effects of degradable film mulching on crop yield and water use efficiency in China: A meta-analysis | SOIL AND TILLAGE RESEARCH, 202, 104676. | 10.1016/j.still.2020.104676 |
Ref23 | Mo F., Yu K.-L., Crowther T.W., Wang J.-Y., Zhao H., Xiong Y.-C., Liao Y.-C. | 2020 | How plastic mulching affects net primary productivity, soil C fluxes and organic carbon balance in dry agroecosystems in China | JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, 263, 121470. | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121470 |
Ref24 | Tofanelli M.B.D., Wortman S.E. | 2020 | Benchmarking the agronomic performance of biodegradable mulches against polyethylene mulch film: A meta-analysis | AGRONOMY, 10, 1618. | 10.3390/agronomy10101618 |
Ref25 | Wang J., Pan Z., Pan F., He D., Pan Y., Han G., Huang N., Zhang Z., Yin W., Zhang J., Peng R., Wang Z. | 2020 | The regional water-conserving and yield-increasing characteristics and suitability of soil tillage practices in Northern China | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 228, 105883. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105883 |
Ref26 | Wang L., Coulter J.A., Li L., Luo Z., Chen Y., Deng X., Xie J. | 2020 | Plastic mulching reduces nitrogen footprint of food crops in China: A meta-analysis | SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 748, 141479. | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141479 |
Ref27 | Zhang D., Ng E.L., Hu W., Wang H., Galaviz P., Yang H., Sun W., Li C., Ma X., Fu B., Zhao P., Zhang F., Jin S., Zhou M., Du L., Peng C., Zhang X., Xu Z., Xi B., Liu X., Sun S., Cheng Z., Jiang L., Wang Y., Gong L., Kou C., Li Y., Ma Y., Huang D., Zhu J., Yao J., Lin C., Qin S., Zhou L., He B., Chen D., Li H., Zhai L., Lei Q., Wu S., Zhang Y., Pan J., Gu B., Liu H. | 2020 | Plastic pollution in croplands threatens long-term food security | GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 26(6), 3356-3367. | 10.1111/gcb.15043 |
Ref28 | Zheng H., Shao R., Xue Y., Ying H., Yin Y., Cui Z., Yang Q. | 2020 | Water productivity of irrigated maize production systems in Northern China: A meta-analysis | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 234, 106119. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106119 |
Ref29 | Cuevas, J., Daliakopoulos, I.N., del Moral, F., Hueso, J.J., Tsanis, I.K. | 2019 | A Review of Soil-Improving Cropping Systems for Soil Salinization | AGRONOMY, 9(6), 295. | 10.3390/agronomy9060295 |
Ref30 | Gao H., Yan C., Liu Q., Ding W., Chen B., Li Z. | 2019 | Effects of plastic mulching and plastic residue on agricultural production: A meta-analysis | SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 651, 484-492. | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.105 |
Ref31 | Gu J., Nie H., Guo H., Xu H., Gunnathorn T. | 2019 | Nitrous oxide emissions from fruit orchards: A review | ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT, 201, 166-172. | 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.12.046 |
Ref32 | Hu N., Chen Q., Zhu L. | 2019 | The responses of soil N2O emissions to residue returning systems: A meta-analysis | SUSTAINABILITY, 11(3), 748. | 10.3390/su11030748 |
Ref33 | Lee H., Lautenbach S., Nieto A.P.G., Bondeau A., Cramer W., Geijzendorffer I.R. | 2019 | The impact of conservation farming practices on Mediterranean agro-ecosystem services provisioning—a meta-analysis | REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, 19(8), 2187-2202. | 10.1007/s10113-018-1447-y |
Ref34 | Wang L., Coulter J.A., Palta J.A., Xie J., Luo Z., Li L., Carberry P., Li Q., Deng X. | 2019 | Mulching-induced changes in tuber yield and nitrogen use efficiency in potato in China: A meta-analysis | AGRONOMY, 9(12), 793. | 10.3390/agronomy9120793 |
Ref35 | He G., Wang Z., Li S., Malhi S.S. | 2018 | Plastic mulch: Tradeoffs between productivity and greenhouse gas emissions | JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, 172, 1311-1318. | 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.10.269 |
Ref36 | Li Q., Li H., Zhang L., Zhang S., Chen Y. | 2018 | Mulching improves yield and water-use efficiency of potato cropping in China: A meta-analysis | FIELD CROPS RESEARCH, 221, 50-60. | 10.1016/j.fcr.2018.02.017 |
Ref37 | Ma D., Chen L., Qu H., Wang Y., Misselbrook T., Jiang R. | 2018 | Impacts of plastic film mulching on crop yields, soil water, nitrate, and organic carbon in Northwestern China: A meta-analysis | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 202, 166-173. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.02.001 |
Ref38 | Xiong, M., Sun, R., Chen, L. | 2018 | Effects of soil conservation techniques on water erosion control: A global analysis | SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 645, 753-760. | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.124 |
Ref39 | Yu Y.-Y., Turner N.C., Gong Y.-H., Li F.-M., Fang C., Ge L.-J., Ye J.-S. | 2018 | Benefits and limitations to straw- and plastic-film mulch on maize yield and water use efficiency: A meta-analysis across hydrothermal gradients | EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY, 99, 138-147. | 10.1016/j.eja.2018.07.005 |
Ref40 | Daryanto S., Wang L., Jacinthe P.-A. | 2017 | Can ridge-furrow plastic mulching replace irrigation in dryland wheat and maize cropping systems? | AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT, 190, 1-5. | 10.1016/j.agwat.2017.05.005 |
Ref41 | Qin W., Hu C., Oenema O. | 2015 | Soil mulching significantly enhances yields and water and nitrogen use efficiencies of maize and wheat: A meta-analysis | SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 5, 16210. | 10.1038/srep16210 |
Disclaimer: These fiches present a large amount of scientific knowledge synthesised to assess farming practices impacts on the environment, climate and productivity. The European Commission maintains this WIKI to enhance public access to information about its initiatives. Our goal is to keep this information timely and accurate. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. However, the Commission accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the information on these fiches and WIKI.
[1] Synthesis research papers include either meta-analysis or systematic reviews with quantitative results. Details can be found in the methodology section of the WIKI.