Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

The field mulching could improve sustainability of spring maize production on the Loess Plateau

This study evaluated field mulching impacts on yield stability, soil water storage, nitrogen budget, and soil total nitrogen in spring maize production on the Loess Plateau over multiple years, finding that plastic film mulching improved productivity but raised concerns about microplastic accumulation and nitrogen cycling disruption.

2023 Agricultural Water Management 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of Managing Soil Organic C Sequestration from Vegetation Restoration on the Loess Plateau

This review examines soil organic carbon sequestration from vegetation restoration on China's Loess Plateau following the Grain-for-Green Project, which has transformed the most severely eroded region into a major ecological restoration success. The review summarizes current knowledge on how different vegetation types and restoration practices affect soil carbon storage.

2023 Forests 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of different mulch materials on the Photosynthetic Characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of Wheat in Loess tableland

A field experiment on China's Loess Plateau found that liquid mulching film improved wheat photosynthesis, grain number, and water use efficiency compared to conventional mulching. The results support liquid film as an effective technique for high-yield wheat cultivation in drought-prone regions.

2023 Research Square (Research Square)
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Optimized Farmland Mulching Improves Rainfed Maize Productivity by Regulating Soil Temperature and Phenology on the Loess Plateau in China

A field experiment on the Loess Plateau found that combining plastic film mulch with straw mulch regulated soil temperature and extended the grain-filling period of rainfed maize, preventing premature senescence and improving yields. The study highlights a trade-off in dryland agriculture: plastic mulch conserves moisture but overheats soil, while novel double-mulching patterns can mitigate the temperature problem while still relying on plastic film.

2023 Agronomy 4 citations
Clinical Trial Tier 1

Organic Mulching to Conserve Soil Nutritional Quality and Enhance Wheat Yield

Organic mulching with farm manure and wheat straw preserved soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels while significantly increasing wheat grain and straw yields. Combining both mulch types at higher rates was most effective, offering a practical strategy to maintain soil nutritional quality under intensive farming.

2023 Journal of Agricultural Research
Article Tier 2

Effects of different mulch materials on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of wheat in Loess tableland

Not relevant to microplastics — this agricultural study compares different mulching materials (including plastic film) on wheat yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau of China, with no focus on microplastic pollution from plastic mulch.

2023 Scientific Reports 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Improvement of crop and soil management practices through mulching for enhancement of soil fertility and environmental sustainability: A review

This review examined mulching practices in agriculture as a strategy for improving soil fertility, water retention, and crop yields, while also noting that plastic mulch films generate persistent microplastic contamination in agricultural soils. The authors discussed biodegradable mulch alternatives and best management practices for reducing plastic residues.

2022 Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences 17 citations
Article Tier 2

The structure and development of Loess Critical Zone and its soil carbon cycle

Researchers reviewed how carbon moves through the deep layers of the Loess Plateau — a thick deposit of wind-blown sediment in China — finding that soil microbes play an underappreciated role in carbon storage and that current models likely underestimate how much carbon is locked away in these deep soils.

2024 Carbon Neutrality 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Straw Return with Biodegradable Film Mulch: A Synergistic Cultivation Measure with Environmental and Economic Benefits Based on Life Cycle Assessment

Researchers used life cycle assessment to evaluate straw return combined with biodegradable plastic film mulch as a cultivation strategy for Chinese farmland, comparing environmental and economic outcomes against conventional practices. The combination reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved soil health while remaining cost-competitive.

2024 Agronomy 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Response of soil dissolved organic matter to microplastic addition in Chinese loess soil

Researchers added microplastics to loess soil at two concentrations and tracked dissolved organic matter over 30 days, finding that even moderate additions altered the rate of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus release, stimulated soil enzyme activity, and promoted accumulation of high-molecular-weight humic compounds — suggesting microplastic pollution reshapes soil nutrient cycling.

2017 Chemosphere 864 citations
Article Tier 2

Degradable film mulching increases soil carbon sequestration in major Chinese dryland agroecosystems

Researchers compared biodegradable and conventional plastic film mulches used in farming and found that biodegradable films increased carbon storage in soil while traditional plastic mulch reduced it, suggesting that switching to biodegradable alternatives could help fight climate change while cutting plastic pollution.

2025 Nature Communications 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Variations in the quantity and chemical composition of soil dissolved organic matter along a chronosequence of wolfberry plantations in an arid area of Northwest China

Researchers studied how planting wolfberry bushes over 13 years changes the chemistry of soil organic matter in an arid region of China and found that longer-growing plantations build up richer, more complex soil carbon compounds — which helps store carbon and improve soil health in dryland farming systems.

2024 Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Long-term plastic mulching exacerbates the co-limitation of carbon and phosphorus in farmland by altering physicochemical properties and microbial interactions

Researchers examined how prolonged plastic film mulching over 5 to 15 years affects soil microplastic accumulation, nutrient cycling, and microbial communities in Chinese farmland. The study found that long-term mulching significantly increased microplastic abundance while depleting soil carbon and phosphorus, ultimately worsening nutrient co-limitation and disrupting microbial interactions critical for soil health.

2026 Frontiers in Microbiology
Article Tier 2

Enhancing carbon restoration and ecosystem resilience in global drylands via water-to-carbon biotransformation strategies

Researchers synthesized thousands of experiments on dryland farming and found that combining crop diversification, efficient irrigation, soil mulching, and soil health practices can significantly restore carbon to depleted soils while improving water use efficiency. The study argues these strategies are practical pathways for combating climate change and food insecurity in the world's most water-stressed regions.

2025 Communications Earth & Environment 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Microplastics on the Transport of Soil Dissolved Organic Matter in the Loess Plateau of China

This study examined how polypropylene microplastics affect the movement of dissolved organic matter through agricultural soil in China and found that microplastics can adsorb soil nutrients like phosphorus and ammonium. While this retention might seem beneficial, it alters the natural nutrient cycling that crops depend on. The findings suggest that microplastic accumulation in farmland could gradually change soil chemistry in ways that affect food production.

2023 Environmental Science & Technology 57 citations
Article Tier 2

Abundances of agricultural microplastics and their contribution to the soil organic carbon pool in plastic film mulching fields of Xinjiang, China

Researchers found that microplastics in plastic-mulched agricultural fields in Xinjiang, China contribute to the soil organic carbon pool, potentially causing overestimation of soil carbon sequestration when conventional measurement methods fail to separate microplastics from soil.

2023 Chemosphere 58 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics and Driving Mechanism of Soil Organic Carbon Content in Farmland of Beijing Plain: Implication for the Fate of Engineered Polymers in Soil

This study examined how soil organic matter affects the transport of ions and particles in agricultural soils, relevant to understanding how microplastics interact with soil chemistry. Soil organic carbon content significantly influenced the mobility of contaminants through soil systems.

2019 Advances in Polymer Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Plastic Membrane and Geotextile Cloth Mulching on Soil Moisture and Spring Maize Growth in the Loess–Hilly Region of Yan’an, China

Researchers conducted a one-year field monitoring experiment in the loess-hilly region of Yan'an, China, comparing plastic membrane mulching, geotextile cloth mulching, and bare soil on soil moisture and spring maize growth. The study found that plastic membrane and geotextile mulching treatments influenced soil moisture dynamics and crop development differently compared to unprotected soil.

2023 Agronomy 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Conservation Tillage on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity in Black Soil Region: Evidence from Heilongjiang Province, China

This study evaluated the effects of conservation tillage practices on agricultural green total factor productivity, finding that reduced tillage improves environmental efficiency metrics but requires management adjustments to maintain yields.

2024 Land 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Different Mulch Types on Farmland Soil Moisture in an Artificial Oasis Area

Not relevant to microplastics — this study compares how different mulch materials (including conventional polyethylene plastic films) affect soil moisture retention in an arid farming region of China, focusing on water management rather than plastic fragmentation or microplastic contamination.

2023 Land 11 citations