Effect of Gravel Mulch on Crop Yield¹

Research has shown that gravel mulch reduces soil water evaporation rate. A study was established to determine if this mulch material might be used to promote increased crop yields from the precipitation of semiarid regions. Treatments of gravel mulch, cornstalk mulch, and a control of bare soil were used in both laboratory and field experiments to observe their effect on soil water, soil temperature, and plant response. Evaporation of soil water was less and soil temperatures were higher under gravel mulch as compared with a bare soil surface. Increased crop yield on the gravel‐mulch treatment appeared to be due to an interaction of more soil water and higher soil temperature. Bare soil strips for crop rows and annual regeneration of the gravel mulch were necessary management practices to permit both crop production and maintenance of an effective mulch. The study has indicated that gravel mulch not only promotes increased crop yields but also has a potential for mechanized application and maintenance.