Effect of Row Orientation and Mulching on Soil Temperature and Moisture Regimes

Authors: İlhami YILDIZ, Rattan LAL

Abstract: Field experiments were conducted in Columbus Ohio, U.S.A. (39¼ 58' N and 82¼ 53' W), in 1987 to determine the effects of row orientation and mulching on soil temperature, soil moisture regimes and corn yield. The treatments were east-west, north-south, and equal distance spacing row orientations as well as mulch and no-mulch applications. The soil type was a Celina silt lam (fine, mixed, mesic Aquic Hapludalfs) with 2.4% organic matter. East-west rows and unmulched plots had higher soil temperatures and lower moisture content than the other orientations and mulched plots, respectively. North-south and equal distance spaced row orientations produced 12.5% and 3.7 % more grain than the east-west rows. Mulched plots produced 32.5% more grain than the unmulched plots.

Keywords: