Discussions regarding consumption and
replenishment of soil moisture under mulch
(2/27/00 - 2/28/00)

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postings: 4
countries: Austrailia, South Africa, United States
organizations/institutions/companies: Cornell University, Rand Water

To: mulch-l@cornell.edu
From: Gail Andrews
Subject: Soil moisture under mulch
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2000

Subject: Consumption and replenishment of soil moisture under mulch

Please could any one assist me? I am looking for references of work done on soil moisture under much. (organic as well as inorganic). I would like to know about the behaviour of the soil moisture under mulch. The consumption of water with regards to -- plants, bare and fallow soil.

Secondly, I'm interested in work on the replenishment patterns of soil moisture under mulch.

Gail Andrews
Horticulturist, Rand Water
South Africa

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Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2000
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: H. David Thurston
Subject: Consumption and replenishment of soil moisture under mulch

You may find these useful:

http://ppathw3.cals.cornell.edu/mba_project/moist/Mmh2oharv.html
http://www.cvwd.org/lush&eff/lsh&ef25.htm
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/mulch.html
http://gnv.ifas.ufl.edu/~alachua/Mulch.htm
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/soil/g513.htm

Also, these references:

Adams, J. E. (1966). "Influence of mulches on runoff, erosion and soil moisture depletion." Soil Sci. Soc. America Proc. 30: 110-114.

Kamara, C. S. (1986). "Mulch-tillage effects on soil loss and soil properties on an Ultisol in the humid tropics." Soil and Tillage Research 8: 131-144.

Mulch-tillage effects on soil loss and soil properties on an Ultisol in the humid tropics, established runoff plots, mulch reduced soil temperatures and increased soil moisture,

Sewell, G. W. F. (1965). The effect of altered physical condition of soil on biological control. . In: Baker, K. F. and W. C. Snyder. Ecology of Soil-borne Plant Pathogens. Univ. of Calif. Press, Berkeley: pp. 479-494.

Srivastava, J. P., M. Tamboli, et al. (1993). Conserving Soil Moisture and Fertility in the Warm Seasonably Dry Tropics. Washington, DC, World Bank Technical Paper 221.

Tomar, V. P. S. and e. al. (1992). "Effect of perennial mulches on moisture conservation and soil building properties through agroforestry." Agricultural Systems 19: 241-252.

Yadav, R. C. (1974). "Note on the effect of mulches on the conservation of soil moisture and on maize yield under semi-arid conditions. Central Arid Zone Res. Inst., Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India." Indian J. of Agric. Sci. 44(4): 241-242.

Lal's work may also be helpful:

Lal, R. (1975). Role of Mulching Techniques in Tropical Soil and Water Management. Ibadan, Nigeria, IITA Tech. Bull. No. 1. IITA.

Lal, R. (1977). Soil management systems and erosion control. New York, pp. 93-97. In: Greenland, D. J. and R. Lal. Soil Conservation and Management in the Humid Tropics. Wiley.

On uncropped land at IITA, Nigeria, with a 61mm rainfall, a study of mulch rate on runoff and soil loss was made. With no mulch there was 50% runoff and 4.83 tons/ha of soil was lost. Two tons/ha of mulch had 19.7% runoff and 2.48 tons/ha soil loss. Four tons/ha of mulch had a 8% runoff and 0.52 tons/ha soil loss. Six tons/ha had 1.2% runoff and 0.05 tons/ha soil loss.

Lal, R., G. F. Wilson, et al. (1978). "No-till farming after various grasses and leguminous cover crops in tropical alfisol. I. Crop performance." Field Crops Res. 1: 71-84.

Lal, R. (1981). No-tillage farming in the tropics, In: Phillips, R. E., Thomas, G. W., Blevins, R. L. No-tillage Research: Research Reports and Reviews. Univ. Kentucky, Lexington.: pp. 103-151.

Lal, R. (1982). Effective conservation farming systems for the humid tropics. Madison, WI, pp. 57-76. In: El-Swaify, S. A. et al. (ed.) Soil Erosion and Conservation in the Tropics. American Soc. Agron. Spec. Publ. 43. ASA and SSSA.

"The no-tillage system with crop residue mulch is an effective rotation practice."

Lal, R. and F. J. Pierce, Eds. (1991). Soil management for sustainability. Ankeny, Iowa., Soil and Water Conservation Soc.

H. David Thurston
Dept. of Plant Pathology
Cornell University

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Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2000
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
From: Steve Vanek
Subject: Consumption and replenishment of soil moisture under mulch

Hi Gail,

JR Teasdale and CL Mohler have an article: Light Transmittance, Soil Temperature, and Soil Moisture under Residue of Hairy Vetch and Rye. Agronomy Journal, vol 85: 673-680; may-June 1993. They were concerned mainly with factors influencing weed emergence through the mulch. The brief version from their abstract is that "Residue prevented the decline of soil water content during droughty periods"

That is for dead mulches, residue on the surface. I would say that most living mulches or interplanted cover crops deplete soil water resources in rough proportion to the area of the ground they cover, so they would make soil drier.

I've worked specifically with Lana Vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa) and Rye, Secale cereale, and have found these to be quite competitive for water, and drying of soil under the surface, even though they may maintain the surface layer more moist by shading, and certainly aid in long-term development of soil structure and fertility.

Hope this helps,

Steve Vanek
Cornell University

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From: Reid, Aileen
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Subject: Soil water under mulch
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002

We have done quite a lot of work in sands using LT tensiometers hooked up to logging gear with and without mulch. Will e-mail later, have to race off to the field.

Aileen Reid
Perth, Austrialia