Integrated Effects of Organic Mulch Composites and Drip Irrigation on Soil Quality, Water Conservation and Tomato Growth Under Semi‐Arid Mediterranean Conditions
Jul 2026· Irrigation and Drainage· 0 citations· 18 references
Abstract
In semi‐arid Mediterranean conditions, irrigation management is constrained by soil degradation and water scarcity. This exploratory study assessed, over two consecutive growing seasons (2022–2023) in the Mitidja plain, Algeria, the synergistic effects of organic mulches (wood chips, sawdust, wheat straw and a composite mixture) combined with drip irrigation on the soil properties, growth and yield of tomato. Due to the absence of true replication, the results are presented as descriptive statistics and should be interpreted as presented trends rather than statistically validated effects. The findings suggest that the composite mulch (P4A) corresponded to higher water retention, more moderate pH, more stable soil temperature and electrical conductivity, and better plant growth. P4A showed an increase in soil organic matter to 2.6% (from 1.3% in 2022) and was accompanied by water savings of 27% (first season) to 50% (second season). The yield reached 15.1 t ha
−1
in 2023 under P4A, compared to 4.5 t ha
−1
for the control, and the water productivity (WP) increased from 1.6 to 9.8 kg·m
−3
. This research suggests that composite organic mulch generates cumulative benefits for soil water, temperature, nutrient availability and productivity, offering a potential low‐cost strategy for water savings and soil quality improvement under semi‐arid conditions.
Agriculture consumes 70% of global freshwater, and rising food demand by 2050 will further strain these resources. Mulching can improve water productivity (WP) by reducing evaporation and stabilizing the soil microclimate. This study evaluated the effects of biodegradable mulch on irrigation efficiency, yield, and quality of processing tomato (
Solanum lycopersicum
L.) under Mediterranean open-field conditions. Trial was conducted over two consecutive spring–summer seasons (2024–2025), at Portici, Southern Italy. Three mulching treatments: a paper mulch (PPR) and two biodegradable films (BM1, starch-polymer blend; BM2, copolyester), were compared with bare soil (BS, control). Soil volumetric water content and soil temperature were monitored to schedule irrigation and restore field capacity. Mulching, regardless of type, increased commercial yield in both years: +48% in 2024 and +24% in 2025 compared to BS, mainly due to higher fruit number. Mulched fruits showed greater firmness and higher °Brix values (+3–9%), although the latter was statistically significant only in the second year. Biodegradable films significantly increased ascorbic acid content (+46% vs. PPR), while PPR, due to its cooling effect, promoted a statistically significant lycopene (+52%) and carotenoids (+24%) content. Nitrogen content of fruits was lower under PPR (−26% in 2024; −3.6% in 2025). Moreover, mulching reduced water volumes and improved WP
c
, particularly in 2024 (PPR: 83.78 vs. BS: 48.80 kg m
-3
). Despite lower overall WP
c
in 2025, mulched plots maintained more stable efficiency. Biodegradable mulches could represent a sustainable alternative to polyethylene for Mediterranean processing tomato cultivation.
M. Pelosi, L. Ottaiano, I. Di Mola et al.· Frontiers in Sustainable Foo...· 0 citations
Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is widely cultivated in tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and semi-arid regions. However, its productivity remains low because of several biotic and abiotic constraints. Soil moisture stress is a major abiotic constraint that causes extensive losses in soybean production. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of organic mulching on soybean productivity and in situ soil moisture conservation. The study was conducted at Humera Agricultural Research Center during the 2020 main cropping season under rainfed conditions using a randomised complete block design with three replications. Five mulching rates (no mulch, 5 t ha-1, 10 t ha-1, 15 t ha-1 and 20 t ha-1) were considered as treatments, and the Hawassa-95 soybean variety was used. The results showed that the highest soil moisture was conserved under 20 t ha-1 mulch at all soil depths (0-0.2 m, 0.2-0.4 m and 0.4-0.6 m) during 15-90 days after sowing. Likewise, the highest hundred-seed weight (11.69 g), grain yield (1611 kg ha-1) and harvest index (38.48%) were recorded under the 15 t ha-1 mulch treatment. Although 15 t ha-1 mulch cover had positive effects on soil moisture conservation and soybean production, the economic analysis showed that 10 t ha-1 was the most profitable treatment, with a marginal rate of return of 706%. Therefore, farmers are advised to apply 10 t ha-1 mulch to improve soybean production and profitability.
A. Atsbeha, Berhanu Abreha, Yemane G. Egziabher· Journal of global agricultur...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Soil acidity is a major constraint to barley production in the Southern Highlands of Ethiopia. An on-farm experiment was conducted during the 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons on strongly acidic Nitisols (pH 4.7) to evaluate the effects of integrated application of vermicompost (VC), inorganic nitrogen (N), and lime on soil chemical properties and barley productivity. Nine treatments, comprising a control, sole and combined applications of VC and N at different proportions, and integrated treatments with lime (3 t ha−1), were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Integrated application of VC, N, and lime significantly increased soil pH, available phosphorus, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen while reducing exchangeable acidity compared with the control and sole nutrient applications. Grain yield and yield components were also significantly improved in both cropping seasons. The combined application of 50% VC + 50% N + 3 t ha−1 lime produced the greatest improvements in soil fertility and barley yield, indicating synergistic effects of integrating organic, inorganic, and liming materials for acidic soil management. The integrated application of 100 kg urea + 100 kg NPSB + 5 t vermicompost ha⁻¹ is recommended for farmers seeking to maximize barley productivity and overall profitability because it generated the highest grain yield and net benefit. However, for resource-constrained farmers with limited capital, the sole application of 100 kg urea ha⁻¹ is a practical alternative because it produced the highest marginal rate of return, indicating greater economic efficiency per unit of additional investment. Improved soil fertility and grain yield in the second cropping season demonstrated residual benefits of the integrated treatments. Overall, integrated use of vermicompost, nitrogen fertilizer, and lime was more effective than sole nutrient applications in improving soil fertility and sustaining barley production on acidic Nitisols.
Getahun Haile, M. Lemenih, G. Agegnehu· Communications in Soil Scien...· 0 citations
This study explores the sustainable optimization of Valencia orange production in Egypt's arid regions by analyzing the dual effects of deficit irrigation and biochar soil conditioning. Multi-season field experiments demonstrated that Partial Root-zone Drying (PRD) combined with 1200 kg ha⁻¹ of biochar significantly enhances the vegetative growth, physiological traits, and final yield components of Valencia orange trees in degraded sandy soils. Severe water restriction (50% Full Irrigation [FI]) constrained canopy development and chlorophyll formation. In contrast, the PRD strategy produced superior growth responses, achieving an increased canopy volume of 4.1–4.3%, an expanded leaf area of 27.0–28.3 cm², and total chlorophyll levels up to 3.0 mg g⁻¹ F.W. The application of biochar showed a significant, dose-dependent improvement in soil water-holding capacity and nutrient retention. Under the optimal interaction treatment (PRD combined with 1200 kg ha⁻¹ biochar), the trees achieved peak agronomic performance. This synergistic combination maximized canopy volume increase to 5.5–5.8%, expanded leaf area to 37.9–40.1 cm², and elevated chlorophyll content to 3.7–4.0 mg g⁻¹ F.W. Furthermore, this treatment upgraded fruit development and quality indices; fruit weight reached 231.4–240.6 g, total yield peaked at 48.5–50 ton ha⁻¹, TSS reached 13.7–14.2%, and Vitamin C maximized at 48.8–51.3 mg 100 mL⁻¹ juice, confirming that biochar effectively mitigates drought stress. Complementing these findings, the treatments were simulated using the SALTMED model software to evaluate its predictive fidelity under local Egyptian conditions. The software demonstrated exceptional accuracy, establishing a robust correlation between field-collected data and model-generated values. This alignment was statistically validated by an outstanding coefficient of determination (R² ranging from 96% to 98%). Consequently, the study strongly recommends utilizing SALTMED for managing fruit crops in Egypt to save time, labor, and costs, while providing reliable predictive data to optimize export and import operations for vital commodities like citrus.
Unknown authors· the future of agriculture· 0 citations
Arid sandy soils are characterized by poor water retention, low nutrient availability, and limited productivity, posing major constraints to sustainable date palm cultivation under increasing water scarcity. A three-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of bentonite (BN), humic substances (HS), and Bacillus polymyxa (BP) under three irrigation regimes (70, 85, and 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)) on soil hydro-physical properties, nutrient uptake, and fruit quality of ‘Siwi’ date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.). Twelve treatment combinations (3 irrigation regimes × 4 soil amendment treatments) were evaluated over three consecutive growing seasons. The integrated application of BN, HS, and BP significantly improved soil hydro-physical properties by increasing field capacity and plant-available water while reducing bulk density. These improvements were associated with enhanced leaf N, P, and K concentrations and greater accumulation of total soluble solids, total and reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and β-carotene compared with the untreated control. The combined application of BN (12 kg palm−1) + HS (1 L palm−1) + BP (28 mL palm−1) produced the most favorable overall responses. Moderate deficit irrigation (85% ETc) provided the best balance between fruit quality and water conservation, maintaining superior fruit biochemical quality while reducing irrigation water use by approximately 15% compared with full irrigation. Multivariate analyses further supported these findings by revealing strong positive associations among soil water availability, nutrient status, sugars, and antioxidant-related compounds, while climatic variables were closely associated with seasonal variation in fruit biochemical characteristics. Overall, the integrated application of bentonite, humic substances, and B. polymyxa under 85% ETc irrigation represents an effective management strategy for improving soil performance, enhancing fruit nutritional quality, and increasing water-use irrigation efficiency in sandy soils under arid conditions.
Nahed M. Rashed, Khairy H. Abd-El-Rahman, D. A. Elyazid et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations
Water scarcity has a significant impact on global agriculture, particularly in semi-arid regions, hindering economic development. The use of recycled urban wastewater in agriculture is a sustainable practice; however, it is essential to assess its impact on soil carbon stocks and microbial activity. This study hypothesized that the use of wastewater in soil cultivated with forage cactus and amended with 8 or 12 tons of sorghum straw as soil cover could increase carbon stocks, microbial biomass, and microbial activity compared to bare soil, even after only 8 months. The experiment was conducted in a tropical semi-arid region of Brazil, based on a factorial design with different cactus intercropping systems and soil cover treatments under wastewater irrigation. Overall, soil carbon stocks did not increase significantly compared to the control, although they increased by approximately 21% over the study period. However, soil cover increased C-CO2 emissions by 70% after 4 and 8 months. Microbial biomass carbon increased by 65% compared to the baseline (time 0), particularly in treatments with soil cover. Soil cover and consortium under wastewater irrigation improved microbial activity and biomass, even over a short experimental period, indicating a sustainable soil management strategy to enhance soil organic matter quality and microbial properties.
I. Almeida, Danilo José de Barros, M. Alves et al.· AgriEngineering· 0 citations
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