Exploring Plastic Mulching as a Strategy for Mitigating Drought Stress and Boosting Maize Yield in the Ecuadorian Andes

Abstract

Global food security faces a substantial risk stemming from water scarcity, particularly in regions heavily dependent on rainfall for agricultural purposes. In the Andean region, which is grappling with water scarcity, innovative and sustainable approaches are imperative for securing food sources. Plastic mulching has emerged as a potential solution to address water scarcity challenges by conserving soil moisture and optimizing growing conditions. A two-year field experiment was conducted that evaluated the efficacy of plastic mulching in preserving soil water content and reducing drought stress for maize. Two maize cultivars were grown with plastic mulching and conventional practices using a randomized completed block design with three replicates. The results demonstrated that employing plastic mulch led to a rise in the soil water content, particularly within the initial 30 cm of depth, resulting in variances of up to 4.71% humidity between the 20 and 30 cm depths. For the 2019 and 2020 evaluation years, plastic mulching elevated the volumetric water content in the first 30 cm of the soil by 8.39% and 14.18%, respectively. Additionally, it elevated the soil temperature by 1.26 °C and reduced the maize flowering time. Plastic mulching substantially enhanced the fresh corn yield, reaching a 162% increase compared to conventional plots. These findings underscore the potential benefits of plastic mulching in conserving the soil water content, alleviating drought and cold stress for crops in the Andean region.