Why does retained stubble give varying soil moisture benefits?

摘要

The effect of stubble mulch on soil water storage during fallow is highly variable. In Mallee environments of eastern Australia, stubble retention in long-fallow periods often results in small gains in storage of water, with no obvious advantage in crop yield. Greater and more consistent responses to stubble retention are found in the Wimmera region, which is wetter and has heavier soils than the Mallee. In environments with low rainfall and coarse-textured soil, contribution of stubble to gains in water storage is often smaller than in wetter environments with heavier soil.