Effect of Straw Cover on Wheat Yield and Soil Environment in Dryland Field

The hilly area of North Jiangsu enriches in light and temperature resources. But lack of rainfall and water severely restricts the development of agriculture. To solve the problems of sustainable development of agriculture, A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of straw cover on crop yield and soil properties. Results show that using rice straw cover could prevent the evaporation of water and increase in soil moisture content by 13.5% to 59%. The wheat yield is increased by 12.5%. Rice straw cover could also increase the next-year stubble production and improve the physical condition of the soil.