【Objective】The characteristics of effects of plastic film mulching(PM)and straw mulching(SM)on soil fertility were compared
for their selective utilization.【 Method】The effects of PM and SM on soil moisture,
temperature,nutrients,and microorganisms were studied in pot and field experiments.【Result】Both of SM and PM had significant moisture-keeping capacity.SM
increased soil moisture from the surface to the deep layers,but PM only increased soil moisture in the surface layer and the soil moisture decreased significantly in the deeper layers.PM also increased soil temperature significantly,and the soil temperature in SM treatment was lower than that in CK in the corn growing period,but the soil temperature in PM treatment was lower than that in SM treatment in winter season.SM increased soil organic matter and available N,P,and K to varying degrees and PM didn't,while soil organic matter in the surface layer decreased in PM treatment.SM and PM increased the quantities of bacteria,fungus,and actinomyces in soil,and the increases of soil microorganisms were bigger in SM treatment than in PM treatment.【Conclusion】 Plastic film should be selected when the aim of mulching is to increase temperature.The effect of SM is better than that of PM when the aim of mulching is to keep soil moisture.SM also has the roles of increasing soil nutrients and bio-activity.