which of the following farm practices can prevent excessive evaporation from soil surfaces?
Answer Details
The farm practice that can prevent excessive evaporation from soil surfaces is called mulching. Mulching is the process of covering the soil surface with a layer of organic or inorganic materials, such as straw, leaves, wood chips, plastic film or gravel. This layer acts as a barrier between the soil and the atmosphere, reducing the rate of water loss through evaporation. Mulching helps to conserve soil moisture, suppress weed growth, reduce soil erosion and maintain soil temperature. By reducing water loss from the soil surface, mulching enables crops to utilize more of the available water, resulting in increased plant growth and yield. In contrast, ploughing, harrowing, weeding, and liming are other farm practices that can improve soil health, but they do not specifically address the issue of excessive evaporation.