Placing mulch on fields and letting fields lie fallow for a season helps to replenish their vitality. The problem with this is that a fallow field earns no income yet carries cost. Mulch requires more labor and time. Farmers cannot work as much land with mulching systems. Mulch also works better in sandy soils than heavy clays.
Timing is also critical in mulching.
If mulch is applied to early and covers a plant, its growth can stunted. One benefit of mulching is that it can smother out competive plants. To maintain yields soil fertility must be maintained. Alternative methods to fertilizer can reduce the need for fertilizers, but they cannot eliminate the need. Precision agriculture will help reduce damage caused by agricultural run-off.