Abstract:【Objective】To identify the suitable orhanic mulching pattern for ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting in the Loess Plateau region of China.【Method】A completely randomized design was carried out to study the effects of different biochar-soil crusts mulching modes (flat plating without biochar, soil crust, single biochar-soil crust, and double biochar-soil crust) on soil physical and hydraulic properties.【Result】Biochar-soil crust mulching significantly increased surface soil total porosity, water-stable aggregates, and available water content, all of which increased with increasing biochar application rate. The impact of biochar-soil crust mulching on the ridge soil was obviously higher than that on the furrow soil, while a more pronounced effect on shallow soil (0~20 cm) than on deep soil (20~40 cm). For shallow soils, compared to flat planting without biochar application, the soil total porosity under the single and double biochar-soil crust mulching increased by 6.9%~7.7% and 16.8%~23.2%, respectively. The proportion of 0.5~1.0 mm diameter water-stable aggregates under the soil crust, single biochar-soil crust, and double biochar-soil crust mulching increased by 58.9%~65.9%, 134.2%~159.4%, and 165.3%~180.6%, respectively, while the available water content increased by 3.8%~4.9%,4.4%~5.5%, and 6.5%~7.3%, respectively.【Conclusion】Double biochar-soil crust is the optimal organic mulching pattern in ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting. Future biochar research should focus on integrating soil structure change laws with the sustainable development of alfalfa.