Polyacrylamide and mulching are crucial water conservation techniques used to enhance plant growth and yield in arid regions. In this study, two-field experiments were conducted on arid lands of Saudi Arabia to assess the effect of three polyacrylamide rates (0, 10, and 20 kg/ha) and three mulching types (transparent plastic, wheat straw, and without mulching) on the growth and yield of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.). A completely randomized split plot (main plots: mulching and sub-plots: polyacrylamide) design was performed using three replications in the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 growing seasons. Independent and combined applications of polyacrylamide and mulching with either transparent plastic or wheat straw significantly enhanced the growth parameters, yield, and fruit quality of squash in both seasons. The interactive use of polyacrylamide and mulching further significantly increased fresh and dry biomass (126.8% and 111.6%, respectively) compared with the control. Transparent plastic with polyacrylamide (20 kg/ha) provided the highest fruit yields (81.8%) and water use efficiency (81.5%) compared to the control. Therefore, future studies should examine the long-term sustainability and scalability of polyacrylamide - mulching systems in arid agroecosystems.