Rain-fed agroecosystems in semi-arid regions suffer from severe water shortages and soil degradation, which restrict crop productivity. Although plastic film and straw mulch have been widely adopted to address these issues, their long-term use may lead to soil compaction and cooling. The combination of ridge-film and furrow-straw mulching (RFPS) may be a feasible solution to these problems. To investigate the effects of mulch and cultivation strategies on soil properties, root growth, yield, and yield stability, a six-years' field experiment was conducted with four treatments-flat cultivation with no mulch (CK), flat cultivation with straw mulch (SM), flat cultivation with film mulch (PM), and RFPS in a winter wheat cropping system. After six-years' studies, SM and RFPS significantly enhanced the soil total porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity, whereas PM increased the soil bulk density. The three mulching practices significantly enhanced macro-aggregates and mean weight diameter; only SM and RFPS enriched soil organic carbon in macro-aggregates, with RFPS achieving the most remarkable effects. Consequently, RFPS significantly enhanced the root morphological parameters in the topsoil compared to the other treatments. The six-year average grain yield, temporal stability, and sustainability yield index under the RFPS were significantly higher than those under SM and PM, achieving the highest and most stable grain yield. The structural equation model demonstrated that the positive effects of soil aggregates on root traits were critical for improving crop productivity. In conclusion, ridge-film and furrow-straw mulching promoted root growth by improving soil structure, and thereby enhancing wheat yield and yield stability. This study provides technical guidance for the sustainable agricultural development of rain-fed winter wheat cropping systems.