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Exploring optimal soil mulching for the wheat-maize cropping system in sub-humid drought-prone regions in China

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  • Hu, Yajin
  • Ma, Penghui
  • Zhang, Binbin
  • Hill, Robert L.
  • Wu, Shufang
  • Dong, Qin’ge
  • Chen, Guangjie

Abstract

The application of soil mulching is widely used to improve crop productivity within semi-arid regions of China, but little is known when using a crop rotation system in the sub-humid drought-prone regions as to whether the mulching practice may perform as well as in semi-arid regions. A field study was conducted during two consecutive cycles of a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) - maize (Zea mays L.) cropping system within the Yangling District of Northwest China to evaluate the effects of different mulch cultivation practices on soil water contents and soil temperatures (EM50 probes), crop yields, and water use efficiency (WUE). Four treatments were evaluated: (1) a flat plot without mulch control treatment (CK), (2) a flat plot with straw mulch (SM), (3) a flat plot with plastic film mulch (PM), and (4) a ridge-furrow planting with film mulch over the ridge and wheat straw mulch over the furrow (PSM).

Suggested Citation

  • Hu, Yajin & Ma, Penghui & Zhang, Binbin & Hill, Robert L. & Wu, Shufang & Dong, Qin’ge & Chen, Guangjie, 2019. "Exploring optimal soil mulching for the wheat-maize cropping system in sub-humid drought-prone regions in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 59-71.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:219:y:2019:i:c:p:59-71
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2019.04.004
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    Cited by:

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    4. Fang, Heng & Li, Yuannong & Gu, Xiaobo & Li, Yupeng & Chen, Pengpeng, 2021. "Can ridge-furrow with film and straw mulching improve wheat-maize system productivity and maintain soil fertility on the Loess Plateau of China?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Hu, Yajin & Ma, Penghui & Wu, Shufang & Sun, Benhua & Feng, Hao & Pan, Xiaolian & Zhang, Binbin & Chen, Guangjie & Duan, Chenxiao & Lei, Qi & Siddique, Kadambot H.M. & Liu, Boyang, 2020. "Spatial-temporal distribution of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots and water use efficiency under ridge–furrow dual mulching," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    6. Ke, Zengming & Liu, Xiaoli & Ma, Lihui & Feng, Zhe & Tu, Wen & Dong, Qin’ge & Jiao, Feng & Wang, Zhanli, 2021. "Rainstorm events increase risk of soil salinization in a loess hilly region of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    7. Zhang, Runze & Lei, Tong & Wang, Yunfeng & Xu, Jiaxing & Zhang, Panxin & Han, Yan & Hu, Changlu & Yang, Xueyun & Sadras, Victor & Zhang, Shulan, 2022. "Responses of yield and water use efficiency to the interaction between water supply and plastic film mulch in winter wheat-summer fallow system," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    8. Zhang, Shibo & Zhang, Guixin & Xia, Zhenqing & Wu, Mengke & Bai, Jingxuan & Lu, Haidong, 2022. "Optimizing plastic mulching improves the growth and increases grain yield and water use efficiency of spring maize in dryland of the Loess Plateau in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    9. Zhang, Binbin & Hu, Yajin & Hill, Robert Lee & Wu, Shufang & Song, Xiaolin, 2021. "Combined effects of biomaterial amendments and rainwater harvesting on soil moisture, structure and apple roots in a rainfed apple orchard on the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    10. Zhao, Xiao & Gu, Xiaobo & Yang, Zhichao & Li, Yuannong & Zhang, Li & Zhou, Jiaming, 2022. "Effects of soil preparation and mulching practices together with different urea applications on the water and nitrogen use of winter wheat in semi-humid and drought-prone areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    11. Li, Yue & Chen, Hao & Feng, Hao & Dong, Qin’ge & Wu, Wenjie & Zou, Yufeng & Chau, Henry Wai & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2020. "Influence of straw incorporation on soil water utilization and summer maize productivity: A five-year field study on the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    12. Wang, Wangtian & Ma, Li & Wu, Junyan & Sun, Wancang & Ali, Shahzad & Yang, Gang & Pu, Yuanyuan & Liu, Lijun & Fang, Yan, 2023. "Cultivation practices with various mulching materials to regulate chlorophyll fluorescence, cuticular wax, and rapeseed productivity under semi-arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    13. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Zhuang, Qianlai, 2021. "Evapotranspiration partitioning and water productivity of rainfed maize under contrasting mulching conditions in Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    14. Fang, Qin & Wang, Yanzhe & Uwimpaye, Fasilate & Yan, Zongzheng & Li, Lu & Liu, Xiuwei & Shao, Liwei, 2021. "Pre-sowing soil water conditions and water conservation measures affecting the yield and water productivity of summer maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    15. Zhang, Binbin & Yan, Sihui & Li, Bin & Wu, Shufang & Feng, Hao & Gao, Xiaodong & Song, Xiaolin & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2023. "Combining organic and chemical fertilizer plus water-saving system reduces environmental impacts and improves apple yield in rainfed apple orchards," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    16. Zhenqing Xia & Guixin Zhang & Shibo Zhang & Qi Wang & Yafang Fu & Haidong Lu, 2021. "Efficacy of Root Zone Temperature Increase in Root and Shoot Development and Hormone Changes in Different Maize Genotypes," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-13, May.
    17. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Guo, Jinjin & Yan, Shicheng & Zhuang, Qianlai & Cui, Ningbo & Guo, Li, 2021. "Interactive effects of mulching practice and nitrogen rate on grain yield, water productivity, fertilizer use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of rainfed summer maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    18. Duan, Chenxiao & Chen, Guangjie & Hu, Yajin & Wu, Shufang & Feng, Hao & Dong, Qin’ge, 2021. "Alternating wide ridges and narrow furrows with film mulching improves soil hydrothermal conditions and maize water use efficiency in dry sub-humid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).

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