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Ridge-furrow mulching system regulates hydrothermal conditions to promote maize yield and efficient water use in rainfed farming area

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Pei
  • Wang, Hongli
  • Li, Linchao
  • Liu, Xiaoli
  • Qian, Rui
  • Wang, Jinjin
  • Yan, Xiaoqun
  • Cai, Tie
  • Zhang, Peng
  • Jia, Zhikuan
  • Ren, Xiaolong
  • Chen, Xiaoli

Abstract

The ridge-furrow mulching system with plastic film (RFMS) is considered an effective strategy to improve grain yield and has been widely used in arid and semi-arid rainfed agricultural areas. However, the key mechanism by which RFMS increases yield and efficiency under different hydrothermal conditions remains unclear. Understanding this mechanism and the interaction between different RFMSs and hydrothermal conditions could provide a practical reference for optimizing cultivation. We aimed to investigate the yield increase potential of different planting systems under the same hydrothermal conditions and evaluate the effects of RFMS treatments on drought resistance and yield increase under different hydrothermal conditions. The following planting treatments were carried out in ridge–furrow prepared fields under seven different hydrothermal conditions in a representative rainfed agricultural area for four consecutive years: 1) ridge-furrow mulching system with complete coverage (RC); 2) ridge-furrow mulching system with ridge coverage (RR); and 3) planting without mulching (control treatment; CT). Compared with CT, RFMS improved field hydrothermal conditions and reduced evapotranspiration of crops. In more hydrothermally limited areas (precipitation, 196–320 mm; temperature, <18 °C), the grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) with RC significantly increased by 49.95 % and 57.12 % compared with that of CT, respectively. However, RR and RC had no significant difference in grain yield and WUE in areas less hydrothermally limited (precipitation, 320–460 mm; temperature, 18.6 °C–23.6 °C) but increased by 13.51 % and 22.19 % compared with that of CT. Additionally, RFMS improved economic benefits, especially in hydrothermally limited areas, with RC increasing benefits by 142.64 %–200.84 % compared with that of CT. Therefore, RC can be used as the optimal technique to overcome simultaneous drought and cold weather in rainfed agricultural areas under hydrothermally limited conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Pei & Wang, Hongli & Li, Linchao & Liu, Xiaoli & Qian, Rui & Wang, Jinjin & Yan, Xiaoqun & Cai, Tie & Zhang, Peng & Jia, Zhikuan & Ren, Xiaolong & Chen, Xiaoli, 2020. "Ridge-furrow mulching system regulates hydrothermal conditions to promote maize yield and efficient water use in rainfed farming area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:232:y:2020:i:c:s0378377419316117
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106041
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    3. Ruofan Li & Juanjuan Ma & Xihuan Sun & Xianghong Guo & Lijian Zheng, 2021. "Simulation of Soil Water and Heat Flow under Plastic Mulching and Different Ridge Patterns," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, November.
    4. Zhang, Guangxin & Meng, Wenhui & Pan, Wenhui & Han, Juan & Liao, Yuncheng, 2022. "Effect of soil water content changes caused by ridge-furrow plastic film mulching on the root distribution and water use pattern of spring maize in the Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    5. Liu, Zihan & Zhao, Chenxu & Zhang, Peng & Jia, ZhiKuan, 2023. "Long-term effects of plastic mulching on soil structure, organic carbon and yield of rainfed maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    6. Liu, Xiaoli & Wang, Yandong & Zhang, Yuehe & Ren, Xiaolong & Chen, Xiaoli, 2022. "Can rainwater harvesting replace conventional irrigation for winter wheat production in dry semi-humid areas in China?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    7. Wang, Naijiang & Chen, Haixin & Ding, Dianyuan & Zhang, Tibin & Li, Cheng & Luo, Xiaoqi & Chu, Xiaosheng & Feng, Hao & Wei, Yongsheng & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2022. "Plastic film mulching affects field water balance components, grain yield, and water productivity of rainfed maize in the Loess Plateau, China: A synthetic analysis of multi-site observations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    8. Zhang, Xuemei & Wang, Rui & Liu, Bo & Wang, Youcai & Yang, Linchuan & Zhao, Ji & Xu, Jing & Li, Zhimin & Zhang, Xudong & Han, Qingfang, 2023. "Optimization of ridge–furrow mulching ratio enhances precipitation collection before silking to improve maize yield in a semi–arid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).

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