A comparative evaluation of soil preferential flow of mulched drip irrigation cotton field in Xinjiang based on dyed image variability versus fractal characteristic parameter

Abstract

Preferential flow in soil has a potential impact on the maintenance of the agricultural ecosystem. The aim of this study was to quantify and evaluate the characteristics of preferential flow in drip irrigation cotton fields in Xinjiang. We applied the dye tracer method, addressed the variability in stained images, collected soil samples in the excavated soil profile, and calculated the fractal parameters in four key growth stages of cotton in 2021. According to the dyeing mode, the dyed area ratio tended to keep decreasing from the soil surface; a down movement of points which drastically dropped to zero appeared at pace with the growth of the cotton (from −10 cm to −30 cm). Statistics obtained from the staining images showed that the preferential flow degree was highest at the boll opening stage; no significant difference in non-uniformity emerged from different treatments at the same growing stage (p > 0.05). Conversely, the fractal feature parameters in the active region model probed that the preferential flow degree was developed at the flowering & bolling stage in treatments with opaque oxidation-biodegradable film mulching (B,W), and at boll opening stage with plastic film mulching (P). During the same growth period, a significant difference (p < 0.05) existed between different groups. In comparison, the fractal feature parameter was found more adequate and effective in evaluating the characteristics of preferential flow in drip irrigation cotton fields. This research will provide practical information for the local department to adjust some agronomic measures to reduce the risk of low irrigation water utilization efficiency.