Effects of deep ploughing during the fallow period and soil moisture-based furrow sowing on water and nitrogen utilization of dryland wheat.

Abstract

To understand the effects of deep ploughing during the fallow period and soil moisture-based furrow sowing on the utilization of water and nitrogen in dryland wheat, a field experiment following split-plot design was carried out from 2016 to 2018 in Wenxi County of Shanxi Province, with deep ploughing during the fallow period and no-tillage as main plots and soil moisture-based furrow sowing and drilling sowing as sub-plots. The results showed that, compared with no-tillage treatment, deep ploughing during the fallow period significantly increased soil water storage efficiency (by 38.3%-42.2%), soil water consumption (by 9.2%-13.2%), and nitrogen accumulation in each growth period, which in turn increased the yield by 7.1%-12.0%, annual water use efficiency by 5.5%-14.0%, nitrogen fertilizer absorption efficiency by 4.4%-10.3%, and nitrogen fertilizer partial productivity by 7.1%-12.0%. Compared with the treatment of drilling sowing, the soil moisture-based furrow sowing increased the total water consumption during the growth period (by 2.0%-4.8%) and nitrogen accumulation in each growth period, increased the yield by 6.8%-12.4%, water use efficiency during the growth period by 4.5%-7.2%, nitrogen absorption efficiency by 4.4%-10.3%, nitrogen partial productivity by 6.9%-12.4%. In conclusion, deep ploughing during the fallow period and soil moisture-based furrow sowing in dryland wheat could promote the storage and utilization of natural precipitation, increase plant nitrogen accumulation, and facilitate high wheat yield.