Effects of straw mulch on soil water and winter wheat production in dryland farming.

Zhang Peng,Wang Min,Han Qingfang,Mou Siwei,Meng Xiangping,Jia Zhikuan,Wang Haixia,Wei Ting,Zhang Rui

doi:10.1038/srep10725

Abstract

The soil water supply is the main factor that limits dryland crop production in China. In a three-year field experiment at a dryland farming experimental station, we evaluated the effects of various straw mulch practices on soil water storage, grain yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). Field experiments were conducted with six different mulch combinations (two different mulch durations and three different mulch amounts): high (SM1; 9000 kg ha−1), medium (SM2; 6000 kg ha−1), and low (SM3; 3000 kg ha−1) straw mulch treatments for the whole period; and high (SM4), medium (SM5) and low (SM6) straw mulch treatments during the growth period only, where the control was the whole period without mulch (CK). Throughout the whole growth period of the three-year experiment, the average soil water content in the 0–200 cm soil layer increased by 0.7–22.5% compared with CK, while the WUE increased significantly by 30.6%, 32.7% and 24.2% with SM1, SM2, and SM3, respectively (P < 0.05). The yield increased by 13.3–23.0% when mulch was provided during the growth period, while the WUE increased by 15.2%, 17.2% and 18.0% with SM4, SM5, and SM6, respectively, compared with CK.

Highlights

Mulch at a rate of 4500 kg ha−1 compared with an untreated control
We investigated the effects of different straw mulch treatments on water conservation, water use efficiency (WUE), and the wheat yield to provide basic information that may facilitate the appropriate selection of mulch methods in these regions
The straw mulch treatments increased soil water storage compared with CK in most of the winter wheat growth stages and water storage increased with the mulch amounts in the same mulch period (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

Mulch at a rate of 4500 kg ha−1 compared with an untreated control. Hares[17] showed that the inhibitory effect of straw mulch on soil evaporation with winter wheat during the summer fallow period could reach 63.2%, while Zhao et al.[18] found that the inhibitory rate of straw mulch during the wheat growth period was 21.5% during the wintering to jointing growth stage. Many studies have found that inappropriate mulching amounts and methods can have negative effects, which result in yield reductions[19,20]. In order to reduce soil water evaporation and increase the WUE, we tested six different straw mulch treatments (two different mulch durations and three different mulch amounts) continuously for three years: high (SM1; 9000 kg ha–1), medium (SM3; 6000 kg ha–1), and low (SM2; 3000 kg ha–1) straw mulch treatments for the whole period; and high (SM4), medium (SM5), and low (SM6) straw mulch treatments during the growth period only, where the control was the whole period without mulch (CK). We investigated the effects of different straw mulch treatments on water conservation, WUE, and the wheat yield to provide basic information that may facilitate the appropriate selection of mulch methods in these regions

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion