Short-term subsoiling effects with different wing mounting heights before winter wheat on soil properties and wheat growth in Northwest China

Abstract

The amount of disturbed soil at various depths resulting from subsoilers with different parameters has an important effect on soil properties (e.g. bulk density and moisture content) and crop performance (e.g. crop root and yield). In this study, effects of wing mounting height (h) (from 75 to 155 mm) of the subsoiler under two straw treatments on soil disturbance areas of both hardpan and top layer, soil properties and winter wheat performance were investigated using field experiments. The results showed that reducing h gave a larger soil disturbance area ratio. Based on the ANOVA outputs, soil moisture content, soil bulk density, grain yield in stubble cover (WOS) region and straw yield in both stubble and straw cover region (WS) and WOS region were significantly affected by h at p < 0.05. Reducing h in subsoiling process gave a larger number of winter wheat roots, reduced soil bulk density and increased soil moisture content and grain yield in WOS region, and improved straw yield in both WS and WOS regions. Mean soil moisture contents of the top 40 cm soil (D40) and the top 100 cm (D100) from surface in WS were higher than those of WOS in different stages, except for these with higher soil moisture content with h of 75 mm. Addition of maize straw cover increased straw yield of winter wheat by 8.23% to 25.27% while it had various effects on wheat grain yield under different treatments (h). This study provided critical information for the design of winged subsoilers under two straw treatments in terms of field soil properties and crop performance.