Black Film Mulch Research Articles

Depletion of soil organic carbon stocks are larger under plastic film mulching for maize

To determine the effect of plastic film mulching (FM) on changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, the annual C balances were determined by analysing the net ecosystem C budget (NECB), which means the difference between total C input and output, under FM and with no mulching for 2 years. Plots with black FM and no mulching were installed as the main treatment, and chemical and organic fertilizer plots were placed within each main plot as sub‐treatments. In the organic fertilizer treatment, a mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) was cultivated as a cover crop during fallow seasons, and its whole biomass (9.1–13.9 Mg ha−1, DW) was recycled as green manure. Plastic film mulching significantly increased the maize yield (p < 0.001), mainly because of improved soil moisture and temperature conditions. This stimulated growth under FM, increased the net primary production (NPP) of maize by 3.8–4.7 and 5.0–5.2 Mg C ha−1 over no mulching in the chemical and organic fertilizer treatments, respectively. However, FM increased the loss of mineralized C by an average of 2.6 and 3.7 Mg C ha−1 over the no‐mulching plots for the same treatments. Because the whole aboveground biomass of maize was removed, the annual NECB had a large negative value under all treatments. For the chemical fertilizer treatment, the annual NECB was minus 6.1–7.1 Mg C ha−1 year−1 under no mulching, but under FM it decreased to minus 7.9–8.9 Mg C ha−1 year−1. Cover cropping and its biomass recycling, however, increased the annual NECB by 43–48% and 25–26% with no mulching and FM, respectively. Therefore, cover cropping and the recycling of its biomass and crop residues are more likely to sustain SOC stocks under the FM system.Highlights Film mulching significantly increased maize yields and net primary production. Film mulching significantly increased respired C loss in soil. Film mulching significantly decreased soil C stock. Cover cropping and incorporation of its biomass increased soil C stock.

Effects of mulches on water use in a winter wheat/summer maize rotation system in Loess Plateau, China

Limited water resources often result in reduced crop yield and low water productivity (WP). In northwestern China, crop production is generally dependent on precipitation. Therefore, a variety of agricultural rainwater harvesting (ARH) techniques have been used for conserving soil moisture, ameliorating soil environment, increasing crop yield, and improving water use efficiency. A two-year (2013–2015) field experiment was conducted under a typical sub-humid drought-prone climate in Yangling (108°24′E, 34°20′N; 521 m a.s.l.), Shaanxi Province, China, to explore the effects of mulching (same for summer maize and winter wheat) on soil moisture, soil temperature, crop water consumption, and crop yield with a winter wheat/summer maize rotation. Crops were planted in a ridge-furrow pattern and the treatments consisted of a transparent film mulch over the ridges (M1), a crop straw mulch in the furrows (M2), a transparent film mulch over the ridges and a crop straw mulch in the furrows (M3), a black film mulch over the ridges and a crop straw mulch in the furrows (M4), and a control with no mulch (CK). Results showed that M4 was the best treatment for improving soil water storage and content, and decreasing crop water consumption during the summer maize and winter wheat rotation. In both maize and wheat seasons, M1 had a higher soil temperature than M2 and CK, and M3 had a higher soil temperature than M4. In the maize seasons, M4 had the highest yield, WP, and precipitation productivity (PP), with the average values for these parameters increasing by 30.9%, 39.0%, and 31.0%, respectively, compared to those in CK. In the wheat seasons, however, M3 had the highest yield, WP, and PP, with the average values for these parameters being 23.7%, 26.7%, and 23.8% higher, respectively, than those in CK. Annual yield (maize and wheat yields combined) and WP did not differ significantly between M3 and M4. These results suggested that M3 and M4 may thus be the optimal ARH practices for the production of winter wheat and summer maize, respectively, in arid and semi-arid areas.

Black Film Mulching and Plant Density Influencing Soil Water Temperature Conditions and Maize Root Growth

Core Ideas Transparent film mulching increased the soil water storage more than black film mulching. The mulching treatment only markedly increased the soil temperature in the maize seeding growth stage. Higher plant density decreased the root surface area, root volume, root length, and root diameter. Plastic mulch in combination with high plant density is a common agronomic technique in rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) production. However, the effects of combining colored film mulching and plant density on soil temperature, soil water storage, the maize roots, and yield have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. Thus, a field experiment to explore the effects of colored film mulching and plant density on soil temperature and water, maize roots, and yield was conducted on main plots with three types of mulching (non‐mulching, transparent film mulching, and black plastic film mulching), which were divided into three subplots with three plant densities (60,000, 75,000, and 90,000 plants ha−1). The results were as follows: The mulching increased the soil water storage during the entire period of maize growth, and transparent film mulching increased soil water storage more than black film mulching. The mulching only markedly increased soil temperature in the maize seeding and jointing stages compared with the non‐mulching treatment, but the plant density augmented the soil temperature after the seeding stage. Compared with the non‐mulching treatment, the mulching treatments significantly increased root length, root length density, and root diameter by 17.0, 21.4, and 11.6%, respectively, during the heading stage and by 65.2, 70, and 11.6%, respectively, during the mature stage. As plant density increased, root surface area, root volume, root length, and root diameter decreased. The best combination, which attained higher yield and profit than other treatments, was the combination of a plant density of 90,000 plants ha−1 and black film mulching.

Effects of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize.

In order to investigate the effect of different colored plastic film mulching and planting density on spring maize dry matter accumulation and yield in the rain-fed area of the Northeast China, a complete combination field experiment which was comprised by three types of mulching (non-mulching, transparent plastic film mulching and black plastic film mulching) and five densities (60000, 67500, 75000, 82500 and 90000 plants·hm-2), was conducted to analyze the water and heat effect, dry matter accumulation and yield of spring maize (Liangyu 99). The results showed that, compared with the other mulching treatments, the black plastic film mulching treatment significantly increased the maize dry matter accumulation and maize biomass by 3.2%-8.2%. In mature stage, the biomass increased firstly and then decreased with the increasing plant density. When planting density was 82500 plants·hm-2, the biomass was the highest, which was 5.2%-28.3% higher than that of other plant density treatments. The mean soil temperature in prophase of transparent plastic film mulching treatment was 0.4-2.7 ℃ higher than that of other treatments, which accelerated the maize growth process and augmented the dry matter transportation amount (T), dry matter transportation efficiency (TE) and contribution rate of dry matter transportation to the grain yield (TC) of maize stalk and leaf. The T, TE, TC of leaf and leaf-stalk under 60000 plants·hm-2 treatment were the highest. The highest T, TE, TC of stalk were observed under 75000 plants·hm-2 treatment. In heading period, the water consumption and daily water consumption intensity of maize under the treatment of black film mulching were the largest, which were 9.4%-10.6% and 10.6%-24.5% higher than that of other mulching treatments, respectively. The highest water consumption and daily water consumption intensity were both obtained under 90000 plants·hm-2 treatment, which increased by 6.8%-15.7% and 7.0%-20.0% compared with other plant density treatments. The combination of black film mulching and density of 82500 plants·hm-2 significantly improved the water use efficiency of maize, which increased by 4.6%-40.9% compared with other treatments. In addition, it increased yield by 3.0%-39.7% compared with other treatments. At heading stage, the correlation between the dry matter amount of stalk and leaf and the yield and yield components was the biggest. Decreasing 1 kg·hm-2 dry matter amount of stalk and leaf would decrease the population yield by almost 0.79 kg·hm-2. Decreasing 10% dry matter amount of stalk and leaf would decrease the yield by almost 10%. Based on increasing plant density, black film mulching was beneficial for increasing the dry matter accumulation and improving grain yield and water use efficiency of spring maize.

Assessment of AquaCrop Model in Simulating Sugar Beet Canopy Cover, Biomass and Root Yield under Different Irrigation and Field Management Practices in Semi-Arid Regions of Pakistan

The AquaCrop model was analyzed for simulating sugar beet crop production under four irrigation regimes, three mulching conditions and three furrow irrigation systems in semi-arid region of Pakistan. Irrigation regimes were full irrigation (FI), 20% deficit irrigation (DI20), 40% deficit irrigation (DI40) and 60% deficit irrigation (DI60). The mulching practices were No-mulch (NM), black film mulch (BFM) and straw mulch (SM). The furrow irrigation systems were conventional ridge-furrow (CRF) system, medium raised-bed (MRB) system and wide raised-bed (WRB) system. The model was calibrated and validated using the independent data sets of full irrigation and deficit irrigation regimes collected during 2011–12 cropping season. The model performance was evaluated by using different statistical indicators such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), index of agreement (dindex), and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE). These indicators showed that the model fairly simulated sugar beet canopy cover for all treatments with 3.00 ≤ RMSE ≤ 16.89, 0.84 ≤ dindex ≤ 0.97, and 0.76 ≤ NSE ≤ 0.99. For biomass and root yield, the model performance was excellent under all full irrigation (FI) and mild deficit irrigation (DI20) treatments with RMSE ranged between 0.07 and 1.17, dindex between 0.48 and 0.84, and NSE between 0.42 and 0.86, respectively. However the low values of dindex (0.10 and 0.13) and NSE (−69.32 and −30.63) showed that the model overestimated both the biomass and root yield when 20% deficit irrigation was applied without mulch in WRB system. The model also over estimated the yield and biomass when 40% deficit irrigation was applied in CRF system. The highest overestimation (dindex: 0.10 to 0.11; NSE: −50.92 to −70.55) was observed when highest stress level (DI60) was applied in the presence of BFM in CRF system. Based on the model’s overall performance, the AquaCrop application is recommended for developing efficient farm water management strategies in the semi-arid regions.

Reserving winter snow for the relief of spring drought by film mulching in northeast China

Drought is a widespread problem in crop growing areas and a threat to food security worldwide. Mulching has become an important practice for maintaining soil moisture, reducing weed growth, mitigating soil erosion and improving soil temperatures in arid and semiarid areas. In northeast China, winter snow is heavy and spring drought frequently occurs, partially due to the loss of melted snow water by evaporation in spring. As such, this study assessed the use of plastic mulching in potato crops to minimize drought by accumulating and reserving water from winter snowfall. In field experiments conducted at two locations in the Heilongjiang Province, China (Keshan in 2011 and 2013, Heihe in 2011 and 2012), black and colorless transparent films were used as mulch during the thickest snow from late winter to early spring. The effects of plastic mulching on soil moisture content and temperature at various soil depths and its influence on potato growth and yield were evaluated. The results showed that film mulching increased the temperature and moisture content of the plow layer (0–10cm). Black film retained more solid snow than colorless film. The black and colorless films advanced potato emergence by 7 and 14days, respectively, compared with the control; higher temperatures under the colorless film resulted in earlier emergence than under the black film. The colorless and black film mulching increased soil water contents by 2.5 and 1.5 percentage points, respectively, compared with the control. Average tuber yield over the three-year study at both sites increased by 68.6% and 110.9% with black and colorless film, respectively, with yield increases more apparent in the year with spring drought. The effect of film mulching on yield mainly depended on differences in soil water content between mulching treatments and the control. Snow conserved by winter film mulching supplied water to the plow layer. Our results revealed that film mulching in winter significantly increases soil moisture content, ensures good stand establishment, and effectively solves a severe problem with spring drought in northeast China.

几种覆盖方式对苹果树体营养及土壤微生物的影响

本试验通过连续3a对旱地苹果园地布、秸秆、黑膜3种树盘覆盖处理及清耕对照，研究不同覆盖方式对苹果叶片、枝条营养状况及叶片光合特性、土壤微生物的影响。结果表明，覆盖处理提高叶片及枝条全氮、全磷、全钾、总糖、还原糖含量，但淀粉含量降低；除可溶性蛋白外，其余指标含量叶片大于枝条。叶片净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr)表现为地布 > 地膜 > 秸秆 > 清耕，胞间CO2浓度(Ci)表现相反趋势。秸秆和地布覆盖显著增加土壤微生物数量，地布覆盖叶片净光合速率显著高于秸秆和黑地膜覆盖，较对照提高17.1%。在旱地果园，采用地布覆盖开沟施肥区域，形成两边高、中间低的凹形，具有集雨作用，是一种肥水高效利用的覆盖方式，能够明显促进树体营养生长。 The experiment has been done on the effects of different mulching ways on apple leaves and branches nutritional status and leaf photosynthetic characteristics and soil microbe through a continuous 3a cloth, straw, black film mulching and tillage in dryland apple orchard .The results showed that covering treatment increased the leaves and branches total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, total sugar, reducing sugar content, but decreased starch content; except soluble protein, the content of other indexes in leaves is more than in branches. Net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomata conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr) showed trend of cloth > film > straw > tillage, and CO2 concentration intercellular (Ci) showed the opposite trend. Straw and cloth cover increased the soil microbes significantly; leaf photosynthesis of cloth cover was significantly higher than straw and black mulching. In dryland orchards, cloth covered ditching and fertilization region, formed concave with both sides of high, middle, low, can gather rainfall, and is a high coefficient cover measure of water and fertilization utilization, promoting tree grows significantly.

Effects of Plastic Film Mulching Cultivation on Young Roots Growth Development, Tuber Formation and Tuber Yield of Sweet Potato

A two-year trial and a one-year pot experiment were performed to investigate growth and development and absorbing ability of young roots, endogenous hormones content of differentiated roots at early growing stage using variety Jixu 23 with two types of plastic film mulching cultivation, and no plastic as control(CK). The tuberous root fresh weight per plant at 50 days after planting was determined, and its relationship with tuberous root yield at harvest time was analyzed. The results showed that, at 10 and 20 days after planting, the number, total length, fresh weight, and volume of young roots significantly increased compared with control, and the differences in activity, total absorption area and active absorption area of young roots between two plastic film mulching treatments were significant(P0.05), showing the black plastic film mulching(BF) superior to the transparent film mulching(TF). Besides, zeatin riboside(ZR) content of differentiated roots(at 10 and 20 days after planting) was significant improved, which was in favor of procambium activity and tuberous roots formation. On the other hand, at early expansion period of tuberous roots, plastic film mulching cultivation increased abscisic acid(ABA) content and decreased gibberellin(GA) content in differentiated roots, as well as improved the secondary cambium activity, starch accumulation and differentiated root expansion. Meanwhile, abscisic acid(ABA) content and gibberellin(GA) content under the black film mulching significantly changed. Film mulching cultivation increased the number and fresh weight of tuberous roots per plant at 50 days after planting, which contrib-uted to higher fresh yield of tuberous root at harvest time. In the two year experiment, two treatments significantly enhanced the valid tuber number and fresh tuber yield compared with CK. The average increments were 10.71% and 5.76% in 2011, and 12.99% and 7.45% in 2012, respectively.

Microclimate variations in relation to different types of polyethylene-film mulch on growth and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea)

A field investigation was conducted at Vridhachalam in Tamil Nadu during post- rainy seasons of 2001 -02 and 2002-03 to study the microclimatic variation in relation to different types of polyethylene-film mulch and its effect on the growth and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Results revealed that, irrespective of the colour, plastic- film mulch significantly increased the soil temperature (1 .O-1 .gC) at different phenophases of crop growth from sowing to harvest. The soil temperature was higher under black-film mulch, followed by transparent - and white- polyethylene film mulches among the different mulches evaluated. The soil temperature under ridges-and-furrows land configuration was 0.3OC lesser than flat-bed and broad-bed furrow methods. Growing degree-days (GDD) and helio-thermal unit (HTU) did not show much variation between the different types of polyethylene films up to 80 days after sowing (DAS). However, heat unit efficiency (HUE) differed significantly among different types of plastic mulches but there was no such significant difference between the for soil temperature, GDD, HTU and. HUE. The dry-matter production and yield attributes were significantly higher under black polyethylene-film mulch which gave the highest pod yield of 2.87 Uha compared with 2.21 tlha by the non-mulched control. Hence black polyethylene film mulch in groundnut with adoption of flat-bed system of land configuration could be an important agricultural practice to augment groundnut productivity besides improving microclimatic conditions.

Effects of Film Mulch on Soil Temperature in Sand Dune Field

Characteristics of film mulching in a sand dune were investigated through the field experiment.Three plots, black PE film mulch, transparent PE film mulch and control were set up in the experiment. The following items were compared with for those three plots: (1) Heat balance, (2) Effects of canopy and planting hole of film, (3) Multiple correlation coefficient with meteorological factors, (4) Maximum frequencies of order for soil temperature.The results are summarized as follows;1) About 96% of the all daily net radiation was exchanged to the latent and sensible heat flux and 4% was to the soil heat flux in the black film mulch plot. In the case of transparent film mulch, 75% of all heat flux was latent and sensible heat flux and 25% was soil heat flux. This tendency of the heat balance in a sand dune area was nearly same as that of an upland field.2) The soil temperature near the ground surface in the no-mulch plot without a canopy was the highest in the daytime because of the development of a dry sand layer, but the temperature was markedly lowered by covering with a imitation canopy. The effect of cover by the canopy was not observed in soil temperature at night.3) Both canopy and planting holes caused a decrease in the maximum soil temperatures (5cm depth) in the black film mulch plots. However, only the canopy did affect the temperature in the transparent film mulch plot (43°C at the mulch, and 50°C at the control).4) The most significant meteorological factor on the maximum soil temperature (5cm depth) was the duration of sunshine in the black film mulch plot and in the transparent film mulch plot the precipitation was the maximum, regardless of planting with or without holes on the films (Table 5).5) Frequencies of order for soil temperatures among three plots, black PE mulch, transparent PE mulch and control were also calculated in order to compare effectiveness of the mulching between the sand dune area and an upland field previously studied. As shown in Table 6, the maximum frequencies in the sand dune area (21%-73%) were lower than those in the upland field (74%-97%) in most cases. This indicates that effects of the mulching in the sand dune area are relatively unstable.