Mulching Technology Research Articles

Effects of Straw Input on the Yield and Water-Use Efficiency of Spring Maize in Film-Mulched Farmland

To provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable application of autumn mulching technology, we examined the effects of straw input on spring maize yield and water-use efficiency in film-mulched farmland. Based on the positioning tests of different mulching methods conducted in 2013, non-mulching (NM), spring mulching (SM), autumn mulching (AM), and autumn mulching combined with the return of straw (AMS) were selected in western Liaoning from 2018 to 2021. Spring maize yield, yield component factors, soil water content, and water-use efficiency under the four treatments were assessed. In each year, the AMS treatment significantly increased the maize yield, which was 48.22%, 9.33%, 30.66%, and 9.92%, and 11.78%, 7.71%, 12.86%, and 4.77% higher than that obtained after the SM and AM treatments, respectively. However, the harvest index was not significantly improved by AMS. AMS treatment significantly improved the precipitation utilization rate in all assessed years. Moreover, the crop water consumption was significantly increased by AMS treatment. Compared with the NM treatment, water-use efficiencies for economic and biological yield were also significantly improved. Thus, autumn mulching combined with straw-returning technology is an effective technical measure for improve spring maize yield and water-use efficiency in semi-arid areas of western Liaoning.

Design and Test of Potato Seedling Killing and Residual Film Recycling Integrated Machine

Plastic film mulching technology can effectively enhance crop yield and quality, and the use of mulch has been increasing in recent years; however, the problem of mulch residue is worsening due to the large amount of recycling work and slow natural degradation. In this study, a potato seedling killing and residual film recycling machine is designed to provide good working conditions for potato harvesters before harvesting in response to the problems of difficult separation of film tangles, the low net rate of recycling due to the mixing of residual film with soil, and the high soil content in residual film recycling operations in northwest China. The machine is based on the potato monoculture and double row planting mode in Gansu area. This paper puts forward the overall design scheme and carries out the theoretical analysis and parameter determination of the key components, such as the seedling killing device, the film surface cleaning device, the film unloading device, and so on. Using EDEM software to carry out the virtual simulation test and Design-Expert13 to analyze the test results, we determined the optimal working scheme for the machine, with a forward speed of 0.8 m/s, a film gap of 125 mm, and a spiral stirrer speed of 600 r/min. Based on a field test for verification, the test results show that the machine’s residual film recovery rate was 83.3%, the impurity rate was 3.8%, and the rate of injury to the potatoes was 1.4%. The machine meets the requirements of national and industry standards, and it can simultaneously realize straw crushing, film surface cleaning, residual film recycling, and hydraulic film unloading operations, with better operating results and while reaching the expected results. It can also provide a reference for the design and testing of a seeding and residual film recycling machine.

Effects of different mulching technologies on rainfed maize field energy exchange and evapotranspiration partitioning in northwest China

Artificial mulching, a prevalent water-saving tool in arid and semiarid agroecosystems, complicated energy exchange and water transport process between land surface and atmosphere. The field energy and evapotranspiration (ET) partitioning within a soil-mulch-plant-atmosphere continuum have not been comprehensively examined, which limited cognition of the underlying mechanisms that control hydrological processes and achieve yield improvement. Here, a four-season experiment in a rainfed summer maize field with four mulching treatments (NM: non-mulching, SM: straw mulching, RPBF: plastic-mulched ridge with bare furrow, and RPSF: plastic mulched ridge with straw-mulched furrow) was conducted to study the dynamics of surface energy and ET components and their regulation mechanisms. Results indicated that the effects of mulching on field energy partitioning were most evident at the maize initial stage, during which net radiation was significantly decreased under PM treatments (RPBF and RPSF), while soil heat flux was significantly reduced in SM treatments (p < 0.05). The average latent heat flux (LE) was 3.55 and 5.65 MJ·d−1 for NM maize at sowing and seedling stages, but decreased by 9.01 %, 27.04 %, 29.58 % at sowing, and 7.08 %, 9.56 % and 16.46 % at seedling stages for SM, RPBF and PRSF, respectively. The energy component differences among different treatments were minimal during the middle and late stages with high leaf coverage, and total LE and sensible heats were not significantly different. Mulch exerted a notable impact on soil evaporation (E) and crop transpiration (T), characterized by the average E of 0.96, 0.82, 0.57 and 0.46 mm·d−1 in NM, SM, RPBF and RPSF, while the value for T was 1.67, 1.88, 2.03 and 2.10 mm·d−1, respectively. PM conserved soil water by reducing E during the initial growing season and in dry periods, but also enhancing T and deepening the depth of soil water consumption under higher leaf cover. Energy exchange and ET partitioning were found to be more sensitive to soil water content (SWC) during periods characterized by lower leaf coverage, while the role of underlying canopy coverage characteristics overwhelmed soil properties in controlling energy and ET partitioning along with the leaf expansion. These findings contributed to a more comprehensive understanding of different mulching management on rainfed maize energy exchange and water use in Northwest China.

Enhancing Soil Conditions and Maize Yield Efficiency through Rational Conservation Tillage in Aeolian Semi-Arid Regions: A TOPSIS Analysis

Conservation tillage technology possesses substantial potential to enhance agricultural production efficiency and tackle issues such as wind erosion and land degradation in semi-arid regions. The integration of no-tillage and straw mulching technologies in the conventional aeolian semi-arid agricultural zones of western Liaoning, China, has led to notable improvements in crop yield and soil quality. However, a comprehensive assessment of the mechanisms and kinetics involved in soil nutrient variations is yet to be conducted. During a two-year study period, we assessed four tillage systems in the aeolian semi-arid regions of Northern China: no-tillage with full straw mulching (NTFS), no-tillage with half straw mulching (NTHS), no-tillage without straw mulching (NT), and conventional tillage (CT). The investigation focused on examining nutrient conditions, enhancing photosynthetic activity, and increasing maize yield while improving water use efficiency (WUE). Our findings emphasize the beneficial impact of combining no-tillage and straw mulching on enhancing soil water retention, resulting in a notable rise in soil moisture levels during the crucial growth phases of maize. This approach also positively influenced soil nutrient levels, particularly in the 0–20 cm layer, fostering an environment conducive to maize cultivation. In terms of ecological benefits, no-tillage with straw mulching curtailed soil sediment transport and wind erosion, notably at 30–40 cm heights, aiding in the ecological protection of the region. The yield and WUE were substantially higher under NTFS and NTHS than under CT, with NTHS demonstrating the most significant gains in yield (14.5% to 16.6%) and WUE (18.3% to 21.7%) throughout the study period. A TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) analysis confirmed NTHS as the optimal treatment, achieving the highest scores for soil water, nutrient availability, wind erosion control, maize photosynthesis, yield, and WUE, thus emerging as the most effective conservation tillage strategy for sustainable agriculture in aeolian semi-arid regions.

Evaluating the Effectiveness and Adoptability of Mulching Technology to Control Soil Erosion: Case Study of the Nyabugogo Catchment in Rwanda

Evaluating the Effectiveness and Adoptability of Mulching Technology to Control Soil Erosion: Case Study of the Nyabugogo Catchment in Rwanda

Sustainable intensification of smallholder maize production in northern Ghana: The case of cowpea living mulch technology

AbstractSeveral agricultural technologies have been promoted to intensify smallholder farming systems in Ghana, but there is limited literature on sustainability assessment of these technologies. A 2‐year (2017–2018) on‐farm study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability of using cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] living mulch (CPLM) technology to intensify smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production in northern Ghana. Four treatments (control, CPLM planted with maize on the same day, CPLM planted 1 week after maize, and CPLM planted 2 weeks after maize) were laid in RCBD with four replications per treatment. We used Sustainable Intensification Assessment Framework (SIAF) to assess the sustainability of the above treatments based on five domains (productivity, economic, environment, human, and social). We conducted the assessment in the following three steps: (1) measured selected indicators from the five SIAF domains, which were useful to answering research question; (2) converted measured values of the indicators into scores using a scale of 0–1; and (3) calculated sustainability index using geometric rules considering each SIAF domain as an edge of a pentagon. The sustainability indices for the CPLM increased by 143%–300% compared with the control treatment. The sustainability indices for the CPLM were &gt;1, indicating better sustainability relative to the control treatment, which recorded sustainability index of &lt;1. This suggests that smallholder farmers in northern Ghana and similar agroecologies can intercrop cowpea 1–2 weeks after planting maize as living mulch for better sustainability of their maize production and well‐being through its effect on yield, income, food security, nutrition, and gender equity.

Assessing the Impacts of Mulching-Induced Warming Effects on Machine-Picked Cotton Zones

The 20th century saw notable fluctuations in global temperatures, which significantly impacted agricultural climate zones across the Earth. Focusing on Xinjiang, China, a leading region in machine-picked cotton production, we identified several key thermal indicators influencing the yield, including the sum of active temperatures ≥ 10 °C, the mean temperature in July, the climatological growing season length, the April–May sum of active temperatures, the last frost day, and the defoliant spray time. Using meteorological data from 58 weather stations in Xinjiang, we examined the spatiotemporal trends of these indicators during the 1981–2020 period. Additionally, we attempted to determine the effects of plastic mulching on the sowing area and the zoning area of machine-picked cotton in different suitable zones based on these indicators. In conclusion, the overall thermal resources in Xinjiang are exhibiting an upward trend and show a distribution pattern of “more in the south of Xinjiang than in the north of Xinjiang, and more in the plains and basins than in the mountains”. Under the plastic-mulching mechanism, the zoning area of the suitable zone has increased by 15.7% (2.15 × 103 km2), suggesting that climate warming and the widespread application of mulching technology provide unexplored potential for the most suitable regions for machine-picked cotton in Xinjiang, while the 14.5% (0.26 × 103 km2) and 7.8% (0.17 × 103 km2) reductions in the unsuitable and less suitable zones, respectively, suggest that the planting areas of machine-picked cotton in both the less suitable and unsuitable zones, particularly with the existing regional planning, continue to demonstrate an irrational expansion. Therefore, to sustain Xinjiang’s cotton industry’s resilience and productivity, policymakers need to prioritize proactive land management and sustainable land allocation practices in response to changing climate patterns to optimize cotton production.

Macroplastics Quantity and Its Influence on Soil Nutrients in Typical Plastic Film Mulching Farmland in Northern Xinjiang

Plastic film mulching (PFM) technology plays an important role in agricultural production in “drought and cold” regions, and macroplastics pollution in farmland has become a major concern affecting the sustainable development of regional agricultural production. However, there remains a lack of research on the effects of film application and macroplastics characteristics on soil nutrients in farmland. In this study, the characteristics of plastic film application and macroplastics, and their effect on soil nutrients in typical plastic film cropland in northern Xinjiang were explored by field research and a review of the relevant literature. It was found that the average annual growth rate was higher in areas where the amount, usage intensity, and proportion of plastic film were lower. The amount of plastic film input was a key factor affecting the amount of macroplastics. The macroplastics amount of plastic film was positively correlated with soil organic carbon content and negatively correlated with soil available phosphorus; however, it had no effect on soil available potassium. It is necessary to take immediate action regarding the characteristics of plastic film application and macroplastics and the impact of macroplastics on soil nutrients, in order to establish a response to the dual challenges of food security and sustainable agricultural development in terms of plastic film pollution prevention and control measures.

Performance And Adoptability Of Mulching Technology To Control Soil Erosion: Case Study Of The Sebeya Catchment In Rwanda

Soil erosion is a pressing environmental concern that poses significant threats to agricultural productivity, watershed health, and ecosystem stability. This research investigates the performance and adoptability of mulching technology as a Soil Erosion Control Measure (SECM) within the Sebeya catchment. This study employed various methods including a review of existing literature, on-site visits, structured interviews, and focus group discussions to evaluate the factors contributing to soil erosion, its impacts, and the variety of SECM within the Sebeya catchment. Among the 96 farmers surveyed in this research, it was evident that the natural reasons for soil erosion in the Sebeya drainage area were often attributed to the intense rainfall (23%) and steep slopes (22%). Also, the influence of lack of SECM and the continuous ploughing is significant with 22% and 22% respectively. The availability of mulching materials can vary significantly based on the geographic location, agricultural practices, and economic factors. In the Sebeya catchment, mulching materials often sourced from crop residues and vegetative residues. To address the risks associated with soil erosion, various site-specific measures were recommended. Using the Universal Soil Erosion Equation (USLE) model, the suggested Soil Erosion Control measures (SECM) were simulated with a significant decrease in soil loss, dropping from 73.05 t/ha/y to 19.62 t/ha/y. By incorporating mulching technology into the recommended SECM to mitigate soil erosion, the soil erosion rates reduced to permissible soil loss from 19.62 t/ha/y to 11.26 t/ha/y. To effectively reduce the high rates of soil erosion to acceptable levels within the Sebeya drainage area, this study advocates for the implementation of the recommended site-specific soil erosion control measures combined with mulching, drainage channels, and the stabilizing grasses on the same farmland. Implementing SECM stands as the optimal choice for enhancing soil productivity while reducing sedimentation in downstream rivers and lakes.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Responses of transcriptome and metabolome in peanut leaves to dibutyl phthalate during whole growth period.

The application of agricultural film mulching technology has significantly contributed to increasing crop yield and income, but the pollution caused by residual film has seriously affected agricultural production and the natural environment. Agricultural film is commonly employed to enhance the yield of peanuts; its use may lead to excessive dibutyl phthalate (DBP) residues in peanut kernels. But, limited investigations have been conducted on the regulatory mechanism of peanut leaves in response to DBP exposure throughout the entire growth period. To bridge this knowledge gap, we investigated the differences in transcriptome and metabolome of peanut leaves under DBP stress. According to visual observations, the results of morphological response showed that the growth of peanut plants was significantly inhibited from seedling to pod stage under DBP treatment. Transcriptomic analysis results showed that the genes AH19G05510 (LRR receptor-like serine threonine-protein kinase) and AH20G31870 (disease resistance), belonging to the FAR1 family and bZIP family respectively, may be key genes involved in the resistance to DBP stress throughout its growth stages. Metabolomic analysis results showed that during the initial stage of DBP stress, the key metabolites in peanut leaves response to stress were carboxylic acids and derivatives, as well as fatty acyls. As peanut growth progressed, flavonoids gradually became more prominent in the resistance to DBP stress. By integrating metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis, we have identified that purine metabolism during seedling and flowering stages, as well as the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathways during pod and maturity stages, played a crucial role in response to DBP stress. These findings not only provide valuable key gene and metabolic information for studying anti-plasticizer pollution throughout the entire growth period of peanuts, but also offer reference for enhancing crop resistance to plasticizer pollution through genetic modification and metabolic regulation.

Effect of Furrow Straw Mulching and Straw Decomposer Application on Celery (Apium graveolens L.) Production and Soil Improvement

Straw mulching on wet beds is an effective method to alleviate continuous cropping obstacles in greenhouses. However, this technique cannot be applied in the production of leafy vegetables with high planting density. Straw mulching in furrows is an alternative method in this circumstance. In this study, celery (Apium graveolens L.), a vegetable that prefers a high planting density and wet soil, was used to test furrow straw mulching technology, and the effect of different straw amounts and straw decomposers on soil improvement and celery production was investigated. The results showed that straw mulching in furrows significantly reduced soil conductivity and nitrate nitrogen levels, increased the contents of soil organic carbon as well as phosphorus and potassium nutrients in the bed, and improved celery yield and quality, indicating the significant lateral movement of released nutrients between the furrow and bed. The positive effects of 15,000 kg/ha straw application were more pronounced than those of 7500 kg/ha and 11,250 kg/ha. In addition, straw decomposers accelerated nutrient release and improved celery yield and quality. A decomposer named “ZhuBang” containing Bacillus licheniformis was the most effective. We concluded that furrow straw mulching combined with straw decomposer application is an effective measure for the sustainable production of leafy vegetables in intensive vegetable production facilities.

Effects of different mulch materials on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and soil water use efficiency of wheat in Loess tableland

Due to the lack of precipitation and poor temporal and spatial stability in the Loess Plateau for a long time, it is necessary to adopt mulching technology to support the stable and high yield of wheat cultivation system. This study aims at exploring different mulching materials on the soil water content, photosynthetic characteristics, wheat yield, and yield components of winter wheat in the gully region of the Loess Plateau. The results showed that the traditional flat soil water content is the lowest in the seedling stage. In the jointing stage and heading stage of many crop water requirements, ridge film mulching treatment can effectively promote the growth of wheat and increase the water use efficiency. The leaf area index (LAI) of different treatments wheat showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. In the jointing stage, ordinary mulching film (T1) and liquid mulching film (T3) had the highest LAI content, which were 3.78 and 3.71 respectively. The Pn and Gs in wheat flag leaves of T3 treatment is higher than that of CK throughout the entire growth period, and T3 significantly increased Ci and WUEi in different growth stage. And the grain number per panicle and grain weight of T3 treatment were 24.44 and 41.00 g, which were 19.3% and 5.4% higher than CK, respectively. Through the actual production calculation of the final harvest, the ridge film mulching has a significant increase in production compared with the CK. The yield of T3 treatment was 4980.25 kg hm−2, which was 29.37% higher than CK. It was significantly different from CK (P < 0.05). Based on the comprehensive analysis, the ridge film mulching treatment significantly affected the soil water content and wheat yield. And the liquid mulching film had the best effect. Exploring the impact of different covering techniques on the wheat cultivation system in the Loess Plateau region, to promote the scientific promotion of this technology.

A Review of Plastic Film Mulching on Water, Heat, Nitrogen Balance, and Crop Growth in Farmland in China

Plastic film mulching has been widely used to improve crop yield and water use efficiency, although the effects of plastic film mulching on water, heat, nitrogen dynamics, and crop growth are rarely presented comprehensively. This study investigated a large number of studies in film mulching fields from the past 10 years (mostly from 2019 to 2023) and summarized the impact of plastic film mulching, progress in modeling with film mulching, and future research directions. The effects of plastic film mulching were intricate and were influenced by film mulching methods, irrigation systems, crop types, crop growth stages, etc. Overall, plastic film mulching showed a positive effect on improving soil water, temperature, and nitrogen status, enhancing crop transpiration and photosynthetic rates, and promoting crop growth and yield, although film mulching may have negative effects, such as increasing rainfall interception, blocking water entering the soil, and reducing net radiation income. The crop yield and water use efficiency could increase by 39.9–84.7% and 45.3–106.4% under various film mulching methods. Coupled models of soil water and heat transport and crop growth under plastic film mulching conditions have been established by considering the effects of plastic film mulching on the upper boundary conditions of soil water and heat, energy budget and distribution processes, and the exchange of latent and sensible heat between soil and atmosphere. The models have good applicability in film mulched farmland of maize, rice, and potato for different regions of China. Further development is needed for soil water, heat, nitrogen migration, and crop growth models under different plastic film mulching methods, and the acquisition of soil and crop indicators under plastic film mulching conditions based on big data support. The study will provide reference for the subsequent development and innovation of plastic film mulching technology.

Numerical simulation and experiment of the emergence of young potato sprouts through soil‐covered plastic mulching

AbstractIn this paper, the effect of covering the plastic film mulch with soil of different thicknesses, on the resistance of potato young stems to break through the plastic film was simulated using the explicit dynamic analysis software LS‐DYNA. The constitutive models of young potato stems, plastic film, and covering soil, specific to potato cultivation on the Loess Plateau of Northwest China, were established. The influence of the covering soil thickness on the resistance to breaking by the potato sprout was analyzed and the film breaking time and sprout resistance to growth were then compared. The simulation results reveal that, to minimize both film breaking time and resistance to sprout growth, a thickness of about 40 mm of the film‐covering soil can be considered a good choice in potato cultivation using plastic‐film mulching technology. The results were confirmed experimentally by the authors and matched previous experimental research reported in the literature.

Mechanical Properties of Metallocene Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Mulch Films Correlate with Ultraviolet Irradiation and Film Thickness

Mulching technology has created a major problem of agricultural plastic pollution. This is because the mulch is severely degraded by UV (ultraviolet) irradiation and the mechanical properties deteriorate, which makes mechanical recycling or manual recycling difficult. This study was conducted on m-LLDPE (metallocene linear low-density polyethylene) mulch films. The difference in mechanical properties of specimens in the TD (transverse direction) and PD (parallel direction) was investigated, and the changes in the mechanical properties after UV irradiation were compared. Finally, an initial mulch mechanical property evaluation model was developed to adapt to different recovery machines and crop agronomic requirements. The results suggest that the mechanical properties of m-LLDPE mulch films were strongly influenced by the film thickness, and also showed directional differences in tensile and tear properties. After UV irradiation, the mechanical properties of the specimens were enhanced after a short period of time, but the overall trend was a non-linear decay which gradually slowed down with time.

ADOPTION OF RIVERBED FARMING TECHNOLOGIES IN KAMALA RIVER BASIN, SIRAHA DISTRICT, NEPAL

The study was conducted in the Kamala River basin areas, stretches over three municipalities namely Karjanha, Kalyanpur and Siraha of Siraha district, Nepal, in 2020 to assess the adoption of riverbed farming technologies. Descriptive and statistical tools were used among 179 households selected from 336 sampling population of riverbed farmers. The proportionate stratified random sampling procedure was employed with structured interview schedule for Key Informants Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Findings portrayed riverbed farming in Kamala River found to be highly profitable and economically viable with B: C ratio 1.51 and 1.47 for watermelon and cucumber respectively. Similarly, the riverbed farm practices adopted were improved seeds varieties, recommended seed rate, specific crop spacing, recommended fertilizer dose, mulching, use of micronutrient, wind barrier, 3G technology, intercropping, sprinkler/drip irrigation, harvesting technology and post- harvest technology. Among them, ‘specific crop spacing’ was highly adopted followed by use of micronutrient and post-harvest technology whereas ‘sprinkler/drip irrigation’ was least adopted followed by recommended fertilizer dose and mulching technology. The average adoption index was 43.67. Based on the technology adoption, the majority of respondent (64 %) were medium adopters followed by high adopters and then low adopters. In addition, there was a substantial positive correlation between age, sex, education level, mass media, subsidies received, interactions with extension agents, riverbed income, and farming experiences and a large negative correlation between market distance and adoption. While accelerating the implementation of technology in farming systems, socioeconomic variables influencing the adoption of better farming techniques may be considered.

Plastic film mulching significantly boosts crop production and water use efficiency but not evapotranspiration in China

It is a huge challenge for China to produce enough food on its own croplands to feed a population of over 1.4 billion. Plastic film mulching technology has been applied widely in the past decades and China represents a major player in terms of plastic film use in the world. So far, a series of field experiments have been conducted across the croplands to investigate the effects of plastic film mulching on crop productivity. This offers an opportunity to comprehensively identify the crop yield and water use improvement potential and their key drivers based on local environmental conditions. Here, a synthetic analysis was conducted to illustrate the overall effects of plastic film mulching on relative changes in crop yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and evapotranspiration (ET), as well as the key impacting factors behind the changes. The results showed that plastic film mulching significantly increased crop yield by 39.5% and WUE by 37.9%, whereas the increase of ET under plastic film mulching (1.9%) was insignificant. The crop yield improvement under traditional film was significantly higher than that under degradable film, whereas the difference of crop yield improvement between film colours was not significant. Furthermore, crop yield and WUE improvements varied among different cropping regions and crop species, and were influenced by mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature (MAT), elevation, and soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration. Generally, the performance of plastic film mulching in sustaining crop production was better in regions with poor environmental conditions, including low temperature and precipitation, high elevation, and poor SOC content. Unlike the significant increases of yield and WUE in most cases, the changes in ET varied among groups, ranging from significant decline to insignificant change to significant increase. The results of this study illustrate that plastic film mulching plays a critical role in terms of promoting crop production, improving water use, increasing farmers’ income and securing food security. The successful application of plastic film mulching in China may have important implications for other developing regions in the world to overcome the severe problems of food shortage. However, the adverse effects on environment must be properly addressed by upgrading mulching film materials in the future.

Ammonia volatilization mitigation in crop farming: A review of fertilizer amendment technologies and mechanisms.

Good practices in controlling ammonia produced from the predominant agricultural contributor, crop farming, are the most direct yet effective approaches for mitigating ammonia emissions and further relieving air pollution. Of all the practices that have been investigated in recent decades, fertilizer amendment technologies are garnering increased attention as the low nitrogen use efficiency in most applied quick-acting fertilizers is the main cause of high ammonia emissions. This paper systematically reviews the fertilizer amendment technologies and associated mechanisms that have been developed for ammonia control, especially the technology development of inorganic additives-based complex fertilizers, coating-based enhanced efficiency fertilizers, organic waste-based resource fertilizers and microbial agent and algae-based biofertilizers, and their corresponding mechanisms in farmland properties shifting towards inhibiting ammonia volatilization and enhancing nitrogen use efficiency. The systematic analysis of the literature shows that both enhanced efficiency fertilizers technique and biofertilizers technique present outstanding ammonia inhibition performance with an average mitigation efficiency of 54% and 50.1%, respectively, which is mainly attributed to the slowing down in release and hydrolysis of nitrogen fertilizer, the enhancement in the adsorption and retention of NH4+/NH3 in soil, and the promotion in the microbial consumption of NH4+ in soil. Furthermore, a combined physical and chemical means, namely membrane/film-based mulching technology, for ammonia volatilization inhibition is also evaluated, which is capable of increasing the resistance of ammonia volatilization. Finally, the review addresses the challenges of mitigating agricultural ammonia emissions with the aim of providing an outlook for future research.

Straw strip mulching: A sustainable technology for saving water and improving efficiency in dryland winter wheat production

An improved straw mulching model may be a sustainable agricultural production technology due to its improvements in soil water and the fertilizer environment by the recycling of waste straw resources. A four-year field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design on the Loess Plateau of northwestern China in 2015–2019, which aimed to study the effects of straw strip mulching (SSM) and conventional flat planting without mulching (CK) on soil water storage, water consumption characteristics, water use efficiency, precipitation use efficiency, winter wheat growth, economic benefits, and nutrient benefits. The results obtained for the four years showed that the SSM treatment improved soil water storage in the 0–180 cm soil layer over the whole growth period, which was especially obvious in the 0–60 cm soil layer at the jointing and blooming stages. Compared with CK, SSM increased the contribution rate of precipitation to total evapotranspiration and increased it quite significantly by 20.4 percentage points in the earlier growth period. SSM significantly reduced soil water storage consumption in the 0–180 cm soil layer and ultimately reduced evapotranspiration by 11.2 mm during the whole period. In the 0–180 cm soil layer, SSM decreased evapotranspiration by 33.1 mm from the sowing to the jointing stages, but increased it by 19.5 mm from the jointing to the blooming stages. In addition, SSM improved the water use efficiency of grain yield by 21.6% and improved the precipitation use efficiency of grain yield by 18.6%, and it ultimately increased grain yield by 16.5% through improving spike number by 9.5% and kernel number per spike by 8.9%. SSM improved the water use efficiency of biomass yield by 13.5% and the precipitation use efficiency of biomass yield by 9.9%, and it ultimately increased biomass yield by 8.7% and plant height by 6.5%. Furthermore, SSM increased net income by 413 CNY ha–1 and the total amount of straw returned to the field after harvest by 8 876–9 619 kg ha–1. After returning straw to the field, SSM significantly increased the soil nutrient contents, which could significantly reduce the burden of fertilization by farmers after a few years. Therefore, straw strip mulching technology could probably be a sustainable and potentially useful practice, which could save water and increase efficiency in rainfed winter wheat production.

Effects of Mulching and Slow-release Fertilizer Application Reduction on Soil Microbial Community Structure in Rapeseed Field Under Two Different Rainfall Conditions

In order to investigate the effects of furrow and ridge rainwater harvesting, straw mulching, and reduced and slow-release fertilizer on soil microbial community structure of rapeseed, a two-year field study was conducted in rainy (2016-2017) and drought (2017-2018) seasons, which included three cultivation patterns:1 conventional flat planting, 2 straw mulching, and 3 ridge-furrow rainfall harvesting system and four fertilization patterns:1 conventional fertilization (100% of the amount), 2 reduced slow-release fertilizer Ⅰ (80% of the amount), 3 reduced slow-release fertilizer Ⅱ (60% of the amount), and 4 no fertilizer. The results indicated that it was rainy in 2016-2017, with seasonal drought during the nutritional growth stage in 2017-2018. The two technologies (straw mulching+80% slow-release fertilizer, J80 and ridge-furrow rainfall harvesting system+80% slow-release fertilizer, M80) were beneficial to boost the soil microbial activity. J80 and M80 increased the microbial biomass carbon by 9.94% and 10.32% and microbial biomass nitrogen by 2.38% and 1.19%, respectively, compared with that of the local cultivation pattern under two different climate conditions. The total amount of microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) decreased by 30.75% in the rainy year compared with that in the drought year, and mulching technology could effectively increase the total amount of soil PLFA. The PLFA contents of soil bacteria and fungi in the rainy year were 33.67% and 53.21%, respectively, lower than those in the drought year. However, the PLFA content of actinomycetes increased by 13.04%. Microbial communities were sensitive to abnormal precipitation. The bacteria/fungi ratio increased in rainy weather. The drought climate heighted the ratio of straight chain saturated fatty acid/straight chain monounsaturated fatty acid and straight chain monounsaturated fatty acid/cyclopropane acid. In conclusion, adopting the optimal cultivation technologies can stabilize the soil microenvironment under abnormal precipitation, relieve water and nutrient stress, and provide an effective means for rapeseed sustainable development.