Work

Dual-mulching under no-tillage promotes maize root growth and improves yield by optimizing soil hydrothermal conditions in semi-arid regions

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In rainfed dryland agricultural ecosystems, the practice of combining no-tillage and mulching is widely applied. However, there is still a lack of detailed understanding of the soil hydrothermal-root-yield continuum interactions under straw and plastic film dual-mulching with no-tillage. Based on the long-term field experiment established in the Loess Plateau of China in 2004, field observations were conducted during the 2022-2023 period. Treatments included conventional tillage without mulching (CT), no-tillage without mulching (NT), no-tillage with plastic film mulching (NTP), no-tillage with straw mulching (NTS), and no-tillage with dual-mulching of straw and plastic film (NTSP). Throughout the entire growth period, the average soil temperature in the 0-30 cm layer was highest under NTP due to plastic mulching. At the seedling stage, the 0-15 cm average soil temperature under NTSP was significantly higher than CT, NT, and NTS by 1.1°C, 2.1°C, and 2.7°C. In the middle and later stages, the 0-30 cm average soil temperature under NTSP was significantly lower than NTP by 2.8°C (jointing), 2.9°C (tasseling), 2.2°C (filling), and 1.8°C (maturity). The soil water storage (SWS) before sowing in NTSP, NTP and NTS increased by 49.9%, 30.2% and 22.3% (P<0.05). NTSP significantly increased the soil gravimetric water content (SWC) in the 0-100 cm during different growth stages. Both NTP and NTSP increased root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) in the 0-20 cm from jointing to tasseling stages. Correspondingly, NTP and NTSP increased these parameters in the 0-60 cm from filling to maturity stages (P<0.05). NT significantly reduced RLD in the 40-100 cm at the jointing stage. NTSP significantly improved spike length, ear diameter, 100-kernel dry weight, kernels per row, grain yield, biomass yield, ET, WUE, and RUE. The average grain yield over two years in NTSP increased by 61.4% and 16.7% compared to CT and NTP (P<0.05). Similarly, WUE increased significantly by 38.0% and 9.1%, and RUE increased significantly by 62.5% and 15.8%. Overall, NTSP has the advantage of improving soil temperature and water conditions, as well as promoting root growth and crop yield. By switching to degradable mulching materials, it can better enhance potential environmental benefits, promoting sustainable production in semi-humid regions and similar areas.

Source: Agricultural Water Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109428