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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Agricultural Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #310456
Title: Straw mulching increases precipitation storage rather than water use efficiency and dryland winter wheat yield

Author
item WANG, JUN - Xian University
item GHIMIRE, RAJAN - New Mexico State University
item FU, XIN - Northwest University
item Sainju, Upendra
item WENZHAU, LIZ - Xian University

Submitted to: Agricultural Water Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/2018
Publication Date: 7/30/2018
Citation: Wang, J., Ghimire, R., Fu, X., Sainju, U.M., Wenzhau, L. 2018. Straw mulching increases precipitation storage rather than water use efficiency and dryland winter wheat yield. Agricultural Water Management. 206:95-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.05.004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2018.05.004

Interpretive Summary: Precipitation is one of the major factors for dryland wheat production in the world. Reducing soil water evaporation and increasing precipitation-storage efficiency are main challenges for sustaining dryland wheat yields. Although straw and plastic film mulching have been widely used to conserve dryland soil water, increase water-use efficiency, and sustain crop yields in different regions of the world, results on their effect in China are scanty. We examined the effect of surface mulching on dryland soil water content, winter wheat yield, and water-use efficiency from 2008 to 2012 in the Loess Plateau of China. Treatments included wheat straw mulching at 9000 and 4500 kg ha-1, plastic film mulching, and no mulching. Treatments included wheat straw mulching at 9000 (HSM) and 4500 kg ha-1 (LSM), plastic film mulching (PFM), and no mulching (CK). Compared with CK, HSM and LSM increased soil water storage at planting (SWP) by 3% and precipitation-storage efficiency (PSE) by14 to 17%, but reduced wheat yield by 5 to 6%, harvest index by 17%, and WUE by 6 to 18%. Wheat yield, however, was higher in HSM and LSM than CK during the dry year in 2009-2010. Wheat yield, WUE, SWP, and PSE were either similar to or lower in PFM than CK. Wheat yield and SWP were related with the annual precipitation. The benefits of straw mulching in conserving soil water and increasing wheat yield were limited to only dry periods. In years with adequate precipitation, straw mulching has minor effect in these parameters. Plastic mulching has no beneficial effects and should be avoided to reduce the cost of cultivation.

Technical Abstract: Mulching is widely used in China to conserve dryland soil water and increase winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield, but results on soil water content, crop yield, and water-use are scanty. We examined the effect of surface mulching on dryland soil water content, winter wheat yield, and water-use efficiency (WUE) from 2008 to 2012 in the Loess Plateau of China. Treatments included wheat straw mulching at 9000 (HSM) and 4500 kg ha-1 (LSM), plastic film mulching (PFM), and no mulching (CK). Compared with CK, HSM and LSM increased soil water storage at planting (SWP) by 3% and precipitation-storage efficiency (PSE) by14 to 17%, but reduced wheat yield by 5 to 6%, harvest index by 17%, and WUE by 6 to 18%. Wheat yield, however, was higher in HSM and LSM than CK during the dry year in 2009-2010. Wheat yield, WUE, SWP, and PSE were either similar to or lower in PFM than CK. Wheat yield and SWP were related with the annual precipitation. The benefits of straw mulching in conserving soil water and increasing wheat yield were limited to only dry periods. In years with adequate precipitation, straw mulching has minor effect in these parameters. Plastic mulching has no beneficial effects and should be avoided to reduce the cost of cultivation.