Impacts of different mulching patterns in rainfall-harvesting planting on soil water and spring corn growth development in semihumid regions of China

Soil Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolong Ren ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
Xiaoli Liu ◽  
Shahzad Ali ◽  
Xiaoli Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Dry Matter Accumulation ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Dryland Farming ◽  
Growth Development ◽  
Average Plant

Rain-harvesting planting can improve crop biomass and enhance precipitation use efficiency in rainfed semiarid areas. In this study, field trials were conducted during summer 2007–2010 to determine the impacts of different mulching patterns in rainfall harvesting planting on spring corn growth and development in a typical semihumid dryland farming area of the Loess Plateau in China, which is characterised by spring droughts. Rain-harvesting ridges and planting furrows were mulched with 8% biodegradable film (RCSB), liquid film (RCSL), or not mulched (RCSN), and bare land drilling without mulching served as the control (CF). We found that the rain-harvesting effects of ridges and the evaporation-inhibiting and moisture-conserving effects of mulching materials during the spring corn growing season significantly increased water storage in the 0–100cm soil layer (P<0.05) compared with CF, where mulching was more beneficial than the non-mulching treatments. In the 100–200cm soil layers, there were no significant effects (P>0.05) of the treatments on water storage. During 2007–2010, the average plant height increased by 26.6%, 15.4%, and 11.1% under RCSB, RCSL, and RCSN relative to CF respectively, whereas the per plant biomass increased by 26.6%, 15.4%, and 11.1% under these treatments, and the grain yield increased by 32.3%, 17.5%, and 15.0%. Therefore, in the semihumid dryland farming areas of the Loess Plateau, rain-harvesting planting greatly increased the growth, development, and dry matter accumulation by spring corn, thereby enhancing its biomass yield, whereas the plastic-covered ridges and furrows mulched with biodegradable films substantially increased the yield-enhancing effects.

scholarly journals Nitrogen Supply Affects Grain Yield by Regulating Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Photosynthetic Capacity of Maize Plant in the Loess Plateau

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1094
Author(s):  
Kai Yue ◽  
Lingling Li ◽  
Junhong Xie ◽  
Setor Kwami Fudjoe ◽  
Renzhi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Antioxidant Enzyme ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Photosynthetic Capacity ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Dry Matter Accumulation ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Leaf Stage ◽  
Significant Difference

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for maize, and appropriate N fertilization can promote maize growth and yield. The effect of N fertilizer rates and timings on morphology, antioxidant enzymes, and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in the Loess Plateau of China was evaluated. The four N levels, i.e., 0 (N0), 100 (N1), 200 (N2), and 300 (N3) kg ha−1, were applied at two timings (T1, one-third N at sowing and two-thirds at the six-leaf stage of maize; T2, one-third applied at sowing, six-leaf stage, and eleven-leaf stage of maize). The results show that N2 and N3 significantly increased the plant height, stem and leaf dry weight, and leaf area index of maize compared with a non-N-fertilized control (N0). The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and leaf chlorophyll contents were lower, while the intercellular carbon dioxide concentration was higher for non-fertilized plants compared to fertilized plants. The activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased with N rate, but the difference between 200 and 300 kg ha−1 was not significant; further, the isozyme bands of POD and SOD also changed with their activities. Compared with a non-N-fertilized control, N2 and N3 significantly increased grain yield by 2.76- and 3.11-fold in 2018, 2.74- and 2.80-fold in 2019, and 2.71- and 2.89-fold in 2020, and there was no significant difference between N2 and N3. N application timing only affected yield in 2018. In conclusion, 200 kg N ha−1 application increased yield through optimizing the antioxidant enzyme system, increasing photosynthetic capacity, and promoting dry matter accumulation. Further research is necessary to evaluate the response of more cultivars under more seasons to validate the results obtained.

scholarly journals Soil carbon fractions and enzyme activities under different vegetation types on the Loess Plateau of China

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haixin Zhang ◽  
Quanchao Zeng ◽  
Shaoshan An ◽  
Yanghong Dong ◽  
Frédéric Darboux
Keyword(s):  
Alkaline Phosphatase ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Enzyme Activities ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Sucrase Activity ◽  
Carbon Fractions ◽  
Carbon Fraction

Abstract. Vegetation restoration was effective way of protecting soil erosion and water conservation on the Loess Plateau. Carbon fractions and enzyme activities were sensitive parameters for assessment of soil remediation through revegetation. Forest, forest steppe and grassland soils were collected at 0–5 cm and 5–20 cm soil layers in Yanhe watershed, Shaanxi Province. Urease, sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), easily oxidized organic carbon (EOC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were measured. The results showed that carbon fraction contents and enzyme activities in the same soil layer followed the order that forest was higher than others. Carbon fraction contents and enzyme activities appeared that the 0–5 cm was higher than 5–20 cm soil layer. In addition, correlation analysis showed that urease activity was related to SOC, MBC, EOC and DOC at 0–5 cm layer; it was correlated with SOC, MBC and EOC at 5–20 cm layer. Sucrase activity had significant positive relationship with SOC, MBC and EOC. Alkaline phosphatase activity was related to EOC and DOC at 0–5 cm layer; it was correlated with MBC and EOC at 5–20 cm layer. The CCA reflected the relationship between sucrase activity and SOC. The contributions from the various forms of carbon fractions and enzyme activities as evaluated by the canonical coefficient of CV were on the order of SOC > DOC > MBC > EOC; sucrase > urease > alkaline phosphatase. Vegetation type was an important factor influencing the variation of soil enzyme activities and carbon fractions on the Loess Plateau.

scholarly journals Importance of Temporal Scale in Assessing Changes in Soil-Water Storage in Apple Orchards on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 793
Author(s):  
Yan Mu ◽  
Di Wang ◽  
Yanping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Chinese Loess Plateau ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Scientific Management ◽  
Apple Orchards ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Canopy Interception

Knowledge of changes in soil-water storage (SWS) at multiple scales in apple orchards is important for formulating policies for the scientific management and sound planning of apple plantations on the Loess Plateau in China. In this study, we measured precipitation, partitioned evapotranspiration (ET) into canopy interception, transpiration, and soil evaporation, and calculated the changes in SWS using the water-balance method at multiple scales in two neighbouring apple orchards (8 and 18 years old) on the Loess Plateau from May to September in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. The results showed that ET was consistently lower for the 8- than the 18-year-old orchard in each year at the same scale (p < 0.05). The changes in SWS differed between the two orchards at the same scale, but the trends of change were similar in each year. The trend of the change in SWS at the same scale differed amongst the years for both orchards. The maximum supply of water from soil reservoirs for the two orchards also differed at different scales in each year and was higher at a daily cumulative scale than a monthly and annual scale in 2013, 2014, and 2016. The daily cumulative scale was thus a more suitable scale for representing the maximum contribution of the soil reservoir to supply water for the growth of the orchards during the study periods. Changes in SWS at a daily cumulative scale should be considered when assessing the effect of apple orchards on regional soil reservoirs on the Loess Plateau or in other water-limited regions.

scholarly journals Measurement and simulation of the water storage pit irrigation trees evapotranspiration in the Loess Plateau

2019 ◽  
Vol 226 ◽  
pp. 105804
Author(s):  
Wei Meng ◽  
Xihuan Sun ◽  
Juanjuan Ma ◽  
Xianghong Guo ◽  
Tao Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
The Loess Plateau

scholarly journals Depth persistence of the spatial pattern of soil–water storage along a small transect in the Loess Plateau of China

2015 ◽  
Vol 529 ◽  
pp. 685-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuezhang Li ◽  
Ming’an Shao ◽  
Xiaoxu Jia ◽  
Xiaorong Wei ◽  
Liang He
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
The Loess Plateau

scholarly journals Water uptake strategies by typical broadleaf and coniferous trees in the Loess Plateau mountain area of northern China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiwen Zhao ◽  
Youzhi Han ◽  
Wenjun Liang ◽  
Xi Wei
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Soil Layers ◽  
Before And After

There are few precipitation events in the Loess Platea area, which may significantly influence water uptake strategies for plant communities, while water source for trees, growing in the Loess Plateau mountain area, are poorly comprehend. We investigated the impacts of precipitation (before and after) on water uptake strategies for typical broadleaf and coniferous trees using hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope techniques in the Loess Plateau mountain area of northern China. Our results indicated that water sources of the two plant species varied before and after rainfall. Robinia pseudoacacia largely absorbed water from 30-40cm (57.8%) soil layers before precipitation and switched its main water source to 20-30cm (58.5%) soil layer after precipitation. Contrary to R.pseudoacacia, Pinus tabuliformis mainly absorbed water from 20-30cm (24.9%) and 10-20cm (21.6%) soil layers before precipitation and changed its dominant water sources to 0-10cm (39.8%) and 10-20cm (44%) soil layer after precipitation. Moreover, the herbaceous of broadleaf plant has the higher complex of the community. On the whole, R.pseudoacacia and P.tabuliformis showed the diverse characteristics of water utilization, which suggests that these two species are suitable for a mixed forest vegetation and our findings provide valuable information for planning long-term ecological afforestation management around the Loess Plateau mountain area of northern China.

scholarly journals Spatial distribution of water-active soil layer along the south-north transect in the Loess Plateau of China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunlei Zhao ◽  
Ming’an Shao ◽  
Xiaoxu Jia ◽  
Laiming Huang ◽  
Yuanjun Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
The South

scholarly journals The effects of land-use combinations on soil erosion: a case study in the Loess Plateau of China

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 793-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo-Jie Fu ◽  
Ya-Feng Wang ◽  
Yi-He Lu ◽  
Chan-Sheng He ◽  
Li-Ding Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Shaanxi Province ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mature Forest ◽  
Young Forest

Land use is one of the key factors affecting soil erosion in the Loess Plateau of China. This paper examines soil erosion under different land uses and land-use combinations using 137 Cs tracing in the Yangjuangou Catchment, a tributary of the Yan River in the Loess Plateau of Northern Shaanxi Province. The results show that the order of 137Cs activity in different land uses decreases sequentially from mature forest to grass to young forest to orchard to terrace crop, indicating that the mature forests had the lowest erosion rates while the terraced cropland produced the highest erosion amount. The majority of 137Cs is distributed in the top 0—10 cm of the soil layer. The 137Cs activity in mature forest and grass soil is significantly higher than in other land uses. Three land-use combinations on the hillslope were selected to study the relationship between land-use combination and soil erosion. The mixtures of ‘grass (6 years old) + mature forest (25 years old) + grass (25 years old)’ and ‘grass (6 years old) + young forest (6 years old) + mature forest (25 years old) + grass (25 years old)’ are better for soil erosion control, lowering soil erosion amount by 42% compared with a land-use combination of ‘grass (6 years old) and shrub (6 years old)’. The results provide an important basis for optimizing land-use combinations to control soil erosion on slopes and may also result in important ecological benefits.

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