The Effect of Straw Mulch on Simulated Simazine Leaching and Runoff

Weed Science ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 580-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linjian Jiang ◽  
Imed Dami ◽  
Hannah M. Mathers ◽  
Warren A. Dick ◽  
Doug Doohan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Laboratory Experiment ◽  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Simulated Rainfall ◽  
Effective Practice ◽  
Midwestern United States ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Wheat Straw Mulch

In the Midwestern United States, winter hilling, consisting of two tillage activities per year, is required in vinifera-grape vineyards for winter protection. However, this practice often leads to severe soil erosion and pesticide offsite movement. The effectiveness of wheat straw mulch as a replacement for soil mounding was investigated as a way of providing winter protection and to mitigate pesticide leaching and runoff. A laboratory experiment was conducted where simazine was applied to wheat straw or bare soil and then followed by simulated rainfalls. When compared with bare soil, straw reduced simazine leaching and runoff by 40 and 68%, respectively. Adsorption or interception, or both, of simazine by straw were responsible for this effect. Additionally, straw reduced soil erosion by 95% and would largely reduce simazine runoff associated with sediment displacement. The first simulated rainfall contributed 70 and 34% of total simazine runoff from bare soil and straw, respectively. In conclusion, mulching with straw during winter months to provide winter protection could be an effective practice for controlling simazine offsite movement and soil erosion in vinifera vineyards.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of wheat straw mulch and Polyacrylamide on shallow stability of roadside slopes  

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 11) ◽  
pp. 445-449
Author(s):  
Aidin Parsakhoo ◽  
Seyed Jamal Mirniazi ◽  
Ayoob Rezaee Motlaq
Keyword(s):  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Soil Aggregates ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Efficient Treatment ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Mean Weight Diameter ◽  
Wheat Straw Mulch

Soil aggregate instability on unprotected roadside slopes can cause landslide, soil erosion and sedimentation. Different biological and chemical soil stabilizers are used to reinforce the instable slopes. In the present study, straw mulch and Polyacrylamide (PAM) combinations were investigated on a clay soil of road cutslope in campus of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. The selected cover treatments were Polyacrylamide (2, 3 and 4 g·m–2) with wheat straw mulch (50, 150 and 250 g·m–2) which was spread by hand to attain 75% groundcover on a 1:1 slope. After the three months, soil sampling was done to determine the changes in aggregate stability of soil. Results showed that the most efficient treatment with respect to mean weight diameter of soil aggregates in dry and wet sieving (MWDdry and MWDwet), aggregate stability index (AS) and aggregate destruction index (DI) was treatment of B (150 g·m–2 wheat straw mulch and 3 g·m–2 Polyacrylamide tackifier) with 34%, 68% and 47% increment in MWDdry, MWDwet and AS, respectively as well as 37% reduction in DI as compared to the bare soil control.<br /><br />

scholarly journals Improving Garlic Using Wheat Straw Mulch

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 611b-611
Author(s):  
Angela M. O'Callaghan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Northeastern United States ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Cultural Conditions ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Wheat Straw Mulch ◽  
Research Facilities

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) has been cultivated in much of the world for millennia. Little scientific research, however, has focused on improving cultural conditions for production in the temperate regions of the northeastern United States, where garlic is gaining importance as a horticultural crop. To study the effectiveness of wheat straw (Triticum aestivum) mulch on garlic, experiments were conducted at the Cornell Univ. research facilities in East Ithaca, N.Y., during the 1993–94 (year 1) and 1994–95 (year 2) growing seasons and at the Homer C. Thompson Vegetable Research Farm, Freeville, N.Y., during the 1994–95 growing season. Two clones, one bolting and one nonbolting, were studied in year 1, and four varieties, three bolting and one non bolting, in year 2. All were fall-planted (mid-October), and mulch treatments were covered with wheat straw early in the following December. Control plots were not covered. The mulch either remained on the crop throughout the growing season or was removed early in the spring to expedite soil warming. This is the common practice among growers who use mulch only for winter protection. The presence of mulch during the winter increased the survival rate. Soil temperatures under the wheat straw were significantly lower during the summer than soil temperatures in unmulched plots, which could have contributed to the increase found in the yield and average bulb size of several of the cultivars. Maintaining the mulch through the entire growing season reduced weed pressure >30%. We found no significant increase in the amount of basal fungal infection. The results indicate that using straw mulch can improve garlic produced in the northeastern United States.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Plastic Reflective and Wheat Straw Mulches for Pest and Disease Control in Cucurbit Production Systems

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 750A-750
Author(s):  
Charlie G. Summers ◽  
Jeffrey P. Mitchell* ◽  
James J. Stapleton
Keyword(s):  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Virus Diseases ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Virus Incidence ◽  
Wheat Straw Mulch

Trials were conducted in 2002 and 2003 in California's San Joaquin Valley to determine the efficiency of reflective plastic and wheat straw in managing silverleaf whitefly and aphid-borne virus diseases in late planted cantaloupes. In 2002, the incidence of aphid-borne viruses was lowest in plants growing over reflective plastic followed by those growing over wheat straw and then those growing over bare soil. Wheat straw mulch was as effective as reflective plastic during the early part of the growing season in reducing the incidence of virus disease, but by mid-season, the reflective plastic was superior. The incidence of virus diseases in plants growing over wheat straw was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in plants growing over bare soil throughout the season. Whitefly numbers (nymphs per cm2) and aphid numbers were significantly reduced on plants growing over both reflective mulch and wheat straw mulch compared to those growing over bare soil. Yields of all sizes of melons were significantly higher in the reflective mulch plots and yield for the straw mulched and bare soil plots were not significantly different. Results in 2003 were similar to those of 2002. Both whitefly numbers and aphid numbers were significantly lower in plants growing over both mulches than in those growing over bare soil. Virus incidence was initially low but following an aphid flight in late August, the number of infected plants increased rapidly. Both the reflective plastic and straw provided equal protection form aphid-borne viruses throughout the growing season. Yields were highest in the reflective plastic plots, followed by the straw mulch and finally the bare soil. Differences were significant (P < 0.05) among all three treatments.

Straw mulch impact on soil properties and initial soil erosion processes in the maize field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Dugan ◽  
Leon Josip Telak ◽  
Iva Hrelja ◽  
Ivica Kisić ◽  
Igor Bogunović
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Loss ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Water Erosion ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Maize Field ◽  
Sediment Loss ◽  
Initial Soil

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Straw mulch impact on soil properties and initial soil erosion processes in the maize field&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ivan Dugan*, Leon Josip Telak, Iva Hrelja, Ivica Kisic, Igor Bogunovic&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of General Agronomy, Zagreb, Croatia&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(*correspondence to Ivan Dugan: [email protected])&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Soil erosion by water is the most important cause of land degradation. Previous studies reveal high soil loss in conventionally managed croplands, with recorded soil losses high as 30 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; under wide row cover crop like maize (Kisic et al., 2017; Bogunovic et al., 2018). Therefore, it is necessary to test environmentally-friendly soil conservation practices to mitigate soil erosion. This research aims to define the impacts of mulch and bare soil on soil water erosion in the maize (Zea mays&amp;#160;L.) field in Blagorodovac, Croatia (45&amp;#176;33&amp;#8217;N; 17&amp;#176;01&amp;#8217;E; 132 m a.s.l.). For this research, two treatments on conventionally tilled silty clay loam Stagnosols were established, one was straw mulch (2 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;), while other was bare soil. For purpose of research, ten rainfall simulations and ten sampling points were conducted per each treatment. Simulations were carried out with a rainfall simulator, simulating a rainfall at an intensity of 58 mm h&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, for 30 min, over 0.785 m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; plots, to determine runoff and sediment loss. Soil core samples and undisturbed samples were taken in the close vicinity of each plot. The results showed that straw mulch mitigated water runoff (by 192%), sediment loss (by 288%), and sediment concentration (by 560%) in addition to bare treatment. The bare treatment showed a 55% lower infiltration rate. Ponding time was higher (p &lt; 0.05) on mulched plots (102 sec), compared to bare (35 sec), despite the fact that bulk density, water-stable aggregates, water holding capacity, and mean weight diameter did not show any difference (p &gt; 0.05) between treatments. The study results indicate that straw mulch mitigates soil water erosion, because it immediately reduces runoff, and enhances infiltration. On the other side, soil water erosion on bare soil under simulated rainstorms could be high as 5.07 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;, when extrapolated, reached as high as 5.07 t ha&lt;sup&gt;-1 &lt;/sup&gt;in this study. The conventional tillage, without residue cover, was proven as unsustainable agro-technical practice in the study area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key words: straw mulch, &lt;/strong&gt;rainfall simulation, soil water erosion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Acknowledgment&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This work was supported by Croatian Science Foundation through the project &quot;Soil erosion and degradation in Croatia&quot; (UIP-2017-05-7834) (SEDCRO).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Literature&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Bogunovic, I., Pereira, P., Kisic, I., Sajko, K., Sraka, M. (2018). Tillage management impacts on soil compaction, erosion and crop yield in Stagnosols (Croatia). Catena, 160, 376-384.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kisic, I., Bogunovic, I., Birk&amp;#225;s, M., Jurisic, A., Spalevic, V. (2017). The role of tillage and crops on a soil loss of an arable Stagnic Luvisol. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 63(3), 403-413.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Investigations on effectiveness of wheat and rice straw mulches on moisture retention in potato crop (Solanum tuberosum L.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (S1) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Goel ◽  
Vijay Shankar ◽  
R. K. Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Rice Straw ◽  
Moisture Absorption ◽  
Potato Crop ◽  
Moisture Retention ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Wheat Straw Mulch ◽  
Soil Moisture Retention ◽  
Scanning Electron

Abstract Purpose Mulching is a practice recommended for soil moisture conservation in potato. The wheat straw and rice straw obtained as major crop residues were used as mulching materials to compare their effectiveness for soil moisture retention in potato crop. Methods The field experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design replicated thrice with three treatments viz. plots incorporated with wheat straw mulch, rice straw mulch at the rate of 10 tonnes per hectare each and no mulch serving as control. The soil moisture was determined using a soil moisture probe and data were recorded daily at 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm soil depths. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to investigate moisture retention characteristics of the mulch materials. Results Soil moisture retention varied as wheat straw mulch > rice straw mulch > no mulch at 10 cm, 20 cm and 30 cm soil depths, respectively. Highest moisture retention in wheat straw mulch at 10 cm depth is attributed to better moisture absorption ability of wheat straw in comparison to rice straw. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope images indicated the presence of smaller sized micro tubes in wheat straw than rice straw, which resulted in more water retention, thereby substantiating the findings of the study. Conclusion Wheat straw mulch is more effective than rice straw mulch for shallow rooted crops like potato, due to better moisture absorption and retention in upper soil layer.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document