Evaluation of adaptability of conservation tillage in Loess Plateau semi-arid areas

In semi-arid and arid areas, crop growth is mainly limited by low rainfall (mm). Using plastic film-mulched and special soil tillage can be employed to harvest limited rainfall for crop growth so as to assure food production. The objective of this work was to find out how to exploit limited rainfall (mm) to increase yield of proso millet. Effects of different rainfall harvesting systems based on plastic film-mulched in proso millet were managed in semi-arid regions of Loess Plateau in 2010-2012, and soil type that study involved was calciccambisols. The hypothesis was that proso millet could improve growth and yield of proso millet by using rainfall harvesting system. Experiment designed three rainfall harvesting systems based on plastic mulched and no mulching (NM) as a control. A flat plot with no mulching was a control (NM), the width of furrow was 60 cm with 60 cm wide ridge (P60), the width of furrow was 60 cm with 100 cm wide M-shaped ridge (M160), and the width of furrow was 40 cm with 40 cm wide W-shaped ridge (W80). Control plot and systems were laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. Only the ridge was mulched with white plastic film. The results showed as follows: rainfall harvesting systems based on plastic film-mulched could increase water content of topsoil by 19.6%-43%, move up in temperature of topsoil by 0.1oC-2.7oC, improve agronomic traits (P=0.05), and increase yield by 96.8%-115.3% (P=0.05) and WUE by 120.2%-179.3% (P=0.05) compared with those of NM, respectively; “W-shaped” system performed advantage enough among all rainfall harvesting systems, increased water content of topsoil and temperature of topsoil, and separately increased yield and WUE of proso millet by 115.3% and 179.3% compared with those of NM =0.05) in three growing seasons; average rate of yield increase of proso millet in all rainfall harvesting systems tended to be quadratic function correlated with the rainfall (mm) (R2=1); rainfall harvesting systems had better effect on improving plant heights at early growing stage of proso millet than those at later growing stage. The hypothesis was supported by these findings that suggested rainfall harvesting systems with plastic film-mulched could improve yield and water use efficiency of proso millet and have affection effectively at early growing stage of proso millet, increasing yield of rainfall harvesting system was limited by abundant rainfall (mm) and had to be suitable for 250 mm-300 mm rainfall of growing seasons for proso millet; “W-shaped” system performed well in semi-arid areas.

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Incorporation of Manure into Ridge and Furrow Planting System Boosts Yields of Maize by Optimizing Soil Moisture and Improving Photosynthesis

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9120865 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 865 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anzhen Qin ◽

Yanjie Fang ◽

Dongfeng Ning ◽

Zhandong Liu ◽

Ben Zhao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Cropping System ◽

Northwest China ◽

Chemical Fertilizer ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Grain Yields ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Planting System

A sustainable management strategy of soil fertility and cropping system is critical to guaranteeing food security. However, little is known about the effects of soil amendment strategies on crop growth via regulating soil moisture and photosynthesis in a ridge and furrow cropping system. Here, field experiments were carried out in 2017 and 2018 in semi-arid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China to investigate the effects of integrated use of ridge and furrow planting and manure amendment on grain yields of maize. Four treatments were designed: CK (flat planting with 100% chemical fertilizer), RFC (ridge and furrow planting with 100% chemical fertilizer), RFR (ridge and furrow planting with 100% control-released fertilizer), and RFM (ridge and furrow planting with 50% manure fertilizer + 50% N fertilizer). On average, RFM increased photosynthetic rates (Pn) by 74%, followed by RFR by 47%, and RFC by 26%, compared to CK. Also, stomatal conductance (Cd), transpiration rates (Tr), and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) were highest with RFM, followed by RFR and RFC. Averaged across the two years, RFM conserved 10% more soil water storage (SWS) than CK did at harvest, followed by RFR with an increment by 8%. However, RFC consumed more soil water than CK did, with its ETc 8% higher than CK. Consequently, spring maize treated with RFM suffered less drought stress, especially in 2017 when precipitation was insufficient. On average, grain yields and water use efficiency of RFM were increased by 18% and 27%, compared to CK. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that there existed significant positive correlation between SWS in top layers and grain yields, while SWS in deep layers had negative effects on grain yields. In conclusion, the incorporation of manure into ridge and furrow planting system can be an efficient agronomic practice to improve plant photosynthesis, optimize soil moisture, and boost grain yields in semi-arid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China.

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Conservation tillage increases yield and precipitation use efficiency of wheat on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China

Agricultural Water Management ◽

10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106024 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 231 ◽

pp. 106024 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Zhengkai Peng ◽

Linlin Wang ◽

Junhong Xie ◽

Lingling Li ◽

Jeffrey A. Coulter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Precipitation Use Efficiency

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Effects of Limited Supplemental Irrigation with Catchment Rainfall on Rain-fed Potato in Semi-arid Areas on the Western Loess Plateau, China

American Journal of Potato Research ◽

10.1007/s12230-012-9267-y ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 90 (1) ◽

pp. 33-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Shuhao Qin ◽

Lingling Li ◽

Di Wang ◽

Junlian Zhang ◽

Yulin Pu

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Supplemental Irrigation ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Western Loess Plateau

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Effect of Different Mulches under Rainfall Concentration System on Corn Production in the Semi-arid Areas of the Loess Plateau

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep19019 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Xiaolong Ren ◽

Peng Zhang ◽

Xiaoli Chen ◽

Jingjing Guo ◽

Zhikuan Jia

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Arid Areas ◽

The Loess Plateau ◽

Corn Production ◽

Semi Arid

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Sustainability of Smallholder Agriculture in Semi-Arid Areas under Land Set-aside Programs: A Case Study from China’s Loess Plateau

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su8040395 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 395 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Qirui Li ◽

T. Amjath-Babu ◽

Peter Zander ◽

Zhen Liu ◽

Klaus Müller

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Arid Areas ◽

Smallholder Agriculture ◽

Semi Arid

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Understanding the Partitioning of the Available Energy over the Semi-Arid Areas of the Loess Plateau, China

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos8050087 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 87 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Arid Areas ◽

The Loess Plateau ◽

Available Energy ◽

Semi Arid

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Adoption of Conservation Tillage on the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of Northwest China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082621 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2621 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Qingfeng Han ◽

Kadambot Siddique ◽

Fengmin Li

Keyword(s):

Loess Plateau ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Northwest China ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽

Positive Effects ◽

The Government ◽

Semi Arid

Conservation tillage is an important approach to prevent water loss and soil erosion and promote soil fertility that has been adopted widely throughout the world. However, despite promotion of the benefits of conservation tillage, obstacles are still encountered in some regions. A survey of 385 farmer households in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China was conducted to assess the adoption of conservation tillage (ACT). This investigation was located in two counties that have run conservation tillage demonstrations with wheat for at least eight years. A binary logistic regression model was used to quantify the factors determining whether or not farmers adopt conservation tillage. Farmer’s education level, the influence of training, and field demonstrations by agricultural departments had significant positive effects on ACT. Although the adoption rate of conservation tillage in this paper was very high (89%), farmers were reluctant to continue practicing conservation tillage based on their experiences, which is contrary to the expectations of the government. The area available for planting winter wheat and the number of arable plots per household also had significant positive effects on ACT. However, the total cultivated area of land per household had a significant negative impact on ACT. Farmer awareness of conservation tillage technology, the distance from a farmer’s house to the nearest agricultural market, and the size of the active labor force in the family had significant negative impacts on ACT. These results will help in the development of more effective and targeted policies to improve the sustainability of farming systems on the semi-arid Loess Plateau.

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