Enhanced maize yield and water-use efficiency via film mulched ridge–furrow tillage with straw incorporation in semiarid regions

ABSTRACT

Film mulched ridge-furrow tillage (FMRF) with straw incorporation (S) can efficiently improve rain-fed maize yield and water use efficiency (WUE). The key mechanisms were investigated via a 3-year consecutive FMRF and S interactive experiments [CP (conventional planting, Control), CP_S, FMRF, FMRF_S] from 2014 to 2016. In comparison with CP, FMRF_S increased the temperature by 1.8°C to 4.8°C and the soil water content of 0–200 cm soil profile (W₂₀₀) by 98.0 mm to 106.7 mm from the seedling to tasseling stage, and decreased the temperature by 1.1°C to 3.7°C from flowering to maturity. The concentrations of soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total and available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (TN, TP, TK and AN, AP, AK) were also remarkable increased by 5.9% to 55.1% (P < 0.05) for FMRF_S, respectively. FMRF_S considerably mitigated the effects of the frequent water and heat stress and fertility deficit and led to a higher maize yield (27.0% to 40.0%), improved WUE (1.4-folds to 2.0-folds). The W₂₀₀, SOC, TN, TP, AN and AP significant contribute to maize yield. Therefore, FMRF_S not only enhanced the soil fertility but also maintained soil water balance, thus causing a significant increase in maize yield and WUE.

KEYWORDS:

• FMRF
• soil hydrothermal conditions
• soil fertility status
• synergistic interaction
• water balance

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the staff who are not listed as coauthors but were involved in carrying out the field experiments and collecting the soil samples. We appreciate the linguistic assistance provided by TopEdit (www.topeditsci.com) during preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Gansu Science and Technology Department [18YF1NA095-2];National Natural Science Foundation of China [31560137,31860131];