Effects of small ridge and furrow mulching degradable film on dry direct seeded rice

Abstract

Global climate change and socio-economic development have led to a shortage of water and labour resources, which has had a significant impact on rice cultivation. In this study, the application of micro-ridge-furrow planting technology and degradable film mulching in dry direct-seeded rice was investigated to address the factors restricting the development of the rice industry and reduce the impact of rice production on the environment. The effects of a micro-ridge-furrow planting pattern and degradable film mulching on soil temperature, seedling growth, and yield of dry direct-seeded rice in a semiarid region of China were studied through three field experiments: micro-ridge-furrow mulching with traditional plastic film (T1); micro-ridge-furrow mulching with degradable film (T2); and traditional flat-cropping mulching with traditional plastic film (CK). The experimental results demonstrated that the micro-ridge-furrow mulching film planting pattern promoted the germination of rice seeds and improved the soil temperature, plant height, leaf area, dry mass, and grain yield. T2 had the highest average soil temperature (14.68–17.83 ℃ during the day; 14.4–15.74 ℃ at night), leaf area (41.85 cm2 plant−1), root dry mass (45.32 mg plant−1), shoot dry mass (58.46 mg plant−1), root–shoot ratio (0.821), and yield (8.112 t ha−1). In summary, the micro-ridge-furrow mulching with degradable film (T2) is recommended as an efficient planting and mulching pattern for sustainably solving environmental problems and improving grain yield in semiarid regions of China.

Soil Salt and Water Regulation in Saline Agriculture Based on Physical Measures with Model Analysis

“…The shallow soil layer of salt accumulates towards the ridge top, while the moisture increases with the decrease in elevation. The low-salt and high-moisture environment in the furrow creates relatively suitable water and salt conditions for crop growth [19].…”

Alfalfa Cultivation Patterns in the Yellow River Irrigation Area on Soil Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency

“…It has been reported that the accumulated temperature of soil covered with ordinary films is significantly higher than that of soil mulched with black films [18,19]. The warming effect of novel mulching materials before degradation, such as biodegradable and liquid films, barely differs from that of ordinary plastic films [20][21][22]. The timely peeling of films during crop growth can effectively abate the phenomenon of crop premature senescence caused by high temperatures [23][24][25].…”