Ridge-Furrow Mulching Enhances Capture and Utilization of Rainfall for Improved Maize Production under Rain-Fed Conditions

Javaid, Muhammad Mansoor; AlGwaiz, Hussah I.M.; Waheed, Hasnain; Ashraf, Muhammad; Mahmood, Athar; Li, Feng Min; Attia, Kotb A.; Nadeem, Muhammad Ather; AlKahtani, Muneera D.F.; Fiaz, Sajid; Ahmad, Hafiz Bashir

doi:10.3390/agronomy12051187

Cited by 7 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Increased soil water contents [79] Enhanced soil water storage [202] Boosted soil moisture contents [67,70] Reduced water needs and enhanced water productivity [65] Gravel mulch Boosted soil water content [202] Compost made from municipal waste Increase (85%) in water percolation [203] Oat straw and olive twigs as mulches Reduced water loss from rainfall [204] Transparent plastic mulch Boosted soil water content and canopy air humidity [139] Black plastic mulch (BM) Boosted soil moisture, temperature, and morphological criteria of maize [205] Straw strip mulching Straw strip mulching and plastic film mulching boosted water use efficiency of grain yield (WUEr) or biomass yield (WUEb). [206] Transparent film (W), black film (B), or straw mulching (S) W, B, and S mulch boosted soil water content [207] Mulch involves maintaining soil moisture by covering the soil's surface.…”

Section: Plastic Mulchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review

et al. 2022

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This research was carried out in order to demonstrate that mulching the ground helps to conserve water, because agricultural sustainability in dryland contexts is threatened by drought, heat stress, and the injudicious use of scarce water during the cropping season by minimizing surface evaporation. Improving soil moisture conservation is an ongoing priority in crop outputs where water resources are restricted and controlled. One of the reasons for the desire to use less water in agriculture is the rising demand brought on by the world’s growing population. In this study, the use of organic or biodegradable mulches was dominated by organic materials, while inorganic mulches are mostly comprised of plastic-based components. Plastic film, crop straw, gravel, volcanic ash, rock pieces, sand, concrete, paper pellets, and livestock manures are among the materials put on the soil surface. Mulching has several essential applications, including reducing soil water loss and soil erosion, enriching soil fauna, and improving soil properties and nutrient cycling in the soil. It also reduces the pH of the soil, which improves nutrient availability. Mulching reduces soil deterioration by limiting runoff and soil loss, and it increases soil water availability by reducing evaporation, managing soil temperature, or reducing crop irrigation requirements. This review paper extensively discusses the benefits of organic or synthetic mulches for crop production, as well as the uses of mulching in soil and water conservation. As a result, it is very important for farmers to choose mulching rather than synthetic applications.

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Section: Plastic Mulchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review

et al. 2022

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“…Rainwater harvesting techniques increase water availability in the plant root zone which facilitates nutrient uptake by plants (Kugedera et al, 2022c). This make plants healthier and improve growth rate, reduce moisture stress and increase LAI promoting higher yields (Chilagane et al, 2020; Javaid et al, 2022; Kugedera et al, 2022a). Tied contour and infiltration pits prolong water availability in the soil during dry conditions, reduce moisture stress, and improve water use efficiency and grain yields when combined with mineral fertiliser (Kubiku et al, 2022b; Kugedera et al, 2022c).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Soil Characterisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Sorghum bicolor (L.) grain yield with the use of field edge rainwater harvesting and NPK fertiliser in a dry region of Zimbabwe

Kugedera

Nyamadzawo

Mandumbu

et al. 2022

J of Sust Agri & Env

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Background: Farmers in marginalised areas across Africa are mainly resource poor and have limited capacity to procure enough inorganic fertilisers. This contributed immensely towards declining crop productivity causing food insecurity. Soil moisture stress is another key factor which has led to a decline in crop yields across semi-arid areas. This experiment determines the effects of field edge rainwater harvesting and NPK fertiliser microdosing on sorghum grain yields and agronomic nutrient use efficiency of two sorghum varieties (Macia and SV1). Rainwater harvesting techniques was the main plot factor with three levels (tied contour, infiltration pits and standard contour), sorghum variety was used as subplot factor with two levels (Macia and SV1) and NPK fertiliser as sub-sub plot factor with five levels (0, 25, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha −1 ) with all treatments replicated three times. A randomised complete block design arranged in split-plot was used.Results: Phosphorous was significantly increased from 3.32 to 3.52 mg kg −1 with no significant (p > 0.05) increase in total nitrogen and soil organic carbon. Sorghum grain yields were statistically (p < 0.05) influenced by main treatment factors. Tied contour had considerably higher grain yield (861 kg ha −1 ) than infiltration pits and standard contours. Highest grain yield of 909 kg ha −1 was observed from plots applied 150 kg ha −1 NPK fertiliser. Macia variety performed significantly (p < 0.05) higher than SV1. Grain yields show significant (p < 0.05) increase with increasing fertiliser levels.Interaction of tied contour + Macia+ 150 kg ha −1 NPK fertiliser had significant grain yields (1150 kg ha −1 ) compared to other treatments. Treatments applied NPK fertiliser show significant differences (p < 0.05) than unfertilised plots. Agronomic nutrient use efficiencies were significantly higher (p < 0.05) from all treatments applied 25 kg ha −1 NPK fertiliser. Sorghum variety Macia had better nutrient use efficiency than SV1 in 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons except during 2019/20 where results show insignificant differences.

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“…Plastic film mulching promotes root growth, enhances the root water absorption rate, and uses more water for crop transpiration [19]. Crop transpiration in the middle and late stages of maize under film mulching conditions is 8.8% higher than under no mulching conditions [20].…”

Section: Film Mulching Effects Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Plastic Film Mulching on Water, Heat, Nitrogen Balance, and Crop Growth in Farmland in China

Zhao,

Mao,

et al. 2023

Agronomy

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Plastic film mulching has been widely used to improve crop yield and water use efficiency, although the effects of plastic film mulching on water, heat, nitrogen dynamics, and crop growth are rarely presented comprehensively. This study investigated a large number of studies in film mulching fields from the past 10 years (mostly from 2019 to 2023) and summarized the impact of plastic film mulching, progress in modeling with film mulching, and future research directions. The effects of plastic film mulching were intricate and were influenced by film mulching methods, irrigation systems, crop types, crop growth stages, etc. Overall, plastic film mulching showed a positive effect on improving soil water, temperature, and nitrogen status, enhancing crop transpiration and photosynthetic rates, and promoting crop growth and yield, although film mulching may have negative effects, such as increasing rainfall interception, blocking water entering the soil, and reducing net radiation income. The crop yield and water use efficiency could increase by 39.9–84.7% and 45.3–106.4% under various film mulching methods. Coupled models of soil water and heat transport and crop growth under plastic film mulching conditions have been established by considering the effects of plastic film mulching on the upper boundary conditions of soil water and heat, energy budget and distribution processes, and the exchange of latent and sensible heat between soil and atmosphere. The models have good applicability in film mulched farmland of maize, rice, and potato for different regions of China. Further development is needed for soil water, heat, nitrogen migration, and crop growth models under different plastic film mulching methods, and the acquisition of soil and crop indicators under plastic film mulching conditions based on big data support. The study will provide reference for the subsequent development and innovation of plastic film mulching technology.

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Ridge-Furrow Mulching Enhances Capture and Utilization of Rainfall for Improved Maize Production under Rain-Fed Conditions

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review

Mulching as a Sustainable Water and Soil Saving Practice in Agriculture: A Review

Enhancing Sorghum bicolor (L.) grain yield with the use of field edge rainwater harvesting and NPK fertiliser in a dry region of Zimbabwe

A Review of Plastic Film Mulching on Water, Heat, Nitrogen Balance, and Crop Growth in Farmland in China

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