Short- and Long-Term Straw Mulching and Subsoiling Affect Soil Water, Photosynthesis, and Water Use of Wheat and Maize

Abstract

Water shortages and rainfall variability lead to a decrease in grain yield. Straw mulching (SM), subsoiling (S), and combined amendments (subsoiling + straw mulching, SS) are potential solutions for maintaining crop productivity and water resource sustainability. However, short- and long-term applications of these methods appear to result in different yield and water use efficiency outcomes. In this study, we, therefore, compared short- and long-term applications of SM, S, and SS, with a control. We analyzed field experimental data of wheat and maize cultivation with control (conventional tillage), SM, S, and SS treatments to assess the impact on yield and water use efficiency, resulting from short- and long-term applications of these practices. The results show that SS treatment led to higher soil water storage (SWS) compared with other treatments during the regreening, jointing, and booting stages of wheat, and the big bellmouth and filling stages of maize in the short- and long-term experiments. However, long-term SS treatment also led to higher SWS in the growth stage of wheat in 2015–2016 and in the growth stage of maize in 2015. Additionally, SS treatment was conducive to raising the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and leaf water use efficiency (LWUE) of wheat compared with other treatments in 2015 and 2016. Conversely, Pn and LWUE of maize under S and SS treatments were higher (P < 0.05) compared with other treatments in the two studied years. Short-term treatment led to higher wheat yield compared with long term in 2014–2015 (ample rainfall) and of maize in 2016 (low rainfall). The yield of wheat under long-term S treatment in 2015 was 9625.-kg hm−2, which was the highest (P < 0.05) in 2 years, with a 17.7% increase compared with the control, followed by short-term S treatment. However, the water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat under long-term SS treatment in 2016 was the highest (P < 0.05) compared with other treatments. The yield of maize under SM and S treatments was higher than other treatments, whereas the WUE of maize under long-term SS treatment in 2016 was still the highest (P < 0.05). Our findings provide evidence that S and SS treatments improve both crop productivity and water resource sustainability, and long-term application resulted in higher productivity than short-term application.

Impact of Combining Long-Term Subsoiling and Organic Fertilizer on Soil Microbial Biomass Carbon and Nitrogen, Soil Enzyme Activity, and Water Use of Winter Wheat

“…Soil water retention is a critical factor and important parameter for evaluating soil productivity, as it has a decisive influence on crop growth conditions and yield ( Fu et al, 2005 ; Yang et al, 2021c ). Subsoiling and organic fertilizer can improve soil structure, and promote water storage and infiltration to deeper soil ( Hemmat and Eskandari, 2004 ; Wang et al, 2019 ; Hu et al, 2013 ; Liu et al, 2013 ).…”

Relay strip intercropping of wheat and cotton under limited water conditions

“…Indeed, the fact that cotton plants are planted more densely (12.5 plants/m 2 ) may influence this competition. Besides, the superiority of cotton over wheat can be attributed to the lower water demand during the post‐flowering growth phase of wheat (Y. Yang et al., 2021), as well as the higher water requirements during the early growth of cotton during the intercropping period. Our study indicates that higher temperatures, resulting in heat stress, and limited watering conditions intensified competition, ultimately granting cotton a distinct advantage.…”

Understanding how management can prevent degradation of the structurally fragile soils of the Amazonian periphery

“…However, the long-term leguminous residue mulching may not always be able to increase SOC significantly in tropical conditions if carbon use efficiency is low and most of the carbon applied via biomass is not converted into stabilized SOC ( Sena et al, 2020 ). Indeed, despite the possible positive effects of leguminous biomass mulch on soil improvements and crops not all evidence points in the same direction; mainly because the mulching effect does not always manage to increase SOC stabilization and to decrease basic cations leaching, which are key points to the sustainability of tropical agrosystems ( Yang et al, 2021 ).…”