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Acta Agronomica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (6): 1643-1653.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2025.41083

• TILLAGE & CULTIVATION · PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of straw mulching on soil water temperature effect and winter wheat yield in different rainfall years in Dryland Loess Plateau

ZHAO Gang1,2, ZHANG Jian-Jun1,2, DANG Yi1,2, FAN Ting-Lu2,3, WANG Lei1,2, ZHOU Gang1,2, WANG Shu-Ying1,2, LI Xing-Mao1,2, NI Sheng-Li1,2, MI Wen-Bo1,2, ZHOU Xu-Jiao1,2, Cheng Wan-Li2,3, Li Shang-Zhong1,2,*   

  1. 1 Institute of Dryland, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences / Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Water in Dry Farming of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China; 2 Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs / the Joint Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs-Gansu Province for Crop Drought Resistance, Yield Increment and Rainwater Efficient Utilization on Rain-fed Area, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China; 3 Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2024-11-25 Revised:2025-03-26 Accepted:2025-03-26 Online:2025-06-12 Published:2025-04-07
  • Supported by:
    This study was supported by National Key Research and Development Program(2018YFD020040503) and Key R & D Program of Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

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Abstract:

To elucidate the mechanisms by which straw mulching influences soil moisture, temperature, and winter wheat yield under varying rainfall conditions in the Loess Plateau, we conducted a seven-year field study examining the effects of different straw mulch amounts on soil moisture dynamics, temperature variation, water consumption, and wheat yield. The results demonstrated that straw mulching significantly increased soil temperature during the overwintering period, though the warming effect diminished as mulch amounts increased. In dry and normal rainfall years, the 1500 kg hm?2 treatment exhibited a warming effect during the greening stage, whereas in wet years, it had a cooling effect. Across all rainfall conditions, higher mulch amounts intensified cooling effects. Straw mulching consistently enhanced soil water storage in the 0–2 m soil layer throughout the wheat growth period, with greater mulch amounts leading to increased water retention. In dry and normal years, water consumption decreased with increasing mulch amounts, whereas in wet years, the trend was reversed. During the greening–grain filling stage of dry years, the 1500 kg hm?2 treatment increased soil water storage by 8.1–20.0 mm compared to bare land. Across all rainfall conditions, total water consumption over the entire growth period exceeded that of bare land by 7.0–14.8 mm, with the greening–jointing and grain filling–maturity stages showing the most pronounced increases. In terms of yield and water use efficiency (WUE), the 1500 kg hm?2 treatment increased yield and WUE by 21.5% and 18.5%, respectively, compared to bare land, primarily due to an increase in ear number. In contrast, the 3000 kg hm?2 treatment resulted in yield and WUE levels comparable to bare land, while further increases in mulch amounts led to declines in both yield and WUE. Under the 1500 kg hm-2 mulch condition, soil temperature during the greening stage in dry and normal rainfall years was effectively increased, supporting high yield and WUE. However, 3000 kg hm-2 was identified as a critical threshold; although excessive mulching significantly enhanced soil water retention, it also caused excessive cooling, ultimately leading to reduced yield and WUE.

Key words: dryland of Loess Plateau, winter wheat, straw mulch amount, effect of water and temperature, yield, WUE

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