Search Results (441)

Surface mulching and nitrogen (N) application are widely used to enhance crop yield and water productivity (WP). However, their combined effects remain unclear. Here, a three-year field experiment was conducted to comprehensively assess the effects of surface mulching (no mulching, B; straw mulching, S; and plastic film mulching, F) and N fertilization (no N application, N0; split application of urea, N1; 1:2 mixture of controlled-release urea and urea, N2) on maize growth, yield, and WP on the Loess Plateau. Application of nitrogen (N) significantly increased evapotranspiration (ET), grain yield, and WP by 4.58%, 176% (from 5215.43 kg ha⁻¹ in N0 to 14,548.21 kg ha⁻¹ in N2), and 166% (from 11.36 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in N0 to 30.63 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ in N2), respectively. Compared with B and S, F increased ET during the pre-silking stage by 16.75% and 23.99%, respectively, and shortened the vegetative period of maize by 3–9 days but extended the duration from the milky stage (R3) to physiological maturity (R6) in the reproductive period by 5–13 days. F significantly increased yield and WP by 9.18% and 8.26% compared with S. Under F combined with N application, deep soil water (100–200 cm) consumption during R1–R3 increased by 15.75 mm and 13.15 mm compared with B and S, respectively. The combination of F and N2 achieved the highest yield (15,648.28 kg ha⁻¹) and WP (32.44 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹) without causing detectable depletion of soil water within the 0–200 cm profile during the study period, providing an effective strategy for enhancing crop yield and improving water–fertilizer use efficiency in semi-arid regions. Full article

Sloping cropland on the Loess Plateau faces severe challenges from soil organic carbon (SOC) depletion and structural instability due to erosion and intensive tillage. Although mulching can enhance SOC sequestration, its long-term effects on the spatial distribution of SOC and aggregates across slopes remain unclear. A 15-year field experiment evaluated five practices—conventional tillage (T), no tillage (NT), straw mulching (SM), plastic film mulching (PM), and ridge–furrow plastic film mulching (RPM)—on SOC storage, aggregate stability, and their variation with different slope positions. Compared to T, all mulching treatments significantly increased SOC concentration by 4.19% to 83.48% in the 0–30 cm layer. SM and RPM notably increased macro-aggregates (>2 mm) and their associated SOC (24.04–56.49% higher than T) by adding organic matter and optimizing micro-topography. Different slope positions strongly influenced SOC redistribution: lower slopes accumulated more SOC than upper slopes due to erosion–deposition processes. Mulching reduced SOC spatial variability and minimized differences between slope positions. Although mulching increased cumulative SOC mineralization compared to T, the long-term net SOC gain was positive, driven by improved aggregate protection and reduced erosion. SM and RPM are recommended for sustainable slope farmland management due to their dual benefits in enhancing carbon sinks and soil stability. This study offers practical strategies for improving soil health and SOC sequestration in vulnerable sloping landscapes. Full article

Polyethylene film (PE) mulching produces substantial “white pollution,” prompting the use of biodegradable film (BF) alternatives, yet their performance in rice systems on Northeast black soils is still uncertain. We compared three BFs with different induction periods (45 d, BF₄₅; 60 d, BF₆₀; 80 d, BF₈₀), PE and a no-film control (CK) to quantify their effects on soil hydrothermal conditions, rice growth, yield, grain quality, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and soil C, N. Results showed that mulching increased soil temperature and soil moisture. Across the growing season, the mean soil temperature at the 0–5 cm depth under PE was 5.5% and 2.2–5.5% higher than that under CK and BFs, respectively. Specifically, compared with CK, PE increased grain yield by 31–77% and IWUE by 75–123%, while BFs improved yield by 25–73% and IWUE by 48–101%. PE only slightly outperformed BF₈₀ in yield (by 2.3% in 2023 and 2.1% in 2024) but achieved higher IWUE (11.0–11.7%). Grain chalkiness and sensory scores under BFs were comparable to PE and better than CK. At 0–20 cm, PE increased SOC (2.3–6.8%) and the C/N ratio (0–0.8%) but reduced total nitrogen (TN) (2.7–3.9%) and total carbon (TC) (2.5–3.1%), whereas BFs increased Org-N by 0.4–4.2%, SOC by 2.9–7.1%, and TN by 0.2–0.7%, with BF₈₀ showing the greatest stimulatory effect. Overall, BFs—particularly BF₈₀—are promising substitutes for PE in black soil rice systems, supporting sustainable rice production with strong application potential. Full article

Delayed sowing has become a key constraint on winter wheat production in the Guanzhong Plain, Shaanxi Province, China, due to the widespread adoption of late-maturing maize and the delayed harvest of preceding crops. A two-year field experiment was conducted on the Guanzhong Plain to elucidate the physiological mechanisms behind yield reduction under delayed sowing and to explore potential mitigation strategies. The study examined the effects of sowing time (normal, 10-day delay, and 20-day delay) and plastic film mulching on yield components, crop development, and water and nitrogen uptake and use in winter wheat. Compared to normal sowing, delayed sowing significantly reduced grain yield (7.64–17.19%), spike number (11.65–21.3%), 1000-grain weight (5.2–9.05%), growth duration (7–16 d), dry matter accumulation (21.79–58.07%), and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (7.64–17.2%). Late sowing slowed overall growth and development, shortened the growth cycle, and suppressed root system expansion and plant height, particularly under the 20-day delay. However, plastic film mulching under delayed sowing improved seedling emergence, root growth, tiller number (8.42–51.23%), water use efficiency (10.15–18.15%), and nitrogen productivity, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of delayed sowing on resource capture. Mulching enabled wheat sown with a 10-day delay to achieve yields comparable to normal-sown crops and alleviated 9.1–10.3% of the yield loss under a 20-day delay, although it did not fully restore yields to the non-delayed level. These findings provide practical insights for managing winter wheat under delayed sowing conditions. Full article

To reconcile the intensifying trade-off between chronic water scarcity and escalating forage demand in the Yellow River Basin, this study optimized integrated irrigation and fertilization regimes for silage maize. Leveraging the AquaCrop model, validated by 2023–2024 field experiments and a 35-year (1990–2024) meteorological dataset, we systematically quantified the impacts of multi-factorial water–fertilizer–heat stress under drip irrigation with mulch (DIM) and shallow-buried drip irrigation (SBDI). Model performance was robust, yielding high simulation accuracy for soil moisture (RMSE < 3.3%), canopy cover (RMSE < 3.95%), and aboveground biomass (RMSE < 4.5 t·ha⁻¹), with EF > 0.7 and R² ≥ 0.85. Results revealed distinct stress dynamics across hydrological scenarios: mild temperature stress predominated in wet years, whereas severe water and fertilizer stresses emerged as the primary constraints during dry years. To mitigate these stresses, a medium fertilizer rate (555 kg·ha⁻¹) was identified as the stable optimum, while dynamic irrigation requirements were determined as 90, 135, and 180 mm for wet, normal, and dry years, respectively. Comparative evaluation indicated that DIM achieved maximum productivity in wet years (aboveground biomass yield 70.4 t·ha⁻¹), whereas SBDI exhibited superior “stable yield–water saving” performance in normal and dry years. The established “hydrological year–irrigation method–threshold” framework provides a robust decision-making tool for precision management, offering critical scientific support for the sustainable, high-quality development of livestock farming in arid regions. Full article

In the context of global climate change and intensified water resource constraints, studying the evolution of the urban–agricultural–ecological spatial structure and the water–heat–vegetation responses driven by large-scale irrigation and drainage projects in arid and semi-arid regions is of great significance. Based on multitemporal remote sensing data from 1985 to 2015, this study takes the Inner Mongolia Hetao Plain as the research area, constructs a “multifunctionality–dynamic evolution” dual-principle classification system for urban–agricultural–ecological space, and adopts the technical process of “separate interpretation of each single land type using the maximum likelihood algorithm followed by merging with conflict pixel resolution” to improve the classification accuracy to 90.82%. Through a land use transfer matrix, a standard deviation ellipse model, surface temperature (LST) inversion, and vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) analysis, this study systematically reveals the spatiotemporal differentiation patterns of spatial structure evolution and surface parameter responses throughout the project’s life cycle. The results show the following: (1) The spatial structure follows the path of “short-term intense disturbance–long-term stable optimization”, with agricultural space stability increasing by 4.8%, the ecological core area retention rate exceeding 90%, and urban space expanding with a shift from external encroachment to internal filling, realizing “stable grain yield with unchanged cultivated land area and improved ecological quality with controlled green space loss”. (2) The overall VFC shows a trend of “central area stable increase (annual growth rate 0.8%), eastern area fluctuating recovery (cyclic amplitude ±12%), and western area local improvement (key patches increased by 18%)”. (3) The LST-VFC relationship presents spatiotemporal misalignment, with a 0.8–1.2 °C anomalous cooling in the central region during the construction period (despite a 15% VFC decrease), driven by irrigation water thermal inertia, and a disrupted linear correlation after completion due to crop phenology changes and plastic film mulching. (4) Irrigation and drainage projects optimize water resource allocation, constructing a hub regulation model integrated with the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus, providing a replicable paradigm for ecological effect assessment of major water conservancy projects in arid regions. Full article

This study conducted a systematic evaluation over two years (2023–2024) through field experiments to assess the regulatory effects of biochar on soil properties, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and CO₂ emissions under mulched drip irrigation with varying nitrogen application levels. The core findings indicate that the effects of biochar are strongly dependent on the nitrogen levels. Under reduced nitrogen conditions, biochar demonstrated a synergistic benefit: with a 15% nitrogen reduction (N2-BC), it significantly enhanced soil water retention (increasing moisture by 68.6% at the tasseling stage); with a 30% nitrogen reduction (N1-BC), it improved soil structure (bulk density decreased by 2.1%, porosity increased by 4.3%). Additionally, biochar differentially activates soil carbon and nitrogen pools: under the 30% nitrogen reduction treatment (N1-BC), soil organic carbon increased to 8.34 g kg⁻¹ during the jointing stage, while dissolved organic carbon reached 0.536 g kg⁻¹ at tasseling, and total nitrogen content rose significantly. Notably, the regulatory effect of biochar on CO₂ emissions shifted toward marked suppression as nitrogen input decreased (N1-BC), achieving a net cumulative reduction of 21.4% under deep nitrogen reduction treatment. Correlation analysis further integrated these processes, demonstrating that improvements in the soil physical structure are closely linked to enhanced carbon and nitrogen cycling. This study clarifies that in reduced-N systems, the application of biochar can synergistically achieve “carbon sequestration–nitrogen conservation–emission reduction,” providing a basis for developing green, low-C farmland production models. Full article

Leaf photosynthesis plays an important role in maize growth and yield components due to its involvement in dry matter partitioning and organ formation. Nevertheless, how varying planting patterns affect maize leaf photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and subsequently maize yield remains poorly understood, particularly at various nitrogen rates. A two-season field experiment was performed on rainfed maize in 2021 and 2022 to explore the responses of photosynthetic physiological characteristics, leaf N and chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, grain yield and water productivity to various planting patterns and N rates. The experiment included six planting patterns, i.e., flat planting without mulching (CK), flat planting with straw mulching (SM), ridge mulched with transparent film and furrow without mulching (RP1), flat planting with full transparent film mulching (FM1), ridge mulched with black film and furrow without mulching (RP2), and flat planting with full black film mulching (FM2). Additionally, there were two nitrogen rates, i.e., 0 kg N ha⁻¹ (N0) and 180 kg N ha⁻¹. The results showed that nitrogen application significantly improved leaf physiological characteristics. Under various planting patterns, leaf photosynthetic pigments, leaf area duration, leaf nitrogen content, QYmax and ΦPSII ranked as RP2 > RP1(FM2) > FM1 > SM(CK) in 2021, and RP2(RP1) > FM1(FM2) > SM(CK) in 2022. No significant variations were observed in water productivity (WP) among different film colors, with overall performance of RP2(FM2) > RP1(FM1) > SM > CK. WP significantly improved by 36.14% and 25.15% under N1 compared to N0 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. This pattern paralleled the fluctuation in water consumption intensity. Compared to CK, RP significantly increased leaf nitrogen content (29.3%), total Chl content (16.0%), QYmax (6.39%), ΦPSII (32.01%), and net photosynthesis rate (14.2%), thereby significantly improving grain yield (46.35%) and WP (27.69%), while reducing evapotranspiration (6.84%). Yield performance ranked as RP2 > (RP1 and FM2) > FM1 > SM > CK in 2021 and RP2 > RP1 > (FM1 and FM2) > SM > CK in 2022. Overall, RP2N1 obtained the highest principal component scores in both years, suggesting great potential to improve leaf photosynthetic physiological characteristics, thereby increasing grain production and ensuring food security in rainfed maize cultivation areas. Full article

To address the issues of low efficiency and repeated soil compaction caused by segregated pre-sowing operations for residual film recovery and soil preparation in Xinjiang’s long-term film-mulched cotton fields, this study developed a sowing-layer residual film recovery machine integrated with soil preparation functionality. The modular machine sequentially performs harrowing, film-pickup, removal, collection, soil crushing, and leveling operations. An orthogonal experiment focusing on film-pickup rate and film-removal rate was conducted using forward speed, roller speed, and working depth as experimental factors to evaluate the residual film recovery performance. Simultaneously, the effectiveness of the soil preparation operation was quantitatively validated. The results indicated that the order of factor influence significance on the film-pickup rate was forward speed > working depth > rotational speed of the film-removal roller, while the film-removal rate was primarily affected by the rotational speed of the film-removal roller. The optimal parameter combination was identified as a forward speed of 4 km/h, a film-removal roller speed at 300 r/min, and a working depth of 120 mm. Validation tests under these conditions yielded a pickup rate of 71.23% and a removal rate of 95.06%. Regarding soil preparation, the surface evenness was maintained at 1.23 cm after operation, demonstrating significant performance improvement over previous machine prototypes. This study promises to deliver crucial advancements for combined pre-sowing operations, offering support for future agricultural machinery innovation. Full article

The mechanized transplanting of sweet potato slips onto mulched raised beds in China’s Huang-Huai-Hai region faces significant challenges due to fragmented smallholder farms and the specific agronomic requirement of “boat-shaped” horizontal planting. To address this gap, this study aimed to develop a compact, cost-effective transplanter that meets the “boat-shaped” planting agronomy and adapts to small plots. We designed the 2CGX-1 mini wheel-driven transplanter coupled with a tractor. This machine features a compact chassis (<1.5 m length) for enhanced maneuverability on small plots, a novel five-bar taking-planting mechanism optimized for boat-shaped placement (achieving a stem-soil angle of 56.2° and planting depth of 110 mm), and an integrated spring buffer system. Transmission design ensures precise synchronization between the dual-chain seedling feeding mechanism and planting actions, allowing plant spacing adjustment from 18 to 30 cm. Coupled Adams–EDEM simulations demonstrated that the buffer system reduces maximum resistance on the clip fingers by 37.8% when encountering obstacles. Field validation under optimal parameters (0.55 km/h operating speed, 30 plants/min transplanting frequency) showed high consistency: average planting depth 101.3 mm (SD 1.38), plant spacing 330.3 mm (SD 11.24), seedling length under the film 185 mm (SD 3.65), and stem-soil angle 47.9° (SD 3.41), with qualification rates exceeding 91.9% for all key parameters except submerged length (82.5%). Compared with manual planting (≤0.1 ha/day per person, labor cost > ¥800/ha), this transplanter achieves a daily operational efficiency of ~0.35 ha/day (calculated by 0.55 km/h speed × 0.8 m working width × 8 h daily working time). Meanwhile, the consistency of its key planting indicators and the planting qualification rate are significantly superior to those of manual planting, while improving operational quality and significantly reducing labor cost input. Deviations in individual indicators mainly stem from planting positioning deviations induced by terrain undulations in hilly test areas, and sweet potato seedlings’ tendency to fall off during clamping due to mechanical vibration. However, these errors are within the acceptable agricultural operation range and do not compromise the machine’s overall compliance with agronomic requirements. The transplanter effectively meets agronomic requirements while offering a cost-effective, adapted solution for small-scale sweet potato production systems, significantly advancing mechanization capabilities for mulched cultivation. Full article

Biodegradable film mulching is increasingly used to replace polyethylene in agriculture, but effects on soil respiration (SR) and components remain unclear, especially during degradation. This study investigated biodegradable mulching’s regulation of SR, root-derived respiration (RDR), and non-root-derived respiration (NRDR) under varying phases. A two-year field experiment was conducted in a rainfed maize system in northern China, comparing conventional tillage with biodegradable film mulching (BM), conventional tillage with polyethylene film mulching (PM), and conventional tillage without mulching (CT). Continuous measurements of soil CO₂ concentration (SCC), temperature, water content, and respiration components were used to assess dynamic responses. Results showed that BM enhanced SR and shifted peak timing, with the SR peaking at 106 days after sowing (DAS) under BM, 91.8 DAS under PM, and 91.2 DAS under CT, mainly through a more sustained RDR (BM peak at 103 DAS with a broader peak and greater cumulative RDR than PM and CT). As the biodegradable plastic film degraded, NRDR was higher during the degradation phase, consistent with a priming-like response. These phase-dependent effects suggest that BM first facilitates root growth then serves as a microbial substrate. Moreover, elevated SCC was positively associated with both RDR and NRDR, indicating that CO₂ may function as a regulatory signal rather than a passive byproduct of respiration. These findings reveal distinct temporal mechanisms by which BM influences soil carbon fluxes and offer mechanistic insights into the sustainable application of biodegradable film mulching. Future research should evaluate long-term effects on microbial community composition, soil carbon balance, and potential trade-offs with crop productivity and environmental risks. Full article

This study deals with the incorporation of biostimulants of natural origin in a biodegradable polymeric matrix, with the aim of developing mulch films that, when degraded in the soil, release bioactive compounds that improve soil quality and favor the agronomic growth of crops. Three types of commercial biostimulants were used: one based on seaweed extract, one on lignosulfonates, and one on plant-derived essential amino acids. To ensure the thermal stability of the biostimulant compounds during processing, thermogravimetric analyses (TGAs) were carried out, and a methodology based on the adsorption of the biostimulants onto porous substrates was developed, enabling their effective incorporation into the polymeric matrix. The formulations obtained have been processed by blown film extrusion at a pilot scale. In addition, the presence of film residues in soil was analyzed by pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The results indicate that the proposed methodology supports the integrity of the biostimulants in the films obtained. After the incubation period studied, complete degradation of the biopolymer and the absence of film residues in the soil were confirmed. Furthermore, it was confirmed that this final product had no adverse effects on organisms that were representative of the two end-of-life scenarios, with the exception of the film functionalized with the commercial biostimulant based on seaweed extract, which showed a negative effect on terrestrial higher plants. Full article

Enhancing winter wheat yield in early spring relies on optimal soil temperature (ST) conditions and robust root systems, particularly in cold and dry areas. However, the long-term combined effects of conservation tillage and plastic film mulching (PFM) on the crop root system during early spring (the period of rejuvenation and jointing) remain unstudied. This study is based on a 22-year field experiment involving two long-term conservation tillage methods: mouldboard plowing with crop residue incorporation (MC) and no-tillage with crop residue cover (NC). The main treatments were further divided by applying black (B) and white (W) plastic films to each, resulting in MC with black (MCB) and white (MCW), and NC with black (NCB) and white (NCW) films. ST was recorded at depths of 0–40 cm during the afternoon, evening, and morning, while root characteristics (RCs) were measured at the peak flowering stage at depths of 0–60 cm, and crop yield and attributes were recorded at harvest during the 2023–2024 cropping season. Compared with MC and NC, MCB and MCW increased afternoon ST by 2.5 °C and 0.94 °C, and evening ST by 1.94 °C and 1.87 °C, while NCB and NCW decreased ST. MCB and MCW also increased accumulated ST during overwintering (131–161 °C) under the tilled system. PFM on MC increased the root length and weight densities by 10–17% and 25–32%, respectively; NCB and NCW decreased RCs by 8–15.2% across the soil depth. Additionally, afternoon and evening STs at 5–20 cm positively correlated with RCs and yield attributes (r > 0.84), whereas morning ST and a 40 cm depth were negatively correlated (r < −0.77). Under tilled conditions, both MCB and MCW substantially increased grain yield (10–12%) and biomass (31–38%) compared with MC. In contrast, NCB and NCW showed no yield and biomass advantage and even reductions (16–12% and 14–3%, respectively) compared with NC. FPM improved STs, RCs, and yield under tilled conditions but not in no-till systems, highlighting the need for supplementary practices to optimize ST in no-till systems. Full article

Improper irrigation and fertilization can easily lead to soil nutrient imbalance, inhibit microbial reproduction, and thereby reduce soil quality and crop yield. This study conducted winter wheat planting experiments in 2023–2025, setting three muddy water (sediment-laden irrigation water) treatments of different sediment concentrations (3, 6 and 9 kg·m⁻³), irrigation levels (0.50–0.65, 0.65–0.80 and 0.80–0.95 FC), and nitrogen application rates (100, 160 and 220 kg·ha⁻¹). An L9(3³) orthogonal experimental design was applied to evaluate the influence of water and nitrogen regulation on soil properties, microbial community structure, and wheat productivity. The results showed the following: Among these treatments, the T5 treatment (6 kg·m⁻³, 0.65–0.80 FC, 160 kg·ha⁻¹) significantly improved the root zone environment, and the total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃⁻-N), and soil organic carbon (SOC) content also increased significantly. T5 also enhanced the diversity and network complexity of bacterial and fungal communities. Notably, genera such as Lysobacter, Lasiobolidium, and Ascobolus became central to nitrogen transformation and nutrient cycling. Structural equation modeling revealed the interdependent mechanism between soil quality, microorganisms, and wheat yield: NO₃⁻-N and SOC drive improvements in soil quality, while microbial community structure and network complexity are key to yield increases, with fungal communities making the largest direct contribution to yield (R² = 0.93). The T5 treatment increased two-year yields by 21.34–24.96% compared to conventional irrigation and fertilization (CK2), improved irrigation water use efficiency by 56.40–57.51% and peak nitrogen agronomic efficiency. The synergistic effect of “soil quality optimization–enhanced microbial activity–efficient utilization of water and nitrogen–high wheat yield” has been achieved, providing a theoretical basis and practical reference for scientific water and nitrogen management and sustainable yield increase in winter wheat in the Yellow River Basin and similar areas. Full article

Mulch film recycling is essential for reducing soil pollution, ensuring sustainable land use, and promoting green agricultural development. This study examines the impact of agricultural labor age on mulch film recycling behavior, utilizing survey data from 739 households in Xinjiang. The relationship between labor age and recycling behavior follows an inverted U-shape, with participation initially increasing and then decreasing as age advances. We explore the mediating roles of human capital and ecological cognition in this relationship. Both human capital and ecological cognition display inverted U-shaped patterns with age, which in turn influence recycling behavior. Furthermore, social norms were found to positively moderate the relationship between labor age and ecological cognition, while no significant moderating effect was observed between age and human capital. These findings suggest that enhancing human capital and ecological awareness, coupled with the reinforcement of social norms, can facilitate mulch film recycling. The study underscores the importance of developing targeted policies to support various age groups in adopting sustainable agricultural practices. Full article