Search Results (43)

Mulching is an agronomic practice that improves orchard soil and promotes root growth. To investigate the regulatory effects of different mulching materials on soil properties, microbial communities, and root function in apple orchards, eight treatments were established: clean tillage (CK), organic fertilizer mulching (OFM), chopped corn straw mulching (SM1), chopped and bundled corn straw mulching (SM2), intact corn stover mulching (SM3), composted apple branch mulching (BM), horticultural ground cover fabric mulching (FM), and weed mulching (WM). The results showed that OFM, BM, SM1, and SM3 exhibited effective cooling effects during summer. During the peak root-flush period, OFM, SM3, and BM significantly reduced soil bulk density, increased porosity, enhanced soil organic matter and available nutrient contents, and elevated the activities of soil sucrase, urease, and catalase. Moreover, these treatments promoted the accumulation of carbohydrates and the uptake of mineral nutrients in roots. OFM and SM3 significantly increased the Simpson index of both soil bacterial and fungal communities, while BM improved the beta diversity of bacterial and fungal communities. OFM, SM3, and BM can effectively improve soil physicochemical properties, optimize microbial community structure, and enhance root nutrient uptake. It is recommended as a mulching measure for soil in northern apple orchards. Among the eight treatments evaluated, OFM, SM3, and BM exhibited superior performance in improving soil physicochemical properties, promoting root function, and enhancing microbial community diversity. Therefore, the findings of this study provide an effective soil management strategy for apple orchards in the cold northern regions of China. Full article

This study investigated the effects of Potentilla fruticosa planting on plant community succession in a spoil heap, analyzed changes in soil enzyme activities under different planting methods, and explored the relationships between soil enzyme activities and plant community diversity across these planting approaches. This experiment selected Potentilla fruticosa planted under different restoration modes (covered with soil, covered with straw curtain, not covered) in Shuanglonggou gangue Mountain, Tianzhu County, Gansu Province, as the research object. The growth status and activities of soil urease, alkaline phosphatase, catalase and sucrase and their correlation were measured in different repair modes in the untreated waste rock (CK). The results showed that (1) the Simpson dominance index and Pielou evenness index decreased to a certain extent under the condition of plant community analysis; Shannon diversity index decreased in the case of curtain covering, but increased in the other two treatments. The richness index of Margalef increased to some extent, and reached the maximum when the curtain was covered. (2) The activity of soil urease and alkaline phosphatase was the lowest in the plots covered by straw curtain, and the activity was 104.4 μg/d/g and 334.5 μg/d/g, respectively. (3) The change in soil catalase activity was not obvious with the increase in soil depth, and the catalase activity in deep soil reached the maximum of 945.3 μg/d/g in the mulch soil sample. (4) The planting of golden dew had a certain effect on the activity of sucrase in shallow soil, and the maximum sucrase activity reached 15.3 μg/d/g under the condition that the planting of Potentilla fruticosa was not covered. (5) Soil urease activity and soil alkaline phosphatase activity were significantly positively correlated with plant community diversity index, while soil catalase activity and soil sucrase activity were negatively correlated with plant community diversity. (6) The total nitrogen content in the soil shows a significant positive correlation with soil urease activity. While soil alkaline phosphatase activity is significantly negatively correlated with soil moisture content, it shows a highly significant positive correlation with soil total nitrogen content. Furthermore, soil sucrase activity demonstrates a highly significant positive correlation with soil bulk density and soil available phosphorus content. To sum up, the planting of golden plum can promote the ecological restoration of gangue mountain soil, and provide a theoretical and scientific basis for ecological restoration and soil quality improvement in the Qilian Mountain mining area. Full article

The sustainable management of Northern China’s vulnerable agro-pastoral ecotone requires a clearer understanding of how tillage systems affect crop productivity through local soil-climate interactions. Therefore, this study was conducted to quantify and compare the long term effects of different tillage practices on soil hydrothermal regimes, resource use efficiency, and maize yield stability in a semi-arid agroecosystem. A long term five-year field experiment with maize was conducted in this ecotone to assess three tillage methods: no tillage (NT), deep ploughing (DP), and conventional rotary tillage (RT). Seasonal monitoring included soil moisture, temperature, bulk density, and straw cover. Analyses focused on soil water use efficiency (WUE), the production efficiency per soil thermal unit (PEsoil), and pathways affecting theoretical calculated yield. Results show that relative to RT and DP, NT consistently elevated soil water content within the 0–30 cm profile during the growing season, with the most marked increases from pre-sowing to the V12 stage. This water-conserving effect was stronger in wet years, highlighting the role of precipitation in NT’s performance. DP also retained more soil water than RT, particularly in deeper layers, though its effect was less pronounced than NT’s. Regarding temperature, NT lowered the daily mean soil temperature and accumulated growing degree days (GDD) in early growth phases, a result of residue cover buffering thermal changes. Despite reduced heat accumulation, NT achieved the greatest efficiencies for both heat and water use (PEsoil and WUE), showing increases of 62.03% and 16.64% over RT, respectively, without yield penalty. Key mechanisms include permanent straw mulch under NT, which curtails evaporation, promotes water infiltration, and stabilizes soil structure, thereby modulating hydrothermal dynamics. Structural equation modeling indicated that soil water content, ear number per hectare, and hundred-kernel weight directly and positively determined final yield. Tillage methods exerted indirect effects on yield by modifying soil physical traits and microclimatic conditions. In this semi-arid setting, both NT and DP outperformed RT in conserving soil water, moderating soil temperature, and boosting resource use efficiency. These practices present viable strategies for strengthening crop resilience and sustaining productivity amid climatic variability. Full article

The residues of rice production could be used as a mulch to reduce the effects of rill erosion on long and steep hillslopes. However, there is a need to identify the most effective size of this residue to apply as a countermeasure of rill erosion, exploring its effect on hydraulic variables. Several investigations have focused on the anti-erosive effects of other crop residues, while experiences on rice straw applications to reduce rill erosion are still lacking. To fill this gap, this study has measured the variability in flow velocity, stream power and the resulting soil loss in a rill covered by rice straw. Flume experiments simulating rill erosion have been carried out comparing soil loss among treatments with rice straw (dose of 3 tonnes ha⁻¹ and lengths between 20 and 70, 80 and 130, or 140 and 190 mm) and a non-mulched control. Moreover, a multiple regression model that predicts soil loss for a rill cover with rice straw of a given length has been proposed. The application of rice straw reduced the soil loss by at least 20% compared to bare soils. The most suitable size of the applied straw was 90 to 130 mm, which reduces soil loss by 45%. Finer straw (20 to 70 mm) did not significantly improve the soil’s resistance to rill erosion. The beneficial effects of straw must be ascribed to the reduction in flow velocity due to the presence of straw, as shown by accurate power equations regressing the soil loss to this variable. In spite of some limitations (small experimental scale, local environmental conditions, and low incorporation level of the substrate), the results are useful for land managers and hydrologists for soil conservation in hillslopes subjected to intense rill erosion and with similar climatic and hydrological and geomorphological conditions as the case study. Full article

Improving sowing quality is crucial for ensuring wheat emergence and healthy growth. To address issues of poor wheat sowing quality, such as uneven sowing depth and inadequate soil coverage, in the Yangtze River Delta region of China, this study systematically analyzed the effects of the implement’s structural and operational parameters on sowing quality. Based on this analysis, a double-shaft rotary tillage and double-press seeder was designed. Protrusions on the grooving press roller are used to form seed furrows, rotary tiller blades cover the seeds with soil, and the rear press roller compacts the soil. DEM-MBD (discrete element method–multibody dynamics) coupled simulations, combined with single-factor and central composite design (CCD) experiments, were conducted with seeding depth as the evaluation index and four experimental factors: the protrusion height on the press grooving roller, forward speed, seed mass in the seed box, and straw mulching amount. The optimal protrusion height was 29 mm. The effects of rotary tiller blade working depth, rotational speed, and forward speed on soil-covering mass and its coefficient of variation were evaluated through discrete element method (DEM) simulations. The optimal working depth and rotational speed were found to be 55 mm and 350 r·min⁻¹, respectively, based on single-factor and Box–Behnken Design experiments. Field experiments based on optimized parameters showed results consistent with the simulations. The qualified rate of seeding depth decreased as forward speed increased. The optimal forward speed was 4.5 km·h⁻¹, at which the average seeding depth was 25.7 mm, the qualified seeding depth rate was 90%, the soil-covering mass within a 50 cm² area was 143.2 g, and the coefficient of variation was 13.21%, meeting the requirements for wheat sowing operations. Full article

Biodegradable agricultural films manufactured with straw serve as a viable substitute for plastic films, effectively addressing the issue of white pollution. However, existing biodegradable straw fiber films exhibit insufficient mechanical properties, primarily characterized by their susceptibility to fracture damage. To address this issue, a novel method for the preparation of film raw materials was proposed, which employs the synergistic treatment of bioenzymes and a single screw extruder, with the aim of enhancing the mechanical properties of the film. The method begins with the application of microbial agents to pretreat the straw, for improving its fiber morphology and inducing beneficial physicochemical structural changes. Subsequently, single screw extrusion technology is employed to further enhance the quality of the straw fibers and the mechanical performance of the film. The bio-mechanical pulp produced with this method demonstrated an increase in the crystallinity index (CrI) from 50.33% to 60.78%, while the degree of polymerization (DP) decreased from 866.51 to 749.60. Furthermore, the tensile strength, tear strength, and burst strength of the fiber covering film increased by 35.74%, 16.22%, and 11.65%, respectively, which meet the mechanical durability requirements for farmland mulching. This research effectively mitigates agricultural white pollution by converting agricultural waste straw into biodegradable mulch film, which promotes the recycling of straw resources. This study presents a novel method with significant potential application value for the production of bio-pulping in the paper industry. Full article

A reduction in emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O), one of the three major greenhouse gases, is important for achieving environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality goals. Agricultural fields are the primary source of N₂O emissions, and their management measures influence greenhouse gas emission reductions and the greening of agriculture. Among these practices, cover cropping plays a key role in promoting sustainable agricultural production as a major cropping technique for efficient water use and increasing crop yields in water-scarce regions worldwide. The present paper systematically reviews the influence of various soil environmental factors, such as soil temperature, moisture, pH, carbon, and nitrogen contents, as well as nitrogen cycle-related enzymes, microorganisms and mulching practices, including general mulching and straw mulching, on N₂O emissions from agricultural fields. This review suggests that future research should explore the long-term effects of different mulching materials and their application rates and durations on soil N₂O emissions. Furthermore, a networked mathematical model for causal analysis should be employed in future research to elucidate the relationships among soil environmental factors, nitrogen cycle microorganisms, and soil N₂O production and consumption. These future studies will help to deepen our understanding of nitrogen cycling processes in agroecosystems with the aim of developing environmentally friendly agricultural technologies and promoting green and sustainable agricultural development. Full article

Agriculture in the Indian Sundarbans deltaic region primarily depends on a rice-based monocropping system during the rainy season, with the subsequent season often remaining fallow. To mitigate this issue, a series of experiments using zero tillage and straw mulching (ZTSM) potato cultivation were conducted over eight consecutive years (2017–2024) across various islands in the Sundarbans Delta, West Bengal, aimed to intensify the cropping system and ensure the betterment of the land use pattern using climate-smart agricultural practices. In the initial two years, the experiments concentrated on assessing different potato cultivars and nutrient dosages under zero tillage and paddy straw mulching conditions. During the subsequent years, the focus shifted to field demonstrations under diverse climatic conditions. The research included the application of different macronutrients and growth regulators, in combination with different depths of straw mulching. In the final years of the study, the intervention was dedicated solely to the horizontal expansion of cultivated land. These initiatives aimed to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainable land use in the polders, promoting climate-resilient farming practices. From the sets of experiments, we standardized the sustainable nutrient management strategies and selection of appropriate potato cultivars vis-à-vis depth of straw mulching and, finally, the overall best agronomic practices for the region. The adoption of the ZTSM potato cultivation system demonstrated considerable success, as evidenced by the remarkable increase in the number of farmers employing this sustainable agricultural practice. The number of farmers practicing zero tillage potato cultivation surged from 23 in the initial year to over 1100, covering an area of more than 15 ha, highlighting the effectiveness of the technology. The analysis of the estimated adoption also showed that more than 90% adoption is likely to be achieved within a decade. This potential expansion underscores the benefits of the ZTSM potato cultivation system in improving soil health, conserving water, and reducing labour and costs. As more farmers recognize the advantages of zero tillage potato mulching, this approach is poised to play a pivotal role in sustainable agriculture, enhancing productivity while promoting environmental stewardship. Full article

Soil mulching practices in apple orchards offer an effective solution to combat declining soil quality, restore land productivity, and boost apple yield. The kinetic parameters of soil enzymes, specifically the maximum reaction rate (V_max) and the Michaelis constant (K_m), are critical indicators of enzyme activity, while the temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) reflects the thermal stability of the enzymatic reaction system. However, the effects of different mulching practices on soil enzyme kinetic parameters and their temperature sensitivity remain poorly understood, and there is no consensus regarding the most effective mulching strategies for soil conservation. To address this gap, we focused on a typical apple orchard ecosystem in the Loess Plateau region and investigated the responses of soil enzyme kinetic parameters and their temperature sensitivity to various mulching practices, including different cover materials, grass species for cover crops, and cover duration. Our results show that, among the mulching practices, both ryegrass (RE) and maize straw significantly enhanced the maximum enzyme catalytic reaction rates (V_max) and catalytic efficiency (K_cat) of β-glucosidase (BG), N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). In contrast, black fabric (BF) reduced the temperature sensitivity of the enzyme system by decreasing V_max and K_cat. Among the grass species used for cover, crown vetch (CV) had the most pronounced effect on V_max, while long-term grass cover was more effective in improving the nutrient utilisation capacity of the soil enzyme system. Overall, maize straw and long-term grass cover were found to be the most effective in enhancing the soil enzyme system’s ability to decompose and utilise substrates efficiently. This study identifies soil nutrients as key factors influencing the temperature sensitivity of enzyme kinetics. Our findings provide a scientific basis for developing and applying orchard conservation practices and offer technical support for selecting and promoting soil management strategies that improve soil quality and contribute to the sustainable development of the apple industry in the Loess Plateau. Full article

The European Union prioritizes nature restoration, particularly in semiarid Mediterranean regions where integrating degraded coal mining areas into the landscape is essential. This involves maximizing water use and controlling runoff. A rehabilitation project in a former mining quarry was conducted with the objective of constructing suitable Technosols to support vegetation, limit erosion, and reduce rehabilitation costs. To prepare the substrate, mine spoils (saline materials) were mixed with residual materials, including discarded lignite powder, sewage sludge, pig slurry, and straw. Pig slurry was also introduced as a mulch in the experiment. A complete randomized block design with three replicates was set up, with each block containing two plots of the prepared substrate. In one of the plots, pig slurry was applied on the surface as a mulch to enhance infiltration and promote plant establishment. The quality of the newly created Technosols and the benefits of mulch application were evaluated 2 and 4 years after the rehabilitation. After two years, salt-tolerant plant species colonized the rehabilitated areas, providing sufficient vegetation cover to control water, soil, and nutrient losses, keeping soil losses below a 2.2 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ threshold. Four years later, the new Technosols showed a fourfold increase in soluble organic-C content (up to 0.59 g kg⁻¹) and higher soil respiration rates compared to the mine spoils and lignite powder in the surrounding degraded quarry areas. No significant differences were observed in any parameters due to superficial slurry application. Addressing salinity and optimizing vegetation cover are crucial for the successful formation and sustainability of Technosols in these environments. Full article

Straw mulching in conservation tillage farmland can effectively promote land utilization and conservation. However, in this farming mode, surface straw suppresses weed growth, affecting weed size and position distribution and obscuring the weeds, which hampers effective weed management in the field. Accurate weed identification and localization, along with efficient herbicide application, are crucial for achieving precise, efficient, and intelligent precision agriculture. To address these challenges, this study proposes a weed detection model for a targeted spraying system. Firstly, we collected the dataset of weeds in a straw-covered environment. Secondly, we proposed an improved YOLO v5s network, incorporating a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), FasterNet feature extraction network, and a loss function to optimize the network structure and training strategy. Thirdly, we designed a targeted spraying system by combining the proposed model with the targeted spraying device. Through model test and spraying experiments, the results demonstrated that while the model exhibited a 0.9% decrease in average detection accuracy for weeds, it achieved an 8.46% increase in detection speed, with model memory and computational load reduced by 50.36% and 53.16%, respectively. In the spraying experiments, the proposed method achieved a weed identification accuracy of 90%, a target localization error within 4%, an effective spraying rate of 96.3%, a missed spraying rate of 13.3%, and an erroneous spraying rate of 3.7%. These results confirm the robustness of the model and the feasibility of the targeted spraying method. This approach also promotes the application of deep learning algorithms in precision weed management within directional spraying systems. Full article

Organic mulching is a promising technique for sustainable weed control and soil management, as it enhances crop growth, soil quality, water retention, and erosion control. This research evaluated the effects of organic mulches—wheat straw, wood chips, spray cellulose pulp, compost, and a cover crop mixture—on the physical–mechanical properties of organic garden soil transitioning to natural farming. The controlled soil received no mulch. The soil was fertilized with mature bovine manure prior to a three-year crop rotation of tomato, lettuce, and savoy cabbage. Mulching occurred after the second harrowing and before transplanting. Soil analyses were conducted to assess changes after three years. Soil organic carbon levels increased significantly in soils treated with compost, cover crops, or chipped wood mulching (6.81, 3.17, and 2.07%, respectively) compared to other treatments (1.24% in the control plot). Different kinds of mulch had a significant impact on soil’s physical–mechanical parameters. Compost, compared to the control, decreased the bulk density (from 1.22 to 0.89 Mg m⁻³), increased the infiltration rate (from 8.53 to 21.07 L m⁻²), and reduced compressive deformation (from 37.08 to 18.23%). The composition of mulch materials, specifically their nitrogen and carbon concentrations, C/N ratio, and moisture content, plays a significant role in influencing changes in soil properties. Full article

Straw mulching cultivation technology can improve the soil environment of farmland, and it is applied in the dry farming area of Northwestern China. There are few studies on the effect of corn straw mulching on the soil temperature and yield of potato fields in dry land in Northwestern China. In this paper, three treatments, black film ridge (HM), corn straw mulching mechanized no-tillage planting (JG) and no-covering open field flat planting (CK), were set up in the period of 2022 to 2023. A field plot experiment was carried out to determine the soil temperature, growth index, and yield data during the key growth period. The statistical analysis results show that JG and HM significantly increased the potato yield, by 12.27~18.30% and 13.09~18.10%, compared with CK, but there was no significant difference between JG and HM. The yield was significantly positively correlated with tuber weight per plant at the tuber expansion stage, starch accumulation stage, and harvest stage (0.47 *~0.60 **), and significantly negatively correlated with the number of tubers at the harvest stage (−0.54 *). Compared with CK, HM increased the average soil temperature over the whole growth period by 0.27~0.92 °C. In 2022, the increase in the 5 cm soil layer in the tuber expansion period was the largest, reaching 0.83 °C. In 2023, the increase in the 5 cm soil layer in the starch accumulation period was the largest, reaching 3.08 °C. JG reduced the soil temperature over the whole growth period by 0.52 °C, and the 20 cm soil layer in the tuber formation period decreased the most, reaching 1.45 °C, which aggravated the soil temperature change over the whole growth period (the amplitude was 4.13~4.53 °C). The temperature difference between day and night in different growth periods in 2022 was 2.14~5.41 °C, and the soil temperature in some growth periods in 2022 even exceeded that with HM. The results showed that JG could regulate soil temperature and optimize the relationship between tuber weight per plant, tuber number per plant, and biomass allocation during tuber formation, which are beneficial for the improvement of the potato yield in the dry farming area of Northwestern China. Full article

Construction sites rely on erosion control practices to protect bare slopes and prevent soil loss. The effectiveness of certain erosion controls is often under-evaluated if they are not a part of a product evaluation program. Furthermore, erosion controls in general are not fully understood regarding how their performance can be affected by site specific variables, such as soil variations. This study used large-scale rainfall simulators to evaluate how a commonly used erosion control on construction sites, broadcasted straw mulch, performs on three common soil types in Alabama. The study at the Auburn University, Stormwater Research Facility (AU-SRF) used the industry standard testing method and three different soil types: sand, loam, and clay in accordance with ASTM D6459-19, the standard test method for testing rolled erosion control products’ (RECPs) performance in protecting hillslopes from rainfall-induced erosion. As required by ASTM D6459-19, the rainfall simulators simulated a storm of varying 20 min increments of 2 in./h (5.08 cm/h), 4 in./h (10.16 cm/h), and 6 in./h (15.24 cm/h). A total of nine bare soil tests on the 4:1 test plots was performed with an average total soil loss of 1977 lb (897 kg), 236.2 lb (107 kg), and 114.2 lb (51.8 kg) for sand, loam, and clay, respectively. The average erodibility K-factor for each soil type is calculated to be 0.37 (sand), 0.043 (loam), and 0.013 (clay). Nine straw tests were performed on the 4:1 plots, with an average total soil loss of 44.31 lb (20.1 kg), 6.74 lb (3.1 kg), and 17.13 lb (7.8 kg) for sand, loam, and clay, respectively. Straw testing indicated substantial soil loss reduction with average cover management C-factor values under the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) method of 0.021, 0.047, and 0.193 for sand, loam, and clay applications, respectively. This variation in C-factor across the three soil types indicates that the single C-factor, often reported by product manufacturers, is not adequate to imply performance. Full article

To explore the yield-increasing mechanism of mechanized potato planting with corn straw mulching, a two-year (2021 and 2022) field experiment was conducted to study the effects of mechanized no-tillage with straw mulching on potato yield and water use efficiency. This experiment included mechanized no-tillage potato planting with corn straw mulch covering (JG), plastic film mulching (HM), and open flat planting (CK). The results showed that mechanical no-tillage with straw mulching significantly affected soil water content in the 0–100 cm soil layer, yield, and water use efficiency (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in yield between JG and HM, but it was significantly higher than that of CK. The yield of JG was 3.09~12.27% higher than that of CK. The yield increase was mainly achieved by increasing the potato weight per plant (0.697~0.862 **) and the average single potato weight (0.048~0.631). The tuber weight per plant was positively correlated with the plant height at the seedling stage (0.03~0.92 **) and positively correlated with the dry weight of stems and leaves at the tuber expansion stage and starch accumulation stage (0.74 **~0.95 **). It was negatively correlated with the number of branches at the tuber formation stage (−0.33~−0.88 **). Compared with CK, JG could significantly improve the water use efficiency of potatoes and reduce water consumption during the whole growth period of crops. In 2021, JG was 6.5% higher than CK, and HM was 6.88% lower than CK. In 2022, JG and HM increased water use efficiency by 26.17% and 14.50% compared with CK. When HM is applied in heavy soil areas, soil compaction can easily occur, which affects seedling emergence and reduces yield. At the same time, JG has strong adaptability to soil types and good yield stability. It can be seen that JG is a green and efficient mechanized potato cultivation technology suitable for dry farming areas. Full article