Extreme weather conditions with negative impacts can strongly affect agricultural production. In the Danjiangkou reservoir area, citrus yields were greatly influenced by cold weather conditions and drought stress in 2011. Soil straw mulching (SM) practices have a major effect on soil water and thermal regimes. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate whether the SM practices can help achieve favorable citrus fruit yields. Results showed that the annual total runoff was significantly (P<0.05) reduced with SM as compared to the control (CK). Correspondingly, mean soil water storage in the top 100 cm of the soil profile was increased in the SM as compared to the CK treatment. However, this result was significant only in the dry season (Jan to Mar), and not in the wet season (Jul to Sep) for both years. Interestingly, the SM treatment did not significantly increase citrus fruit yield in 2010 but did so in 2011, when the citrus crop was completely destroyed (zero fruit yield) in the CK treatment plot due to extremely low temperatures during the citrus overwintering stage. The mulch probably acted as an insulator, resulting in smaller fluctuations in soil temperature in the SM than in the CK treatment. The results suggested that the small effects on soil water and temperature changes created by surface mulch had limited impact on citrus fruit yield in a normal year (e.g., in 2010). However, SM practices can positively impact citrus fruit yield in extreme weather conditions.

No abstract

The silk industry is important for south China's rural economy. Leaves of mulberry (Morus spp.) are used for silkworm production. Hubei province is one of the main silk‐producing provinces in China. The objectives of this research were to survey the fertilization practices in the mulberry‐producing regions in the province and to determine the best nutrition‐management practice for mulberry plantations. A survey and a series of field experiments with N, P, K, and micronutrients were conducted from 2001 to 2002. In addition, a silkworm‐growth experiment was also conducted by feeding leaves harvested from various fertilization treatments. The results indicate that poor soil fertility and unbalanced fertilization were the main factors limiting mulberry‐leaf yield and quality in Hubei province. Nitrogen fertilization of mulberry has reached a high level (454 kg ha–1 y–1) in Hubei province, but P‐ and K‐fertilization rates have not been matched with N‐fertilization rates as farmers are not aware of the significance of P and K. Balanced fertilization showed positive nutrient interactions with respect to mulberry yield and quality. Potassium application increased yield and quality (protein and sugar concentration) of mulberry leaves. Silkworm growth and cocoon quality were improved when silkworms were fed with the leaves derived from K‐fertilized plants in comparison with those taken from control plots. Application of Mg, S, and B also significantly improved leaf sugar, essential and total amino acid concentrations, but did not increase leaf yield significantly. It is concluded that a fertilizer dose of 375 kg N ha–1, 66 kg P ha–1, and 125 kg K ha–1 is suitable for the cultivation of mulberry in the Hubei province along with Mg, S, and B, wherever necessary, for the improvement of yield and quality of mulberry leaves.