Effect of Irrigation Schemes on Forage Yield, Water Use Efficiency, and Nutrients in Artificial Grassland under Arid Conditions

Abstract

Artificial grasslands are effective solutions to problems with grassland degradation. Water scarcity is an important limitation for grassland production in arid regions. In this study, we carried out comparison experiments to assess the impacts of irrigation schemes on forage yield, water use efficiency, and nutrients in the single and mixed sowing ways of Medicago sativa L. and Agropyron cristatum in different stages in artificial grassland. Results indicated that deficit irrigation can increase forage yields of M. sativa and A. cristatum in most growth stages and sowing treatments. Heavy deficit irrigation or even no irrigation had the greatest potential to increase forage yields of both species in the squaring stage and instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUEI) in all growth stages. They can also significantly increase the nutritional level of M. sativa using a mixed sowing method. In June and September, only irrigating to near field capacity (T1) can increase the long-term water-use efficiency (WUEL) of both species. We suggest irrigating with water to near field capacity in June, and applying deficit irrigation in July and August. Deficit irrigation is an effective water management technique to both save water and increase forage quality in arid areas.

How does grassland management affect physical and biochemical properties of temperate grassland soils? A review study

“…Therefore, they will result in an increase in soil organic matter content, consequently, improve soil structure (Haynes & Naidu, 1998). As expected, at high rate of liming reduces soil acidity-related limitations (Tian et al, 2017), and consequently cause an increase in microbial respiration, organic material decomposition and dissolved organic C level in soil solution. (Mijangos et al, 2010).…”

A Soil Moisture Prediction Model, Based on Depth and Water Balance Equation: A Case Study of the Xilingol League Grassland

“…The Xilingol League grassland in Inner Mongolia has a low precipitation and uneven distribution, and in the process of promoting its sustainable development, the ecological protection should be the center, and some local areas with severely degraded grasslands should be the priority areas for construction and protection work. In order to prevent the increase of the soil aridity and thus prevent the land desertification and soil slabbing, the appropriate irrigation plans can be made and appropriate grazing can be achieved to realize the scientific management of the grasslands [58]. This promotes the ecological stability and the sustainable development of the grasslands, while rationalizing land use.…”

How High-Quality Urbanization Affects Utilization Efficiency of Agricultural Water Resources in the Yellow River Basin under Double Control Action?

“…In particular, the rate of increase in agricultural water utilization efficiency during 2007-2011 was relatively obvious, but the rate slowed between 2015 and 2016. In addition, the Ningxia and Shanxi provinces had the fastest average annual growth rates, which are inseparable from the local government's water resources management system policies and industrial development [57,58]. However, pointed out that the comprehensive water efficiency in China still has great water-saving potential, on the basis of the investigation of pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency of agricultural water [59].…”