Effects of surface straw mulching and buried straw layer on soil water content and salinity dynamics in saline soils

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of wheat straw return methods, which included the use of surface straw mulch and a buried straw layer, on soil water content, electrical conductivity (EC), and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of saline sodic soils in an effort to identify useful ways for reducing soil salt accumulation and enhancing soil water content. The results showed that the straw return treatments were effective for inhibiting salt accumulation and soil water loss, resulting in a reduction of EC and SAR but an enhancement of soil water content. After a year-long experiment, compared with the treatment with no straw return, the straw burial and straw mulching treatments decreased the EC by 10.5% and 3.5%, reduced the SAR by 7.4% and 21.5%, and increased the soil water by 0.9% and 4.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the combined application of straw layer burial and surface straw return had a more significant effect than the individual treatments; the positive effect of straw return occurred mainly focused in the topsoil (0–40 cm) and decreased with increasing soil depth. Our results allowed us to conclude that burial of the straw layer was necessary to enhance the effects of surface mulch, and the combination of surface mulch (3.0 t ha−1 of wheat straw) and straw layer burial (6.0 t ha−1 of wheat straw) proved to be a better straw return method than the others.

Impacts of crop residues on soil health: a review

“…Soil salinization and alkalization severely constrain crop productivity in the world, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Crop residue application has the potential to improve saline-alkali soils through water and salt management [86]. A three-year field experiment conducted by Zhang et al showed that the salt leaching flux increased with different straw thickness (3 cm, 5 cm, 7 cm) treatment, and the results showed that the content of salt decreased by 3.07-36.82% in the 0-40 cm soil layer with compacted straw input of 7 cm [87].…”

Enhancing crop yield and conserving soil moisture through mulching practices in dryland agriculture

“…Increase soil water holding capacity (Zhao et al, 2012) Increase soil water holding and availability (Jabran et al, 2015) Maximize moisture contents and maize productivity (Lee et al, 2019) Degradable film mulch Maximize soil water availability (Li et al, 2012) Increase soil water content (Li et al, 2012) Improve soil water holding capacity (Song et al, 2019)…”

“…Boost the availability of soil moisture (Torres-Olivar et al, 2018) lower water requirements and higher water production (Jat et al, 2015) Sand mulch Increase water content in the soil (Song et al, 2019) Compost created from municipal garbage An 85% rise in the percolation of water (Agassi et al, 1998) Oats straws and olive twigs as mulch less water lost during precipitation (Garcıá-Orenes et al, 2009) Transparent plastic mulch increased humidity in the canopy air and soil water content (Snyder et al, 2015) Black plastic mulch increased soil temperature, moisture content, and maize morphological requirements (Javaid et al, 2022)…”

Straw Returning Proves Advantageous for Regulating Water and Salt Levels, Facilitating Nutrient Accumulation, and Promoting Crop Growth in Coastal Saline Soils

“…First, the practice of returning straw to the field is instrumental in improving the soil structure of saline soils, which in turn enhances soil permeability. This improvement facilitates water infiltration and helps to prevent the accumulation of salt [52]. Additionally, straw returning plays a crucial role in regulating soil water by maintaining optimal moisture levels, thus creating favorable conditions for crop growth [53].…”