Temporal stability analysis evaluates soil water sustainability of different cropping systems in a dryland agricultural ecosystem

Zhang, Yuanhong; Li, Haoyu; Sun, Yuanguang; Zhang, Qi; Liu, Pengzhao; Wang, Rui; Li, Jun

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107834

Cited by 11 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…In the dry year of 2020, SWS in the 0-40 cm layer with VRT was 14.8% lower compared to TT, and 7.9% lower in the 60-180 cm layer compared to DT and TT during the pre-flowering period of forage maize. A similar result was also found in plastic film mulched spring maize on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China [28]. However, during the post-flowering period, SWS treated with VRT was 2.8% higher in the 0-80 cm layer than DT, but 12.2% lower than TT.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Previous research attributes this yield increase to the optimized distribution of soil moisture and the augmented availability of soil water content [27]. While this innovative tillage approach has been successfully trialed in maize production areas across Northeast China, the North China Plain, and Southeast China, its application in dry-land forage maize cultivation in the semiarid locales of the Loess Plateau, northwest China, remains largely unexplored [28]. Hence, this study endeavors to address this technological gap within Gansu province, China.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Deep Vertical Rotary Tillage on Soil Water Use and Yield Formation of Forage Maize on Semiarid Land

Fang,

Tan,

Hou

et al. 2024

Agriculture

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Forage maize is one of the most important feed crops for livestock production, and is mainly grown in northwest China. However, their growth is often stressed by limited soil water availability due to the arid climate. To provide more soil moisture, a high-efficiency tillage technique was required to make crops effectively use soil moisture in deep soil layers. Deep vertical rotary tillage is a promising choice for this purpose. In this study, a long-term (2020–2022) field experiment consisting of three treatments, i.e., traditional tillage (TT), deep rotary tillage (DT), and deep vertical rotary tillage (VRT), was carried out in semiarid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China, to investigate the effects of VRT on soil water storage (SWS), phase crop evapotranspiration (ETc) during the pre- and post-flowering periods, dry matter accumulation, grain yields and the water use efficiency (WUE) of forage maize. The results showed that VRT significantly improved the absorption of soil moisture from deep layers, especially in dry years. During the pre-flowering period of a dry year (2020), VRT decreased SWS by 7.6%–10.0% in the 60–180 cm layer, and by 17.6%–18.5% in the 180–300 cm layer, respectively, compared to DT and TT. As a result, VRT increased ETc during the pre-flowering period by 6.1% and 9.2%, respectively. In wet years (2021 and 2022), VRT increased total ETc by 2.0%–7.9% in 2021, and by 10.1%–14.9% in 2022, respectively. On average, VRT increased the dry matter weight per plant by 1.0%–7.8%, grain yields by 2.4%–38.6%, biomass yields by 3.4%–16.2%, and WUE by 10.1%–30.0%, respectively. Particularly, the benefit of VRT for increasing yields and WUE was more noticeable in dry years. It can be concluded that VRT is a drought-tolerant and yield-boosting tillage technique that is suitable for rain-fed forage maize in semiarid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%