Effect of different mulching materials on soil properties and growth in the early stage of maize
In order to investigate the effect of different mulching materials on soil properties and growth of maize in the early stage, a pot experiment was conducted in dry-farming areas of Ningxia to determine the effects of different mulching materials on soil temperature, soil water, nutrient status and g...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Zhejiang University Press
2015-05-01
|
| Series: | 浙江大学学报. 农业与生命科学版 |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.academax.com/doi/10.3785/j.issn.1008-9209.2014.10.203 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | In order to investigate the effect of different mulching materials on soil properties and growth of maize in the early stage, a pot experiment was conducted in dry-farming areas of Ningxia to determine the effects of different mulching materials on soil temperature, soil water, nutrient status and growth of maize in the early stage. Different mulching material treatments of our pot experiment were introduced, which included white plastic film, black plastic film, bast fiber film, and maize straw. A flat plot without mulch was used as a control.Our study results showed that, from seedling stage to the large bell stage of maize, the average temperature in 10 cm depth soil layer of white film and black film treatments was 1.3℃ and 2.2℃ significantly higher than that of control, respectively. In contrast, the temperature of soil mulched with maize straw or bast fiber film slightly dropped compared with the control.In the early growth stage of maize, the maize straw and bast fiber film treatments have the best effect on water conservation: The soil water storage (0-20 cm) were 38.1% and 34.4% significantly higher than that of the control, respectively, followed by the white and black plastic film treatments.The bast fiber film and straw treatments significantly increased the soil organic matter content, available nitrogen content, and available phosphorus content at 0-20 cm compared with the control. However, the available potassium content of the bast fiber film and maize straw treatments was slightly lower than the control.Under the treatments of fiber film and straw, the large bell stage of maize was 7 and 8 days earlier than that of control, respectively. The bast fiber film and straw treatments promoted the growth in the early stage of maize, and the biomass and plant height of maize under the two treatments were significantly higher than that of the control.Taken together, the bast fiber film and maize straw treatments not only significantly decreased the soil temperature, but also increased soil water and nutrient contents, thereby promoting the early stage growth of maize. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1008-9209 2097-5155 |