In:
PeerJ, PeerJ, Vol. 9 ( 2021-03-03), p. e10967-
Abstract:
China is the leading consumer of plastic film worldwide. Plastic film mulched ridge-furrow is one of the most widely adopted agronomic and field management practices in rain-fed agriculture in dry-land areas of China. The efficiency of plastic film mulching as a viable method to decrease evapotranspiration (ET), increase crop yields, and water use efficiency (WUE), has been demonstrated extensively by earlier studies. Methods A comprehensive evaluation of how co-application of plastic-film mulch and biochar in different agro-environments under varying climatic conditions influence ET, crop yield, WUE, and soil microbial activity were assessed. We performed a meta-analysis using the PRISMA guideline to assess the effect of plastic-film mulched ridge-furrow and biochar on ET, yield, and WUE of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), and maize ( Zea mays L.) in northern China. Results The use of plastic film increased average yields of wheat (75.7%), potato (20.2%), and maize (12.9%) in Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces, respectively due to the reduction in ET by 12.8% in Gansu, 0.5% in Ningxia, and 4.1% in Shanxi, but increased in Shaanxi by 0.5% compared to no-mulching. These changes may be attributed to the effect of plastic film mulch application which simultaneously increased WUE by 68.5% in Gansu, 23.9% in Ningxia, 16.2% in Shaanxi, and 12.8% in Shanxi, respectively. Compared to flat planting without mulching, in three years, the yield of maize increased with the co-application of plastic film and biochar by 22.86% in the Shanxi and Shaanxi regions. Conclusion Our analysis revealed co-application of plastic film with biochar is integral for improving soil and water conservation in rain-fed agriculture and as an integrated practice to avert drought while simultaneously mitigating runoff and erosion.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2167-8359
DOI:
10.7717/peerj.10967/fig-1
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10.7717/peerj.10967/fig-2
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-1
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-2
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-3
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-4
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-5
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-6
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10.7717/peerj.10967/table-7
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10.7717/peerj.10967/supp-1
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10.7717/peerj.10967/supp-2
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10.7717/peerj.10967/supp-3
DOI:
10.7717/peerj.10967/supp-4
Language:
English
Publisher:
PeerJ
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2703241-3
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