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Straw Strip Mulching Increases Winter Wheat Yield by Optimizing Water Consumption Characteristics in a Semi-Arid Environment
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Researchers found that straw strip mulching increases winter wheat yield in semi-arid environments by optimizing water consumption characteristics, conducting two-year field experiments comparing straw mulching against plastic film and no-mulching treatments as part of efforts to develop sustainable alternatives to plastic film mulching.
To investigate the feasibility of replacing plastic film with straw in semi-arid areas and establishing coordinated cultivation technology for high winter wheat yield and efficient resource utilization, a two-year field experiment was conducted under six treatments, specifically CK (no-mulching), S1 (59% of the field area straw mulched), S2 (50% of the field area straw mulched), S3 (42% of the field area straw mulched), BM (full-cover transparent plastic mulch), and HM (full-cover black plastic mulch). The effects of mulching measures on soil moisture, water consumption characteristics, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat farmland in rain-fed semiarid regions were studied. The results showed that, compared with CK, straw strip mulching reduced total water consumption by 15.39 mm on average, the soil organic carbon content at the 0–40 cm soil layer increased by 4.68%, yield by 6.90%, WUEr by 11.27%, and WUEb by 16.51%. Compared with CK, the total water consumption and soil organic carbon content in each growth period of plastic film mulching were not significantly different, but the yield, WUEr, and WUEb increased by 16.28%, 15.29%, and 25.50%, respectively. Among the three straw strip mulching treatments, treatment S3 had the highest yield, which was equivalent to that of plastic film mulching. The S3 treatment with 42% of the field area straw mulched is recommended in this stusy as the optimal replacement of plastic film mulching in semi-arid environments.
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Can dual mulching outperform single mulching in arid agriculture—Loess Plateau? A meta‐analysis based on crop yield and water use efficiency
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This study compares the performance of dual mulching systems — combining two types of plastic film or layering strategies — against single mulching in arid agricultural environments. Results indicate that dual mulching better conserves soil moisture, moderates temperature extremes, and improves crop yields under water-limited conditions. However, the authors also note increased plastic residue accumulation as a trade-off requiring careful management to prevent long-term soil contamination.
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