Fall Straw Incorporation with Plastic Film Cover Increases Corn Yield and Water Use Efficiency under a Semi-Arid Climate

Zhe Zhang, Na Li, Zhanxiang Sun (), Guanghua Yin (), Yanqing Zhang, Wei Bai, Liangshan Feng and John Yang
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Zhe Zhang: Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Na Li: Engineering Research Center for Dryland and Water-Efficient Farming of Liaoning Province, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Zhanxiang Sun: Engineering Research Center for Dryland and Water-Efficient Farming of Liaoning Province, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Guanghua Yin: Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Yanqing Zhang: Academy of Agriculture Planning and Engineering, Mara, Beijing 100081, China
Wei Bai: Academy of Agriculture Planning and Engineering, Mara, Beijing 100081, China
Liangshan Feng: Engineering Research Center for Dryland and Water-Efficient Farming of Liaoning Province, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
John Yang: Department of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences & Cooperative Research, Lincoln University of Missouri, Jefferson City, MO 65102, USA

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: Corn straw incorporation in soil has been regarded as an environment-friendly approach for straw utilization. However, straw incorporation has been a challenge under a cold and dry climate due to slow decomposition. This field study was to use a novel approach to incorporate corn straw into the soil during the fall season with a plastic film cover in an effort to enhance the straw degradation, soil water use efficiency, and corn growth and yield. Two-year field experiments were conducted in northeast China to investigate the effects of four treatments on soil properties and corn growth: (1) straw incorporation with film cover, (2) straw incorporation only, (3) film cover only, and (4) control. Soils and corn plants were collected during the growing season and analyzed for soil temperature and moisture, straw degradation, corn biomass, grain yield, and water use efficiency. Results indicated that straw incorporation with film cover increased grain yield by 53% as compared to straw incorporation only and by 102% to control. The straw decomposition under film cover was 20% faster, significantly higher than that of the straw incorporation treatment. In all cases, soil water content before planting, corn water uptake, and corn water use efficiency under straw incorporation with film cover were significantly higher than straw incorporation and control. Surface film cover resulted in 10-day earlier corn tasseling in compared to treatments without film cover. This field study demonstrated that straw incorporation with film cover would enhance straw degradation in soil, improve soil properties, and increase corn yield and water use efficiency, which could be potentially used as a sustainable soil management practice in northeast China.

Keywords: straw incorporation; film cover; mulching; corn water use; corn yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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