Soil N and salinity leaching after the autumn irrigation and its impact on groundwater in Hetao Irrigation District,China

Soil water and salinity are crucial factors influencing crop production in arid regions. An autumn irrigation system employing the application of a large volume of water (2200–2600 m³ ha⁻¹) is being developed in the Hetao Irrigation District of China, since the 1980s with the goal to reduce salinity levels in the root zone and increase the water availability for the following spring crops. However, the autumn irrigation can cause significant quantities of NO₃⁻ to leach from the plant root zone into the groundwater. In this study, we investigated the changes in soil water content, NO₃–N and salinity within a 150 cm deep soil profile in four different types of farmlands: spring wheat (F_W), maize (F_M), spring wheat–maize inter-planting (F_W–M) and sunflower (F_S). Our results showed that (1) salt losses mainly occurred in the upper 60 cm of the soil and in the upper 40 cm for NO₃–N; (2) the highest losses of salt and NO₃–N could be observed in F_W, whereas the lowest losses were found in F_W–M.NO₃–N concentration, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in the groundwater were also monitored before and after the autumn irrigation. We found that the autumn irrigation caused the groundwater concentration of NO₃–N to increase from 1.73 to 21.6 mg L⁻¹, thereby, exceeding the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). Our results suggest that extensive development of inter-planting tillage might be a viable measure to reduce groundwater pollution, and that the application of optimized minimum amounts of water and nitrogen to meet realistic yield goals, as well as the timely application of N fertilizers and the use of slow release fertilizers can be viable measures to minimize nitrate leaching.     

Improvement in winter wheat productivity through regulating PSII photochemistry,photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence under deficit irrigation conditions

Deficit irrigation is critical to global food production, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions with low precipitation. Given water shortage has threatened agricultural sustainability under the dry-land farming system in China, there is an urgent need to develop effective water-saving technologies. We carried out a field study under two cultivation techniques: (1) the ridge and furrow cultivation model (R); and (2) the conventional flat farming model (F), and three simulated precipitation levels (1, 275 mm; 2, 200 mm; 3, 125 mm) with two deficit irrigation levels (150 and 75 mm). We demonstrated that under the ridge furrow (R) model, rainfall harvesting planting under 150 mm deficit irrigation combined with 200 mm simulated precipitation can considerably increase net photosynthesis rate (P_n), quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII), electron transport rate (ETR), performance index of photosynthetic PSII (F_v/F_m′), and transformation energy potential of PSII (F_v/F_o). In addition, during the jointing, anthesis and grain-filling stages, the grain and biomass yield in the R model are 18.9 and 11.1% higher than those in the flat cultivation model, respectively, primarily due to improved soil water contents. The winter wheat fluorescence parameters were significantly positively associated with the photosynthesis, biomass and wheat production. The result suggests that the R cultivation model with irrigation of 150 mm and simulated precipitation of 200 mm is an effective planting method for enhancing P_n, biomass, wheat production, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in dry-land farming areas.     

不同水分条件下平衡施肥对旱地冬小麦土壤硝态氮运移的影响

为了探明不同水分条件下旱地冬小麦养分管理措施对土壤环境的影响,在控雨池栽条件下,设置水分与肥料双因素随机区组试验,以不施肥为对照,研究了0~200 cm土层在底墒为650 mm时,不同水分条件下3个平衡施肥处理(Y1:N 13.9 kg·hm-2、P2O54.65 kg·hm-2、K2O 15.3 kg·hm-2,Y2:N97.5kg·hm-2、P2O532.7 kg·hm-2、K2O 107.6 kg·hm-2,Y3:N 181.2 kg·hm-2、P2O560.6 kg·hm-2、K2O 199.8 kg·hm-2)对旱地冬小麦主要生育时期土壤硝态氮运移的影响。结果表明:开花期、灌浆期,在各水分条件下,0~80cm土层土壤硝态氮平均含量及积累量在Y1施肥量水平下与不施肥处理(Y0)差异不显著,Y2、Y3水平较Y0和Y1硝态氮平均含量增加98.6%~363.6%(P0.05),硝态氮积累量增加98.2%~260.9%,Y3与Y2无显著差异;施肥量的增加对80~160 cm土层土壤硝态氮含量及累积量无显著影响。在生育期补灌100mm(R3)、78 mm(R2)、56 mm(R1)条件下,冬小麦成熟期3个施肥量80~160cm土层的土壤硝态氮累积量较不补灌(R0)分别减少27.2%~41.0%、44.8%~48.4%、23.7%~49.4%,较高的水分条件加剧了土壤硝态氮向深层的淋溶。从满足冬小麦营养需求、减少土壤硝态氮的累积、提高肥料利用效率等方面综合考虑,冬小麦的适宜施肥量为Y2水平。     

The effect of plastic mulch on the fate of urea-N in rain-fed maize production in a semiarid environment as assessed by 15N-labeling

A better understanding of the fate of fertilizer nitrogen (N) is critical to design appropriate N management strategies in plastic-mulched croplands. We evaluated the effects of plastic mulch on urea-N recovery by crops and loss from soil in furrow-ridge plots, with and without maize (Zea mays L.) cropping, in a semi-arid rain-fed site in China. We applied the same rate of urea-N (281 kg ha⁻¹) to all treatments during the preparation of the furrow-ridges in 2011 and 2012 but ¹⁵N-labeled the urea in 2011 only. We used transparent film to cover all soil surfaces in the mulched treatments and seeded maize in furrows in treatments with crop. In 2011, plastic mulch increased the total N uptake in the aboveground biomass of maize by 53%, whereas it decreased the in-season labeled-N uptake by 19%, compared to non-mulched treatment. At harvest in 2011, in mulched treatments the total labeled-N remaining in the 0−170 cm soil layer was 25% greater whereas unaccounted labeled-N was 69% less, than in non-mulched treatments, regardless of whether maize was cropped. In 2012 the effect of mulch on total maize N uptake was comparable to that in 2011, but the residual soil labeled-N uptake by maize was 63% higher in mulched compared to non-mulched treatment. At harvest in 2012, plastic mulch increased total labeled-N remaining in the 0−170 cm depth in cropped soils and unaccounted labeled-N in non-cropped soils, compared with no mulch. Our results indicate that plastic mulch profoundly changes the fate of urea-N in maize production in cold and dry croplands.     

Analysis of Drought Characteristics and Its Trend Change in Shaanxi Province Based on SPEI and MI

【Objective】 At present, most drought studies were based on historical drought events to analyze the causes and trends. This paper sought to simulate the drought index method when outputting future meteorological data based on CMIP5 model, and explored the characteristics of past and future drought changes in Shaanxi Province, which could provide a basis for the future management of agricultural water resources in Shaanxi Province. 【Method】Based on the historical data of 18 meteorological stations in Shaanxi Province and CMIP5 model, the future meteorological data were output. The reference crop evapotranspiration (ET₀) was simulated by comparing three kinds of models. The standard precipitation evaporation index (SPEI) and relative moisture index (MI) were calculated based on the reference crop ET₀ and precipitation data to reflect the drought degree. The spatial and temporal characteristics of drought in the past (1958-2017) and in the future (2018-2100) were compared.【Result】Multiple linear regression (MLR) simulation could accurately predict the reference crop ET₀ (RMSE=0.457 mm·d ^-1). In the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 scenarios, the future drought index showed an upward trend. Under the RCP8.5 scenario, there was a sudden change in the drought index in the 1940s. The degree of drought would decrease in the future of Shaanxi Province, and the distribution of drought would be more uneven during the year. In the future, the degree of drought would decrease during summer maize growth season, and the degree of drought would increase during winter wheat growth season.【Conclusion】The characteristics and extent of drought change were different under different RCP scenarios. The changes in drought characteristics reflected by SPEI and MI were basically the same, but there were differences in the changes in some time periods. In order to effectively cope with the negative impact of climate change on dry crop yields, it was necessary to enhance soil water storage and conservation capacity, especially to strengthen drought resistance during the winter wheat growing season.     

Influence of low soil nitrogen and phosphorus on gluten polymeric and monomeric protein distribution in two high quality spring wheat cultivars

The effect of low levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and a combination of the two on the distribution of polymeric and monomeric proteins in two high quality spring bread wheat cultivars was investigated for two consecutive seasons. Size exclusion-high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) was used to determine the quantity and relationships of monomeric and polymeric proteins, and their relationship with flour protein content (FPC) and SDS sedimentation volume (SDSS). The low nitrogen and combined low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments had a much larger effect on the protein fractions than the low phosphorus treatment alone. The SDS-soluble large monomeric protein fraction and the percentage SDS-insoluble monomeric proteins, were significantly increased under low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments. The percentage SDS-insoluble large and total polymeric proteins was significantly reduced under low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and phosphorus treatments. The SDS-soluble and -insoluble small polymeric proteins were significantly increased under both low nitrogen and a combination of low nitrogen and low phosphorus treatments. The low nitrogen treatment consistently caused the lowest FPC and SDSS values. Under low nitrogen conditions, there was a significant positive correlation between the SDS-soluble gliadins and SDSS, and FPC.     

基于灰度关联-岭回归的荒漠土壤有机质含量高光谱估算

为改善高光谱技术对荒漠土壤有机质的估测效果,该文采集了以色列Seder Boker地区的荒漠土壤,经预处理、理化分析后将土样分为砂质土和黏壤土2类,再通过光谱采集、处理得到6种光谱指标:反射率(reflectivity,REF)、倒数之对数变换(inverse-log reflectance,LR)、去包络线处理(continuum removal,CR)、标准正态变量变换(standard normal variable reflectance,SNV)、一阶微分变换(first order differential reflectance,FDR)和二阶微分变换(second order differential reflectance,SDR)。通过灰度关联(gray correlation,GC)法确定SNV、FDR、SDR为敏感光谱指标,采用偏最小二乘回归(partial least squares regression,PLSR)法和岭回归(ridge regression,RR)法,构建基于敏感光谱指标的土壤有机质高光谱反演模型,并对模型精度进行比较。结果表明:砂质土有机质含量的反演效果要优于黏壤土;基于SNV指标建立的模型决定系数R~2和相对分析误差RPD均为最高、均方根误差RMSE最低,所以SNV是土壤有机质的最佳光谱反演指标;对SNV-PLSR模型和SNV-RR模型综合比较得出,SNV-RR模型仅用全谱4%左右的波段建模,实现了更为理想的反演效果:其中,对砂质土有机质的预测能力极强(R_p~2为0.866,RMSE为0.610 g/kg、RPD为2.72),对黏壤土有机质的预测能力很好(Rp2为0.863,RMSE为0.898 g/kg、RPD为2.37)。荒漠土壤有机质GC-SNV-RR反演模型的建立为高光谱模型的优化、土壤有机质的快速测定提供了一种新的途径。     

不同降水年型水氮运筹对冬小麦耗水和产量的影响

灌水和施氮是影响农田生态系统粮食生产的2个主要因素,但其增产效应和资源利用效率会受降水年型的影响。该研究基于2011—2014在陕西关中平原进行的3 a冬小麦水氮耦合试验,分析了不同降水年型下水氮管理对土壤含水率、籽粒产量、耗水量(water consumption,ETa)及产量与耗水量关系的影响。结果表明:7—9月总降水量每增加1 mm,小麦播前0~180 cm土壤底墒增加0.47 mm。随着灌水量增加,产量和ETa均增加,但仅在降水较少的2012—2013年增产显著,对水分利用效率(water use efficiency,WUE)的影响不显著;随着施氮量增加,ETa变化不显著,但其增产效果显著,使WUE显著提高,表明施氮增加了作物蒸腾占农田耗水量的比例。根据3 a各处理冬小麦产量和ETa数据,进一步探讨了在一定水分消耗下能达到的最大(边界)产量和WUE,建立了关中平原冬小麦的产量-耗水量边界方程;当ETa超过388 mm时,产量稳定在8 184 kg/hm2,WUE的最大值为2.52 kg/m3。研究可为制订合理的冬小麦水肥管理措施提供科学依据。     

初始含水率对斥水黏壤土入渗特性的影响

为了探究初始含水率对斥水土壤入渗过程的影响规律,通过室内二维土箱的滴灌模拟试验,设置6个初始含水率水平(4.78%,7.28%,9.97%,13.64%,16.07%,19.02%),研究了初始含水率对湿润锋运移距离、宽深比、累积入渗量、入渗速率和土壤水分分布的影响,并评价了不同入渗模型的适用性.结果表明:随着初始含水率的提高,湿润锋运移相同深度所需时间呈逐渐减小趋势,两者较好满足幂函数关系,湿润锋宽深比逐渐减小;累积入渗量变化趋势为先减小后增大;入渗速率整体趋势为逐渐减小,其中斥水程度峰值含水率附近的处理出现入渗速率短暂提高的现象;Kostiakov模型能够较好反映斥水黏壤土的入渗规律,且斥水程度越大,模型拟合精度越低;随着斥水程度增加,土壤水分逐渐向湿润体垂向中间区域集中,并出现过度饱和现象.该研究可为斥水土壤的入渗理论奠定一定的基础.     

Intercropping maize and wheat with conservation agriculture principles improves water harvesting and reduces carbon emissions in dry areas

In arid and populated areas or countries, water shortage and heavy carbon emissions are threatening agricultural sustainability with food security severely, and becoming a major issue. It is unclear whether improved farming systems can be developed to tackle those issues through a sustainable agriculture. Here three farming practices that have proven to be essential and successful, which were: (a) crop intensification through strip intercropping, (b) water harvesting through conservation tillage; and (c) carbon sequestration through improved crop residue management options, were integrated in one cropping system. We hypothesize that the integrated system allows the increase of crop yields with improved water use efficiency, while reducing carbon emissions from farming. The hypothesis was tested in field experiments at Hexi Corridor (37°96′N, 102°64′E) in northwest China. We found that the integrated system increased soil moisture (mm) by 7.4% before sowing, 10.3% during the wheat–maize co-growth period, 8.3% after wheat harvest, and 9.2% after maize harvest, compared to the conventional sole cropping systems. The wheat/maize intercrops increased net primary production by 68% and net ecosystem production by 72%; and when combined with straw mulching on the soil surface, it decreased carbon emissions by 16%, compared to the monoculture maize without mulch. The wheat/maize intercrops used more water but increased grain yields by 142% over the monoculture wheat and by 23% over the monoculture maize, thus, enhancing water use efficiency by an average of 26%. We conclude that integrating strip intercropping, conservation tillage as well as straw mulching in one cropping system can significantly boost crop yields, improve the use efficiency of the limited water resources in arid areas, while, lowering the carbon emissions from farming. The integrated system may be considered in the development of strategies for alleviating food security issues currently experienced in the environment-damaged and water-shortage areas.