Incorporation of ridge and furrow method of rainfall harvesting with mulching for crop production under semiarid conditions

A plastic-covered ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting (PRFRH) system combined with mulches was designed to increase water availability to crops for improving and stabilizing agricultural production in the semiarid Loess region of northwest China. The system was built by shaping the soil surface with alternate ridges and furrows along the contour. The plastic-covered ridges served as a rainfall harvesting zone and furrows as a planting zone. Some materials were also used to mulch the furrows to increase the effectiveness of the harvested water. This system can make better utilization of light rain by harvesting rainwater through the plastic-covered ridge. The field experiment (using corn as an indicator crop) showed that grain yields in the PRFRH system with mulches in 1998 and 1999 were significantly higher than the controls, with an increase of 4010–5297 kg per ha (108–143%). In most treatments, the water use efficiencies (WUE) were in excess of 2.0 kg m⁻³. The WUE values of corn in this system were 1.9 times greater than the controls in 1998 and 1.4 times greater than the controls in 1999. The plastic-covered ridge led to a yield increase of 3430 kg per ha (92%) in 1998 and of 1126 kg per ha (21%) in 1999 compared with the uncovered ridge. On average, the additional mulches in the furrow brought about a yield increase of 8–25%. Based on the results of this study and other researches, this technique can increase corn grain yield by 60–95% in drought and average years, 70–90% in wet years, and 20–30% in very wet years. The PRFRH system had the potential to increase crop yield and produced greater economic benefit, therefore it could be used in regions dominated by light rainfall of low intensity where crops generally fail due to water stress.     

夏季水分管理对梨橙果实发育和产量品质的影响

干旱缺水是导致果园低产、低效的主要原因之一。重庆三峡库区降水丰沛,但水资源在时空上分布很不均匀,许多坡地果园水源紧缺,季节性干旱十分突出。2002年7月至2006年1月,通过用叶片水分亏缺与果实膨大相关性的研究以及水分管理模式,对柑橘生长和发育的影响进行试验研究,总结出了一套适合坡地柑橘园的水分管理模式。     

Effects of Powder Ridge Cultivation on Growth and Yield of Hunan Cassava

[Objective] The aim was to explore a suitable cultivation approach for cas- sava in Hunan province. [Method] With SC9 （Southern China 9） as test materials, the test included four treatment methods, as follows： control group by traditional cultivation with crops uncovered （CK）, treatment 1 by traditional cultivation with mulch coverage, treatment 2 by powder ridge cultivation with crops uncovered, and treatment 3 by powder ridge cultivation with mulch coverage. Water and fertilizer managements were kept the same. [Result] Compared with traditional cultivation （CK）, the treatment by powder ridge cultivation with mulch coverage performed bet- ter. Specifically, yield per unit area reached 44 790 kg/hm2, increasing by 86.38% （20 760 kg/hm2） than that of control; starch content grew by 17.24%. The cultivation method considerably improved cassava yield and quality. [Conclusion] Powder ridge cultivation with mulch coverage is a cultivation approach suitable for cassava in Hu- nan province.     

Reestablishment of ecological functioning by mulching and termite invasion in a degraded soil in an Australian savanna

Soil degradation is a major source of ecological dysfunction in both natural and agricultural landscapes. Termites are key mediators of tropical soil structure and function, but there has been little experimental evaluation of their potential in soil rehabilitation. This study investigated if termite activity can be used as a tool to improve the properties and function of degraded soil in tropical Australia, through mulch addition. A 2 × 2 randomised block design was used, with mulch (bare [B] or mulched [M] plots) and termiticide (termite [T] or non-termite [NT] plots) as factors. Over 4.5 years I tested the hypothesis that the MT plots would show greatest increase in (i) soil macroporosity, (ii) total soil surface carbon and nitrogen, (iii) litter decomposition, (iv) soil water storage and (v) plant cover, and (vi) greatest reduction in soil strength. MT treatment plots showed a 46% and 45% increase in soil macroporosity and plant cover, respectively, and a 25% reduction in soil strength compared with MNT plots. Compared with B treatments (BT, BNT), macroporosity and plant cover were 98% and 60% higher, respectively and soil water storage increased by up to 15%. Termites contributed to 58% of litter loss in MT plots over the transitional/dry season period. Mulching doubled soil carbon and nitrogen levels. This research demonstrates termite-mediated processes can be initiated and maintained in degraded soil, thereby improving soil structure and key ecosystem functions. Termites may represent a valuable biological resource for promoting tropical soil restoration, through incorporating techniques that promote their activity into tropical soil rehabilitation management.     

Nitrogen mineralization from eucalyptus yardwaste mulch applied to young avocado trees

Consistent use of mulches over several years can provide significant N to avocado. Study of a 3-year-old Ventura, California, avocado orchard mulched annually for 3 years with 12–14 Mg ha^–1 chipped eucalyptus showed that total N in the mulched soil was double that of the control. Mulched intact soil cores released 53 kg ha^–1 more N annually than control treatments. A litterbag study showed that net mineralization of the applied mulch commenced approximately 8.5 months following application. Mulched soils tended to be warmer and moister than control soils and temperatures varied less. Laboratory incubations of mulch and soil layers showed that net mineralization rates (mg kg^–1 day^–1) were greatest in the lowest decomposed mulch layer, but that more N mineralized overall (g m²) in the soil due to its greater density.     

我国设施农业农膜使用的环境问题刍议

农膜使用和地面覆盖技术的应用加快了我国农业现代化的步伐,增加和丰富了农产品的供给。但随着农膜的连续使用,导致大量的农膜残留,严重影响农业生产,并对农业生态环境安全和人体健康构成巨大威胁。本文总结了设施农业中农膜使用所造成的主要环境问题,剖析了这些问题的内在原因。在此基础上,针对我国设施农业中农膜使用和管理现状,分别从管理、政策、经济和技术方面提出了对策建议,以期为规范我国设施农业中农膜使用、提高设施农业环境管理效率和健康持续发展提供理论依据。     

覆盖对山地甜柿园土壤性状及树体生长结果的影响

研究了秸秆覆盖和薄膜覆盖对山地甜柿园土壤水热变化规律、土壤理化性状和树体生长结果的影响。3年定位试验结果表明,覆盖提高了果园各层土壤含水量和土壤养分的有效性,改善了果园土壤的结构和性状、增加了植株根系数量,对叶片数量、质量、叶片大小以及枝条抽生数量、质量和树冠大小、叶面积系数等指标均有良好的优化作用。秸秆覆盖有降低生长季节土温和提高冬季土温的作用,薄膜覆盖有增加土温的作用。     

覆盖模式对不同类型旱地冬小麦土壤水温特征、籽粒品质和产量的影响

为探讨覆盖模式对不同类型旱地冬小麦籽粒品质和产量的调控效应,在甘肃半干旱雨养农业区大田条件下,采用双因素裂区设计,以常规耕作(CT)、全膜覆土穴播(PM)、玉米秸秆带状覆盖(SM)3种种植模式为主区,‘中麦175’(ZM175)、‘兰天26号’(LT26)、‘天选50号’(TX50)3个旱地冬小麦品种为副区,分析不同覆盖模式和小麦品种组合处理下旱地麦田水温特征、籽粒品质和产量的差异。结果表明,覆盖不同程度降低了灌浆期0～25 cm土壤温度,并增加拔节期和收获期0～120 mm土壤含水量。PM土壤温度比CT降低1.3℃,土壤含水量提高5.20%,籽粒产量增加9.36%,产量增加的主要原因是穗粒数的显著增加。SM土壤温度比CT低1.5℃,土壤含水量提高9.75%,籽粒产量略高于CT,但差异不显著。品种间籽粒产量差异显著,依次为LT26ZM175TX50。覆盖(PM和SM)对籽粒蛋白质质量分数、降落数值、湿面筋质量分数、糊化粘度、面团稳定时间、粉质评价值有显著影响。比较CT,PM降落数值、面团稳定时间、粉质评价值分别增加4.13%、16.13%和8.33%;SM籽粒蛋白质和湿面筋质量分数分别降低2.52%和6.07%,峰值粘度、低谷粘度、最终粘度分别提高1.93%、3.86%、2.46%。研究也表明,所有品质指标在品种间差异显著。以上结果说明,在降水量500mm左右的甘肃半干旱雨养农业区,PM有利于强筋型品种加工品质的优化,SM趋于使弱筋型品种筋力更弱,但由于覆盖模式对加工品质的影响相对有限,合理的品种选择是实现该区域旱地冬小麦优质化生产的关键。     

渭南市种植业面源污染现状、防治难点及对策建议

掌握面源污染现状是进行污染防治的前提。本研究概述了渭南市种植业面源污染的现状,指出化肥施用高量低效并存、农药包装物污染、残膜污染持续以及秸秆综合利用衍生问题突出,是当前种植业面源污染亟待解决的问题,然后结合防治难点,从宣传普及、强化监测、健全法规、资金保障以及做好技术研发和推广等角度提出了较系统的防治对策和建议。     

免耕、覆盖、深松配套技术及耕作模式的研究(之三)──试验结果与分析(对土壤水分、盐分、氧化还原电位的影响)

为研究探讨旱作节水雨养农业耕作模式,按本研究（之二）的试验设计和研究方法,深入探讨了免耕、覆盖、深松对土壤水分、盐分、氧化还原电位的影响。研究认为：免耕覆盖深松是减少土壤水分蒸发、节省抗旱用水、增加土壤库容的有效措施。免耕覆盖能提高耕层含水量３．０～３． ４个百分点,每公顷节省抗旱用水７５０～８２５ｍ３,深松 ３０～４５ｃｍ能有效地避免地表迳流,多蓄积雨水１００～１５０ｍｍ。 ０～６０ｃｍ土层的脱盐率增加３． ６～１７个百分点。大雨后第７天深松３０～４５ｃｍ的处理,在３０～４０ ｃｍ上层的Ｅｈ值为 ２８５～３０５ ｍＶ,对植物吸收养分有利。