Effect of surface cover on the reduction of runoff and agricultural NPS pollution from upland fields

In this study, two types of simulations were performed. First, indoor rainfall simulation revealed that runoff ratio (0–63.3 %) decreased dramatically with surface cover, compared with no surface cover condition (55–85.3 %), and sediment load and concentration also decreased. With additions of PAM, sawdust, and rice hull to rice straw mat, the runoff ratio decreased to 52.8, 36.6, and 53.2 %, compared with only rice straw mat condition (runoff ratio of 63.3 %). When gypsum was added, no runoff was observed in case of rainfall intensity of 30 mm/h. Under 60 mm/h rainfall condition, 50 % or more runoff reduction was observed. These could be explained in that surface cover reduces detachment of soil particles and keeps infiltration rate by reducing surface sealing with detached soil particle which could happen under non-surface cover condition. Second, when rice straw mat was applied to soybean field, no runoff was observed until rainfall intensity of 5.8 mm/h or greater, while runoff was observed with rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm/h at no surface covered soybean field. In addition, 89.7–99.4 % of pollutant reductions were observed with rice straw mat at the soybean field. When rice straw mat with additions of wood shaves was applied to Chinese cabbage and radish fields, 4.3–75.8 % of runoff reductions and 28–80.8 % of pollutant reductions were observed. In case of Chinese cabbage, 122.1 % yield increase was observed and 153.4 % yield increase in case of radish.