IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v240y2020ics0378377420300019.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

When does plastic-film mulching yield more for dryland maize in the Loess Plateau of China? A meta-analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Naijiang
  • Ding, Dianyuan
  • Malone, Robert W.
  • Chen, Haixin
  • Wei, Yongsheng
  • Zhang, Tibin
  • Luo, Xiaoqi
  • Li, Cheng
  • Chu, Xiaosheng
  • Feng, Hao

Abstract

Plastic-film mulching (PM) has been widely adopted for dryland maize (Zea mays L.) in the Loess Plateau of China, whereas its impact on grain yield (GY) varies considerably. Therefore, it is crucial to make some feasible strategies that aim to improve the productivity of PM systems. Using the data obtained from peer-reviewed publications, we conducted a meta-analysis to (1) analyze the climate regions where maize GY increase induced by PM (GY-I) was greater than zero and (2) determine the optimum conditions of soil properties and field management practices for PM application considering both GY-I and actual GY under PM (GY-P). The results showed that on average, PM significantly increased maize GY by 56.10%, as compared with no-mulching, which was a result of increased aboveground biomass at harvest, harvest index, ear number per square meter, kernel number per row, and hundred kernel weight. PM could extend maize cultivation to drier and colder areas with mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 203.8–281.3 mm and mean annual temperature (MAT) of 3.3–4.6 °C, where an average GY of about 1866 kg ha−1 could be achieved under PM. However, as MAP and MAT continued to increase, GY-I decreased linearly and reached zero at MAP and MAT of 627.6 mm and 13.1 °C, respectively. GY-I and GY-P were both significantly affected by soil bulk density (SBD), plant density (PD), nitrogen fertilizer rate (NFR), and phosphorus fertilizer rate (PFR). Increasing SBD, NFR, and PFR tended to reduce GY-I, but GY-P showed an inverted U-shaped relationship with SBD and changed from increasing to constant with increasing NFR and PFR. As PD increased, GY-I decreased at first and then increased, while GY-P was observed to change oppositely. It was suggested that PM be adopted at SBD, NFR, PFR, and PD of 1.14−1.30 g cm-3, 160−220 kg N ha−1, 105−135 kg P2O5 ha−1, and 72,000–80,000 plants ha−1, respectively. In conclusion, PM usually has a positive effect on maize production in the Chinese Loess Plateau. However, for optimizing the PM effect in practice, we must consider climate, soil properties, field management practices, GY-I, and GY-P.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Naijiang & Ding, Dianyuan & Malone, Robert W. & Chen, Haixin & Wei, Yongsheng & Zhang, Tibin & Luo, Xiaoqi & Li, Cheng & Chu, Xiaosheng & Feng, Hao, 2020. "When does plastic-film mulching yield more for dryland maize in the Loess Plateau of China? A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:240:y:2020:i:c:s0378377420300019
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106290
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377420300019
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106290?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yu, Liuyang & Zhao, Xining & Gao, Xiaodong & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2020. "Improving/maintaining water-use efficiency and yield of wheat by deficit irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    2. Ma, Dedi & Chen, Lei & Qu, Hongchao & Wang, Yilin & Misselbrook, Tom & Jiang, Rui, 2018. "Impacts of plastic film mulching on crop yields, soil water, nitrate, and organic carbon in Northwestern China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 166-173.
    3. Bu, Ling-duo & Liu, Jian-liang & Zhu, Lin & Luo, Sha-sha & Chen, Xin-ping & Li, Shi-qing & Lee Hill, Robert & Zhao, Ying, 2013. "The effects of mulching on maize growth, yield and water use in a semi-arid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 71-78.
    4. Jiang, Rui & Li, Xiao & Zhu, Wei & Wang, Kun & Guo, Sheng & Misselbrook, Tom & Hatano, Ryusuke, 2018. "Effects of the ridge mulched system on soil water and inorganic nitrogen distribution in the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 277-288.
    5. Jia, Qianmin & Sun, Lefeng & Mou, Hongyan & Ali, Shahzad & Liu, Donghua & Zhang, Yan & Zhang, Peng & Ren, Xiaolong & Jia, Zhikuan, 2018. "Effects of planting patterns and sowing densities on grain-filling, radiation use efficiency and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in semi-arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 287-298.
    6. Xinping Chen & Zhenling Cui & Mingsheng Fan & Peter Vitousek & Ming Zhao & Wenqi Ma & Zhenlin Wang & Weijian Zhang & Xiaoyuan Yan & Jianchang Yang & Xiping Deng & Qiang Gao & Qiang Zhang & Shiwei Guo , 2014. "Producing more grain with lower environmental costs," Nature, Nature, vol. 514(7523), pages 486-489, October.
    7. Lin, Wen & Liu, Wenzhao, 2016. "Establishment and application of spring maize yield to evapotranspiration boundary function in the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 345-349.
    8. V. Kerry Smith & Yoshiaki Kaoru, 1990. "Signals or Noise? Explaining the Variation in Recreation Benefit Estimates," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 72(2), pages 419-433.
    9. T. D. Stanley, 2001. "Wheat from Chaff: Meta-analysis as Quantitative Literature Review," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 131-150, Summer.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. René Rietra & Marius Heinen & Oene Oenema, 2022. "A Review of Crop Husbandry and Soil Management Practices Using Meta-Analysis Studies: Towards Soil-Improving Cropping Systems," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-31, February.
    2. Cheng, Minghui & Wang, Haidong & Fan, Junliang & Wang, Xiukang & Sun, Xin & Yang, Ling & Zhang, Shaohui & Xiang, Youzhen & Zhang, Fucang, 2021. "Crop yield and water productivity under salty water irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    3. Qiang, Shengcai & Zhang, Yan & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Sun, Min & Gao, Zhiqiang, 2022. "Combined effects of ridge–furrow ratio and urea type on grain yield and water productivity of rainfed winter wheat on the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    4. Cheng, Minghui & Wang, Haidong & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Shaohui & Liao, Zhenqi & Zhang, Fucang & Wang, Yanli, 2021. "A global meta-analysis of yield and water use efficiency of crops, vegetables and fruits under full, deficit and alternate partial root-zone irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    5. Wen, Shenglin & Cui, Ningbo & Gong, Daozhi & Xing, Liwen & Wu, Zongjun & Zhang, Yixuan & Wang, Zhihui & Wang, Jiaxin, 2023. "Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer application for achieving high yield with low environmental risks in apple orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    6. Wang, Naijiang & Chen, Haixin & Ding, Dianyuan & Zhang, Tibin & Li, Cheng & Luo, Xiaoqi & Chu, Xiaosheng & Feng, Hao & Wei, Yongsheng & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2022. "Plastic film mulching affects field water balance components, grain yield, and water productivity of rainfed maize in the Loess Plateau, China: A synthetic analysis of multi-site observations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    7. Wang, Haidong & Wang, Naijiang & Quan, Hao & Zhang, Fucang & Fan, Junliang & Feng, Hao & Cheng, Minghui & Liao, Zhenqi & Wang, Xiukang & Xiang, Youzhen, 2022. "Yield and water productivity of crops, vegetables and fruits under subsurface drip irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qian Li & Yan Chen & Shikun Sun & Muyuan Zhu & Jing Xue & Zihan Gao & Jinfeng Zhao & Yihe Tang, 2022. "Research on Crop Irrigation Schedules Under Deficit Irrigation—A Meta-analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(12), pages 4799-4817, September.
    2. Rosenberger, Randall S. & Stanley, Tom D., 2006. "Measurement, generalization, and publication: Sources of error in benefit transfers and their management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 372-378, December.
    3. Bergstrom, John C. & Taylor, Laura O., 2006. "Using meta-analysis for benefits transfer: Theory and practice," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 351-360, December.
    4. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:17:y:2007:i:5:p:1-11 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Zandersen, Marianne & Tol, Richard S.J., 2009. "A meta-analysis of forest recreation values in Europe," Journal of Forest Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1-2), pages 109-130, January.
    6. van Kooten, G. Cornelis & Eagle, Alison J. & Manley, James G. & Smolak, Tara M., 2004. "How Costly Are Carbon Offsets? A Meta-Analysis Of Carbon Forest Sinks," Working Papers 18166, University of Victoria, Resource Economics and Policy.
    7. James Manley & G. Cornelis van Kooten & Klaus Moeltner & Dale Johnson, 2003. "Creating Carbon Offsets in Agriculture through No-Till Cultivation: A Meta-Analysis of Costs and Carbon Benefits," Working Papers 2003-05, University of Victoria, Department of Economics, Resource Economics and Policy Analysis Research Group.
    8. Duan, Chenxiao & Chen, Guangjie & Hu, Yajin & Wu, Shufang & Feng, Hao & Dong, Qin’ge, 2021. "Alternating wide ridges and narrow furrows with film mulching improves soil hydrothermal conditions and maize water use efficiency in dry sub-humid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    9. Cheng, Minghui & Wang, Haidong & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Shaohui & Wang, Yanli & Li, Yuepeng & Sun, Xin & Yang, Ling & Zhang, Fucang, 2021. "Water productivity and seed cotton yield in response to deficit irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    10. De Salvo, Maria & Signorello, Giovanni, 2015. "Non-market valuation of recreational services in Italy: A meta-analysis," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 47-62.
    11. Shuang Liu & David I Stern, 2008. "A Meta-Analysis of Contingent Valuation Studies in Coastal and Near-Shore Marine Ecosystems," Socio-Economics and the Environment in Discussion (SEED) Working Paper Series 2008-15, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.
    12. Du, Ya-Dan & Niu, Wen-Quan & Gu, Xiao-Bo & Zhang, Qian & Cui, Bing-Jing & Zhao, Ying, 2018. "Crop yield and water use efficiency under aerated irrigation: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 158-164.
    13. Soon, Jan-Jan & Ahmad, Siti-Aznor, 2015. "Willingly or grudgingly? A meta-analysis on the willingness-to-pay for renewable energy use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 877-887.
    14. Hu, Yajin & Ma, Penghui & Duan, Chenxiao & Wu, Shufang & Feng, Hao & Zou, Yufeng, 2020. "Black plastic film combined with straw mulching delays senescence and increases summer maize yield in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    15. Feng, Yu & Hao, Weiping & Gao, Lili & Li, Haoru & Gong, Daozhi & Cui, Ningbo, 2019. "Comparison of maize water consumption at different scales between mulched and non-mulched croplands," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 315-324.
    16. Fabio Menten & Benoît Chèze & Laure Patouillard & Frédérique Bouvart, 2013. "The use of Meta-Regression Analysis to harmonize LCA literature: an application to GHG emissions of 2nd and 3rd generation biofuels," Working Papers 2013/01, INRA, Economie Publique.
    17. Li, Shuo & Wang, Shujuan & Shi, Jianglan & Tian, Xiaohong & Wu, Jiechen, 2022. "Economic, energy and environmental performance assessment on wheat production under water-saving cultivation strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    18. Xuemei Lan & Shouxi Chai & Jeffrey A. Coulter & Hongbo Cheng & Lei Chang & Caixia Huang & Rui Li & Yuwei Chai & Yawei Li & Jiantao Ma & Li Li, 2020. "Maize Straw Strip Mulching as a Replacement for Plastic Film Mulching in Maize Production in a Semiarid Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, August.
    19. Amin, M.G. Mostofa & Mahbub, S.M. Mubtasim & Hasan, Md. Moudud & Pervin, Wafa & Sharmin, Jinat & Hossain, Md. Delwar, 2023. "Plant–water relations in subtropical maize fields under mulching and organic fertilization," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    20. Raymond J.G.M. Florax & Henri L.F. de Groot & Ruud A. de Mooij, 2002. "Meta-analysis: A Tool for Upgrading Inputs of Macroeconomic Policy Models," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 02-041/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    21. Menten, Fabio & Chèze, Benoît & Patouillard, Laure & Bouvart, Frédérique, 2013. "A review of LCA greenhouse gas emissions results for advanced biofuels: The use of meta-regression analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 108-134.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:240:y:2020:i:c:s0378377420300019. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.