IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v256y2021ics0378377421004054.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Benefits and limitations of straw mulching and incorporation on maize yield, water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Qin, Xiaoliang
  • Huang, Tiantian
  • Lu, Chen
  • Dang, Pengfei
  • Zhang, Miaomiao
  • Guan, Xiao-kang
  • Wen, Peng-fei
  • Wang, Tong-Chao
  • Chen, Yinglong
  • Siddique, Kadambot H.M.

Abstract

Straw mulching and straw incorporation are widely used for conservation tillage as the primary methods of returning straw to the field. However, few studies have investigated the effects of straw mulching and straw incorporation under various agronomic management and environmental and edaphic factors. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis incorporating 112 publications to determine whether straw incorporation and straw mulching had different effects on maize yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) under contrasting soil textures, N application rates, straw returning amounts, and annual average precipitation, temperature, and evaporation. The results showed that straw mulching and straw incorporation significantly increase maize yields, WUE, and NUE. Straw mulching yield had a significant positive correlation with WUE, while straw incorporation yield had significant positive correlations with WUE and NUE. Maize yield and WUE increased and NUE decreased with increasing nitrogen application rate. Straw incorporation increased maize yield and NUE more than straw mulching at low straw returning amounts (< 6000 kg ha−1). In arid and semi-arid areas with < 400 mm average annual precipitation and > 1200 mm evaporation, straw mulching increased maize yield, WUE, and NUE more than straw incorporation. In semi-humid areas (400–600 mm), straw incorporation increased maize yield and NUE more than straw mulching. Straw mulching is more conducive to increasing maize yield and NUE with average annual temperatures < 7 °C, while straw incorporation is more conducive to increasing maize yield, WUE, and NUE with average annual temperatures > 13 °C. Of the three soil textures, the largest weighted response ratio of straw returning on yield and NUE occurred in loam soil with straw incorporation. This study identified the benefits and limitations of straw incorporation and straw mulching on maize yield, NUE, and WUE.

Suggested Citation

  • Qin, Xiaoliang & Huang, Tiantian & Lu, Chen & Dang, Pengfei & Zhang, Miaomiao & Guan, Xiao-kang & Wen, Peng-fei & Wang, Tong-Chao & Chen, Yinglong & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2021. "Benefits and limitations of straw mulching and incorporation on maize yield, water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:256:y:2021:i:c:s0378377421004054
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107128
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377421004054
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107128?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. Dong, Qin’ge & Yang, Yuchen & Yu, Kun & Feng, Hao, 2018. "Effects of straw mulching and plastic film mulching on improving soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions, crop yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 133-143.
    2. Liu, Zhen & Ma, Feng-yun & Hu, Tong-xi & Zhao, Kai-guang & Gao, Tian-ping & Zhao, Hong-xiang & Ning, Tang-yuan, 2020. "Using stable isotopes to quantify water uptake from different soil layers and water use efficiency of wheat under long-term tillage and straw return practices," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    3. Li, Rong & Hou, Xianqing & Jia, Zhikuan & Han, Qingfang & Ren, Xiaolong & Yang, Baoping, 2013. "Effects on soil temperature, moisture, and maize yield of cultivation with ridge and furrow mulching in the rainfed area of the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 101-109.
    4. Verena Seufert & Navin Ramankutty & Jonathan A. Foley, 2012. "Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 485(7397), pages 229-232, May.
    5. Li, S.X. & Wang, Z.H. & Li, S.Q. & Gao, Y.J. & Tian, X.H., 2013. "Effect of plastic sheet mulch, wheat straw mulch, and maize growth on water loss by evaporation in dryland areas of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 39-49.
    6. Gao, Haihe & Yan, Changrong & Liu, Qin & Li, Zhen & Yang, Xiao & Qi, Ruimin, 2019. "Exploring optimal soil mulching to enhance yield and water use efficiency in maize cropping in China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    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. Xiangxiang Wang & Zhilong Cheng & Xin Cheng & Quanjiu Wang, 2022. "Effects of Surface Mulching on the Growth and Water Consumption of Maize," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, November.
    2. Lv, Shenqiang & Li, Jia & Yang, Zeyu & Yang, Ting & Li, Huitong & Wang, Xiaofei & Peng, Yi & Zhou, Chunju & Wang, Linquan & Abdo, Ahmed I., 2023. "The field mulching could improve sustainability of spring maize production on the Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    3. Linlin Ye & Yuanxiao Xu & Guofeng Zhu & Wenhao Zhang & Yinying Jiao, 2023. "Effects of Different Mulch Types on Farmland Soil Moisture in an Artificial Oasis Area," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Pan Li & Wen Yin & Guiping Chen & Yao Guo & Zhilong Fan & Falong Hu & Fuxue Feng & Hong Fan & Wei He, 2023. "Sustainable Analysis of Maize Production under Previous Wheat Straw Returning in Arid Irrigated Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, June.

    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. Thidar, Myint & Gong, Daozhi & Mei, Xurong & Gao, Lili & Li, Haoru & Hao, Weiping & Gu, Fengxue, 2020. "Mulching improved soil water, root distribution and yield of maize in the Loess Plateau of Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    2. Li, Yue & Chen, Hao & Feng, Hao & Dong, Qin’ge & Wu, Wenjie & Zou, Yufeng & Chau, Henry Wai & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2020. "Influence of straw incorporation on soil water utilization and summer maize productivity: A five-year field study on the Loess Plateau of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    3. Dong, Qin’ge & Yang, Yuchen & Yu, Kun & Feng, Hao, 2018. "Effects of straw mulching and plastic film mulching on improving soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions, crop yield and water use efficiency in the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 133-143.
    4. Hu, Yajin & Ma, Penghui & Zhang, Binbin & Hill, Robert L. & Wu, Shufang & Dong, Qin’ge & Chen, Guangjie, 2019. "Exploring optimal soil mulching for the wheat-maize cropping system in sub-humid drought-prone regions in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 59-71.
    5. Fan, Yaqiong & Ding, Risheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Hao, Xinmei & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Li, Sien, 2017. "Plastic mulch decreases available energy and evapotranspiration and improves yield and water use efficiency in an irrigated maize cropland," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 122-131.
    6. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Zhuang, Qianlai, 2021. "Evapotranspiration partitioning and water productivity of rainfed maize under contrasting mulching conditions in Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    7. He, Zhihao & Gong, Kaiyuan & Zhang, Zhiliang & Dong, Wenbiao & Feng, Hao & Yu, Qiang & He, Jianqiang, 2022. "What is the past, present, and future of scientific research on the Yellow River Basin? —A bibliometric analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    8. Yin, Tao & Yao, Zhipeng & Yan, Changrong & Liu, Qi & Ding, Xiaodong & He, Wenqing, 2023. "Maize yield reduction is more strongly related to soil moisture fluctuation than soil temperature change under biodegradable film vs plastic film mulching in a semi-arid region of northern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    9. 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).
    10. Xing Wang & Hailong Sun & Changming Tan & Xiaowen Wang & Min Xia, 2021. "Effects of Film Mulching on Plant Growth and Nutrients in Artificial Soil: A Case Study on High Altitude Slopes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-15, October.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. Zhang, Xiao-Feng & Luo, Chong-Liang & Ren, Hong-Xu & Mburu, David & Wang, Bao-Zhong & Kavagi, Levis & Wesly, Kiprotich & Nyende, Aggrey Bernard & Xiong, You-Cai, 2021. "Water productivity and its allometric mechanism in mulching cultivated maize (Zea mays L.) in semiarid Kenya," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    14. Gao, Haihe & Yan, Changrong & Liu, Qin & Li, Zhen & Yang, Xiao & Qi, Ruimin, 2019. "Exploring optimal soil mulching to enhance yield and water use efficiency in maize cropping in China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    15. Zhang, Runze & Lei, Tong & Wang, Yunfeng & Xu, Jiaxing & Zhang, Panxin & Han, Yan & Hu, Changlu & Yang, Xueyun & Sadras, Victor & Zhang, Shulan, 2022. "Responses of yield and water use efficiency to the interaction between water supply and plastic film mulch in winter wheat-summer fallow system," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    16. Li, Yue & Feng, Hao & Wu, Wenjie & Jiang, Yu & Sun, Jian & Zhang, Yuefang & Cheng, Hui & Li, Cheng & Dong, Qin’ge & Siddique, Kadambot H.M. & Chen, Ji, 2022. "Decreased greenhouse gas intensity of winter wheat production under plastic film mulching in semi-arid areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    17. Dong, Qiang & Dang, Tinghui & Guo, Shengli & Hao, Mingde, 2019. "Effects of mulching measures on soil moisture and N leaching potential in a spring maize planting system in the southern Loess Plateau," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 803-808.
    18. Saglam, Mustafa & Sintim, Henry Y. & Bary, Andy I. & Miles, Carol A. & Ghimire, Shuresh & Inglis, Debra A. & Flury, Markus, 2017. "Modeling the effect of biodegradable paper and plastic mulch on soil moisture dynamics," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 240-250.
    19. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Guo, Jinjin & Yan, Shicheng & Zhuang, Qianlai & Cui, Ningbo & Guo, Li, 2021. "Interactive effects of mulching practice and nitrogen rate on grain yield, water productivity, fertilizer use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of rainfed summer maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    20. Li, Siyi & Li, Yi & Lin, Haixia & Feng, Hao & Dyck, Miles, 2018. "Effects of different mulching technologies on evapotranspiration and summer maize growth," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 309-318.

    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:256:y:2021:i:c:s0378377421004054. 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.