IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v267y2022ics0378377422001640.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimized farmland mulching improves alfalfa yield and water use efficiency based on meta-analysis and regression analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Minhua, Yin
  • Yanlin, Ma
  • Yanxia, Kang
  • Qiong, Jia
  • Guangping, Qi
  • Jinghai, Wang
  • Changkun, Yang
  • Jianxiong, Yu

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a globally vital forage crop with abundant nutrition and high yield, is commonly planted in arid and semi-arid regions where water resources are scare, such as China. In order to adapt water limitation conditions, farmland mulching (FM) is gradually being applied in alfalfa production. However, the effects of FM on alfalfa in different climatic conditions and management practices should be investigated before concluding that it is universally effective. We performed a meta-analysis and regression analysis of 94 yield comparisons and 74 water use efficiency (WUE) comparisons from 19 peer-reviewed studies and founded that FM significantly increased alfalfa yield and WUE, on average by 38.5% and 43.7%, respectively, compared to non-mulching. However, the increase rate (IR) of yield and WUE varied with mulching type, region, management, and length of growth year. For yield, FM was more pronounced in Gansu, in regions with an average annual precipitation (AAP) of 400–600 mm, average annual temperature (AAT) < 0 °C, and altitude > 2000 mm, and with plastic film, all of the soil surface mulching, ridge–furrow planting, sowing rate (SR) < 20 kg ha–1 and nitrogen application rate (NAR) < 100 kg ha–1. Overall, AAP and altitude had significant positive effects on yield IR of mulching alfalfa, while AAT and SR had significant negative effects. The effects of these factors on yield IR varied across different quantiles. For WUE, FM was more beneficial in regions with AAP of 200–400 mm and AAT > 6 °C. Only SR had a significant negative effect on the WUE IR of mulching alfalfa as a whole, while the effects of AAP, AAT, and altitude were significant in some quantiles. Our findings confirm the benefits of FM to increase alfalfa yield and WUE in China, identify the conditions under which these results can be achieved, and also suggest that the benefits are site specific.

Suggested Citation

  • Minhua, Yin & Yanlin, Ma & Yanxia, Kang & Qiong, Jia & Guangping, Qi & Jinghai, Wang & Changkun, Yang & Jianxiong, Yu, 2022. "Optimized farmland mulching improves alfalfa yield and water use efficiency based on meta-analysis and regression analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:267:y:2022:i:c:s0378377422001640
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107617
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377422001640
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2022.107617?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. Liu, Minguo & Wang, Zikui & Mu, Le & Xu, Rui & Yang, Huimin, 2021. "Effect of regulated deficit irrigation on alfalfa performance under two irrigation systems in the inland arid area of midwestern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    2. Anwar Abduwaiti & Xiaowei Liu & Changrong Yan & Yinghao Xue & Tuo Jin & Hongqi Wu & Pengcheng He & Zhe Bao & Qin Liu, 2021. "Testing Biodegradable Films as Alternatives to Plastic-Film Mulching for Enhancing the Yield and Economic Benefits of Processed Tomato in Xinjiang Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Koenker, Roger W & Bassett, Gilbert, Jr, 1978. "Regression Quantiles," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 46(1), pages 33-50, January.
    4. 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.
    5. Yin, Minhua & Li, Yuannong & Fang, Heng & Chen, Pengpeng, 2019. "Biodegradable mulching film with an optimum degradation rate improves soil environment and enhances maize growth," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 127-137.
    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. Aliasghar Montazar & Daniel Putnam, 2023. "Evapotranspiration and Yield Impact Tools for More Water-Use Efficient Alfalfa Production in Desert Environments," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, November.

    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. Liyuan Bo & Xiaomin Mao & Yali Wang, 2022. "Assessing the Applicability of Biodegradable Film Mulching in Northwest China Based on Comprehensive Benefits Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Cheruiyot, Wesly Kiprotich & Zhu, Shuang-Guo & Indoshi, Sylvia Ngaira & Wang, Wei & Ren, Ai-Tian & Cheng, Zheng-Guo & Zhao, Ze-Ying & Zhang, Jin-Lin & Lu, Jun-Sheng & Zhang, Xu-Cheng & Munyasya, Alex , 2023. "Shallow-incorporated straw returning further improves rainfed maize productivity, profitability and soil carbon turnover on the basis of plastic film mulching," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    3. 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).
    4. Liu, Pei & Wang, Hongli & Li, Linchao & Liu, Xiaoli & Qian, Rui & Wang, Jinjin & Yan, Xiaoqun & Cai, Tie & Zhang, Peng & Jia, Zhikuan & Ren, Xiaolong & Chen, Xiaoli, 2020. "Ridge-furrow mulching system regulates hydrothermal conditions to promote maize yield and efficient water use in rainfed farming area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    5. Akosah, Nana Kwame & Alagidede, Imhotep Paul & Schaling, Eric, 2020. "Testing for asymmetry in monetary policy rule for small-open developing economies: Multiscale Bayesian quantile evidence from Ghana," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    6. Paul Hewson & Keming Yu, 2008. "Quantile regression for binary performance indicators," Applied Stochastic Models in Business and Industry, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(5), pages 401-418, September.
    7. Salimata Sissoko, 2011. "Working Paper 03-11 - Niveau de décentralisation de la négociation et structure des salaires," Working Papers 1103, Federal Planning Bureau, Belgium.
    8. Korom, Philipp, 2016. "Inherited advantage: The importance of inheritance for private wealth accumulation in Europe," MPIfG Discussion Paper 16/11, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    9. Daniele, Vittorio, 2007. "Criminalità e investimenti esteri. Un’analisi per le province italiane [The effect of organized crime on Foreign Investments. An Empirical Analysis for the Italian Provinces]," MPRA Paper 6417, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Ma, Lingjie & Koenker, Roger, 2006. "Quantile regression methods for recursive structural equation models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 134(2), pages 471-506, October.
    11. Dutta, Anupam & Bouri, Elie & Rothovius, Timo & Uddin, Gazi Salah, 2023. "Climate risk and green investments: New evidence," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    12. Cowling, Marc & Ughetto, Elisa & Lee, Neil, 2018. "The innovation debt penalty: Cost of debt, loan default, and the effects of a public loan guarantee on high-tech firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 166-176.
    13. Haddou, Samira, 2024. "Determinants of CDS in core and peripheral European countries: A comparative study during crisis and calm periods," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    14. Niematallah Elamin & Mototsugu Fukushige, 2016. "A Quantile Regression Model for Electricity Peak Demand Forecasting: An Approach to Avoiding Power Blackouts," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 16-22, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    15. Peracchi, Franco, 2002. "On estimating conditional quantiles and distribution functions," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 433-447, February.
    16. Jan Fałkowski & Maciej Jakubowski & Paweł Strawiński, 2014. "Returns from income strategies in rural Poland," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 22(1), pages 139-178, January.
    17. Elena Bárcena-Mart�n & Santiago Budr�a & Ana I. Moro-Egido, 2012. "Skill mismatches and wages among European university graduates," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(15), pages 1471-1475, October.
    18. Trojanek, Radoslaw & Huderek-Glapska, Sonia, 2018. "Measuring the noise cost of aviation – The association between the Limited Use Area around Warsaw Chopin Airport and property values," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 103-114.
    19. Charlier, Isabelle & Paindaveine, Davy & Saracco, Jérôme, 2015. "Conditional quantile estimation based on optimal quantization: From theory to practice," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 20-39.
    20. Kato, Kengo & F. Galvao, Antonio & Montes-Rojas, Gabriel V., 2012. "Asymptotics for panel quantile regression models with individual effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 170(1), pages 76-91.

    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:267:y:2022:i:c:s0378377422001640. 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.