Arid Zone Research ›› 2022, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 502-509.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2022.02.18

• Soil Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of different short-term straw returning methods on soil structure and water content

ZHOU Yanli1,2,3(),WU Haimei1,2,3,ZHOU Yandong1,3,4,SHANG Xumin1,2,3,PANG Lei1,2,3()   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Arid Land Crop Science of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    2. College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    3. Experimental Teaching Center of Plant Production, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    4. College of Food Science and Engineering, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2021-08-23 Revised:2021-12-31 Online:2022-03-15 Published:2022-03-30
  • Contact: Lei PANG E-mail:3412726712@qq.com;pangl@gsau.edu.cn

Abstract:

Soil structure and water content are key factors influencing crop production. The effects of different short-term straw returning measures on soil structure and water evaporation were analyzed via field experiment and using evaporation bucket simulation tests. Four treatments were used: control (CK), broken stalks returned to the field (T1), broken stalks returned to the field plus whole stalk cover (T2), and whole stalk cover (T3). The study found the following results: (1) for the 0-20 cm soil layer, T1, T2, and T3 decreased soil bulk density and increased soil capillary porosity but had significant effects on aggregates. The contents of large aggregates in T1 and T2 significantly increased by 36.90% and 63.06%, respectively, compared with CK (P<0.05). Moreover, large aggregate content in T3 decreased by 9.89% compared with that in CK. (2) T1, T2, and T3 may increase the average soil water content in the 0-60 cm soil layer and decrease the cumulative evaporation of soil water. The smallest cumulative evaporation was seen in T3, and no significant difference was observed between T2 and T3. Compared with CK, the transpiration inhibition rate of T2 and T3 was 3.65% and 4.13%, respectively. (3) Broken stalks returned to the field plus whole stalk cover had the best effect on improving soil structure and inhibiting soil water evaporation.

Key words: straw broken stalk return to the field, whole straw mulch, soil physical structure, evaporation of soil water