| With conventional cultivation as contrast, the yield and water use efficiency of maize under different cultivation and mulching patterns were studied in Kast liable-drought region of Guizhou. The results showed that the law of water consumption of various cultivation and mulching patterns was in correspondence with that of the contrast. The straw mulching and plastic mulching, on some degree, could reduce both the water evaporation and the total water consumption. The plastic mulching and straw mulching with seeding in ridge could increase remarkably the yield and water use efficiency of maize. Compared with the conventional cultivation, the ridge cultivation could increase obviously the yield and reduce the water consumption. Therefore, ridge cultivation, and plastic mulching and straw mulching with seeding in ridge are effective ways to raise water use efficiency and rainfall use efficiency of crops in the Kast liable-drought regions. |