| Soil enzyme activity and watermelon production were investigated by field experiment in arid areas. Four treatments were performed, gravel-sand and plastic film mulching (GFM), gravel-sand mulching (GM), plastic film mulching (FM), and bare farmland (CK). The results indicated that the GFM significantly increased activities of soil urease, alkaline, catalase phosphatase by 34.5%, 13.0%, and 29.5%, as compared with the CK, due to the improved the soil water content in different soil depth during different growth stages. GM treatment also showed significant effect, with those enzymes increased by 31.4%, 11.5%, 25.5%, respectively. In addition, minimal influence of FM was detected.
Watermelon yield and its commercialization rate varied with the treatments. In comparison with the CK, the yield was significantly increased by 50 times and 30 times for GFM and GM respectively. By contrast, the commercialization rate was very low (2.16%). It was suggested that the combination of gravel-sand and plastic film mulching (GFM) or gravel-sand mulching (GM) should be employed to impro
ve drought resistance and thereby watermelon yield for arid areas. |