Effects of different mulching materials on soil water, temperature and growth at the early stage of maize growth
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2016.06.04
Key Words: mulching materials  soil water  soil temperature  maize growth
Author NameAffiliation
LI Rong School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China 
HOU Xian-qing School of Agriculture, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China 
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Abstract:
      To provide a theoretical basis for selecting environmental protection covering material in agriculture, effects of different covering materials on soil water conservation and temperature regulation were compared by carrying out a pot experiment and a field experiment. Both pot experiment and field experiment studies were conducted to determine the effects of different mulching materials on soil temperature, soil water and growth of maize at the early growth stage in dry-farming areas of Ningxia between 2014 and 2015. Four mulching materials including plastic film (DM), liquid film (YM), bast fiber film (MM), and maize straw (JM) were employed. A flat plot without mulching was used as the control (CK). Our results showed that the effect of the bast fiber film treatment on water conservation was the best, and maize straw treatment was the second. The soil water storage ratios in the 20 cm depth soil layer by the bast fiber film mulching and maize straw mulching treatments were 29.0% and 26.6%, respectively, significantly higher than that by the control treatment through the emergence till large bell stages of maize. Different mulching materials exhibited greater soil temperature warming and cooling effects than the control treatment from seedling stage to large bell stage of maize during the 2 years of study. In 2014, the effects of different treatments on soil temperature warming at the jointing stage from strong to weak followed the order of MM>DM>JM>YM>CK, and on soil temperature cooling flowed the order of MM>JM>CK>DM>YM at the large bell stage in the pot experiment. In 2015, the effects on soil temperature warming at the jointing stage followed as CK>DM>MM>YM>JM, and on the soil temperature cooling as CK>DM>MM>JM>YM at the large bell stage in the field experiment. The large bell stage of maize was brought forward by 10~11 d by the bast fiber film mulching treatment from no mulching treatment at the early stage of maize grwoth. The bast fiber film mulching treatment promoted the growth at the early stage of maize. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf area and biomass of maize under this treatment were increased by 48.3%, 27.5%, 158.2%, and 63.5%, respectively, significantly higher than those by the control treatment.