Effects of different degradable films on soil moisture, temperature and growth of maize
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2018.01.30
Key Words: degradable film  maize  soil temperature  soil moisture  growth  yield
Author NameAffiliation
SHEN Li-xia College of Water Conservancy and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030024, China 
LAN Yin-chao College of Water Conservancy and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030024, China 
LI Ruo-fan College of Water Conservancy and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030024, China 
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Abstract:
      To examine the covering effects of different films, maize was cultivated in the field with conventional plastic film mulching, with degradable films H (made in Jiangshu, with the degradation period of 120 d) or T (made in Taiwan, with the degradation period of 120 d) mulching, and with no film mulching(CK). Soil moisture and temperature, and maize growth, yield, and its relevant characteristics were analyzed in these different treatments. H mulching resulted in higher soil moisture in the 0~60 cm soil layer from sowing to the big trumpet stage of maize, and higher soil temperature in the 10 cm and 20 cm depth at 63 days after sowing, as compared to CK. With T mulching, the effects of increasing soil moisture and temperature were present at the early stage (from sowing to the jointing stage) of maize, but were lost at the middle stage (the big trumpet stage) of maize. Seedling emergence rates increased for H and T mulching over those of CK, and were, respectively, 95.8%, 95.3%, and 93.6%. Maize growth periods were shortened by 12 d and 8 d for H and T mulchingas compared to that of CK. Amount of dry matter, plant height, stem diameter, and leaf area of maize were all increased for H mulching. With the length of barren ear tip shorted, kernel number and thousand-grain weight increased, maize grain yield was increased by 40.6% for H mulching above CK. For T mulching and the plastic film mulching, maize grain yields were respectively increased by 14.3% and 39.5% over CK. Degradable film H successfully fulfilled all the functions of plastic film, while degradable film T did not do so. Degradable film is thus recommended as a viable option to the plastic film, but it should be carefully selected according to local environmental conditions.