This study aimed to clarify the effects of different mulching measures on the soil moisture of fruiting apple orchards and the growth of fruiting trees in the loess plateau of western Shanxi, and find the best mulching measures for the soil moisture and yield improvement of fruiting trees in the rain-fed agricultural area. In this study, 17-year-old ‘Fuji’ apple trees were taken as the research object and five treatments of straw mulching (SM), horticultural fabric mulching (BF), black mulching (BM), white mulching (WM), and clear cultivation (CK) were designed. The field locating and observing experiment was conducted to explore the comprehensive effects of different mulching measures on the soil moisture of apple orchards, the growth condition of apple fruit trees and the yield from April to October 2023. The results showed that: 1) Compared to the CK treatment, all of the mulch treatments effectively increased the average soil volume water content in the 0~120 cm soil layer from 1.76% to 23.66% during the entire reproductive period, the coefficient of variation of soil moisture was increased and the soil water storage capacity was increased by 16.57 to 48.56 mm. 2) Compared to CK treatment, the mulching measures were more conducive to the growth of branches, and increased new shoot length by 10.28% to 19.44%(P<0.05). 3) Compared with CK treatment, the mulching treatments remarkably raised the soluble solids content by 1.93% to 10.78%(P<0.05), soluble sugar content by 4.55% to 22.44%(P<0.05), and reduced the titratable acid content by 7.89% to 15.79%(P<0.05). 4) Compared with CK treatment, the mulching treatments significantly increased the apple yield by 6.55% to 11.33%(P<0.05), and improved the water use efficiency by 2.09% to 5.98%. Compared to the other mulching treatments, the horticultural fabric mulching treatment increased apple yield by 1.54% to 4.49%, obtained a high comprehensive score (0.59), and increased the economic benefits by 2.06% to 6.74%. Therefore, the horticultural fabric mulching was the best mulching measure for fruiting apple orchards in western Shanxi region.
5月初于观测树随机选取8根枝条进行标记,新梢长度与茎粗大致相同,每个处理测定新梢数量为24根。于8月18日苹果树新梢停长时,使用卷尺测定新梢长度,使用游标卡尺测定新梢基部的茎粗。在每棵观测树的东、南、西、北4个方向各选定4根树枝并标记,使用SunScan植物冠层分析系统(Delta T Devices,英国)于上午时段置于树枝底部测定叶面积指数(LAI)。
DaiA R, HuoZ G, JiangH F. Review on drought and waterlogging disasters for apple in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology, 2022, 43(5): 362-379 (in Chinese)
[3]
YangM, WangS F, ZhaoX N, GaoX D, LiuS. Soil properties of apple orchards on China’s Loess Plateau [J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2020, 723: 138041
[4]
中华人民共和国农业农村部. 2022年度全国苹果种植面积与产量数据[EB/OL]. [--].
[5]
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. National apple cultivation area and production data, 2022[EB/OL]. [--]. in Chinese)
[6]
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO statistical databases[EB/OL]. [--].
WangY P, HanM Y, ZhangL S, MaoC P, LeiY S. Spatial characteristics of soil moisture of apple orchards in the Loess Plateau of Shaanxi Province[J]. Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2013, 49(7): 16-25 (in Chinese)
LiuX, CaoH X, LiaoY, ZhouC G. Effects of drip irrigation methods on the growth, yield and rootdistribution of apple trees on the Loess Plateau[J]. Agricultural Research in the Arid Areas, 2020, 38(4): 57-66, 120 (in Chinese)
ChenX Y, LiuW Z. Evapotranspiration from apple orchard in semi-arid loess hilly and gully region[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2000, 14(3): 67-70, 121 (in Chinese)
LiuW H, WangY P, HanM Y, LiS G, ZhangL S, MuY. Effect of root-area trickle-irrigation on growth and development of apple trees at arid hilly region [J]. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2016, 35(7): 40-45, 77 (in Chinese)
JinS S, WangX, WangY K, SheT. Effects of typical mulching patterns on soil water loss in jujube land during dormancy period[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2016, 32(14): 153-160 (in Chinese)
WangJ F, ZhangL S, ZhangY W, HanX Y, LiX F, WangY P, LiB Z. Effects of ground cloth mulching on soil water, temperature, yield and quality in apple orchard in Weibei Plateau [J]. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2015, 34(1): 75-78, 84 (in Chinese)
ZhengY, LiH K, ZhangT R, YangJ F, ZhangR Q, ZhangY Y, WangL C. Effects of black ground fabric micro-ridge mulching on root zone soil moisture of dwarf apple in Weibei dryland, China [J]. Acta Agriculturae Boreali-occidentalis Sinica, 2019, 28(4): 631-640 (in Chinese)
GaoM S, LiaoY C, LiX, HuangJ H. Effects of different mulching patterns on soil water-holding capacity of non-irrigated apple orchard in the Weibei Plateau [J]. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 2010, 43(10): 2080-2087 (in Chinese)
LiH J, WangH, YuN W, ZhangX M, LiC H, SongZ. Effects of mulching on the growth and fruit quality of apple trees[J]. Journal of Fruit Science, 2019, 36(3): 296-307 (in Chinese)
MoF, ZhouH, WangJ Y, ZhaoH, ZhangH J, WuS, ChenY L, YangT, DengH L, BatoolA, WangR Y, Nzou NguluuS, LiF M, XiongY C. Development and application of micro-field rain-harvesting technologies [J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2013, 29(8): 1-17 (in Chinese)
LiL S, ZhaoX N, GaoX D, WuP T, LiH C, LingQ, SunW H. Influences of stand age on root patterns in a rain-fed jujube( Ziziphus jujube ) plantation of Loess Plateau in China [J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2015, 31(20): 140-146 (in Chinese)
[29]
WuY, SunM D, LiuS Z. Mulching broad ridges with a woven polypropylene fabric increases the growth and yield of young pear trees ‘Yuluxiang’ in the North China Plain [J]. Horticultural Plant Journal, 2023, 9(3): 414-424
WangJ F, LiB Z, WangJ F, YangX N, LuoY J, DongH Q, ZhangL S. Effects of rainwater harvesting technology on soil temperature, yield and water use efficiency in an apple orchard in Weibei highland[J]. Acta Agriculturae Boreali-occidentalis Sinica, 2016, 25(1): 72-79 (in Chinese)
[32]
SuoG D, XieY S, ZhangY, LuoH. Long-term effects of different surface mulching techniques on soil water and fruit yield in an apple orchard on the Loess Plateau of China[J]. Scientia Horticulturae, 2019, 246: 643-651
LiaoY, CaoH X, LiuX, XueW K. The effects of mulching and deficit irrigation on growth, evapotranspiration and yield of mountain apple trees[J]. Agricultural Research in the Arid Areas, 2020, 38(4): 47-56 (in Chinese)
YangS Y, CaoH X, SunT, NanX P, ZhaoK, LiZ J. Effects of dual mulching on soil moisture, growth and yield of kiwifruit in Guanzhong Plain[J]. Agricultural Research in the Arid Areas, 2023, 41(4): 187-197 (in Chinese)
WangS F, ZhaoX N, GaoX D, HuoG P, PanY H. Water use source of apple trees with full productive agein Loess Hilly Region[J]. Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2018, 54(10): 31-38 (in Chinese)
ZhaoX N, LiN, GaoX D, HuoG P, PanY H. Characteristics of soil water utilization for different stand ages of jujube trees based on 18O tracking[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2018, 34(3): 135-142 (in Chinese)
LiuX, CaoH X, LiaoY, ZhouC G, LiH T. Effects of drip irrigation methods on photosynthetic characteristics, yield and irrigation water use of apple[J]. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 2021, 54(15): 3264-3278 (in Chinese)
[43]
LiuY, LiS Q, ChenF, YangS J, ChenX P. Soil water dynamics and water use efficiency in spring maize ( Zea mays L) fields subjected to different water management practices on the Loess Plateau, China [J]. Agricultural Water Management, 2010, 97(5): 769-775
[44]
YanQ Y, DongF, LouG, YangF, LuJ X, LiF, ZhangJ C, LiJ H, DuanZ Q. Alternate row mulching optimizes soil temperature and water conditions and improves wheat yield in dryland farming[J]. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2018, 17(11): 2558-2569
[45]
LiuY, WangJ, LiuD B, LiZ G, ZhangG S, TaoY, XieJ, PanJ F, ChenF. Straw mulching reduces the harmful effects of extreme hydrological and temperature conditions in Citrus orchards[J]. PLoS One, 2014, 9(1): e87094
ZhangY J, WangN, YangB, WangF X. Effects of plastic mulch film color on moisture-heat-salt and water use efficiency of sunflower in saline-alkali land [J]. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2023, 42(11): 1-10 (in Chinese)
PuX K, WuC H, ZhouY J, MianY M, MiaoF F, HouX Q, LiR. Effects of dual-mulching of furrow and ridge with plastic film and straw on temporal and spatial changes of soil moisture and potato yield in dry-farming areas of southern Ningxia [J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2020, 29(10): 149-160 (in Chinese)
ZhangJ, RenX L, LuoS F, HaiJ B, JiaZ K. Influences of different covering materials mulching on soil moisture and corn yield[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2010, 26(6): 14-19 (in Chinese)
YinX N, DongT, SunW T, NiuJ Q, LiuX L, MaM. Effects of different soil surface mulching patterns on soil moisture and nutrient in dryland apple orchard in east Gansu Province[J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2021, 37(20): 117-126 (in Chinese)
MaJ T, ChengH B, ChenY Z, LiY W, LanX M, LiR, ChaiY W, ChangL, ChaiS X. Effects of different mulching practices on soil water consumption and potato Tuber yield in dryland farming[J]. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2020, 39(7): 2242-2250 (in Chinese)
[56]
KaderM A, NakamuraK, SengeM, MojidM A, KawashimaS. Numerical simulation of water- and heat-flow regimes of mulched soil in rain-fed soybean field in central Japan [J]. Soil and Tillage Research, 2019, 191: 142-155
LiuQ, MaJ T, HanF X, YangC C, HuangC X, ChengH B, ChaiS X, ChangL. Effects of different mulching materials on soil moisture and water consumption of potato in dryland[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023, 30(6): 197-205 (in Chinese)
YangF K, HeB L, DongB, WangL M. Effects of black film mulched ridge-furrow tillage on soil water-fertilizer environment and potato yield and benefit under different rainfall year in semiarid region [J]. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 2021, 54(20): 4312-4325 (in Chinese)
ZhongY, ZhuS J, FeiL J, DaiZ G, WangY L, LiH, ZhangL J. Effects of regulating deficit at young fruit stage on yield, quality, and water use efficiency of Citrus with different plastic film materials [J]. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 2023, 39(1): 81-91 (in Chinese)
ZengY K, ShiY, ChenS Y, LiG J, HuangX B, XieZ Z, LiC L, GuoD Y, LiuJ H. Effects of film mulching on improving fruit quality of ponkan and possible mechanisms[J]. Acta Horticulturae Sinica, 2022, 49(11): 2419-2430 (in Chinese)
[65]
JiangN, JinL F, Teixeira da SilvaJ A, IslamM Z, GaoH W, LiuY Z, PengS A. Activities of enzymes directly related with sucrose and citric acid metabolism in Citrus fruit in response to soil plastic film mulch[J]. Scientia Horticulturae, 2014, 168: 73-80
[66]
ZhangH, MilesC, GerdemanB, LaHueD G, DeVetterL. Plastic mulch use in perennial fruit cropping systems: A review[J]. Scientia Horticulturae, 2021, 281: 109975
WangY L, XuZ H, LiS, LiangZ M, BaiJ, YangZ P. Effects of different mulching measures on moisture and temperature of soil and yield and water use efficiency of spring maize[J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2024, 50(5): 1312-1324 (in Chinese)
MaJ T, ChaiS X, ChengH B, ChangL. Research progress of straw mulching technology and its application in farmland[J]. Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2022, 41(3): 597-602 (in Chinese)