Objective The study aims to explore the effects of subsoiling combined with plastic mulching on the growth and tuber yield of rainfed potatoes,thereby providing a technical reference for high-yield potato cultivation in the dryland area of southern Ningxia. Method A two-factor split-plot field experiment was conducted in the dryland area of southern Ningxia during two consecutive drought years from 2021 to 2022.Potato cultivar ‘Qingshu 9’ was used as the test culticar.The main plots included four tillage levels:conventional tillage at 15 cm (T15) and subsoiling at 30 cm (T30),40 cm (T40),and 50 cm (T50).The subplots consisted of four mulching treatments:conventional plastic film (MD),biodegradable water-permeable film (MF),straw-based paper film (MJ), and no mulching (MB).Conventional tillage at 15 cm with no mulching (T15MB) was used as the control.Soil water storage,root morphological and physiological characteristics,dry matter accumulation,tuber yield,and marketable tuber rate were measured during the key growth stages (bud appearance stage,tuber initiation stage, and tuber bulking stage) of rainfed potatoes under the combined treatments. Result (1) In both 2021 and 2022,the T30MJ treatment resulted in the highest soil water storage in the 0-100 cm layer during the tuber initiation and tuber bulking stages.Specifically,during the tuber bulking stage,it increased soil water storage by 39.21% and 25.96% compared to the control in 2021 and 2022,respectively.(2) Root surface area,root volume,and root active absorption area during the tuber initiation to tuber bulking stages were highest under the T40MJ treatment in both 2021 and 2022.During the tuber bulking stage,root surface area increased by 14.37% and 27.56% compared to the control in 2021 and 2022,respectively;root volume increased by 46.63% and 46.77%,respectively;and root active absorption area increased by 74.79% and 41.71%,respectively.During the tuber initiation to tuber bulking stages,the highest root activity was recorded in the T30MJ treatment in 2021 and the T40MJ treatment in 2022.During the tuber bulking stage,root activity increased by 89.32% and 77.38% compared to the control in 2021 and 2022,respectively.(3) During the key growth stages,the highest shoot dry matter accumulation was recorded in the T30MJ treatment in 2021 and the T40MJ treatment in 2022.During the tuber bulking stage,it increased by 48.01% and 37.90% compared to the control in 2021 and 2022, respectively.Root dry matter accumulation during the tuber initiation and tuber bulking stages was highest under the T30MJ treatment in both years.During the tuber bulking stage,it increased by 80.77% and 55.06% compared to the control in 2021 and 2022,respectively.(4) Tuber yield and marketable tuber rate were both the highest under the T40MJ treatment in both years.Compared with the control,tuber yield increased by 106.24% in 2021 and 67.42% in 2022,while the marketable tuber rate was 13.91% and 6.43% higher,respectively.(5) Soil water storage,root activity,and shoot dry matter accumulation during the bud appearance stage in both years all had significant effects on potato tuber yield formation.However,the extent of these effects varied between years: soil water storage played a more prominent role in 2021,whereas shoot dry matter accumulation had a greater impact in 2022. Conclusion Under drought conditions,the cultivation model combining subsoiling at 30-40 cm with straw-based paper film mulching can significantly increase soil water storage during the key growth stages of potatoes in the dryland area of southern Ningxia,promote root growth and development,accelerate the accumulation of shoot and root dry matter,and thereby significantly improve tuber yield and marketable tuber rate.
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