TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of plastic film mulch with biochar application on crop yield, evapotranspiration, and water use efficiency in northern China
T2 - A metaanalysis
AU - Mak-Mensah, Erastus
AU - Obour, Peter Bilson
AU - Essel, Eunice
AU - Wang, Qi
AU - Ahiakpa, John K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Mak-Mensah et al.
PY - 2021/3/3
Y1 - 2021/3/3
N2 - Background. China is the leading consumer of plastic film worldwide. Plastic film mulched ridge-furrow is one of the most widely adopted agronomic and field man- agement practices in rain-fed agriculture in dry-land areas of China. The efficiency of plastic film mulching as a viable method to decrease evapotranspiration (ET), increase crop yields, and water use efficiency (WUE), has been demonstrated extensively by earlier studies. Methods. A comprehensive evaluation of how co-application of plastic-film mulch and biochar in different agro-environments under varying climatic conditions influence ET, crop yield, WUE, and soil microbial activity were assessed. We performed a meta- analysis using the PRISMA guideline to assess the effect of plastic-film mulched ridge- furrow and biochar on ET, yield, and WUE of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) in northern China. Results. The use of plastic film increased average yields of wheat (75.7%), potato (20.2%), and maize (12.9%) in Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces, respectively due to the reduction in ET by 12.8% in Gansu, 0.5% in Ningxia, and 4.1% in Shanxi, but increased in Shaanxi by 0.5% compared to no-mulching. These changes may be attributed to the effect of plastic film mulch application which simultaneously increased WUE by 68.5% in Gansu, 23.9% in Ningxia, 16.2% in Shaanxi, and 12.8% in Shanxi, respectively. Compared to flat planting without mulching, in three years, the yield of maize increased with the co-application of plastic film and biochar by 22.86% in the Shanxi and Shaanxi regions. Conclusion. Our analysis revealed co-application of plastic film with biochar is integral for improving soil and water conservation in rain-fed agriculture and as an integrated practice to avert drought while simultaneously mitigating runoff and erosion.
AB - Background. China is the leading consumer of plastic film worldwide. Plastic film mulched ridge-furrow is one of the most widely adopted agronomic and field man- agement practices in rain-fed agriculture in dry-land areas of China. The efficiency of plastic film mulching as a viable method to decrease evapotranspiration (ET), increase crop yields, and water use efficiency (WUE), has been demonstrated extensively by earlier studies. Methods. A comprehensive evaluation of how co-application of plastic-film mulch and biochar in different agro-environments under varying climatic conditions influence ET, crop yield, WUE, and soil microbial activity were assessed. We performed a meta- analysis using the PRISMA guideline to assess the effect of plastic-film mulched ridge- furrow and biochar on ET, yield, and WUE of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) in northern China. Results. The use of plastic film increased average yields of wheat (75.7%), potato (20.2%), and maize (12.9%) in Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, and Shanxi provinces, respectively due to the reduction in ET by 12.8% in Gansu, 0.5% in Ningxia, and 4.1% in Shanxi, but increased in Shaanxi by 0.5% compared to no-mulching. These changes may be attributed to the effect of plastic film mulch application which simultaneously increased WUE by 68.5% in Gansu, 23.9% in Ningxia, 16.2% in Shaanxi, and 12.8% in Shanxi, respectively. Compared to flat planting without mulching, in three years, the yield of maize increased with the co-application of plastic film and biochar by 22.86% in the Shanxi and Shaanxi regions. Conclusion. Our analysis revealed co-application of plastic film with biochar is integral for improving soil and water conservation in rain-fed agriculture and as an integrated practice to avert drought while simultaneously mitigating runoff and erosion.
KW - Biochar
KW - Mulching
KW - Plastic film
KW - Soil fertility
KW - Water conservation
KW - Yield
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101911665&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7717/peerj.10967
DO - 10.7717/peerj.10967
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85101911665
SN - 2167-8359
VL - 9
JO - PeerJ
JF - PeerJ
M1 - e10967
ER -