Potential Effect of Conservation Tillage on Sustainable Land Use: A Review of Global Long-Term Studies

Although understood differently in different parts of the world, conservation tillage usually includes leaving crop residues on the soil surface to reduce tillage. Through a global review of long-term conservation tillage research, this paper discusses the long-term effect of conservation tillage on sustainable land use, nutrient availability and crop yield response. Research has shown several potential benefits associated with conservation tillage, such as potential carbon sequestration, nutrient availability, and yield response. This research would provide a better perspective of the role of soil conservation tillage and hold promise in promoting application of practical technologies for dryland farming systems in China.

Effects of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Properties,Root Growth,Grain Yield,and Water Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Arid Northwest China

Studies on root development, soil physical properties, grain yield, and water-use efficiency are important for identifying suitable soil management practices for sustainable crop production. A field experiment was conducted from 2006 through 2008 in arid northwestern China to determine the effects of four tillage systems on soil properties, root development, water-use efficiency, and grain yield of winter wheat （Triticum aestivum L.）. The cultivar Fan 13 was grown under four tillage systems：conventional tillage （CT） without wheat stubble, no-tillage without wheat stubble mulching （NT）, no-tillage with wheat stubble standing （NTSS）, and no-tillage with wheat stubble mulching （NTS）. The soil bulk density （BD） under CT system increased gradually from sowing to harvest, but that in NT, NTSS, and NTS systems had little change. Compared to the CT system, the NTSS and NTS systems improved total soil water storage （0-150 cm） by 6.1-9.6 and 10.5- 15.3% before sowing, and by 2.2-8.9 and 13.0-15.1% after harvest, respectively. The NTSS and NTS systems also increased mean dry root weight density （DRWD） as compared to CT system. The NTS system significantly improved water-use efficiency by 17.2-17.5% and crop yield by 15.6-16.8%, and the NTSS system improved that by 7.8-9.6 and 7.0-12.8%, respectively, compared with the CT system. Our results suggested that Chinese farmers should consider adopting conservation tillage practices in arid northwestern China because of benefits to soil bulk density, water storage, root system, and winter wheat yield.

Long-Term Effect of No-Tillage on Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in a Continuous Maize Cropping System of Northeast China

Increasing evidence has shown that conservation tillage is an effective agricultural practice to increase carbon （C） sequestration in soils. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying the responses of soil organic carbon （SOC） to tillage regimes, physical fractionation techniques were employed to evaluate the effect of long-term no-tillage （NT） on soil aggregation and SOC fractions. Results showed that NT increased the concentration of total SOC by 18.1% compared with conventional tillage （CT） under a long-term maize （Zea mays L.） cropping system in Northeast China. The proportion of soil large macroaggregates （〉 2 000 μm） was higher in NT than that in CT, while small macroaggregates （250-2 000μm） showed an opposite trend. Therefore, the total proportion of macroaggregates （〉 2 000 and 250-2 000μm） was not affected by tillage management. However, C concentrations of macroaggregates on a whole soil basis were higher under NT relative to CT, indicating that both the amount of aggregation and aggregate turnover affected C stabilization. Carbon concentrations of intra-aggregate particulate organic matter associated with microaggregates （iPOM-m） and microaggregates occluded within macroaggregates （iPOM-mM） in NT were 1.6 and 1.8 times greater than those in CT, respectively. Carbon proportions of iPOM-n and iPOM-mM in the total SOC increased from 5.4% and 6.3% in CT to 7.2% and 9.7% in NT, respectively. Furthermore, the difference in the microaggregate protected C （i. e., iPOM-m and iPOM-mM） between NT and CT could explain 45.4% of the difference in the whole SOC. The above results indicate that NT stimulates C accumulation within microaggregates which then are further acted upon in the soil to form macroaggregates. The shift of SOC within microaggregates is beneficial for long-term C sequestration in soil. We also corroborate that the microaggregate protected C is useful as a pool for assessing the impact of tillage management on SOC storage.

Influence of Conservation Tillage on Soil Aggregates Features in North China Plain

Tillage greatly influences the aggregation and stability of soil aggregates. This study investigated the effects of conservation tillage on soil aggregate characteristics. During a four-year study period （2001-2005）, soils were sampled from no-tillage （NT）, rotary tillage （RT）, and conventional tillage （moldboard tillage, CT） plots at the Luancheng Agriculture and Ecology Experimental Station in Hebei Province, China, and the amount, size distribution, and fractal dimension of the aggregates were examined by dry and wet sieving methods. The results indicated that NT significantly increased the topsoil （0-5 cm） bulk density （BD）, while RT maintained a lower BD as CT. Dry sieving results showed that NT had higher macro-aggregate content （R0.25）, and a larger mean weight diameter （MWD） and geometric mean diameter （GMD） than other treatments in the 0-10 cm layer, while RT showed no difference from CT. In wet sieving, results showed that most of the aggregates were unstable, and the MWD and GMD of water-table aggregates showed the trend of NT 〉 RT 〉 CT. At 0-5 cm layer, the fractal dimension （D） of water-stable aggregates under NT was lower than it was under RT and CT. At 5-10 cm, RT yielded the highest D, and showed stability. After four years, NT increased the aggregation and the stability of soil aggregates; while due to intense disturbance, the aggregation and stability of the upper layer （0-10 cm） under RT and CT decreased.

Scenario Analysis of Tillage, Residue and Fertilization Management Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics

Based on data from 10-year field experiments on residue/fertilizer management in the dryland farming region of northern China, Century model was used to simulate the site-specific ecosystem dynamics through adjustment of the model＇s parameters, and the applicability of the model to propose soil organic carbon （SOC） management temporally and spatially, in cases such as of tillage/residue/fertilization management options, was identified v/a scenario analysis.Results between simulations and actual measurements were in close agreement when appropriate applications of stover,manure and inorganic fertilizer were combined. Simulations of extreme C/N ratios with added organic materials tended to underestimate the measured effects. Scenarios of changed tillage methods, residue practices and fertilization options showed potential to maintain and enhance SOC in the long run, while increasing inorganic N slowed down the SOC turnover rate but did not create a net C sink without any organic C input. The Century model simulation showed a good relationship between annual C inputs to the soil and the rate of C sequestration in the top 20 cm layer and provided quantitative estimations of changes in parameters crucial for sustainable land use and management. Conservation tillage practices for sustainable land use should be integrated with residue management and appreciable organic and inorganic fertilizer application, adapted according to the local residue resource, soil fertility and production conditions. At least 50% residue return into the soil was needed annually for maintenance of SOC balance, and manure amendment was important for enhancement of SOC in small crop-livestock systems in which crop residue land application was limited.

Combining Ridge with No-Tillage in Lowland Rice-Based Cropping System: Long-Term Effect on Soil and Rice Yield

A tillage method of combining ridge with no-tillage (RNT) was employed in lowland rice-based cropping system to study the long-term effects of RNT on soil profile pattern, soil water stable aggregate distribution, nutrients stratification and yields of rice and post-rice crops. After flooded paddy field (FPF) was practiced with RNT for a long time, soil profile changed from G to A-P-G, and horizon G was shifted to a deeper position in the profile. Also the proportion of macroaggregate (> 2 mm) increased, whereas the proportion of silt and clay (< 0.053 mm) decreased under RNT, indicating a better soil structure that will prevent erosion. RNT helped to control leaching and significantly improved total N, P, K and organic matter in soil. The highest crop yields were found under RNT system every year, and total crop yields were higher under conventional paddy-upland rotation tillage (CR) than under FPF, except in 2003 and 2006 when serious drought occurred. RNT was proven to be a better tillage method for lowland rice-based cropping system.

Soil carbon storage and stratification under different tillage/residue-management practices in double rice cropping system

The importance of soil organic carbon（SOC） sequestration in agricultural soils as climate-change-mitigating strategy has become an area of focus by the scientific community in relation to soil management.This study was conducted to determine the temporal effect of different tillage systems and residue management on distribution, storage and stratification of SOC, and the yield of rice under double rice（Oryza sativa L.） cropping system in the southern China.A tillage experiment was conducted in the southern China during 2005–2011, including plow tillage with residue removed（PT0）, plow tillage with residue retention（PT）, rotary tillage with residue retention（RT）, and no-till with residue retention on the surface（NT）.The soil samples were obtained at the harvesting of late rice in October of 2005, 2007 and 2011.Multiple-year residue return application significantly increased rice yields for the two rice-cropping systems; yields of early and late rice were higher under RT than those under other tillage systems in both years in 2011.Compared with PT0, SOC stocks were increased in soil under NT at 0–5, 5–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm depths by 33.8, 4.1, 6.6, and 53.3%, respectively, in 2011.SOC stocks under RT were higher than these under other tillage treatments at 0–30 cm depth.SOC stocks in soil under PT were higher than those under PT0 in the 0–5 and 20–30 cm soil layers.Therefore, crop residues played an important role in SOC management, and improvement of soil quality.In the 0–20 cm layer, the stratification ratio（SR） of SOC followed the order NT〉RT〉PT〉PT0; when the 0–30 cm layer was considered, NT also had the highest SR of SOC, but the SR of SOC under PT was higher than that under RT with a multiple-year tillage practice.Therefore, the notion that conservation tillage lead to higher SOC stocks and soil quality than plowed systems requires cautious scrutiny.Nevertheless, some benefits associated with RT system present a greater potential for its adoption in view of the multiple-year environmental sustainability under double rice cropping system in the southern China.

Effect of Interplanting with Zero Tillage and Straw Manure on Rice Growth and Rice Quality

The interplanting with zero-tillage of rice, i.e. direct sowing rice 10-20 days before wheat harvesting, and remaining about 30-cm high stubble after cutting wheat or rice with no tillage, is a new cultivation technology in wheat-rice rotation system. To study the effects of interplanting with zero tillage and straw manure on rice growth and quality, an experiment was conducted in a wheat-rotation rotation system. Four treatments, i.e. ZIS （Zero-tillage, straw manure and rice interplanting）, Zt （Zero-tillage, no straw manure and rice interplanting）, PTS （Plowing tillage, straw manure and rice transplanting）, and PT （Plowing tillage, no straw manure and rice transplanting）, were used. ZtS reduced plant height, leaf area per plant and the biomass of rice plants, but the biomass accumulation of rice at the late stage was quicker than that under conventional transplanting cultivation. In the first year （2002）, there was no significant difference in rice yield among the four treatments. However, rice yield decreased in interplanting with zero-tillage in the second year （2003）. Compared with the transplanting treatments, the number of filled grains per panicle decreased but l000-grain weight increased in interplanting with zero-tillage, which were the main factors resulting in higher yield, tnterplanting with zero-tillage improved the milling and appearance qualities of rice. The rates of milled and head rice increased while chalky rice rate and chalkiness decreased in interplanting with zero-tillage. Zero-tillage and interplanting also affected rice nutritional and cooking qualities. In 2002, ZIS showed raised protein content, decreased amylose content, softer gel consistency, resulting in improved rice quality. In 2003, zero-tillage and interplanting decreased protein content and showed similar amylose content as compared with transplanting treatments. Moreover, protein content in PTS was obviously increased in comparison with the other three treatments. The rice in interplanting with zero-tillage treatments had higher peak viscosity and breakdown, lower setback, showing better rice taste quality. The straw manure had no significant effect on rice viscosity under interplanting with zero-tillage, but had the negative influence on the rice taste quality under transplanting with plowing tillage.

Low soil carbon saturation deffcit limits the abundance of cbbL-carrying bacteria under long-term no-tillage maize cultivation in northern China

The responses of cbbL-carrying bacteria to different levels of soil carbon saturation deficits(SCSD)under tillage managements are largely unknown.We assessed the influence of SCSD on the abundance and diversity of cbbLcarrying bacteria under long-term no-tillage with residue retention(NT)and conventional tillage without residue retention(CT)cultivation systems in maize.We found SCSD was smaller under NT than under CT in the 0-15 cm soil layer.The abundance and the Shannon diversity of cbbL-carrying bacteria in the NT treatment were lower than in the CT treatment.Soil carbon saturation and cbbL gene abundance showed a significant positive correlation,but there was no correlation between soil carbon saturation and cbbL gene diversity.However,the long-term NT practice decreased cbbL-carrying bacteria diversity and altered the community structure of the cbbL-carrying bacteria.Our results indicated that low SCSD limited the abundance of cbbL-carrying bacteria,but there was no relationship between low SCSD and diversity of cbbLcarrying bacteria.We suggest that further studies of cbbL-carrying bacteria carbon sequestration rates and capacity should be based on the effect of management practices on cbbL-carrying bacteria abundance and diversity.Our study has important implications for the relationship between the biological and physicochemical mechanisms in CO_(2) fixation.

Effects of Conservation Tillage on Crop Yield: a Case Study in the Part of Typical Ecological Zones in China

To evaluate the effects of different conservation tillage modes on crop yield in various ecological regions, we interviewed peasant households in the Northeast China Plain, North China Plain, Chengdu Plain, and Northwest China Oasis, China, to analyze the influencing factors of the tillage methods on crop yield. An index set was determined from seven yield parameters based on expert consultation and relevant literature. A comprehensive evaluation of conservation tillage methods in the various ecological regions was carried out using fuzzy theory. The approaches with the highest scores were identified for each region： wide and narrow rotation planting with high stubble standing retention in the Northeast China Plain; seeding after rotary tilled of wheat under corn straw mulching and no-tillage seeding of corn and other crops under wheat straw mulching in the North China Plain; no tillage with high stubble retention in the Northwest China Oasis; and no-tillage seeding of wheat and other crops under rice straw mulching in Chengdu Plain. These research data provide a useful guide for the selection of conservation tillage methods for optimum yields in different regions of China.

Analysis of Soil Fertility and Biological Changes under Long-term Conservation Tillage

Compared with traditional tillage,the farmland soil ecosystem realizes increase in the number and diversity of soil microorganisms and animal communities. The conservation tillage measures such as no-tillage( zero tillage) and covering the farmland with organic matters reduce the disturbance to the soil,increase the accumulation of soil organic matter,and provide an excellent microhabitat for the biological activity of the soil. Soil organisms are closely related to soil nutrient movement. Soil animals,soil microorganisms and soil enzymes secreted by them are widely involved in the conversion process of organic matters and mineral nutrients,and they also play an important role in the effectiveness of nutrient utilization. Studies have shown that long-term conservation tillage is favorable for improving the soil biological activity,improving the soil health,and increasing the fertilizer utilization efficiency and the conservation in soil.

Effects of Conservation Tillage on the Content of Carbon, Nitrogen in Fluvo-aquic Soil

In order to verify organic carbon cycle under conservation tillage condition and the promotion mechanism of soil fertility and offer scientific theory support for the popularization and application of conservation tillage technological, the research investigated effects of different tillage treatments on the content of total organic car- bon, total nitrogen and different components of them in fluvo-aquic soil based on a long-term experiment site of conservation tillage. The research revealed effects of conservation tillage on the content of carbon, nitrogen in fluvo-aquic soil by study the distribution of soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, microbial biomass carbon, liable carbon in different soil depth under different tillage treatments. The results showed that compared to con- ventional tillage treatment, contents of soil total organic carbon under intermittent tillage （tillage once every 2 or 4 years） and no-tillage treatment improved by 1.81%, 6.43%, 14.04%, respectively and contents of soil total nitrogen went up by 0.80%, 10.04%, 7.93%, respectively. Contents of soil total organic carbon and total nitrogen in 10-20 cm soil layer under no-tillage treatment were significantly lower than the other treatments. Under the condition of straw returned, intermittent tillage and no- tillage could significantly improve the content of soil dissolved organic carbon and ni- trogen in 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm soil. Compared to conventional tillage treatment, content of soil microbial biomass carbon and liable carbon in 0-5 cm soil under in- termittent tillage and no-tillage were improved in varying degrees. Content of soil microbial biomass carbon in 10-20 cm soil layer under no-tillage treatment was sig- nificantly lower than the other treatments. Straw returning had improved the content of soil total organic carbon, total nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon and other com- ponents of active organic carbon in varying degrees. In general, conservation tillage measures could increase carbon and nitrogen storage in 0-5 cm soil layer, the negative effects of ＂nutrients enrichment in surface＂ under no-tillage condition could be ameliorated by intermittent tillage.

Water Availability for Winter Wheat Affected by Summer Fallow Tillage Practices in Slope Dryland

The tillage experiments for winter wheat were conducted on the slope farmland in Luoyang, Henan Province in the semihumid to arid loess plateau areas of North China. Different tillage methods including reduced tillage(RT), no-till(NT), 2 crops/year(2C), subsoiling(SS), and conventional tillage(CT)were compared to determine the effects of tillage methods on soil water conservation, water availability, and wheat yields in a search for better farming systems in the areas. The NT and SS showed good effects on water conservation. The soil water storage increased 12 - 33 mm with NT and 9-24 mm with SS at the end of summer fallow periods. The soil evaporation with NT and SS decreased 7-8 mm and 34 - 36 mm during the fallow periods of 1999 and 2001, respectively. Evapotranspiration(ET)with NT and SS increased about 47 mm during wheat growth periods of 2000 to 2001. Treatment RT and 2C had low water storage and high water losses during the fallow periods. The winter wheat yields with conservation tillage practices were improved in the 2nd year, increased by 3, 5 and 8% with RT, NT and SS, respectively, compared with CT. The highest wheat yields were obtained with subsoiling, and the maximum economic benefits from no-till. All conservation tillage practices provided great benefits to saving energy and labors, reducing operation inputs, and increasing economic returns. No-till and subsoiling have shown promise in increasing water storage, reducing water loss, enhancing water availability, and saving energy, as well as increasing wheat yield.

Biological Protection against Fungal Diseases of Winter Wheat under Different Soil Tillage Technologies

The effect of biopreparations, homogenized with the seed （seed treatment before sowing as a dressing）, and used as a mixture with mineral fertilizer ANL （ammonium nitrate with limestone）, upon both grain production and the health state of the winter wheat were evaluated during 2006-2009. Besides conventional soil cultivation, reduced tillage with incorporated chopped straw, and direct drilling into untilled soil covered with mulch, were also used. The following biopreparations were applied： Supresivit （Trichoderma harzianum）, Polyversum （Pythium oligandrum）, and Trianum P （a different strain ofTrichoderma harzianum）. Attention was focused on the foliar fungi pathogens Drechslera tritici-repentis, Septoria tritici, and Alternaria triticina, as well as on the soil-borne pathogenic fungi of the genus Fusarium.

Spatial variability of soil hydraulic and physical properties in erosive sloping agricultural fields

It is essential to minimize soil quality degradation in sloping agricultural fields through stabilization and improvement of soil hydraulic properties using sustainable soil management.This study aimed to analyze the impact of different tillage practices,including conventional tillage(CT),minimum tillage(MT),and zero tillage(ZT),on soil hydraulic conductivity in a sloping agricultural field under maizeewheat rotation.The results showed that the highest runoff volume(257.40 m3),runoff coefficient(42.84%),and soil loss(11.3 t)were observed when the CT treatment was applied.In contrast,the lowest runoff volume(67.95 m3),runoff coefficient(11.35%),and soil loss(1.05 t)were observed when the ZT treatment was adopted.The soil organic carbon and aggregate mean weight diameter were found to be significantly greater(with mean values of 0.79%and 1.19 mm,respectively)with the ZT treatment than with the CT treatment.With the tilled treatments(CT and MT),substantial changes in the saturated soil hydraulic conductivity(ks),near-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity(k),and water-conducting porosity(ε)were observed between two crop seasons.These three soil parameters were significantly higher in the period after maize harvesting than in the wheat growing period.In contrast,no significant difference in these soil parameters was found when the untilled treatment(ZT)was carried out.With regard to the slope positions,ks,k,andεshowed different behaviors under different treatments.The toe slope position showed significantly lower ks andεvalues than the summit and middle slope positions.Of the evaluated tillage practices,ZT was found to be the most promising means to improve the soil hydro-physical properties and effectively reduce surface runoff and soil erosion.

Benefits of Conservation Agriculture on Soil and Water Conservation and Its Progress in China

Conservation agriculture has been practised for three decades and has been spread widely. There are many nomenclatures surrounding conservation agriculture and differ to each other lightly. Conservation agriculture （CA） is a system approach to soil and water conservation, high crop productivity and profitability, in one word, it is a system approach to sustainable agriculture. Yet, because conservation agriculture is a knowledge-intensive and a complex system to learn and implement, and also because of traditions of intensive cultivation, adoption rates have been low, since to date, only about seven percent of the world＇s arable and permanent cropland area is farmed under conservation agriculture. The practice and wider extention of conservation agriculture thus requires a deeper understanding of its ecological underpinnings in order to manage its various elements for sustainable intensification, where the aim is to conserve soil and water and improve sustainability over the long term. This paper described terms related to conservation agriculture, presented the effects of conservation agriculture on soil and water conservation, crop productivity, progress and adoption of CA worldwide, emphasized obstacles and possible ways to increase CA adoption to accelerate sustainable development of China agriculture.

Developmental Tendency of Dry Land Farming Technologies

The developmental tendency of dry land farming technologies in the semiarid area of China were reviewed based on the overview of recent progress in dry land farming researches from China and oversea. It was emphasized that conservation tillage, limited irrigation, genetic modification and chemical control are the important aspects for the dry land farming research and development of the future. In addition, some consid-

Biochar application significantly increases soil organic carbon under conservation tillage:an 11-year field experiment

Biochar application and conservation tillage are significant for long-term organic carbon(OC)sequestration in soil and enhancing crop yields,however,their effects on native soil organic carbon(native SOC)without biochar carbon sequestration in situ remain largely unknown.Here,an 11-year field experiment was carried out to examine different biochar application rates(0,30,60,and 90 Mg ha^(−1))on native SOC pools(native labile SOC pool I and II,and native recalcitrant SOC)and microbial activities in calcareous soil across an entire winter wheat-maize rotation.The proportions of C_(3) and C_(4)-derived native SOC mineralization were quantified using soil basal respiration(SBR)combined with 13C natural isotope abundance measurements.The results showed that 39-51%of the biochar remained in the top 30 cm after 11 years.Biochar application rates significantly increased native SOC and native recalcitrant SOC contents but decreased the proportion of native labile SOC[native labile SOC pool I and II,dissolved organic carbon(DOC),and microbial biomass carbon(MBC)].Biochar application tended to increase the indicators of microbial activities associated with SOC degradation,such as SBR,fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity,and metabolic quotient(qCO_(2)).Meanwhile,higher biochar application rates(B60 and B90)significantly increased the C_(4)-derived CO_(2) proportion of the SBR and enhanced C_(4)-derived native SOC mineralization.The effect of the biochar application rate on the content and proportion of native SOC fractions occurred in the 0-15 cm layer,however,there were no significant differences at 15-30 cm.Soil depth also significantly increased native labile SOC pool Ⅰ and Ⅱ contents and decreased qCO_(2).In conclusion,the biochar application rate significantly increased native SOC accumulation in calcareous soil by enhancing the proportion of native recalcitrant SOC,and biochar application and soil depth collectively influenced the seasonal turnover of native SOC fractions,which has important implications for long-term agricultural soil organic carbon sequestration.

Distribution properties of airflow in the full envelope type maize stalk chopping chamber

Chopped and spread maize stalks improve soil structure and fertility. However, because of the absence of research on airflow distribution in the chopping chamber, improvement of the spreading uniformity of chopped stalks has been limited. Therefore, in this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology was applied to analyze the influence of structural and operational parameters of the chopping and spreading machine on the velocity, pressure, and turbulent kinetic energy distribution of airflow in the chopping chamber. The experimental factors considered were the relative position angle (RPA) between the collecting-chopping shaft and the sliding-supporting shaft, working velocity (WV) of the chopping chamber, and rotational velocity of the collecting-chopping blade (RVCCB). The results revealed that RPA and RVCCB had a significant influence on the maximum negative pressure in the inlet (MNPI), the proportion of negative pressure area at inlet (PNPAI), and the maximum pressure drop at inlet and outlet (MPDIO). Additionally, RVCCB had a strong influence on the maximum velocity, average velocity, and velocity variation coefficient of airflow at the outlet. Moreover, maximum turbulence (MT) and maximum turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate (MTKEDR) showed a positive relationship with RVCCB. To determine the values of RPA, RVCCB, and WV, a multivariate parameters optimization regression model was constructed, which yielded the optimal values of 15°, 1800 r/min, and 0.50 m/s, respectively. Subsequently, a hyperbolic spiral-type guiding shell with an arc length of 90° was designed to enhance the uniform distribution of airflow in the chopping chamber. Finally, a validation experiment of airflow distribution was conducted. The results showed that the velocity difference between the simulation and the validation experiment was less than 15%, indicating the accuracy of CFD simulation, and the spreading uniformities of the chopped stalks were better than national standards. These findings can serve as technical and theoretical support for the design and optimization of chopping and spreading machines.

Effects of film-stalk spaced dual mulching system on corn growth and yield

Film-stalk spaced dual mulching is a new type of cultivation measure that is increasingly highlighted in semi-arid areas in China.Despite its potential,there is limited understanding of how different mulching materials affect both soil quality and crop yield in these areas.To address this gap,we conducted a two-year(2020-2021)field experiment in central China to explore the yield-enhancing mechanisms and assess the impact of various mulching materials on soil and corn yield.The experiment comprised six treatments,i.e.,plastic film-whole stalk spaced mulching in fall(PSF),plastic film-whole stalk spaced mulching in spring(PSS),black and silver plastic film-whole stalk spaced mulching in spring(BPSS),biodegradable film-whole stalk spaced mulching in spring(BSS),liquid film-whole stalk spaced mulching in spring(LSS),and non-mulching cultivation(CK).Results revealed that BPSS demonstrated the most significant yield increase,surpassing CK by a notable 10.0%and other mulching treatments by 2.4%-5.9%.The efficacy of BPSS lied in its provision of favorable hydrothermal conditions for corn cultivation,particularly during hot season.Its cooling effect facilitated the establishment of optimal temperature conditions relative to transparent mulching,leading to higher root growth indices(e.g.,length and surface area),as well as higher leaf photosynthetic rate and dry matter accumulation per plant.Additionally,BPSS maintained higher average soil moisture content within 0-100 cm depth compared with biodegradable mulching and liquid mulching.As a result,BPSS increased activities of urease,catalase,and alkaline phosphatase,as well as the diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere zone of corn,facilitating nutrient accessibility by the plant.These findings suggest that selecting appropriate mulching materials is crucial for optimizing corn production in drought-prone areas,highlighting the potential of BPSS cultivation.