Nutrient Accumulation and Distribution in Cotton Promoted by Removal of Mulch Film

Plastic film mulching affects changes in nutrient contents in soil and absorption and utilization of nutrients in plants were by changing hydrothermal condition of soil.The temporal and spatial variation of the total soil salt and nutrient contents with mulch film removed at three different times during the early cotton growth stage and its effects on nutrient absorption and accumulation in cotton plants were studied over 2015-2017.The film removal treatments reduced salt accumulation in normal rainfall year(2017).Film removal increased contents of soil organic matter,the total phosphorus and available potassium at the end of growth stage,increased contents of soil hydrolyzable nitrogen and the total nitrogen in the surface soil layer(0-10 cm),and increased the total nitrogen contents in the deep soil layer(40-50 cm).Film removal increased accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients in cotton plants in 2017 and accumulation of nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium nutrients in cotton plants in heavy rainfall year(2016).These experimental results indicated that removal of mulch film at an appropriate and targeted time in the bud stage of cotton promoted nutrient absorption.

Photosynthetic characteristics of cotton are enhaneed by altering the timing of mulch film removal

Background:The photosynthetic parameters of cotton plants may be modified by the timing of film removal during their growing period.This study was undertaken during 2015-2017 in Xinjiang,China,to determine to what extent the film mulching removal time,1 and 10 days before the first irrigation and 1 day before the second irrigation after seedling emergence,influenced cotton's photosynthetic characteristics.The control group(CK)was film-mulched throughout the growth stages.Results:The results suggested the following:(1)Removing mulching-film within 50 days since seedling emergence had adverse effects on soil temperature and moisture.(2)Film-removal before the first or second irrigation after emergence improved the net photosynthetic rate in cotton's later flowering stage and its transpiration rate in mid and later flowed ng stages while enhancing the actual electron transport rate(ETR)and maximum electron transfer rate(ETRmax)between cotton photosystems I and II.(3)Film-removal treatment also increased cotton plants'toleranee to high irradiation after emergence,the trend was more pronounced in the early flowering stage in wetter years.(4)Leaf area index(LAI)of cotton was reduced in the film-removal treatment for which the least accumulation of dry matter occurred in a drought year(i.e.,2015).(5)Film removal caused a yield decrease in the dry year(2015),and the earlier the film was removed,the more seriously the yield decreased.Removing mulching film before the second irrigation could increase the yield of XLZ42 in the rainy year(2016)and the normal rainfall year(2017).Early film removal can in crease the yield of XLZ45 in the rainy year(2016).Conclusions:Collectively,our stud/s experimental results indicate that applying mulch film removal at an appropriate,targeted time after seedling emerge nee had no adverse effects on soil moisture and temperature,and improved the photosy nthetic performance of cotton,thus in creased cotton yield and fiber quality,but no significant difference was reached.

National mandatory standard on agricultural mulch film issued

The revised national mandatory standard on polyethylene blown mulch film for agricultural uses was officially issued in October 2017.The new standard defines the increase of the minimum thickness of mulch film,which can prevent the overuse of ultra-thin mulch film and promote the recycling and aging-resistance of mulch film,according to Sha Nansheng,Deputy-Director of Science and Technology Division,MIIT.

Localized salt accumulation: the main reason for cotton root length decrease during advanced growth stages under drip irrigation with mulch film in a saline soil

High salinity in soil can prevent root growth of most plants. To investigate soil salinity dynamics under drip irrigation with mulch film(DI) and its effects on cotton root length, we conducted field experiments in saline soil based on a monolith method using flooding irrigation with mulch film(FI) as a control at the Korla Experimental Station of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China in 2009 and 2010. The results showed that the total root length decreased 120 days after sowing(DAS) under DI, and was mainly centered in the 0–30 cm soil layer and at distances of 30–70 cm from the drip-lines. There was almost complete overlap in the area of root length decline and salt accumulation. In the soil depth of 0–30 cm and at distances of 30–70 cm from the drip-lines at 110 to 160 DAS in 2009 and 171 DAS in 2010, the electrical conductivity(EC) in all soil samples was at least 3 mS/cm and in some cases exceeded 5 mS/cm under DI treatment. However, EC barely exceeded 3 mS/cm and no reduc- tion in root length was observed under FI treatment. Correlation analysis of soil EC and root length density indicated that the root length declined when the soil EC exceeded 2.8 mS/cm. The main reason for the decrease of root length in cotton under DI was localized accumulation of salinity.

Can soil organic carbon sequestration and the carbon management index be improved by changing the film mulching methods in the semiarid region?

Plastic film mulching has been widely used to increase maize yield in the semiarid area of China.However, whether long-term plastic film mulching is conducive to agricultural sustainability in this region remains controversial.A field experiment was initiated in 2013 with five different film mulching methods:(i) control method, flat planting without mulching (CK),(ii) flat planting with half film mulching (P),(iii) film mulching on ridges and planting in narrow furrows(S),(iv) full film mulching on double ridges (D), and (v) film mulching on ridges and planting in wide furrows (R).The effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) content, storage, and fractions, and on the carbon management index (CMI)were evaluated after nine consecutive years of plastic film mulching.The results showed that long-term plastic film mulching generally maintained the initial SOC level.Compared with no mulching, plastic film mulching increased the average crop yield, biomass yield, and root biomass by 48.38, 35.06, and 37.32%, respectively, which led to the improvement of SOC sequestration.Specifically, plastic film mulching significantly improved CMI, and increased the SOC content by 13.59%, SOC storage by 7.47%and easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC) by 13.78%on average,but it reduced the other labile fractions.SOC sequestration and CMI were improved by refining the plastic film mulching methods.The S treatment had the best effect among the four mulching methods, so it can be used as a reasonable film mulching method for sustainable agricultural development in the semiarid area.

Better tillage selection before ridge–furrow film mulch can facilitate root proliferation, and increase nitrogen accumulation,translocation and grain yield of maize in a semiarid area

Plastic film mulch systems are used widely in arid areas, and the associated tillage measures affect soil properties, root and crop growth, and nutrient uptake. However, much debate surrounds the most suitable tillage method for plastic film mulch systems. We conducted a two-year field experiment to explore the impact of three tillage treatments-rotary tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch(MR), no-tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch(MZ), and plow tillage before ridge–furrow plastic film mulch(MP)-on soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, root stratification structure,nitrogen transfer and utilization, and maize yield. The results showed that MP had better soil quality than either MR or MZ over 2019 and 2020, with higher nitrate-nitrogen and total nitrogen in the 0–40 cm soil layer. MP improved the soil physicochemical properties more than the other treatments, producing significantly higher root numbers and root biomass for the aerial and underground nodal roots than MR and MZ. At harvest, MP had the highest root biomass density,root length density, and root surface area density in the different soil layers(0–20, 20–40, and 0–40 cm). Significant correlations occurred between root biomass and aboveground nitrogen accumulation during maize growth. During grain filling, MP had the greatest nitrogen transfer amount, significantly increasing root and aboveground nitrogen transfer by 19.63–45.82% and 11.15–24.56%, respectively, relative to the other treatments. MP significantly produced 1.36–26.73%higher grain yields and a higher grain crude protein content at harvest than MR and MZ. MP also had higher values for the nitrogen harvest index, nitrogen uptake efficiency, and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer than MR and MZ.In conclusion, plow tillage combined with a ridge–furrow plastic film mulch system facilitated maize root development and improved nitrogen utilization, thereby increasing maize yield more than the other treatments.

Improving maize growth and development simulation by integrating temperature compensatory effect under plastic film mulching into the AquaCrop model

Temperature compensatory effect, which quantifies the increase in cumulative air temperature from soil temperature increase caused by mulching, provides an effective method for incorporating soil temperature into crop models. In this study, compensated temperature was integrated into the AquaCrop model to investigate the capability of the compensatory effect to improve assessment of the promotion of maize growth and development by plastic film mulching(PM). A three-year experiment was conducted from2014 to 2016 with two maize varieties(spring and summer) and two mulching conditions(PM and non-mulching(NM)), and the AquaCrop model was employed to reproduce crop growth and yield responses to changes in NM, PM, and compensated PM. A marked difference in soil temperature between NM and PM was observed before 50 days after sowing(DAS) during three growing seasons. During sowing–emergence and emergence–tasseling, the increase in air temperature was proportional to the compensatory coefficient, with spring maize showing a higher compensatory temperature than summer maize. Simulation results for canopy cover(CC) were generally in good agreement with the measurements, whereas predictions of aboveground biomass and grain yield under PM indicated large underestimates from 60 DAS to the end of maturity. Simulations of spring maize biomass and yield showed general increase based on temperature compensation, accompanied by improvement in modeling accuracy, with RMSEs decreasing from 2.5 to 1.6 t ha^(-1)and from 4.1 t to 3.4 t ha^(-1). Improvement in biomass and yield simulation was less pronounced for summer than for spring maize, implying that crops grown during low-temperature periods would benefit more from the compensatory effect. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the temperature compensatory effect to improve the performance of the AquaCrop model in simulating maize growth under PM practices.

The status and distribution characteristics of residual mulching film in Xinjiang, China

Pollution of residual plastic film in arable lands is a severe problem in China. In this study, the status of residual film and influential factors were investigated using the methods of farm survey in combination with questionnaires and quadrat sampling at a large number of field sites in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The results showed that the amount of film utilization increased largely and reached to 1.8×10~5 t in 2013. Similarly, the mulching area also substantially increased in recent decades, and reached to 2.7×10~5 ha in the same year. According to the current survey, 60.7% of the sites presented a greater mulch residue than the national film residue standard(75 kg ha^(–1)), and the maximum residual amount reached 502.2 kg ha^(–1) in Turpan, Xinjiang. The film thickness, the mulching time and the crop type all influenced mulch residue. The thickness of the film had significantly negative correlation with the amount of residual film(P<0.05), while the mulching years had significantly positive correlation with it(P<0.05). The total amount of residual film in Xinjiang was 3.43×105 t in 2011, which accounted for 15.3% of the cumulative dosage of mulching. Among all the crops, the cotton fields had the largest residual amount of mulch film(158.4 kg ha^(–1)), and also the largest contribution(2.6×10~5 tons) to the total amount of residual film in Xinjiang.

Effects of plastic film mulching on soil greenhouse gases(CO2,CH4 and N2O) concentration within soil profiles in maize fields on the Loess Plateau,China

To better understand the effects of plastic film mulching on soil greenhouse gases(GHGs) emissions,we compared seasonal and vertical variations of GHG concentrations at seven soil depths in maize(Zea mays L.) fields at Changwu station in Shaanxi,a semi-humid region,between 2012 and 2013.Gas samples were taken simultaneously every one week from non-mulched(BP) and plastic film-mulched(FM) field plots.The results showed that the concentration of GHGs varied distinctly at the soil-atmosphere interface and in the soil profile during the maize growing season(MS).Both carbon dioxide(CO_2) and nitrous oxide(N_2O) concentrations increased with increasement of soil depth,while the methane(CH_4)concentrations decreased with increasement of soil depth.A strong seasonal variation pattern was found for CO_2 and N_2O concentrations,as compared to an inconspicuous seasonal variation of CH_4 concentrations.The mean CO_2 and N_2O concentrations were higher,but the mean CH_4 concentration in the soil profiles was lower in the FM plots than in the BP plots.The results of this study suggested that plastic film mulching significantly increased the potential emissions of CO_2and N_2O from the soil,and promoted CH_4 absorption by the soil,particularly during the MS.

Effects of plastic mulching film-induced leaf burning on seedling growth in tobacco cultivation:Different findings beyond conservation view

Solving high-temperature plastic mulching film-induced leaf burning in the first week during tobacco cultivation would take much time and effort. In the present study, the growth as well as the leaf sugar and nicotine contents of seedlings with or without leaf burning induced by high-temperature plastic mulching film were tested at two independent sites in 2015 and 2016 to identify the influence of leaf burning on seedling growth. The results showed that the growth of seedlings with leaf burning was improved with increased leaf area, leaf number and plant height compared to those without leaf burning, combined with an increased seedling survival rate at two sites in two years. In seedlings with leaf burning, the contents of fructose and glucose increased and peaked at 11:00 and 13:00 in the leaf and root, respectively, with an increased root nicotine content beginning at 13:00, highlighting the signalling role of sugars. Activities of antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase(POD), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) were all increased in seedlings with leaf burning. More plant biomass was allocated to roots in seedlings with leaf burning with increased root volume compared to control seedlings, which might facilitate the absorption of water and nutrients from the soil. Our findings demonstrate that high-temperature plastic mulching film-induced leaf burning not inhibited but benefited seedling survival and growth, suggesting that the time and labour-consuming manual plucking of burnt leaves can be avoided during tobacco cultivation.

A preliminary study of the effects of plastic film-mulched raised beds on soil temperature and crop performance of early-sown short-season spring maize(Zea mays L.) in the North China Plain

To identify a strategy for earlier sowing and harvesting of spring maize(Zea mays L.) in an alternative maize–maize double cropping system, a 2-year field experiment was performed at Quzhou experimental station of China Agricultural University in 2014 and 2015. A short-season cultivar, Demeiya number 1(KX7349), was used in the experiment. Soil temperature to 5 cm depth in the early crop growth stage, crop growth, crop yield, and water use of different treatments(plastic film-mulched raised bed(RF) and flat field without plastic film mulching(CK) in 2014; RF, plastic film-mulched flat field(FF), and CK in 2015)were measured or calculated and compared. Soil temperature in the film-mulched treatments was consistently higher than that in CK(1.6–3.5 °C in average) during the early growth stage. Crops in plastic film-mulched treatments used 214 fewer growing-degree days(GDDs) in 2014 and 262 fewer GDDs in 2015. In 2014, the RF treatment yielded 32.7%higher biomass than CK, although its 9.4% higher grain yield was not statistically significant. Also, RF used 17.9% less water and showed 33.1% higher water use efficiency(WUE) than CK. In 2015, RF and FF showed 56.2% and 49.5% higher yield, 15.0% and 4.5%lower water use(ET), and 63.4% and 75.7% higher WUE, respectively, than CK. RF markedly increased soil temperature in the early crop season, accelerated crop growth, reduced ET,and greatly increased crop yield and WUE. Compared with FF, RF had no obvious effect on crop growth rate, although soil temperature during the period between sowing and stem elongation was slightly increased. However, RF resulted in lower ET and higher WUE than FF. Effects of RF on soil water dynamics as well as its cost-effectiveness remain topics for further study.

Construction of virtual mulch film model based on discrete element method and simulation of its physical mechanical properties

In China,especially in Xinjiang Region,mulch film remaining in the soil has severely jeopardized the safety of soil resources.To numerically simulate the residual film-soil-recovery implementation system,a virtual mulch film model with consistent physical and mechanical properties with real mulch film needs to be established.In this study,a flexible deformable virtual mulch film model was constructed using YADE software based on the Minkowski Sum principle and the ball-ball force-displacement constitutive rule,as well as the contact failure rule were established.The deformation behaviors of cylinders and PFacet elements,such as stretching,bending,and torsion,were described.By splicing the basic PFacet elements,a virtual mulch model was established.The mechanical model of a virtual mulch film under tension was established and the axial tensile stiffness coefficient kn was determined to be 43.30 N·m.To verify the physical and mechanical properties of this virtual mulch film,both real and virtual stretching and tearing tests were conducted.The experimental results showed that:in the process of stretching and tearing of real and virtual films,the properties of morphological features of both are basically identical;however,they clearly differ in force-displacement.The viscoelastic constitutive model between balls and yield judgment conditions requires further study.

Mulching with plastic film improved the root quality of summersown sweet potato(Ipomoea batatas(L).Lam.)in northern China

The root quality of sweet potato cultivated during the summer season is poor in northern China;thus,this study was conducted to determine whether root quality could be improved through mulching with plastic film(MPF).The effect of MPF on root starch and its composition,the activity of starch synthesis enzymes,and other quality-related parameters were investigated in two purple flesh sweet potato cultivars,Jishu 18 and Ayamurasaki(Aya).The results indicated that root dry matter,anthocyanin content,adenosine triphosphate(ATP),and starch content were higher in both cultivars under the MPF treatment than those under the control treatment.The root adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase/uridine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase(ADPGPPase/UDPGPPase)activity and adenosine triphosphatease(ATPase)activity were increased using MPF.However,under the MPF treatment,the amylose content,soluble sugar content,and granule-bound synthase(GBSS)activity increased in Jishu 18 but decreased in Aya,and the amylopectin content,protein content,and soluble starch synthase(SSS)activity decreased in Jishu 18 but increased in Aya.Therefore,MPF seems benifit to improve the quality of sweet potato,but the effects of this treatment condition may be dependent on the cultivar.

Application and Residue Pollution of Mulching Films in Xinjiang

In order to study current situation of application,recycling and residue pollution of mulching films in Xinjiang,and accurately grasp pollution degree of residue of mulching films,this paper made an empirical analysis on residue of mulching films in 31 typical counties and cities in Xinjiang. Results indicate that( i) use of mulching films in Xinjiang is wide and there is great difference in use and residue recycling between cities and counties. Planting area and planting structure jointly influence use of mulching films,and the use of mulching films is significantly correlated with recycling of mulching films,but not correlated with recycling rate of mulching films.( ii) There are significant differences in distribution of residue of mulching films,highest in North Xinjiang and South Xinjiang,followed by East Xinjiang,and the lowest in West Xinjiang.( iii) There are significant differences in distribution of residue of mulching films between different crop fields. Residue of mulching films in cotton field is the key problem of pollution.

Effects of Plastic Film Mulching of Millet on Soil Moisture and Temperature in Semi-Arid Areas in South Ningxia of China

The effects of film mulching of millet on soil water content were studied in semi-arid areas in the Loess Plateau of South Ningxia, China. Different mulching methods including water micro-collecting farming (WF), water micro-collecting farming in winter fallow (WW), hole seeding on film (HF), hole seeding on film in winter fallow (HW) were compared to determine the effects of mulching methods on soil water collecting and conservation during millet growth periods of 2003-2004, as well as the variation tendency of water content after rainfall, output of millet and water use efficiency (WUE). The experimental results in the two successive years indicated that water micro-collecting farming had a better function of collecting water after rainfall, and side infiltrated water was stored under the ridges and the top layer 0-40 cm soil water changes were great. WF had obvious role in water collection and preservation of soil moisture . It effectively improved the water supply capacity by about 19.05% in the end of growth seasons. The storage of HW and WW increased by 24.9 and 7.1 mm compared with CK, and output of yield were obviously increased. Film mulching increased the yield of millet and enhanced water use efficiency (WUE). During different growth periods, WF exhibited better water storage function with lower water consumption, and demonstrated optimal social and ecological benefits.

Effects of film mulching regime on soil water status and grain yield of rain-fed winter wheat on the Loess Plateau of China

Shortages and fluctuations in precipitation are influential limiting factors for the sustainable cultivation of rain-fed winter wheat on the Loess Plateau of China.Plastic film mulching is one of the most effective water management practices to improve soil moisture,and may be useful in the Loess Plateau for increasing soil water storage.A field experiment was conducted from July 2010 to June 2012 on the Loess Plateau to investigate the effects of mulching time and rates on soil water storage,evapotranspiration(ET),water use efficiency(WUE),and grain yield.Six treatments were conducted:(1) early mulching(starting 30 days after harvest) with whole mulching(EW);(2) early mulching with half mulching(EH);(3) early mulching with no mulching(EN);(4) late mulching(starting 60 days after harvest) with whole mulching(LW);(5) late mulching with half mulching(LH);and(6) late mulching with no mulching(LN).EW increased precipitation storage efficiency during the fallow periods of each season by 18.4 and 17.8%,respectively.EW improved soil water storage from 60 days after harvest to the booting stage and also outperformed LN by 13.8 and 20.9% in each growing season.EW also improved spike number per ha by 13.8 and 20.9% and grain yield by 11.7 and 17.4% during both years compared to LN.However,EW decreased WUE compared with LN.The overall results of this study demonstrated that EW could be a productive and efficient practice to improve wheat yield on the Loess Plateau of China.

Film-mulched continuous ridge-furrow planting improves soil temperature,nutrient content and enzymatic activity in a winter oilseed rape field,Northwest China

Film mulching system is a widely employed agricultural practice worldwide. However, the effects of different planting and mulching patterns on soil nutrient content and enzymatic activity have not been well documented. In this study, we examined the impact of four planting and mulching patterns(including control, flat planting without mulching; M1, flat planting with film mulching; M2, ridge-furrow planting with film mulching on both ridges and furrows; and M3, ridge-furrow planting with film mulching on continuous ridges) on the seed yield of winter oilseed rape, soil moisture, soil temperature, soil organic carbon(SOC) content, soil nutrient content, and soil enzymatic activity over three growing seasons from 2012 to 2015 in a winter oilseed rape field in the semi-arid area of Northwest China. Seed yield of winter oilseed rape, soil moisture, soil temperature, enzymatic activities, and contents of nitrate-nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium were all significantly higher in mulching treatments(M1, M2 and M3) than in control treatment over the three growing seasons, whereas SOC content was significantly lower in mulching treatments than in control treatment during 2013–2014 and 2014–2015. Among the three mulching treatments(M1, M2 and M3), the M3 treatment showed consistently higher seed yield, SOC content, nutrient contents, and enzymatic activities than the other two treatments. Seed yield of winter oilseed rape was 41.1% and 15.0% higher in M3 than in M1 and M2, respectively. SOC content and soil enzymatic activities in the top 0–20 cm soil layers and nitrate-nitrogen content in the top 0–30 cm soil layers were all significantly higher in M3 than in M1 and M2. Therefore, we advise the ridge-furrow planting with film mulching on continuous ridges(i.e., M3) as an efficient planting and mulching pattern for sustainably improving the seed yield of winter oilseed rape and preserving soil fertility in the semi-arid area of Northwest China.

Effects of Plastic Film Mulching on Quality and Appearance of Statuma Mandarin Fruit

Six-year Statuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc. Cv. Miyagawa Wase) trees were used as materials to investigate the effects of plastic film mulching on quality and appearance of Statuma mandarin fruit during three periods of cell division, cell enlargement and mature stages. The results showed that mulching during the cell division and early-mature stages increased total sugar and reduced sugar content of fruit as well as the Vc content, compared to the control. However, the titratable acid content, fruit size, peel weight and single fruit weight were all lower than the control. Film mulching during the cell division phage resulted in higher edible fruit rate, while the fruit shape index was similar to the control. Mulching during the early-mature stage didn’t affect the edible rate of fruit, but caused lower fruit shape index. Compared to the control, film mulching during the cell enlargement period caused lower total and reducing sugar content, titratable acid content and edible rate, while the Vc content was a little bit higher than the control. In addition, the fruit size, peel weight, single fruit weight and fruit shape index were all lower than the control. Mulching during the early-mature period effectively enhanced the content of total and reduced sugar and Vc and decreased the titratable acid content. Hence, it increased fruit quality but had negative effect on fruit appearance.

Cotton's Water Demand and Water-Saving Benefits under Drip Irrigation with Plastic Film Mulch

The primary purpose of this research was to give suitable irrigation program according to the growth period and water requirement.A cotton field experiment with mulched drip irrigation was conducted at the National Field Observation and Research Station for Oasis Farmland Ecosystem in Aksu of Xinjiang in 2008.Water balance method was adopted to study the water requirement and water consumption law of cotton under mulched drip irrigation in Tarim Irrigated Area.Statistical analysis of experimental data of irrigation indicates that the relationship between yield of cotton and irrigation presents a quadratic parabola.We fit the model of cotton water production on the basis of field experimental data of cotton.And the analysis on water saving benefit of cotton under mulched drip irrigation was done.Results indicate that water requirements for the irrigated cotton are 543 mm in Tarim Irrigated Area.The water requirements of seedling stage is 252 mm,budding stage is 186 mm,bolling stage is 316 mm and wadding stage is 139 mm.the irrigation amount determines the spatial distribution of soil moisture and water consumption during cotton life cycle.However,water consumption at different growth stages was inconsistent with irrigation.Quantitatively,the water consumed by cotton decreases upon the increase of irrigation amount.From the perspective of water saving,the maximal water use efficiency can reach 3 091 m3/ha.But the highest cotton yield needs 3464 m3/ha irrigation water.In summary,compared to the conventional drip irrigation,a number of benefits in water saving and yield increase were observed when using plastic mulch.At the same amount of irrigation,the cotton yield with plastic mulch was 30.2% higher than conventional approaches,and the efficiency of water utilization increased by30.2%.While at the same yield level,29.3% water was saved by using plastic mulch,and the efficiency increased by 41.5%.

Measuring and modeling two-dimensional irrigation infiltration under film-mulched furrows

soil water distribution;;wetting pattern;;film-mulched furrows;;furrow irrigation;;HYDRUS-2D