Effects of drip and flood irrigation on carbon dioxide exchange and crop growth in the maize ecosystem in the Hetao Irrigation District,China

Drip irrigation and flood irrigation are major irrigation methods for maize crops in the Hetao Irrigation District,Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China.This research delves into the effects of these irrigation methods on carbon dioxide(CO_(2))exchange and crop growth in this region.The experimental site was divided into drip and flood irrigation zones.The irrigation schedules of this study aligned with the local commonly used irrigation schedule.We employed a developed chamber system to measure the diurnal CO_(2)exchange of maize plants during various growth stages under both drip and flood irrigation methods.From May to September in 2020 and 2021,two sets of repeated experiments were conducted.In each experiment,a total of nine measurements of CO_(2)exchange were performed to obtain carbon exchange data at different growth stages of maize crop.During each CO_(2)exchange measurement event,CO_(2)flux data were collected every two hours over a day-long period to capture the diurnal variations in CO_(2)exchange.During each CO_(2)exchange measurement event,the biological parameters(aboveground biomass and crop growth rate)of maize and environmental parameters(including air humidity,air temperature,precipitation,soil water content,and photosynthetically active radiation)were measured.The results indicated a V-shaped trend in net ecosystem CO_(2)exchange in daytime,reducing slowly at night,while the net assimilation rate(net primary productivity)exhibited a contrasting trend.Notably,compared with flood irrigation,drip irrigation demonstrated significantly higher average daily soil CO_(2)emission and greater average daily CO_(2)absorption by maize plants.Consequently,within the maize ecosystem,drip irrigation appeared more conducive to absorbing atmospheric CO_(2).Furthermore,drip irrigation demonstrated a faster crop growth rate and increased aboveground biomass compared with flood irrigation.A strong linear relationship existed between leaf area index and light utilization efficiency,irrespective of the irrigation method.Notably,drip irrigation displayed superior light use efficiency compared with flood irrigation.The final yield results corroborated these findings,indicating that drip irrigation yielded higher harvest index and overall yield than flood irrigation.The results of this study provide a basis for the selection of optimal irrigation methods commonly used in the Hetao Irrigation District.This research also serves as a reference for future irrigation studies that consider measurements of both carbon emissions and yield simultaneously.

Exploring the combination of biochar‐amended soil and automated irrigation technology for water regulation and preservation in green infrastructure

Biochar is a carbon sink material with the potential to improve water retention in various soils.However,for the long‐term maintenance of green infrastructure,there is an additional need to regulate the water contents in the covers to maintain vegetation growth in semiarid conditions.In this study,biochar‐amended soil was combined with subsurface drip irrigation,and the water preservation characteristics of this treatment were investigated through a series of one‐dimensional soil column tests.To ascertain the best treatment method specific to semiarid climatic conditions,the test soil was amended with 0%,1%,3%,and 5%biochar.Automatic irrigation devices equipped with soil moisture sensors were used to control the subsurface water content with the aim of enhancing vegetation growth.Each soil column test lasted 150 h,during which the volumetric water contents and soil suction data were recorded.The experimental results reveal that the soil specimen amended with 3%biochar is the most water‐saving regardless of the time cost.Soil with a higher biochar content(e.g.,5%)consumes a more significant amount of water due to the enhancement of the water‐holding capacity.Based on the experimental results,it can be concluded that the appropriate ratio can be determined within 1%–3%,which can reduce not only the amount of irrigated/used water but also the time cost.Such technology can be explored for water content regulation in green infrastructure and the development of barriers for protecting the environment around deep underground waste containment.

Irrigation and Thermal Buffering Using Mathematical Modeling

Two methods of irrigation,drip,and sprinkler were studied to determine the response of the Javits green roof to irrigation.The control study was dry unirrigated plots.Drip irrigation consisted of irrigation tubes running through the green roof that would water the soil throughout and sprinkler irrigation used a sprinkler system to irrigate the green roof from above.In all cases,the irrigated roofs had increased the soil moisture,reduced temperatures of both the upper and lower surfaces,reduced growing medium temperatures and reduced air temperatures above the green roof relative to the unirrigated roof.The buffered temperature fluctuations were also studied via air conditioner energy consumption.There was a 28%reduction in air conditioner energy consumption and a 33%reduction in overall energy consumption between dry and irrigated plots.Values of thermal resistance or S were determined for accuracy and for this study,there was little change which is ideal.A series of infra-red and thermal probe measurements were used to determine temperatures in the air and sedum.It was determined that the sprinkler irrigation did a better job than the drip irrigation in keeping cooler temperatures within the green roof.A Mann-Whitney U test was performed to verify the variation in moisture temperatures buffering energy consumption.By getting a p-value<0.05,it indicates that the model is accurate for prediction and medium temperatures were statistically different.

Effect of fertigation frequency on soil nitrogen distribution and tomato yield under alternate partial root-zone drip irrigation

Alternate partial root-zone drip fertigation (ADF) is a combination of alternating irrigation and drip fertigation,with the potential to save water and increase nitrogen (N) fertilizer efficiency.A 2-year greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different fertigation frequencies on the distribution of soil moisture and nutrients and tomato yield under ADF.The treatments included three ADF frequencies with intervals of 3 days (F3),6 days (F6) and 12 days (F12),and conventional drip fertigation as a control (CK),which was fertilized once every 6 days.For the ADF treatments,two drip tapes were placed 10 cm away on each side of the tomato row,and alternate drip irrigation was realized using a manual valve on the distribution tapes.For the CK treatment,a drip tape was located close to the roots of the tomato plants.The total N application rate of all treatments was 180 kg ha^(-1).The total irrigation amounts applied to the CK treatment were450.6 and 446.1 mm in 2019 and 2020,respectively;and the irrigation amounts applied to the ADF treatments were 60%of those of the CK treatment.The F3 treatment resulted in water and N being distributed mainly in the 0–40-cm soil layer with less water and N being distributed in the 40–60-cm soil layer.The F6 treatment led to 21.0 and 29.0%higher 2-year average concentration of mineral N in the 0–20 and 20–40-cm soil layer,respectively and a 23.0%lower N concentration in the 40–60-cm soil layer than in the CK treatment.The 2-year average tomato yields of the F3,F6,F12,and CK treatments were 107.5,102.6,87.2,and 98.7 t ha^(-1),respectively.The tomato yield of F3 was significantly higher (23.3%) than that in the F12 treatment,whereas there was no significant difference between the F3 and F6 treatment.The F6 treatment resulted in yield similar to the CK treatment,indicating that ADF could maintain tomato yield with a 40%saving in water use.Based on the distribution of water and N,and tomato yield,a fertigation frequency of 6 days under ADF should be considered as a water-saving strategy for greenhouse tomato production.

Green High-yield and High-efficiency Cultivation Techniques of Integrated Management of Water and Fertilizer for Maize under Mulch Drip Irrigation

The green high-yield and high-efficiency cultivation techniques of integrated management of water and fertilizer for maize under mulch drip irrigation are described from the aspects of high yield target of maize and its component factor indexes,pre-sowing preparation,sowing,post-sowing management,field management at the seedling stage,integrated management of water and fertilizer for target yield of maize,rational application of micro-fertilizer,comprehensive prevention and control of diseases and pests,timely harvest,etc.,in order to provide a reference for agricultural technicians,maize farmers and maize industry development in northern Xinjiang.

High-yield Cultivation Techniques of Drip Irrigation under Ground Membrane for Cotton

Yuepuhu County in Xinjiang has a long history of cotton planting and is a national high-quality cotton base county.In 2002,it was appraised by the Ministry of Agriculture as the"Hometown of High-yield Cotton Production in China",with an annual cotton planting area of about 43000 ha.Traditional cotton planting has disadvantages such as waste of water resources,low water use efficiency,easy breeding of diseases and insect pests,and unfavorable ground temperature recovery at the seedling stage.In order to solve the low water use efficiency in cotton planting in Yuepuhu County,reduce the occurrence of diseases and insect pests,promote sustainable cotton production,and improve the economic benefits and local ecological benefits of cotton planting,Yuepuhu County promoted the application of the resource-saving technology drip irrigation under ground membrane cotton comprehensive cultivation technology mainly promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture.This paper mainly discusses the disadvantages of traditional cotton planting,the main technical content of drip irrigation under ground membrane technology,the problems found in the practice process and the solutions,so as make cotton growers in Yuepuhu County better understand the planting technology under plastic film,and to better promote the development of cotton industry in Yuepuhu County and the surrounding regions.

Effects of Different Irrigation Amounts on Water Consumption and Water Use Efficiency of Dripirrigated Celery

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different irrigation amounts on water consumption and water use efficiency of celery under the condition of drip irrigation, so as to provide a scientific basis for high-yielding, high-quality and highefficiency cultivation and water-saving irrigation of greenhouse celery. Total five irrigation amounts were designed, 117.5 （T1）, 160.0 （T2）, 202.5 （T3）, 245.0 （T4） and 287.5 （CK） mm/hm2, and the effects of different irrigation amounts on yield, water consumption and water use efficiency of celery were studied by plot experiment. The results showed that at the soil depth of 0-40 cm, the soil water storages of different treatments ranked as T3＇s〉T4＇s〉CK＇s〉T2＇s〉T1＇s, and the celery water consumptions ranked as CK＇s〉T4＇s〉T3＇s〉T2＇s〉T1＇s. At the same time, the soil water storage in different treatment group declined with the growth of celery, and finally increased at the harvest period. Among different irrigation amounts, the water use effi- ciency and irrigation water use efficiency all ranked as T1＇s〉T2＇s〉T3＇s〉T4＇s〉CK＇s. The water consumption of celery was positively related to irrigation amount （P〈 0.01）, and was negatively related to water use efficiency （P〈0.01） and irrigation water use efficiency （P〈0.05）. When the irrigation amount was below 253 mm/hm2, the celery yield was positively related to irrigation amount （P〈0.01）. There was also a positive correlation between celery output and irrigation amount. Compared with those of CK, the benefit of the T4 treatment group was equal, and the water consumption was reduced by 14.78%. In high-efficiency solar greenhouse, the irrigation amount of drip-irrigated celery is recommended as 245 mm/hm2.

Influences of Surface Drip Irrigation on the Growth, Yield and Quality of Several New Species of Guitang Sugarcane

[Objective] This paper discussed the influences of surface drip irrigation on the growth, yield and quality of several new species of Guitang, in order to provide references for the promotion of new species and high-yield cultivation. [Method] One species is planted in each region, and there were two controls dripping technology or no-dripping technology in each region. [Results] The average yield of dripping-pro- cessed land was 115.91 t/hm2, which was 19.73 t/hm2 higher than the control. The maximum output was GT31, followed by GT34. The output of all Guitang new species was higher than the control ROC22. The average sucrose of dripped sug- arcane was 14.68%, which was 0.19% less than the control of 14.83%. The drip- ping technology was economically beneficial, rising by 15.2% compared with the control. The highest dripping efficiency was GT31, while the lowest one was ROC22. The increasing ratios of drip irrigation efficiency of the tested new Guitang species were higher than ROC22. [Conclusions] Under the drip irrigation condition, the sugarcane yield was extremely higher than the control of non-dripping irrigation, and the economic efficiency was significant. However, the sugar in the sugarcane declined slightly. The sensitivity of several new Guitang species to water was higher than the control ROC22.

Study on Liquid Special Fertilizer for Drip Irrigation of Sugarcane and Its Irrigation Mode in Guangxi Lateritic Red Soil Region

[Objective] Liquid special fertilizer for drip irrigation of sugarcane was de- veloped and the fertilizer patterns were explored in the production to provide techni- cal support for fertigation production of modern agriculture. [Method] ROC22 was selected as experimental material, two formulas of liquid special fertilizer for sugar- cane developed by the cooperation between Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sci- ences and New Orientation （Guangxi） Chemical Industry Co.,Ltd. were selected, namely, balanced 21-21-21 ~ TE of Xinfangxiang and hyperkalemic 13-6-39-TE of Xinfangxiang. Taking conventional fertilization as the control （CK）, two modes of ap- plying base fertilizer at the earlier stage ＋ fertigation in the tillering stage and ferti- gation in the whole growth period were set. [Result] The two modes of fertilization had not significant effects on the emergence of sugarcane, but applying base fertil- izer at the earlier stage ＋ timely applying water soluble fertilizer in the tillering stage was conducive to the tillering of sugarcane. Harvest results showed that the effects of different treatments on plant height and yield were significant, in which the yield of sugarcane under the treatment of hyperkalemic water-soluble fertilizer increased by 13.04% compared with conventional treatment, and the income increased by 4 500 yuan/hm2, [Conclusion] Liquid special fertilizer for drip irrigation of sugarcane signifi- cantly promoted the growth of sugarcane, moreover, under the same condition, the effect of hyperkalemic water-soluble fertilizer was better.

Drip Irrigation Scheduling for Tomato Grown in Solar Greenhouse Based on Pan Evaporation in North China Plain

This study has investigated the suitable drip irrigation scheduling for tomato grown in solar greenhouse based on 20-cm pan evaporation （Epan） in North China Plain. Irrigation treatments included three irrigation frequencies （11 10, 12 20 and 13 30 mm, and irrigation interval of 2-6 d for 11, 4-9 d for 12 and 8-12 d for 13） based on accumulated pan evaporation （Epan）, and four plant-pan coefficients （Kcp1 0.5, Kcp2 0.7, Kcp3 0.9 and Kcp4 1.1）. Results indicate that total irrigation amount, seasonal crop evapotranspiration （ET） and tomato yield （Y） were 185.1-365.8 mm, 249.1-388.0 mm and 99.6-151.8 t ha^-1, respectively. Irrigation frequency and amount increased the yield, and second-degree polynomial relationship was found between Y and ET （R2=0.8671）. Irrigation frequency did not increase mean fruit weight, diameter and length significantly but increased fruit number, total soluble solids content （TSS）, TSS yield, fruit firmness and water use efficiency （WUE） and irrigation WUE （IWUE） significantly. Irrigation amount increased external quality of tomato but reduced TSS content, TSS yield, fruit firmness, WUE and IWUE significantly. Kep3 and gep4 treatments had the highest fruit yield, but Kep2 and Kep3 treatments had the highest WUE. 11Kcp3 treatment （irrigation interval of 2-6 d, and Kop=0.9） had higher IWUE, WUE, external quality, yield, and TSS yield, so it is recommended as the suitable irrigation scheduling for tomato grown in solar greenhouse in North China Plain.

Effects of Irrigation Water Quality and Drip Tape Arrangement on Soil Salinity,Soil Moisture Distribution,and Cotton Yield (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Under Mulched Drip Irrigation in Xinjiang,China

More and more attention is being focused on saline water utilization in irrigation due to the shortage of fresh water to agriculture in many regions. For purpose of reducing the risks of using of saline water for irrigation, the mechanism of soil moisture and salinity distribution and transport should be well understood for developing optimum management strategies. In this paper, field experiments were carried out at Junggar Basin, China, to study the effects of drip irrigation water quality and drip tape arrangement on distribution of soil salinity and soil moisture. Six treatments were designed, including two drip tape arrangement modes and three irrigation water concentration levels （0.24, 4.68, and 7.42 dS m^-l）. Results showed that, soil moisture content （SMC） directly beneath the drip tape in all treatments kept a relatively high value about 18% before boll opening stage; the SMC in the narrow strip in single tape arrangement （Ms） plot was obviously lower than that in the double tapes arrangement （Md） plot, indicating that less sufficient water was supplied under the same condition of irrigation depth, but there was no significant reduction in yield. Mulching had not significant influence on salt accumulation but the drip tape arrangement, under the same condition of irrigation water depth and quality, compared with Md, Ms reduced salt accumulation in root zone and brought about relatively high cotton yield.

Response of yield,quality,water and nitrogen use efficiency of tomato to different levels of water and nitrogen under drip irrigation in Northwestern China

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of applying different amounts of water and nitrogen on yield, fruit quality, water use efficiency （WUE）, irrigation water use efficiency （IWUE） and nitrogen use efficiency （NUE） of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomatoes in northwestern China. The plants were irrigated every seven days at various proportions of 20-cm pan evaporation （Ep）. The experiment consisted of three irrigation levels （11, 50% Ep; 12, 75% Ep; and 13, 100% Ep） and three N application levels （N1, 150 kg N ha^-1; N2, 250 kg N ha^-1;and N3, 350 kg N ha^-1）. Tomato yield increased with the amount of applied irrigation water in 12 and then decreased in 13. WUE and IWUE were the highest in Ii. WUE was 16.5% lower in 12 than that in I1, but yield was 26.6% higher in 12 than that in I1. Tomato yield, WUE, and IWUE were significantly higher in N2 than that in N1 and N3. NUIE decreased with increasing N levels but NUE increased with increase the amount of water applied. Increasing both water and N levels increased the foliar net photosynthetic rate. I1 and 12 treatments significantly increased the contents of total soluble solids （TSS）, vitamin C （VC）, lycopene, soluble sugars （SS）, and organic acids （OA） and the sugar：acid ratio in the fruit and decreased the nitrate content. TSS, VC, lycopene, and SS contents were the highest in N2. The harvest index （HI） was the highest in 12N2. 12N2 provided the optimal combination of tomato yield, fruit quality, and WUE. The irrigation and fertilisation regime of 75% Ep and 250 kg N ha^-1 was the best strategy of water and N management for the production of drip-irrigated greenhouse tomato.

Yield and Quality Response of Cucumber to Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertilization Under Subsurface Drip Irrigation in Solar Greenhouse

The aims of this research were to compare subsurface drip irrigation scheduling and nitrogen fertilization rates in cucumber, and evaluate yield and quality of cucumber fruit, water （WUE）, irrigation water （IWUE）, and nitrogen use （NUE） efficiencies in the solar greenhouse in Southwest China. The irrigation water amounts were determined based on the 20 cm diameter pan （Ep） placed over the crop canopy, and cucumber plant was subjected to three irrigation water levels （I1, 0.6 Ep; I2, 0.8 Ep; and I3, 1.0 Ep） in interaction with three nitrogen fertilization levels （N1, 300 kg ha-1; N2, 450 kg ha-1; and N3, 600 kg ha-1）. The results showed that the cucumber fruit yield increased with the improvement of irrigation water. Irrigation water increased yields by increasing the mean weight of the fruits, and also by increasing fruit number. But the highest values of IWUE and WUE were obtained from I2 treatment. NUE significantly decreased with the improvement of N application, but increased by irrigating more water. The quality of cucumber fruit decreased with the improvement irrigation water and nitrogen fertilization. In conclusion, the optimum irrigation level and nitrogen fertilizer application level for cucunber under subsurface drip irrigation in the solar greenhouse in Southwest China were 0.8 Ep and 450 and 600 kg ha-1, respectively.

Tomato Yield and Quality and Emitter Clogging as Affected by Chlorination Schemes of Drip Irrigation Systems Applying Sewage Effluent

Chlorination has been recognized as an efficient and economically favorable method for treating clogging in drip emitters caused by biological growth during sewage application. Further important criteria for determining an optimal chlorination scheme are the different responses of crops to the chloride added into the soil through chlorination. During two seasons in 2008 and 2009, field experiments were conducted in a solar-heated greenhouse with drip irrigation systems applying secondary sewage effluent to tomato plants to investigate the influences of chlorine injection intervals and levels on plant growth, yield, fruit quality, and emitter clogging. Injection intervals ranging from 2 to 8 wk and injection concentrations ranging 2-50 mg L-1 of free chlorine residual at the end of the laterals were used. For the 2008 experiments, the yield from the treatments of sewage application with chlorination was 7.5% lower than the yield from the treatment of sewage application without chlorination, while the yields for the treatments with and without chlorination were similar for the 2009 experiments. The statistical tests indicated that neither the chlorine injection intervals and concentrations nor the interactions between the two significantly influenced plant height, leaf area, or tomato yield for both years. The qualities of the fruit in response to chlorination were parameter-dependent. Chlorination did not significantly influence the quality of ascorbic acid, soluble sugar, or soluble acids, but the interaction between the chlorine injection interval and the chlorine concentration significantly influenced the levels of soluble solids. It was also confirmed that chlorination was an effective method for reducing biological clogging. These results suggested that chlorination is safe for a crop that has a moderate sensitivity to chlorine, like tomato, and can maintain a high level of performance in drip irrigation systems applying sewage effluent.

Effects of combined drip irrigation and sub-surface pipe drainage on water and salt transport of saline-alkali soil in Xinjiang, China

Developing effective irrigation and drainage strategies to improve the quality of saline-alkali soil is vital for enhancing agricultural production and increasing economic returns. In this study, we explored how irrigation and drainage modes (flood irrigation, drip irrigation, and sub-surface pipe drainage under drip irrigation) improve the saline-alkali soil in Xinjiang, China. We aimed to study the transport characteristics of soil water and salt under different irrigation and drainage modes, and analyze the effects of the combination of irrigation and drainage on soil salt leaching, as well as its impacts on the growth of oil sunflower. Our results show that sub-surface pipe drainage under drip irrigation significantly reduced the soil salt content and soil water content at the 0–200 cm soil depth. Under sub-surface pipe drainage combined with drip irrigation, the mean soil salt content was reduced to below 10 g/kg after the second irrigation, and the soil salt content decreased as sub-surface pipe distance decreased. The mean soil salt content of flood irrigation exceeded 25 g/kg, and the mean soil desalination efficiency was 3.28%, which was lower than that of drip irrigation. The mean soil desalination rate under drip irrigation and sub-surface pipe drainage under drip irrigation was 19.30% and 58.12%, respectively. After sub-surface drainage regulation under drip irrigation, the germination percentage of oil sunflower seedlings was increased to more than 50%, which further confirmed that combined drip irrigation and sub-surface pipe drainage is very effective in improving the quality of saline-alkali soil and increasing the productivity of agricultural crops.

Changes in Soil Properties Under the Influences of Cropping and Drip Irrigation During the Reclamation of Severe Salt-Affected Soils

Reclamation of salt-affected land plays an important role in mitigating the pressure of agricultural land due to competition with industry and construction in China. Drip irrigation was found to be an effective method to reclaim salt-affected land. In order to improve the effect of reclamation and sustainability of salt-affected land production, a field experiment （with reclaimed 1-3 yr fields） was carried out to investigate changes in soil physical, chemical, and biological properties during the process of reclamation with cropping maize and drip irrigation. Results showed that soil bulk density in 0-20 cm soil layer decreased from 1.71 g·cm-3 in unreclaimed land to 1.44 g ·cm^-3 in reclaimed 3 yr fields, and saturated soil water content of 0-10 cm layer increased correspondingly from 20.3 to 30.2%. Both soil salinity and pH value in 0-40 cm soil layer dropped markedly after reclaiming 3 yr. Soil organic matter content reduced, while total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium all tended to increase after cropping and drip irrigation. The quantities of bacteria, actinomycete, and fungi in 0-40 cm soil layer all greatly increased with increase of reclaimed years, and they tended to distribute homogeneously in 0-40 cm soil profile. The urease activity and alkaline phosphatase activity in 0-40 cm soil layers were also enhanced, but the sucrase activity was not greatly changed. These results indicated that after crop cultivation and drip irrigation, soil physical environment and nutrients status were both improved. This was benefit for microorganism＇s activity and plant＇s growth.

Effects of biochar on water movement characteristics in sandy soil under drip irrigation

Biochar addition can improve the physical and hydraulic characteristics of sandy soil.This study investigated the effects of biochar on water holding capacity and water movement in sandy soil under drip irrigation.By indoor simulation experiments,the effects of biochar application at five levels(0%,1%,2%,4%and 6%)on the soil water retention curve,infiltration characteristics of drip irrigation and water distribution were tested and analyzed.The results showed that biochar addition rate was positively correlated with water holding capacity of sandy soil and soil available water.Within the same infiltration time,with an increasing amount of added biochar,the diffusion distance of the horizontal wetting front(HWF)tended to decrease,while the infiltration distance of vertical wetting front(VWF)initially declined and then rose.The features of wetted bodies changed from"broad-shallow"to"narrow-deep"type.The relationship between the transport distances of HWF and VWF and the infiltration time was described by a power function.At the same distance from the point source,the larger the amount of added biochar,the higher the soil water content.Biochar had a great influence on the water content of the layer with biochar(0–200 mm)and had some effects at 200–250 mm without biochar;but it had less influence on the soil water content deeper than 250 mm.For the application rate of biochar of 4%,most water was retained within 0–250 mm soil layer.However,when biochar application amount was high(6%),it would be helpful for water infiltration.During the improvement of sandy soil,biochar application rate of 4%in the plow layer had the best effect.

Effects of emitter discharge rates on soil salinity distribution and cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in an arid region of Northwest China

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different emitter discharge rates under drip irrigation on soil salinity distribution and cotton yield in an extreme arid region of Tarim River catchment in Northwest China. Four treatments of emitter discharge rates, i.e. 1.8, 2.2, 2.6 and 3.2 L/h, were designed under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in this paper. The salt distribution in the range of 70-cm horizontal distance and 100-cm vertical distance from the emitter was measured and analyzed during the cotton growing season. The soil salinity is expressed in terms of electrical conductivity （dS/m） of the saturated soil extract （ECe）, which was measured using Time Domain Reflector （TDR） 20 times a year, including 5 irrigation events and 4 measured times before/after an irrigation event. All the treatments were repeated 3 times. The groundwater depth was observed by SEBA MDS Dipper 3 automatically at three experimental sites. The results showed that the order of reduction in averaged soil salinity was 2.6 L/h 〉 2.2 L/h 〉 1.8 L/h 〉 3.2 L/h after the completion of irrigation for the 3-year cotton growing season. Therefore, the choice of emitter discharge rate is considerably important in arid silt loam. Usually, the ideal emitter discharge rate is 2.4-3.0 L/h for soil desalinization with plastic mulch, which is advisable mainly because of the favorable salt leaching of silt loam and the climatic conditions in the studied arid area. Maximum cotton yield was achieved at the emitter discharge rate of 2.6 L/h under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in silty soil at the study site. Hence, the emitter discharge rate of 2.6 L/h is recommended for drip irrigation with plastiic mulch applied in silty soil in arid regions.

Wetting Patterns and Nitrate Distributions in Layered-Textural Soils Under Drip Irrigation

Laboratory experiments were conducted in different sequence and thickness of the soil layers to investigate the effects of layered-textural soils on wetting patterns and water and nitrate distributions from a surface point source under various combinations of application rate and applied volume. Three layered soils, including a sandy-over-sandy loam （SL）, a sandy loam-over-sandy （LS）, and a sandy loam-sandy-sandy loam （LSL）, and two uniform soils （a uniform sandy loam and a uniform sandy soil） were tested. In the experiments, the application rate was varied from 0.69 to 3.86 L h^-1 and the applied volume from 5.7 to 12.1 L. The experimental results demonstrated that the wetting patterns and water and nitrate distributions were greatly affected by the sequence and thickness of soil layers as well as the application rate and volume applied. An interface existing in the layered soils, whether a fine-over-coarse or a coarse-over-fine, had a common feature of limiting downward water movement and of increasing horizontal water movement. For the fine-over-coarse layered soils of LS and LSL, water and nitrate were uniformly distributed at a given depth in the top layer soil. For a coarse-over-fine layered soil of SL, however, water accumulated in the sublayer soil underneath the interface and a zone of lower nitrate concentration was observed. The effect of application rate on water distribution pattern was dependent upon soil layering. A minor influence of application rate on water distribution for the fine-over-coarse layered soils （LS and LSL） than for the uniform soils was found. To obtain a greater wetted depth through selecting the emitters having a smaller application rate, which is a common method in the system design for a uniform soil, may not be necessarily applied for the layered soils. Measurements of nitrate distribution showed that nitrate accumulated toward the boundary of the wetted volume for both the uniform and the layered soils. This suggests the importance of optimal management of drip fertigation because nitrate is susceptible to the movement out of the root zone by mismanagement of fertigation. The information obtained from this research is useful in the design, operation, and management of a drip fertigation system.

Effects of Soil Water Content on Cotton Root Growth and Distribution Under Mulched Drip Irrigation

The relation between soil water content and the growth of cotton root was studied for the scheme of field water and cotton yield under mulched drip irrigation. Based on the field experiments, three treatments of soil water content were conducted with 90%, 75%θf, and 60%θf （θfis field water capacity）. Cotton roots and root-shoot ratio were studied with digging method, and the soil moisture was observed with TDR （time domain reflector）, and cotton yield was measured. The results indicated that the growth of cotton root accorded with Logistic growth curve in the three treatments, the cotton root grew quickly and its weight was very high under 75%θf because of the suitable soil water condition, while grew slowly and its weight was lower under 90%θf due to water moisture beyond the suitable condition, and the root weight was in between under 60%θf For the three water treatments, the cotton root weight decreased with soil depth, and decreased more significantly in deeper soil layer with the soil moisture increasing. And the ratio of cotton root weight in 0-30 cm soil layer to the total root weight was the highest under 75%θf. The cotton root system was distributed mainly in the soil of narrow row and wide row mulched with plastic film, and little in the soil outside plastic film. The weight of cotton root was the highest in the soil of narrow row or wide row mulched with plastic film under 75%θf. Root-shoot ratio decreased with the soil moisture increasing. The soil water content affected cotton yields, and cotton yield was the highest under 75%θf. The higher soil moisture level is unfavorable to the growth of cotton root system and yield of cotton under mulched drip irrigation.