Summary
This field study compared short- and long-term applications of straw mulching (SM), subsoiling (S), and combined subsoiling plus straw mulching (SS) amendments on wheat and maize production under water-limited conditions. Combined SS treatment consistently enhanced soil water storage across critical growth stages and improved photosynthetic performance and water use efficiency, though the relative benefits of short versus long-term application varied by crop, season, and rainfall conditions. Long-term subsoiling alone achieved the highest wheat yield (17.7% above control), whilst long-term SS treatment delivered the highest wheat water use efficiency.
UK applicability
The findings on soil water conservation through mulching and subsoiling are potentially relevant to rainfed cereal production in drier regions of the UK, though the study's semi-arid Chinese context and irrigation practices may limit direct applicability to typical UK temperate conditions with higher baseline rainfall.
Key measures
Soil water storage (SWS), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), leaf water use efficiency (LWUE), grain yield (kg ha⁻¹), water use efficiency (WUE)
Outcomes reported
The study measured soil water storage, net photosynthetic rates, leaf water use efficiency, grain yield, and water use efficiency across wheat and maize crops under different soil management treatments applied for short and long terms.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.