title: Effects of straw and plastic film mulching on greenhouse gas emissions in Loess Plateau, China: A field study of 2 consecutive wheat-maize rotation cycles.
abstract: Mulching practices have long been used to modify the soil temperature and moisture conditions and thus potentially improve crop production in dryland agriculture, but few studies have focused on mulching effects on soil gaseous emissions. We monitored annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the regime of straw and plastic film mulching using a closed chamber method on a typical winter-wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Xiaoyan 22) and summer-maize (Zea mays L. cv Qinlong 11) rotation field over two-year period in the Loess Plateau, northwestern China. The following four field treatments were included: T1 (control, no mulching), T2 (4000kgha-1wheat straw mulching, covering 100% of soil surface), T3 (half plastic film mulching, covering 50% of soil surface), and T4 (complete plastic film mulching, covering 100% of soil surface). Compared with the control, straw mulching decreased soil temperature and increased soil moisture, whereas plastic film mulching increased both soil temperature and moisture. Accordingly, straw mulching increased annual crop yields over both cycles, while plastic film mulching significantly enhanced annual crop yield over cycle 2. Compared to the no-mulching treatment, all mulching treatments increased soil CO2emission over both cycles, and straw mulching increased soil CH4absorption over both cycles, but patterns of soil N2O emissions under straw or film mulching are not consistent. Overall, compared to T1, annual GHG intensity was significantly decreased by 106%, 24% and 26% under T2, T3 and T4 over cycle 1, respectively; and by 20%, 51% and 29% under T2, T3 and T4 over cycle 2, respectively. Considering the additional cost and environmental issues associated with plastic film mulching, the application of straw mulching might achieve a balance between food security and GHG emissions in the Chinese Loess Plateau. However, further research is required to investigate the perennial influence of different mulching applications.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Haixin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Afeng
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Gong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Benhua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pi
authors.affiliation: Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Miles
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dyck
authors.affiliation: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Bingcheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agri-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; Department of Soil Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada. Electronic address: yzhaosoils@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China; College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: nercwsi@vip.sina.com.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D002681:China; D017753:Ecosystem; D000074382:Greenhouse Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D010969:Plastics; D006109:Poaceae; D014908:Triticum; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D000074382:Greenhouse Gases; D010969:Plastics
keywords: Greenhouse gas emissions; Mulching; Wheat-maize rotation field