Abstract
The plastic film mulching (PM) management is being increasingly adopted in the vast rainfed farming regions of China, especially in the Loess Plateau, to obtain high yields. Although many studies have confirmed that PM increases yields and water use efficiency of crops, identifying the most suitable areas for PM and evaluating its performance in improving crop yields on a regional scale have received little attention. A process-based model using 30 years of historical climate data (1980-2010) was applied to evaluate PM crop production improvement in the Loess Plateau, where the annual average air temperature is 9 to 15 degrees C and precipitation is 100-1000 mm among study points. The well-calibrated and validated model explained 62% of maize production variance. PM showed increases of 4%-254%, with an average 58% increase, in comparison with unmulched management (CK) yields across the study area. Maize production showed a marked increase in the cold and dry western Loess Plateau and only a slight increase in the warm and wet south-eastern Loess Plateau where soil temperature and moisture conditions are already conducive to crop production. When compared with CK inside study area, the average yield using PM increased 66% in the area with precipitation less than 600 mm versus only 20% in the area with precipitation greater than 600 mm. Similarly, PM increased the yield by 73% and 37% over CK in areas with annual average air temperature less than 9 degrees C and greater than 9 degrees C, respectively. PM not only increases yield in existing cultivation areas; it also extends the maize suitable arable land. Specifically, PM enabled 2.77% of this study area to produce mature maize where no yield was achieved through CK. PM also led to lower interannual variation and stable yields of maize in 87.75% of the area. However, 9.52% of the area with low precipitation (average precipitation 230 mm) and higher temperatures (average temperature 8.0 degrees C) showed higher interannual yield variation in PM than CK. Among the areas studied, those with precipitation between 300 and 600 mm, annual average temperatures of 3-9 degrees C or an aridity index of 0.2-0.4 (semiarid zone) were determined as the most suitable for PM management. Thus, PM offers a potential solution to the problem of food security in areas with similar conditions.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
The calibrated model explained 62% of maize production variance.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The well-calibrated and validated model explained 62% of maize production variance.”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching increased maize yields across the study area by 4%-254%, averaging 58%, relative to unmulched management.
- Treatment
- PMe0
- Outcome
- yieldse0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 4%-254%e0
- Qualifier
- average 58% increasee0
- Comparator
- unmulched management (CK)e0
- Setting
- study areae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“PM showed increases of 4%-254%, with an average 58% increase, in comparison with unmulched management (CK) yields across the study area.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize production increased markedly in the cold, dry western Loess Plateau.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Maize production showed a marked increase in the cold and dry western Loess Plateau”
t0“plastic film mulching”
e1“PM showed increases of 4%-254%”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize production increased slightly in the warm, wet southeastern Loess Plateau.
- Treatment
- plastic film mulchingt0
- Outcome
- maize productione1
- Direction
- increasee0
- Setting
- south-eastern Loess Plateaue0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“only a slight increase in the warm and wet south-eastern Loess Plateau”
t0“plastic film mulching for improving crop yields on the Loess Plateau of China”
e1“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
PM increased average yield by 66% in areas with precipitation below 600 mm relative to CK.
- Treatment
- PMe0
- Outcome
- average yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 66%e0
- Qualifier
- precipitation less than 600 mme0
- Comparator
- CKe1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the average yield using PM increased 66% in the area with precipitation less than 600 mm”
t0“maize production variance”
e1“When compared with CK inside study area”
Claim · model-written summary
PM increased average yield by 20% in areas with precipitation above 600 mm relative to CK.
- Treatment
- PMe1
- Outcome
- yieldt0
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 20%e0
- Qualifier
- precipitation greater than 600 mme0
- Comparator
- CKe1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“only 20% in the area with precipitation greater than 600 mm”
t0“plastic film mulching for improving crop yields on the Loess Plateau of China”
e1“maize production variance. PM showed increases of 4%-254%, with an average 58% increase, in comparison with unmulched management (CK) yields across the study area. Maize production showed a marked increase in the cold and dry western Loess Plateau and only a slight increase in the warm and wet south-eastern Loess Plateau where soil temperature and moisture conditions are already conducive to crop production. When compared with CK inside study area, the average yield using PM increased 66%”
Claim · model-written summary
PM increased yield by 73% in areas with annual mean temperature below 9 degrees C.
- Treatment
- PMe0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 73%e0
- Qualifier
- annual average air temperature less than 9 degrees Ce0
- Comparator
- CKe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“PM increased the yield by 73% and 37% over CK in areas with annual average air temperature less than 9 degrees C and greater than 9 degrees C, respectively.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
PM increased yield by 37% in areas with annual mean temperature above 9 degrees C.
- Treatment
- PMe0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 37%e0
- Qualifier
- greater than 9 degrees Ce0
- Comparator
- CKe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“PM increased the yield by 73% and 37% over CK in areas with annual average air temperature less than 9 degrees C and greater than 9 degrees C, respectively.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
PM enabled mature maize production on 2.77% of the study area where CK yielded none.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“PM enabled 2.77% of this study area to produce mature maize where no yield was achieved through CK.”
Claim · model-written summary
PM reduced interannual maize yield variation and stabilized yield in 87.75% of the area.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“PM also led to lower interannual variation and stable yields of maize in 87.75% of the area.”
Claim · model-written summary
PM increased interannual yield variation relative to CK in 9.52% of the area.
- Treatment
- PMe0
- Outcome
- interannual yield variatione0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 9.52%e0
- Qualifier
- average precipitation 230 mme0
- Comparator
- CKe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“9.52% of the area with low precipitation (average precipitation 230 mm) and higher temperatures (average temperature 8.0 degrees C) showed higher interannual yield variation in PM than CK.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
Areas with 300-600 mm precipitation were identified as most suitable for PM.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“those with precipitation between 300 and 600 mm, annual average temperatures of 3-9 degrees C or an aridity index of 0.2-0.4 (semiarid zone) were determined as the most suitable for PM management.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
Areas with annual average temperatures of 3-9 degrees C were identified as most suitable for PM.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“those with precipitation between 300 and 600 mm, annual average temperatures of 3-9 degrees C or an aridity index of 0.2-0.4 (semiarid zone) were determined as the most suitable for PM management.”
t0“maize production variance”
Claim · model-written summary
Areas with an aridity index of 0.2-0.4 were identified as most suitable for PM.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“those with precipitation between 300 and 600 mm, annual average temperatures of 3-9 degrees C or an aridity index of 0.2-0.4 (semiarid zone) were determined as the most suitable for PM management.”
t0“maize production variance”
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