Abstract
Context The Loess Plateau plays an important role in ensuring food security in China. In the past few decades, the plastic film mulching (PFM) system has been widely used in the Loess Plateau, but whether PFM technology can maintain the stability of yield and the sustainability of soil water in the Loess Plateau remains uncertain. Objective To clarify whether PFM technology can maintain yield stability and soil water sustainability in the Loess Plateau, and reveal the effects of PFM on water use, yield, and regional water balance. Methods Using a 12-year field experiment (2012–2023), meta-analysis, and data-driven modeling, we demonstrated the following. Results and conclusions (1) In the Loess Plateau, compared to the CK treatment, PFM and film mulching with nutrient management (PFM+N) significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively) and yield (+21 %, +33 %) in maize, and PFM+N synergistically enhanced yield stability (coefficient of variation 32.36 %) and sustainability (Sustainability Yield Index 0.5). (2) Future climate scenario simulations revealed that from 2021 to 2040, both CK and PFM treatments showed an increasing trend in the proportion of water-deficit areas across the Loess Plateau. However, PFM demonstrated critical compensatory advantages by improving precipitation use efficiency and optimizing annual soil moisture redistribution, effectively alleviating regional water imbalance. (3) Spatial analysis using data-driven models further indicated that PFM mitigated water deficits in the central, western, and northern regions (which have relatively low precipitation) through reduced evapotranspiration losses, whereas in southern areas characterized by relatively high precipitation, non-mulching practices proved more ecologically sustainable because excessive PFM use would disrupt natural hydrological cycles. while non-mulching practices proved more ecologically sustainable in southern areas where excessive PFM use could disrupt natural hydrological cycles. Significance Overall, the PFM system effectively alleviated the overall water consumption of the Loess Plateau, significantly increased WUE and maize yield, and, of great significance to sustainable development, the effect was best in low rainfall areas (Northwest of the Loess Plateau. Growing season precipitation: <250 mm; non-cropped precipitation:<200 mm). In the long run, PFM could effectively ensure water resource sustainability in the Loess Plateau, thereby laying a solid foundation for sustainable agricultural development in the region.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
PFM significantly increased maize water use efficiency by 28% relative to the CK treatment on the Loess Plateau.
- Treatment
- PFMe1
- Outcome
- water use efficiencye1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- +28 %e1
- Comparator
- CK treatmente1
- Setting
- Loess Plateaue1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e1“In the Loess Plateau, compared to the CK treatment, PFM and film mulching with nutrient management (PFM+N) significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM+N significantly increased maize water use efficiency by 31% relative to the CK treatment on the Loess Plateau.
- Treatment
- PFM+Ne1
- Outcome
- water use efficiencye1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- +31 %e1
- Comparator
- CK treatmente1
- Setting
- Loess Plateaue1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e1“In the Loess Plateau, compared to the CK treatment, PFM and film mulching with nutrient management (PFM+N) significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM significantly increased maize yield by 21% relative to the CK treatment on the Loess Plateau.
- Treatment
- PFMe1
- Outcome
- yielde2
- Direction
- improvede2
- Value
- +21 %e2
- Comparator
- CK treatmente1
- Setting
- Loess Plateaue1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e1“In the Loess Plateau, compared to the CK treatment, PFM and film mulching with nutrient management (PFM+N) significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively)”
e2“significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively) and yield (+21 %, +33 %) in maize”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM+N significantly increased maize yield by 33% relative to the CK treatment on the Loess Plateau.
- Treatment
- PFM+Ne1
- Outcome
- yielde2
- Direction
- improvede2
- Value
- +33 %e2
- Comparator
- CK treatmente1
- Setting
- Loess Plateaue1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e1“In the Loess Plateau, compared to the CK treatment, PFM and film mulching with nutrient management (PFM+N) significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively)”
e2“significantly improved both water use efficiency (WUE; +28 %, +31 %, respectively) and yield (+21 %, +33 %) in maize”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM+N synergistically enhanced maize yield stability, with a coefficient of variation of 32.36%.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e3“PFM+N synergistically enhanced yield stability (coefficient of variation 32.36 %) and sustainability (Sustainability Yield Index 0.5)”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM+N synergistically enhanced sustainability, with a Sustainability Yield Index of 0.5.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e3“PFM+N synergistically enhanced yield stability (coefficient of variation 32.36 %) and sustainability (Sustainability Yield Index 0.5)”
Claim · model-written summary
Future climate scenario simulations projected that the proportion of water-deficit areas increases for both CK and PFM treatments on the Loess Plateau from 2021 to 2040.
- Treatment
- PFMe4
- Outcome
- proportion of water-deficit arease4
- Direction
- increasing trende4
- Comparator
- CKe4
- Setting
- Loess Plateaue4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e4“from 2021 to 2040, both CK and PFM treatments showed an increasing trend in the proportion of water-deficit areas across the Loess Plateau”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM is projected to improve precipitation use efficiency, effectively alleviating regional water imbalance.
- Treatment
- PFMe5
- Outcome
- precipitation use efficiencye5
- Direction
- improvinge5
- Qualifier
- effectively alleviating regional water imbalancee5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e5“PFM demonstrated critical compensatory advantages by improving precipitation use efficiency and optimizing annual soil moisture redistribution, effectively alleviating regional water imbalance”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM is projected to optimize annual soil moisture redistribution.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e5“PFM demonstrated critical compensatory advantages by improving precipitation use efficiency and optimizing annual soil moisture redistribution, effectively alleviating regional water imbalance”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM mitigated water deficits in the central, western and northern Loess Plateau regions through reduced evapotranspiration losses.
- Treatment
- PFMe6
- Outcome
- water deficitse6
- Direction
- mitigatede6
- Qualifier
- through reduced evapotranspiration lossese6
- Setting
- central, western, and northern regionse6
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e6“PFM mitigated water deficits in the central, western, and northern regions (which have relatively low precipitation) through reduced evapotranspiration losses”
Claim · model-written summary
Non-mulching practices were more ecologically sustainable than PFM in southern areas, because excessive PFM use would disrupt natural hydrological cycles.
- Treatment
- non-mulching practicese7
- Outcome
- ecologically sustainablee7
- Direction
- proved more ecologically sustainablee7
- Qualifier
- excessive PFM use would disrupt natural hydrological cyclese7
- Comparator
- PFMe7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e7“non-mulching practices proved more ecologically sustainable because excessive PFM use would disrupt natural hydrological cycles”
Claim · model-written summary
The PFM effect was greatest in low-rainfall areas of the northwest Loess Plateau.
- Outcome
- effecte7
- Direction
- beste7
- Qualifier
- Growing season precipitation: <250 mme7
- Setting
- low rainfall arease7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e7“the effect was best in low rainfall areas (Northwest of the Loess Plateau. Growing season precipitation: <250 mm; non-cropped precipitation:<200 mm)”
Claim · model-written summary
The PFM system effectively alleviated the overall water consumption of the Loess Plateau.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e7“the PFM system effectively alleviated the overall water consumption of the Loess Plateau”
Claim · model-written summary
PFM could effectively ensure long-term water resource sustainability on the Loess Plateau.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Long-term plastic film mulching increased maize yield and water use efficiency”
e7“In the long run, PFM could effectively ensure water resource sustainability in the Loess Plateau”
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