[Effects of plastic film mulching patterns on maize grain yield, water use efficiency, and soil water balance in the farming system with one film used two years.].

The aim of this study was to develop cost-saving and efficiency-improving technologies in whole plastic mulching and double ridge-furrow maize in semi-arid region of Loess Plateau. The objective was to investigate soil water balance in farming system with one film used two years. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different mulching and tillage patterns under one film used two years conditions on the yield, economic benefits, and water use efficiency of maize. There are four treatments: Ridge-furrow planting with complete plastic film mulching, FM; flat-planting with complete plastic film mulching, FM; flat-planting with half plastic film mulching, FM; and flat-planting without mulching, FM, the control. The results showed that the FM and FM treatments had significant effects on the improvement of the production and efficiency compared with the control. The FM and FM treatments improved biomass by 32.8% and 32.9%, enhanced grain yield by 60.0% and 51.7%. Water use efficiency and rainfall use efficiency in FM and FM treatments were increased by 59.8%, 35.9% and 87.6%, 64.4%, respectively. Furthermore, gross output value and input-output ratio of FM and FM treatments under every new plastic film mulched pattern were enhanced by 51.0%, 41.2% and 15.1%, 16.2%, respectively. The production pattern on cost-saving and efficiency-increasing of the system on double ridge-furrow and flat planting with one film used two years, this pattern increased gross output value by 40.8%, 42.2%, and increased input-output ratio by 40.3%, 42.2%, respectively. Under the condition of low precipitation (606.5 mm), total water consumption of ridge-furrow and flat planting under the system of one film used within two years was 731.3 mm and 746.8 mm, the soil moisture deficit was 124.8 mm and 140.3 mm, with enhancement of 22.7% and 38.0%, respectively. The total water consumption of ridge-furrow and flat planting treatments was reduced by 28.6% and 30.0%, and the fallow efficiency was improved by 178.9% and 148.3%. In conclusion, whole plastic mulching with double ridge-furrow and flat planting farming system had positive effects on yield and water use efficiency in semi-arid region of Loess Plateau. Combined with the technology of one film used within two years, this cropping system could be cost saving and efficiency increasing. However, the water deficit under low water condition should be seriously considered in practice.