Welcome to Chinese Journal of Ecology! Today is

Chinese Journal of Ecology ›› 2026, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (8): 2633-2642.doi: 10.13292/j.1000-4890.202608.007

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of no-tillage with straw mulching on soil physicochemical properties and maize yield in western Liaoning.

GAN Miao1，2，3, ZHANG Zhenzi1，2，3, DONG Zhi1，2，3*, DONG Jun1，2，3, LIU Yang1，2，3, HOU Zhiyan1，2，3, SUN Zhanxiang1，2，3   

  1. (1Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China; 2Liaoning Key Laboratory of Conservation Tillage in Dry Land, Shenyang 110161, China; 3Key Laboratory of Water-saving Agriculture of Northeast, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,  Shenyang 110161, China).

  • Online:2026-08-10 Published:2026-08-17

PDF (PC)

5

Abstract: To construct conservation tillage practices with the aim of maintaining high and stable maize yield in the semi-arid region of western Liaoning, a field experiment was conducted with three treatments: conventional rotary tillage (RT), no-tillage without straw mulching (NT), and no-tillage with straw mulching (NTS). We analyzed the effects of these treatments on soil hydrothermal conditions, physicochemical properties, and maize yield. The results showed that: (1) Under precipitation-deficient conditions during the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, maize yield under NTS was significantly higher than that under NT and RT. Compared to RT, NTS increased maize yield by 12.44% and 22.96% in 2017 and 2018, respectively. However, in a wet year (2021), the yield-promoting effect of NTS was not significant. (2) Compared to RT, NT improved water retention in the 0-20 cm soil layer, whereas NTS promoted downward water movement and maintained smaller moisture fluctuations during the rainy season (June-September). NTS regulated soil temperature in the 0-20 cm layer, exhibiting a cooling effect in spring and early summer but a warming effect in autumn and winter. (3) Both NT and NTS significantly improved soil physical structure in the 0-20 cm layer, with the impact of NTS being the strongest. The generalized soil structure index for NTS was 8.24% higher than that of NT, while the soil three-phase structure distance was 3.38% lower than that of NT. (4) Surface accumulation of soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and available potassium was more pronounced under NT and NTS. The NTS treatment ensured yield stability by regulating soil moisture, temperature, pH, total nitrogen, and available phosphorus. Notably, continuous no-tillage increased soil bulk density, requiring timely management (e.g., subsoiling tillage) to prevent severe compaction. These findings provide a theoretical basis and technical support for enhancing maize yield and optimizing tillage systems in the semi-arid region of western Liaoning.


Key words: maize, no-tillage, double row cropping with 2∶1 row interval, yield, soil organic matter