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Article

Effects of the Plastic Mulching System and Fertilizer Application on the Yield of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) and Water Consumption Characteristics in a Semi-Arid Area

by
Yanjie Fang
1,2,3,
Xucheng Zhang
1,2,
Lingling Li
1,3,*,
Zechariah Effah
4 and
Mir Muhammad Nizamani
5
1
College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
2
Institute of Dry-Land Agriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730070, China
3
State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
4
CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso P.O. Box 7, Ghana
5
Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural College, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550001, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2024, 14(4), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040735
Submission received: 26 February 2024 / Revised: 26 March 2024 / Accepted: 1 April 2024 / Published: 2 April 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Water Use and Irrigation)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
Although plastic film mulching is commonly utilized to enhance crop water use efficiency (WUE) in semi-arid areas, the combined effect of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on Tartary buckwheat yield is still unknown. To address this gap, a four-year field experiment was conducted from 2018 to 2021 to investigate the effect of plastic film mulching and fertilizers on the soil water storage, plant growth, yield, and WUE of Tartary buckwheat in semi-arid environments. The treatments comprised traditional planting without fertilizer (TNF), traditional planting with fertilizer application (N–P2O5–K2O: 40–30–20 kg ha−1) (TF), plastic film mulching with fertilizer application (N–P2O5–K2O: 40–30–20 kg ha−1) (MF), and plastic film mulching without fertilizer (MNF). The results indicated that MF treatment significantly increased leaf area index and SPAD values compared to the other treatments. The yield of Tartary buckwheat under the film mulching increased by 23.3% in comparison to no-mulching treatments, and under fertilizer application it increased by 18.2% compared to no fertilizer. WUE under film mulching exhibited an increase of 3.1% in 2018, 34.9% in 2019, 45.5% in 2020, and 34.6% in 2021, respectively, compared to no mulching. The impact of film mulching on WUE was more significant in years with lower precipitation compared to those with normal or higher precipitation levels. Overall, MF significantly enhanced both the yield and WUE of Tartary buckwheat. This approach proved to be an effective strategy for bolstering drought-resistant yield and optimizing resource efficiency in Tartary buckwheat cultivation in semi-arid regions. Moreover, the positive effects of plastic mulching and fertilizer application on grain yield and water use efficiency were more pronounced in drier years.

1. Introduction

The progression of dryland agriculture faces challenges stemming from inadequate water and nutrient content in the soil. Maximizing precipitation-use efficiency and optimizing the coupling of water and fertilizer are crucial for enhancing the productivity of dryland crops [1]. Previous studies have underscored the substantial impact of plastic film mulching (PM) and fertilizer application on crop yield and water use efficiency [2,3]. Among various factors influencing dryland crop growth, soil moisture stands out as the most critical, exerting a decisive influence on crop development and yield [4].
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.), an annual herb of the Polygonaceae family, holds significance as a nutritive pseudo-cereal. The cultivation of buckwheat in China has a rich history spanning thousands of years. In ancient times, the cultivation of buckwheat was favored for its short growth period, remarkable adaptability, and ability to thrive in barren conditions [5,6]. Presently, the increasing cultivation and consumption of buckwheat are attributed to its nutritional value, richness in protein, vitamins, mineral elements, flavonoids, and balanced amino acids [7,8,9]. Tartary buckwheat is richer in flavonoids (40 mg/g) than common buckwheat [10], and its seeds contain about 100 times more rutin [11]. These nutritional benefits position buckwheat, especially Tartary buckwheat, as a valuable inclusion in a diet, contributing to protein intake, digestive health, and antioxidant protection [12]. In 2021, the planting area of Tartary buckwheat reached 216,000 hectares, constituting one-third of the total buckwheat growing area in China [13]. However, challenges persist in Tartary buckwheat production in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, primarily arising from imbalanced fertilizer applications, inappropriate N fertilizer rates, and insufficient soil moisture.
PM proves effective in reducing soil water evaporation, enhancing soil water conditions, and improving soil water holding capacity. These improvements further promote the formation of high-quality crop dry matter, ultimately contributing to increased yield and water use efficiency [14,15,16]. Whole-field PM is especially popular in areas with water scarcity, as it helps conserve soil moisture, control weeds, and improve overall crop yield and quality [2,17].
Soil nutrients are another pivotal factor affecting crop growth and yield formation, and reasonable fertilizer application can significantly improve crop productivity [18]. Consequently, optimizing fertilizer utilization and facilitating efficient use of natural precipitation is pivotal for increasing yield and enhancing water and fertilizer use efficiency in the semi-arid Loess Plateau [19]. Our findings [20] and those of some other researchers [20] reveal that the effects of rainwater collection and soil moisture conservation were obvious after planting Tartary buckwheat with whole soil-plastic mulching, leading to substantial improvement in the biomass, grain yield, and WUE of Tartary buckwheat.
Addressing the substantial yield gap in water usage is imperative, necessitating agronomic interventions. While genetic and agronomic solutions complement each other, emphasis on agronomic practices to minimize the disparity between achievable and current yield per unit of water use proves more impactful, particularly for smallholder farmers. Recognizing that many of the necessary practices to narrow this gap are already known for various crops and cropping systems, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms by which these techniques influence Tartary buckwheat’s growth and yield formation. This study explores the effects of PM and fertilizer application on Tartary buckwheat yield formation and soil water use in dry farmland, providing a theoretical foundation for cultivating high-yield and water use-efficient Tartary buckwheat in semi-arid regions of China. It was hypothesized that mulching and fertilization would promote the growth and development of buckwheat and improve its yield and water use efficiency.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Study Area

The experiment was conducted at the Dingxi Experiment Station (35°35′ N, 104°36′ E) of the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences during the years 2018 to 2021. The experiment site is situated at an altitude of 1970 m, experiencing an average annual temperature of 6.2 °C, average annual solar radiation of 5898 MJ m−2, an annual sunshine duration of 2500 h, an effective accumulated temperature ≥10 °C of 2075.1 °C, and a frost-free period of 140 d. The crops were planted once a year.
The experiment site represents a typical rain-fed agricultural area with an annual average precipitation of 415 mm, and 68% of the annual precipitation occurs from June to September. The relative variability of precipitation was 24%, and the guaranteed rate of 400 mm of precipitation was 48% [21].
The soil at the site is classified as loessial soil, typical of the Loess Plateau in Northwest China. The average soil bulk density in the 0–30 cm soil layer is 1.25 g cm−3, with a field water capacity of 21.8%, and a wilting point of 7.2% [22]. The soil characteristics include an organic matter content of 11.99 g kg−1, a total nitrogen content of 1.16 g kg−1, a total phosphorus content of 0.25 g kg−1, a total potassium content of 17.3 g kg−1, and a pH of 8.35 [23].

2.2. Experiment Design

Yunqiao No. 2A, which is a popularly used variety of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.), was used in the experiment. The seeds for this experiment were provided by the Dingxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The experiment comprised four different treatments: traditional planting with no fertilizer application (TNF), traditional planting with fertilizer application (TF), plastic film mulching with fertilizer application (MF), and plastic film mulching with no fertilizer application (MNF). All treatments were replicated three times and arranged in a randomized complete block design. A total of 12 field plots, each measuring 5 m in width and 7 m in length, were established.
For fertilizer treatments, 40 kg N ha−1, 30 kg P2O5 ha−1, and 20 kg K2O ha−1 fertilizers were applied to the TF and MF treatments by evenly broadcasting urea (N ≥ 46.0%), diammonium phosphate (P2O5 ≥ 46.0%, N ≥ 18.0%), and potassium chloride (K2O ≥ 51.0%) onto the soil surface and incorporating the mixture into the top 20 cm of soil using rotary tillage and harrowing before planting [24,25].
For traditional planting, no mulching was applied and seeds were sown on a flat field with a hand-operated seed drill. For plastic mulching, the entire plot was covered with a transparent polyethylene plastic film. The thickness of plastic film was 0.01 mm and it was obtained from Golden–soil Plastic Products Co., Ltd., Lanzhou, China. The surface of the plastic film was covered with a thin (0.5 cm), loose soil layer to prevent displacement during sowing. Hole sowing was conducted through the mechanical punching of holes into the plastic film and placing seeds at a depth of approximately 3–4 cm below the film surface. The hole spacings were 12 cm and 5–7 grains were sown per hole to attain a planting density of 1.8 million plants per ha−1, with a row spacing of 30 cm.
The sowing dates of the Tartary buckwheat were 23 May 2018, 23 May 2019, 25 May 2020, and 27 May 2021, and the harvest dates were 12 September 2018, 4 September 2019, 12 September 2020, and 8 September 2021, respectively. No other management was carried out during the whole growth period, except for manual weeding.

2.3. Meteorological Conditions

According to the meteorological data of the Dingxi Experiment Station of the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the average annual precipitation and temperature during the Tartary buckwheat growing season were 278.2 mm and 17.5 °C, respectively, in the past 30 years. The precipitation during the Tartary buckwheat growing season was 346.8 mm in 2018, 281.6 mm in 2019, 327.9 mm in 2020, and 156.3 mm in 2021. Based on the 30-year average precipitation, the years 2018 and 2020 were characterized as wet, 2019 was a year with normal precipitation, and 2021 was a dry year (Figure 1). The average temperatures during the Tartary buckwheat growing seasons were 17.8 °C in 2018, 17 °C in 2019, 16.8 °C in 2020, and 17.4 °C in 2021.

2.4. Sampling and Measurements

2.4.1. Soil Moisture

Soil moisture content was measured using the gravimetric method [26]. Soil cores were sampled at the sowing stage, seedling stage, flowering stage, filling stage, and harvesting stage using an auger (5 cm in diameter) to a depth of 0~200 cm, divided into 20 cm segments, and oven-dried at 105 °C for 8 h until a constant weight was achieved. SWC was calculated by considering the wet and dry soil cores’ weights and converting them to volumetric soil water content by multiplying with the corresponding soil bulk density, determined by the cutting ring method [27].
Soil water storage (SWS, mm) was calculated using the equation:
SWS = 10 × h × a × θ
where h represents soil depth (cm), a represents soil bulk density (g cm−3), and θ represents volumetric water content (m3 m−3) [22].

2.4.2. Dry Matter Accumulation

Ten plants with uniform growth from each plot were selected at various stages of Tartary buckwheat growth, including branching, flowering, filling, and maturity. The fresh aboveground parts were dried to a constant weight in a far-infrared blast drying oven at 75 °C for 48 h (Huayin Oven Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Wujiang, China).

2.4.3. Leaf Area Index and SPAD

The leaf area index (LAI) of the ten Tartary buckwheat plants from each plot was measured using a CI-110 plant canopy digital image analyzer (CID Inc., Camas, WA, USA). Measurements were taken on a sunny day at 10:00 during the branching, flowering, filling, and maturity stages.
SPAD values, indicating chlorophyll content, were measured using a SPAD–520 m (Konica Minolta Investment Ltd., Shanghai, China). Measurements were taken using the uppermost leaves of ten plants of Tartary buckwheat in each plot during the jointing, flowering, filling, and maturity stages. SPAD values were measured three times from each plot, and the average values were calculated to represent the entire plot’s SPAD values.

2.4.4. Yield and Agronomic Characters

The yield was harvested manually according to the plot, dried, and weighed until the seed water content was less than 13%. Dry matter was dried in an oven, for which ten plants with uniform growth from each plot were selected at various stages of Tartary buckwheat growth, including branching, flowering, filling, and maturity. The fresh aboveground parts were dried to a constant weight in a far-infrared blast drying oven at 75 °C for 48 h (Huayin Oven Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Wujiang, China).

2.4.5. Water Consumption

The water consumption (ET) was calculated using the formula:
ET = SWSi − SWSi+1 + P
where ET is water consumption, SWSi is the soil water storage of Tartary buckwheat at the beginning of a certain growing period (mm), SWSi+1 is the soil water storage at the end of the growth period (mm), and P is precipitation in the growth stage (mm) [16].

2.4.6. Water Use Efficiency

Water use efficiency (WUE) was calculated as:
WUE = Yd/ET
where WUE is water use efficiency (kg ha−1 mm−1), Yd is Tartary buckwheat yield per unit area (kg ha−1), and ET is water consumption (mm) [21].

2.5. Statistical Analysis

For the evaluation of treatment significance with respect to yield, LAI, SPAD, SWS, ET, and WUE traits, a two-way ANOVA (randomized complete block design) was employed. To discern the individual impact of mulching and fertilizer on yield, water consumption, and WUE, a separate two-way ANOVA was conducted, considering mulching (mulch and no mulch) and fertilizer (fertilizer and no fertilizer) as distinct factors.
To further investigate the differences among TNF, TF, MNF, and MF treatments, multiple comparisons were carried out within each year using the Duncan test at a significance level of p < 0.05. Data analysis and graph preparation were performed using Origin (version 9.8, Origin Lab, Northampton, MA, USA).

3. Results

3.1. Effect of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on LAI and SPAD of Tartary Buckwheat

With the advancement of the growth period, the LAI of Tartary buckwheat initially increased and then decreased. From 2018 to 2021, the LAI of Tartary buckwheat was maximum under MF and minimum under TNF at all growth stages (Figure 2). In 2018, LAI under MF was 58–121%, 23–82%, and 9–25% greater than TNF, TF, and MNF, respectively, at all growth stages. Similarly, LAI was 15–91%,18–68%, and 10–15% greater in 2019, 23–64%, 2–21%, and 23–64% greater in 2020, and 54–86%, 9–17%, and 1–22% greater in 2021 than TNF, TF, and MNF, respectively.
The SPAD of Tartary buckwheat increased, reaching its maximum in the flowering or grain filling stage, and then showed a sharp decrease at maturity. The SPAD of Tartary buckwheat in all studied years was greater under MF than TNF, TF, and MNF during all growth stages (Figure 3).

3.2. Effects of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Dry Matter Accumulation of Tartary Buckwheat

The effect of different mulching and fertilizer treatments (TNF, TF, MNF, and MF) was observed on the dry matter accumulation of Tartary buckwheat at different growth stages. The dry matter accumulation exhibited a significant increase throughout the growth period, with the highest biomass observed under MF at the maturity stage (Figure 4). At the seeding stage, MF and MNF significantly enhanced dry matter accumulation compared to TNF and TF treatments. At maturity, dry matter accumulation under TF, MF, and MNF exhibited a substantial increase of 7–40%, 32–136%, and 14–59.1%, respectively compared to TNF treatment.

3.3. Effects of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Yield Components and Agronomic Characters of Tartary Buckwheat

Plant height, spike numbers, grain weight per plant, percentage of full grain rate, and 1000-grain weight were studied under different treatments (Table 1). Plant height was only significant for treatments in 2021, which was the driest year, and mulching treatments (MF and MNF) increased plant height greater than the no-mulching treatments (TF and TNF). In 2021, the plant height under MF and MNF was 31.6% and 22.8% higher, respectively, compared with TNF.
The number of plants was not significantly affected by treatments in 2018 and 2021. In 2019, the number of plants under treatment with fertilizer (TF and MF) was significantly higher than with no fertilizer (TNF and MNF). Plant numbers increased by 21.8% and 16.5% with TF compared with TNF and MNF, respectively, in 2019. In 2020, plant numbers under TF, MF, and MNF were increased by 20.4%, 27.1%, and 26.8%, respectively, compared with TNF.
The grain weight per plant was highest for MF treatment in all years, while the lowest value was observed for TNF in 2018 and 2021, and for TF in 2019. The percentage of full grain rate was highest with MF treatment in all years, while the lowest value was observed for TNF in 2018 and 2018 and for TF in 2020 and 2021.
The 1000-grain weight was not affected by the treatments in 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2021, the 1000-grain weight under TF, MF, and MNF showed a 3.3%, 5.1%, and 3.5% increase, respectively, compared to TNF.

3.4. Effects of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Tartary Buckwheat Yield

The grain yield was studied under different treatments (TNF, TF, MF, and MNF) across four years. The highest yield was recorded in 2020, followed by 2019 and 2018, with the lowest yield observed in 2021 (Figure 5). While analyzing the effect of treatments, the maximum yield was consistently found in the MF treatment across all studied years, while the TNF treatment yielded the least.
In comparison to TNF, Tartary buckwheat yield saw increases of 12.1%, 28.6%, and 16.7% under TF, MF, and MNF, respectively, in 2018. In 2019, the yield rose by 10.5%, 44.9%, and 22.7% under TF, MF, and MNF. Similarly, in 2020, increases of 19.6%, 36.5%, and 25.1% were observed under TF, MF, and MNF. The most substantial increases occurred in 2021, with yields rising by 35.7%, 85.0%, and 29.9% under TF, MF, and MNF, respectively.
The individual effects of mulching and fertilizer were on grain yield were investigated (Table 2). Results showed that both film mulching and fertilizer application significantly affected grain yields of Tartary buckwheat in all four years, while the film mulching × fertilizer application interaction was only significant in 2019 and 2021. Furthermore, the effect of year and treatment had a significant effect on the yield of Tartary buckwheat.
Across four years, yield under the film mulching treatments was 23.3% higher compared to no-mulching treatments, and yield under fertilizer application treatments was 18.2% higher compared to no-fertilizer treatments (Figure 5).

3.5. Effect of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on 0–200 cm Soil Moisture Profile Dynamics Tartary Buckwheat during the Growth Period

Soil water storage was measured from 2018 to 2021 before the sowing and at the seedling, flowering, grain filling, and maturity stages of Tartary buckwheat grown under the four treatments (Figure 6). In most of the stages, the soil water storage under MNF and MF was higher than for TNF and TF.
In 2018, before sowing, the soil water storage at the 0–100 cm layer was 40.4 mm and 21.4 mm greater under MF treatment than for TNF and TF, respectively, while being 18.6 mm less than under MNF. At the seeding stage, the MF treatment stored 31.0 mm and 26.7 mm more soil water at the 0–60 cm layer than under TNF and TF, while storing 5.08 mm less water than MNF, and there being no significant difference between the treatments at the deeper soil layer (>60 cm). The soil water storage in the 0–120 cm soil layer at the flowering stage was not affected, but the soil water storage in the 120–200 cm soil layer was 67.8, 69.1, and 9.9 mm greater under MF than TNF, TF, and MNF, respectively (Figure 6). During the filling stage, the soil water storage in the 0–80 cm layer was 37.8 mm, 34.2 mm, and 5.0 mm more under MF than TNF, TF, and MNF, respectively.
In 2019, the soil water storage in the 0–80 cm soil layer at the seeding stage under MF was 37.4 mm and 21.5 mm more than TNF and TF, respectively. There were no significant differences for treatments in soil water storage at the flowering stage. During the filling stage, the soil water storage in the 20–40 cm layer was 12.7 mm and 13.5 mm more under MF than TNF and TF, and 0.82 mm less than under MNF. Soil water storage in the 40–60 cm layer under MF was 15.8 mm and 3.2 mm more than TNF and TF, respectively, and 1.86 mm less than under MNF.
In 2020, the soil water storage in the 0–20 cm soil layer under MF and MNF was significantly greater than that of TNF and TF.
Before sowing in 2021, soil water storage was similar across treatments. Soil water storage under MF and MNF in the 0–40 cm soil layer at the seedling stage, flowering stage, filling stage, and maturity stage were significantly greater than TNF and TF. Overall, soil moisture in all treatments in the dry (2021) year was comparatively less than in the wet (2018 and 2020) and normal (2019) years, especially during the filling and maturity stages.

3.6. Effects of Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Water Consumption and Water Use Efficiency of Tartary Buckwheat during the Growth Period

The years, treatments, and their interaction had significant effects on the water consumption and water use efficiency of Tartary buckwheat (Table 3). Pre-flower water consumption in 2018 and 2019 was less than in 2020 and 2021, while post-flower water consumption and total water consumption were greater in 2018 and 2019 than in 2020 and 2021. Among the four years, the WUE showed 2020 > 2021 > 2019 > 2018.
Considering treatments, pre-flower water consumption was greater under TNF, TF, and MNF treatments than under the MF treatment, while post-flower water consumption exhibited an opposite trend (Table 3). Under MF, the pre-flowering water consumption was the least but post-flowering was the maximum, showing that under MF, plants consumed less water before flowering and more water after flowering. At pre-flowering, there was more water consumption under TF than TNF and MF in 2018, and more than MF in 2020. While the pattern of water consumption in 2021 was different from the other years, and more pre-flower water consumption was under MF than TF and MNF, total water consumption in 2021 was not affected by treatment.
The WUE under MF and MNF was greater than that under TNF and TF (Table 3). Plastic film mulching significantly influenced pre-flower water consumption (except for 2018), post-flower water consumption (except for 2019), total water consumption (except for 2021), and WUE (except for 2018) (Table 4). In addition, fertilizer application significantly affected pre-flower water consumption, post-flower water consumption, total water consumption (except for 2019 and 2021), and WUE (only 2021). Furthermore, their interaction significantly affected pre-flower water consumption, post-flower water consumption, and total water consumption (except for 2018). Specifically, WUE increased under film mulching treatments by 3.1% in 2018, 34.9% in 2019, 45.5% in 2020, and 34.6% in 2021, respectively, compared to the no-mulching treatments.

4. Discussion

4.1. Effects of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Yield, LAI, and SPAD of Tartary Buckwheat

In semi-arid, rain-fed regions of the Loess Plateau, both the soil water and nutrients are limiting factors for yield. A large number of studies have shown that plastic film mulching and fertilizer application could increase crop water consumption during the growth period and crop yield, which is an important measure to solve the problem of soil water shortage in semi-arid areas [14,28]. Therefore, both improving nutrients and saving soil water is crucial for enhancing yield. Previous studies have shown that plastic film mulching and fertilizer application had important effects on crop yield formation [17,29]. In this paper, we studied the effect of fertilizer (TF), mulching (MNF), and their interactive effect (MF) on the yield, biomass, SPAD, and leaf area of Tartary buckwheat. The results showed that the yield of Tartary buckwheat was the highest for MF in all years, regardless of precipitation, while the yields for mulching alone (MNF) and fertilizer without mulching (TF) were significantly similar and lower than for mulching with fertilizer (MF). This indicates that the interactive effect of mulching and fertilizer was more significant in enhancing yield. The application of fertilizer, particularly nitrogen fertilizers, could increase water consumption in the early growth period, causing soil drought and water shortage in the later period, influencing the yield [20,30]. MF was able to regulate soil water storage in fallow periods according to different precipitation years and water consumption, enhance soil moisture recovery in fallow periods, and improve fallow efficiency as well as precipitation use efficiency (PUE). In conclusion, MF could increase Tartary buckwheat yield and biomass, improve water use efficiency and harvest index, and significantly increase fertilizer agronomic efficiency and fertilizer partial productivity. In addition, MF could regulate soil water in fallow periods according to precipitation year type and water consumption during growth periods, enhance soil water resilience in fallow periods, and improve fallow efficiency and precipitation use efficiency [31,32]. In this study, the years receiving different levels of precipitation had certain effects on spike number, plant height, grain weight per plant, and full grain yield percentage of Tartary buckwheat. The dry matter accumulation, LAI, and SPAD of Tartary buckwheat under MF were greater than those under other treatments, indicating that plastic film mulching combined with fertilizer application could make full use of the water-fertilizer coupling effect and increase the dry matter accumulation of Tartary buckwheat. Increasing LAI and SPAD could promote the growth of Tartary buckwheat, which is beneficial for high yields. Plant dry matter accumulation directly affects the formation of crop yield [22,33], and LAI, SPAD, plant height, spike number, grain weight per plant, and other traits are closely related to yield [34,35]. Plastic film mulching could reasonably regulate the microclimate of the farmland ecosystem, which is beneficial to crop growth and development [14,31,35]. Fertilizer application had a significant effect on dry matter accumulation during crop growth and development [36]. Reasonable fertilizer application after plastic film mulching could improve crop yield components such as spike number, grain weight per plant, and kernel weight [37].

4.2. Effects of Plastic Film Mulching and Fertilizer Application on Soil Water and WUE of Tartary Buckwheat

Drought and low precipitation are the main limiting factors for agricultural production in the semi-arid area of the Loess Plateau in China [3,38,39]. Our results indicated that the water storage in soil during different years varied with the precipitation rate. The years receiving higher or average precipitation (such as in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in the present study) had higher soil moisture content, while the soil moisture in the dry (2021) year was comparatively less, especially during the filling and maturity stages. These results suggested a significant correlation between precipitation and soil water storage, particularly for surface soil moisture profile dynamics [31,40,41]. In the wet years (2018 and 2020), enough precipitation was received prior to sowing and plastic mulching played a key role in conserving soil moisture. In this study, the soil moisture profile dynamics of the mulching treatments were significantly increased during the growth period. A similar soil moisture conservation effect was also observed in the published literature [17,20,21,42].
In this study, a significant increase in soil water storage in the 0–200 cm soil layer was observed from mulching, but no consistent increase trend of soil water consumption was observed among different years. Among the four studied years, MF showed a significant increase in water consumption only in 2018, while in other years, there was a non-significant difference between TNF and MF. This might be because MF promoted the growth and development of Tartary buckwheat, as shown by the increased biomass, thus increasing transpiration and accelerating water consumption, while also reducing the evaporation of soil water, storing more soil water, and maintaining the soil water balance. On the other hand, TNF had higher soil evaporation and less transpiration; therefore, water consumption was not significantly different [43] As such, we can conclude that plastic film mulching optimized the soil moisture status by reducing soil evaporation and increasing crop transpiration rate.
Previous results have suggested a significant correlation between soil water storage and consumption of soil water, which was reported in many previous studies [29,37]. Our results confirmed that, in the semi-arid areas of the Loess Plateau, water consumption and WUE were also jointly affected by natural factors (e.g., precipitation, temperature, etc.) and cultivation practices (e.g., plastic film mulching) [19]. Plastic film mulching can reduce soil water dissipation and increase soil water storage compared to non-mulching. The crop yield depends not only on resource access but also on the efficiency of resource use [44,45]. The WUE of MF was significantly greater than that of other treatments from 2019 to 2021. Due to heavy rainfall during the growing period of Tartary buckwheat in 2018, there were no significant differences in WUE among the treatments.

5. Conclusions

This four-year field experiment investigating the combined effect of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on Tartary buckwheat yield in semi-arid environments revealed significant positive outcomes. Plastic film mulching with fertilizer application (MF) demonstrated consistent superiority across various parameters, including increased leaf area index, SPAD values, dry matter accumulation, and grain yield. Notably, MF significantly enhanced Tartary buckwheat yield by 23.3%, improved WUE by 34.9–45.5%, and optimized soil moisture dynamics, especially in drier years. The interactive effect of mulching and fertilization played a crucial role in enhancing yield components, such as spike number, plant height, grain weight per plant, and 1000-grain weight. The findings underscore the effectiveness of plastic film mulching in conjunction with fertilizer application as a strategic approach to enhance drought-resistant yield and resource efficiency in Tartary buckwheat cultivation within semi-arid regions. These results contribute valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices in water-limited environments.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, Y.F. and L.L.; methodology, Y.F.; software, Y.F.; validation, X.Z., L.L. and Y.F.; resources, Z.E.; data curation, Y.F.; writing—original draft preparation, Y.F.; writing—review and editing, M.M.N.; visualization, Y.F.; supervision, L.L.; project administration, Y.F.; funding acquisition, Y.F. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

The work was supported by the Gansu Provincial Key Research and Development Program (22YF7NA035) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31760367).

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers who made valuable comments on this paper.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 1. Changes in precipitation and average air temperature in the experiment area from 0 to 120 days of the buckwheat growth seasons from 2018 to 2021.
Figure 1. Changes in precipitation and average air temperature in the experiment area from 0 to 120 days of the buckwheat growth seasons from 2018 to 2021.
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Figure 2. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on LAI of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
Figure 2. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on LAI of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
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Figure 3. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on SPAD of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
Figure 3. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on SPAD of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
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Figure 4. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on dry matter accumulation (DMA) per plant of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
Figure 4. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on dry matter accumulation (DMA) per plant of Tartary buckwheat. Different letters represent significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments at the same stage.
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Figure 5. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on Tartary buckwheat yield. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments at p < 0.05 level.
Figure 5. Effects of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on Tartary buckwheat yield. Different letters represent significant differences among treatments at p < 0.05 level.
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Figure 6. Effect of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on 0–200 cm soil moisture profile dynamics of Tartary buckwheat during the 2018–2021 growth periods. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01.
Figure 6. Effect of plastic film mulching and fertilizer application on 0–200 cm soil moisture profile dynamics of Tartary buckwheat during the 2018–2021 growth periods. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01.
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Table 1. Yield components and agronomic characters of Tartary buckwheat.
Table 1. Yield components and agronomic characters of Tartary buckwheat.
TreatmentPlant Height (cm)Number of Plants (×103 ha−1)Grain Weight per Plant (g)Percentage of Full Grain Rate (%)1000-Grain Weight (g)
2018TNF161.3 a181.9 a2.2 b64.4 b17.5 a
TF162.1 a198.2 a2.8 ab67.8 ab17.4 a
MF167.8 a190.7 a3.4 a73.8 a17.6 a
MNF161.9 a186.0 a2.6 ab70.5 ab17.4 a
2019TNF162.6 a171.1 b3.5 a78.1 b19.7 a
TF161.1 a208.4 a3.1 b81.9 ab19.8 a
MF169.3 a199.4 a3.8 a89.3 a19.9 a
MNF166.4 a186.8 b3.6 a84.0 ab19.8 a
2020TNF162.5 a160.5 b3.4 a77.8 ab18.7 a
TF164.6 a193.2 a3.2 a70.8 b19.2 a
MF169.8 a204.0 a3.6 a86.0 a19.3 a
MNF166.0 a203.6 a3.4 a73.5 b19.1 a
2021TNF116.7 b170.2 b2.7 b53.9 b18.5 b
TF117.3 b179.7 a3.2 a53.2 b19.1 a
MF153.5 a187.7 a3.5 a61.9 a19.4 a
MNF143.3 a187.3 a2.9 a49.0 b19.1 a
Different letters represent significant differences among treatments at p < 0.05 level.
Table 2. ANOVA analysis (p-values) for film mulching (M), fertilizer application (F), their interaction (M × F), and treatment (T), Year (Y), their interaction (T × Y), on yield of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
Table 2. ANOVA analysis (p-values) for film mulching (M), fertilizer application (F), their interaction (M × F), and treatment (T), Year (Y), their interaction (T × Y), on yield of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
2018201920202021
M<0.0010.0010.007<0.001
F<0.0010.0220.033<0.001
M × F0.9550.3660.5350.017
Treatment (T)<0.001
Year (Y)<0.001
T × Y0.095
Table 3. Effects of mulching and fertilizer application on water consumption and water use efficiency (WUE) of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
Table 3. Effects of mulching and fertilizer application on water consumption and water use efficiency (WUE) of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
YearTreatmentPre-Flower Water Consumption (mm)Post-Flower Water Consumption (mm)Total Water Consumption (mm)WUE
(kg ha−1 mm−1)
2018TNF116.3 b182.5 b298.8 b7.1 a
TF148.9 a165.7 b314.6 b7.6 a
MF117.2 b237.3 a354.5 a7.7 a
MNF150.3 a184.3 b334.6 ab7.4 a
2019TNF140.7 a207.6 b348.3 a6.9 d
TF121.9 a219.6 b341.4 a7.7 c
MF65.0 b269.0 a333.9 a10.4 a
MNF135.2 a178.1 c313.3 b9.3 b
2020TNF189.0 b25.6 b214.6 b11.7 b
TF261.8 a65.8 a327.6 a9.2 c
MF151.0 c76.2 a227.2 b15.1 a
MNF177.5 b27.6 b205.1 b15.3 a
2021TNF221.4 a17.4 b238.8 a6.5 c
TF161.6 c62.7 a224.3 a9.4 b
MF223.7 a19.0 b242.7 a11.8 a
MNF199.6 b11.1 b210.7 a9.6 b
Treatment (T)<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001
Year (Y)<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001
T × Y<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001
Note: Different letters meant significant difference among treatments at p < 0.05 level; <0.001 means significant at p < 0.001.
Table 4. ANOVA analysis for mulch (M), fertilizer application (F), and their interaction (M × F) on water consumption and WUE of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
Table 4. ANOVA analysis for mulch (M), fertilizer application (F), and their interaction (M × F) on water consumption and WUE of Tartary buckwheat in 2018–2021.
2018201920202021
Pre-flower water consumptionM0.746<0.001<0.0010.004
F0.942<0.001<0.0010.008
M × F<0.001<0.001<0.001<0.001
Post-flower water consumptionM<0.0010.0630.01<0.001
F0.002<0.001<0.001<0.001
M × F<0.001<0.0010.001<0.001
Total water consumptionM<0.001<0.001<0.0010.341
F0.0010.103<0.0010.106
M × F0.5460.006<0.0010.001
WUEM0.2220.0030.001<0.001
F0.0540.1650.206<0.001
M × F0.6260.9120.2930.438
p-values are significant at p < 0.05.
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Fang, Y.; Zhang, X.; Li, L.; Effah, Z.; Muhammad Nizamani, M. Effects of the Plastic Mulching System and Fertilizer Application on the Yield of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) and Water Consumption Characteristics in a Semi-Arid Area. Agronomy 2024, 14, 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040735

AMA Style

Fang Y, Zhang X, Li L, Effah Z, Muhammad Nizamani M. Effects of the Plastic Mulching System and Fertilizer Application on the Yield of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) and Water Consumption Characteristics in a Semi-Arid Area. Agronomy. 2024; 14(4):735. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040735

Chicago/Turabian Style

Fang, Yanjie, Xucheng Zhang, Lingling Li, Zechariah Effah, and Mir Muhammad Nizamani. 2024. "Effects of the Plastic Mulching System and Fertilizer Application on the Yield of Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) and Water Consumption Characteristics in a Semi-Arid Area" Agronomy 14, no. 4: 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040735

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