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Ridge–furrow with grass straw mulching farming system to boost rainfed wheat productivity and water use efficiency in semiarid Kenya
Author(s) -
Wang JianYong,
Mo Fei,
Zhou Hong,
Kavagi Levis,
Nguluu Simon N,
Xiong YouCai
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.10937
Subject(s) - mulch , agronomy , environmental science , straw , water use efficiency , agriculture , sowing , rainwater harvesting , productivity , plastic film , cultivar , rainfed agriculture , biology , irrigation , ecology , economics , macroeconomics , chemistry , organic chemistry , layer (electronics)
BACKGROUND Ridge–furrow mulching farming systems (RFMs) aim to increase field productivity and improve water use efficiency. To explore environment‐friendly and efficient farming systems is a central aspect of rainfed wheat field management in Kenya where rainfall utilization is at a low level. We introduced RFMs (including plastic film and grass straw mulching) to semiarid Kenya to evaluate the effects on field productivity, rainwater utilization, soil quality and economic profitability using old and modern wheat cultivars from 2012 to 2013. RESULTS Across the cultivars, the RFMs increased grain yield, aboveground biomass and water use efficiency by 74–163%, 36–104% and 89–273%, respectively, compared with conventional flat planting (control). RFMs significantly shortened the vegetative period while prolonging the reproductive period. The net economic output under RFMs was 74–165% higher than that of the control. Grass straw mulching achieved the highest economic output to input ratio, almost 45% higher than plastic film mulching, despite the former harvested only 82% of the maximum field productivity of the latter. Compared with the control, grass straw mulching promoted the contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and C:N ratio by 14%, 8% and 5%, respectively, while obviously decreased values of these parameters were observed under plastic mulching. CONCLUSIONS Through reducing soil water loss, and improving rainwater use efficiency and soil quality, ridge–furrow grass straw mulching would be a sustainable option for boosting field productivity and thus ensuring local food security in rainfed agricultural areas of Kenya. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry