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Effects of inter-row economic crop planting on soil moisture in a rain-fed jujube orchard in loess hilly region, China.

LING Qiang1,2, ZHAO Xi-ning2,3*, GAO Xiao-dong2,3, LI Lu-sheng1, LI Hong-chen1, SUN Wen-hao1   

  1. (1College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University,Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; 2Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China; 3Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Water Resources,Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China)
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  • Online:2016-02-18 Published:2016-02-18

Abstract: Soil moisture variation in dryland sloping jujube orchard was investigated after introducing two economic crops, i.e., feed Brassica napus (JR) and Hemerocallis fulva (JH) planted between jujube rows. Jujube tree without interrow crop was set as control (CK). The results showed that mean soil moisture for JR and JH in the 0-180 cm soil layer increased by  6.2% and 10.1% compared with CK, respectively. Soil moisture changed mainly in the 0-60 cm soil layer in growth stage of Jujube trees. Soil moisture in JR and JH treatments significantly increased in the 0-60 cm soil layer, which could meet the demand in water resource of jujube plantation. The water consumption of jujube trees also mainly concentrated in the 0-60 cm soil layer. There was a significant decay exponential relationship between the soil moisture in the 0-20 cm layer and the drought duration after rainfall. During the 18-day dry period after rain, the soil moisture contents of JR and JH were apparently higher than that of CK. In conclusion, the jujubecrop intercropping system improved the soil moisture condition. It was an effective measure to overcome the seasonal drought in jujube orchards on the loess hilly region.