Due to lack of suitable cultivation methods and soil conditioners for watermelon in saline-alkaline soil in the North Yinchuan Plain, it is necessary to investigate the effects of cultivation methods and soil conditioners on water and salt distribution and watermelon yields, therefore providing theoretical basis and technical support for watermelon cultivated in saline-alkaline soils. A field experiment including four treatments, namely, ridge planting with soil conditioner (LZST), flatten planting with soil conditioner (PZST), ridge planting without soil conditioner (LZCK), and flatten planting without soil conditioner (PZCK) was carried out to study the effects of cultivation methods and soil conditioners on the spatial and temporal distribution of soil water content, as well as watermelon yield and quality soil water content, salinity, and yield in saline-alkaline soils with the watermelon variety “Meidu 8424” as the test material. The results showed that compared with flatten planting, ridge planting obviously promoted the leaching efficiency of soil salts in the 0-20 cm soil layer, and changed the distribution characteristics of salts in the 0-40 cm layer. A zone with high water content, low salt content and low pH value was formed directly under the micro spray belt with ridge planting, while soil salt content and pH value were uniformly distributed in the upper 0-20 cm soil layer with flatten planting. Compared with PZST and PZCK treatments, soil salinity content and pH values were reduced at maturity period. Whether ridge planting or flatten planting, soil conditioner significantly increased watermelon yield by 23.60% and 19.99% compared with PZCK and LZCK treatments, respectively. It also increased rind and fruit hardness of watermelon. Compared with the PZCK treatment, soluble solids at perimeter, soluble sugars, ratio of sugar and acid, and lycopene of watermelon were increased by 38.40%, 20.57%, 71.78%, and 52.92%, respectively. Correlation analysis revealed that watermelon yield and quality indexes was significantly positively correlated with water content in the 0-20 cm soil layer, while significantly negatively correlated with soil pH and soil salt content. In conclusion, the cultivation method combined with soil conditioner significantly reduced the soil salinity content and pH value and promoted the growth, the yield and quality of watermelon, which was a suitable method for watermelon cultivation in saline and alkaline soils.
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The study on the effect of nitrogen reduction and water saving on the stem strength and grain quality of spring wheat aims to provide theoretical basis for the sustained and stable yield increase of spring wheat, efficient utilization of irrigate and nitrogen, and improvement of spring wheat’s lodging resistance in Yellow River Irrigation Area of Ningxia.
Using Ningchun No.4 as test material, in 2021 and 2022, split-zone field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of irrigation treatments (conventional irrigation (400 mm, WC), 20% water saving (320 mm, W1), and 40% water saving (240 mm, W2) and nitrogen application treatments (conventional nitrogen application (270 kg·hm-2, NC), 25% nitrogen reduction (202.5 kg·hm-2, NJ), and no nitrogen application, N0) on stem strength, yield and grain quality of spring wheat.
The 25% N reduction and 20% water savings did not significantly reduce spring wheat plant height, stem diameter, or accumulation of aboveground biomass compared to conventional N application. There was no significant difference in stem strength and stem potassium content of spring wheat treated with reduced and conventional nitrogen application levels, but on the basis of reduced nitrogen, stem strength and stem potassium content of spring wheat treated with 20% water saving was significantly higher than that of conventional irrigation treatment. At the filling stage, stem strength increased by 14.9% and 16.3%, and stem potassium content increased by 13.4% and 11.9% in the water-saving 20% treatment compared to the conventional flooding treatment in both years at the reduced nitrogen level, while at the maturity stage, stem strength increased by 19.0% and 8.3%, and stem potassium content increased by 10.5% and 9.0%, respectively. Stem strength of spring wheat showed a decreasing trend as the reproductive process progressed. Correlation analysis showed that stem strength was highly significantly positively correlated with plant height and above-ground biomass, significantly positively correlated with stem potassium content, and not significantly correlated with stem diameter. Among the water-nitrogen treatments, the spring wheat yield was highest in the 20% nitrogen reduction and water conservation treatment, amounting to 8 092 and 5 516 kg·hm-2 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. At the same nitrogen application, the soluble sugar and protein contents of spring wheat grain showed an increasing and then decreasing trend with the decrease of irrigation quota, and the 25% nitrogen reduction and 20% water saving treatment reached the maximum value, which increased by 14.4%, 16.7%, and 25.5%, 23.5%, respectively, compared with the conventional water and nitrogen treatments, while there was no significant difference in starch content among the irrigation and nitrogen treatments. It was further found that stem strength was highly significantly and positively correlated with yield and protein content in grain and not significantly correlated with starch and soluble sugar content in grain.
Water saving of 20% under nitrogen reduction promoted the growth of spring wheat plant height and stem diameter, increased the accumulation of aboveground biomass, and increased the potassium content of stems, which in turn improved the stem strength of spring wheat, reduced the risk of lodging, increased the yield of spring wheat and improved the grain quality. Therefore, it was concluded that 20% water saving under nitrogen reduction conditions is a suitable irrigate and nitrogen management model for spring wheat in the Yellow River Irrigation Area of Ningxia.
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