Impact of Rainwater Harvesting and Moisture Conservation Measures in Apple Orchards of Weibei Dryland on Soil Moisture,Root Systems,and Rainfall Utilization
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S156.92

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    Abstract:

    [Objective] The Weibei dryland is a typical rain-fed agricultural area characterized by uneven temporal and spatial rainfall distribution, leading to insufficient water supply during key growth stages of fruit trees. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a rain collection and infiltration carburizing technology(RCIC) in improving the utilization of precipitation resources in apple orchards on the Weibei dryland. [Methods] This study used conventional organic mulching management as the control(CK), and investigated the impact of RCIC on orchard soil moisture and its deficit status, apple tree root growth, photosynthetic characteristics, apple yield, and rainfall use efficiency(RUE). [Results] RCIC significantly promoted soil water infiltration into deeper layers through a "surface interception-deep infiltration" mechanism. The effective infiltration depth reached 80 cm, and the main water use layer shifted from 20-40 cm in CK to 40-60 cm under RCIC. Compared with CK, the average water storage in the 0-80 cm soil layer increased by 14.71% in 2021 and 8.57%(p<0.01) in 2022. During the drought period in 2022, RCIC reduced water deficit(WD) in the 40-80 cm soil layer by 3.09%, overcoming the spatial limitation of surface-level irrigation in traditional systems. After RCIC implementation, the fine root length density in the 0-100 cm soil layer increased by 21.3% to 25.8%, and photosynthetic water use efficiency(WUE) improved by 24.01% to 80.49%(p<0.01). The apple yield and RUE during 2021-2022 were significantly increased by 14.1% to 16.64%(p<0.05) compared to CK. [Conclusion] RCIC enables precipitation in apple orchards to converge, accumulate, infiltrate shallowly and deeply, and redistribute along tree rows during the rainy season. This process compensates for deep soil moisture loss and promotes root extension. It further enhances net photosynthetic rate, rainfall utilization efficiency, and yield. These findings provide theoretical and data support for the coordinated and efficient use of both precipitation and irrigation water resources in rain-fed orchard systems.

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History
  • Received:April 15,2025
  • Revised:May 07,2025
  • Adopted:
  • Online: September 10,2025
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