Abstract In dryland agricultural production areas, knowledge on the growth and variation of winter wheat root systems under different mulching methods is important for guiding winter wheat production. We conducted a two-year field trial to explore the effects of different mulching practices on the spatial-temporal distribution of root growth, soil water storage, and grain yield. Four cultivation practices were tested: (i) traditional flat planting (CK), (ii) flat planting with half-film mulching (M1), (iii) ridge–furrow planting with film mulching over ridges only (M2), and (iv) ridge–furrow planting with film mulching over ridges and wheat straw mulching in furrows (M3). The results showed that the root diameter (RD), root length density (RLD), and root surface area density (RSD) of wheat under the four treatments were mainly concentrated in the 0–40 cm soil layer. The mean RLD in the 0–40 cm soil layer accounted for 62.2 %, 61.0 %, 59.3 %, and 55.8 % of the total root length density under M3, M2, M1, and CK, respectively, at maturity in both years. The M3 cultivation method produced the maximum values for RD, RLD, and RSD among all cultivation practices and the highest water storage efficiency after the three precipitation events. The M3 treatment had 11.1 %, 15.4 %, and 38.4 % higher mean grain yields than M2, M1, and CK, respectively, over the two-year study. Soil water storage had positive correlations with RD, RLD, and RSD. The RD, RLD, and RSD in the 0–40 cm soil layer had strong positive correlations with yield components, yield, aboveground biomass, and water use efficiency (WUE). Based on this study, ridge–furrow planting with film mulching over ridges and wheat straw mulching in furrows is an effective, sustainable cultivation method for wheat production in rainfed regions, which can increase the spatial-temporal distribution of root systems and soil water content across the root zones to increase crop production and WUE.

中文翻译：

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冬小麦（Triticum aestivum L.）根系时空分布与垄沟双重覆盖下的水分利用效率

摘要 在旱地农业产区，了解不同覆盖方式下冬小麦根系的生长和变异对指导冬小麦生产具有重要意义。我们进行了为期两年的田间试验，探讨不同覆盖方式对根系生长、土壤蓄水量和粮食产量时空分布的影响。测试了四种栽培方法：(i) 传统平地种植 (CK)，(ii) 半地膜覆盖平地种植 (M1)，(iii) 垄沟种植，仅在垄上覆盖地膜 (M2)，以及 (iv) ) 垄沟种植，垄上覆膜，垄沟内铺麦秸 (M3)。结果表明，根径（RD）、根长密度（RLD）、4 种处理下小麦的根表面积密度（RSD）主要集中在 0~40 cm 土层。M3、M2、M1 和 CK 成熟时 0-40 cm 土层的平均 RLD 分别占总根长密度的 62.2%、61.0%、59.3% 和 55.8%。M3 栽培方法在所有栽培实践中产生了 RD、RLD 和 RSD 的最大值，并且在三个降水事件后的储水效率最高。在为期两年的研究中，M3 处理的平均谷物产量分别比 M2、M1 和 CK 高 11.1%、15.4% 和 38.4%。土壤蓄水量与 RD、RLD 和 RSD 呈正相关。0~40 cm土层的RD、RLD和RSD与产量成分、产量、地上生物量、和用水效率 (WUE)。基于本研究，垄沟种植、垄沟覆膜和麦草垄沟覆膜是雨养地区小麦生产的一种有效、可持续的栽培方法，可以增加根系的时空分布和土壤水分含量。根区以增加作物产量和 WUE。