Can the drip irrigation under film mulch reduce crop evapotranspiration and save water under the sufficient irrigation condition?

摘要

The technology of drip irrigation under film mulch has been widely extended in arid regions. However, is the technology sure to reduce crop evapotranspiration and save water under the sufficient irrigation condition? This question still remains uncertain. Our study attempted to investigate the effect of drip irrigation on soil water and crop evapotranspiration by setting contrast tests. Evapotranspiration (ET) and soil water were continuously measured over the maize field with two treatments during 2014-2015 in northwest China by eddy covariance (EC), Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB) and soil water balance (WB) methods simultaneously. The treatment I was in border irrigation under film mulch (site I), while the treatment II was in drip irrigation under film mulch (site II). The both treatments were under sufficient irrigation condition.