Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation
Plastic film mulching is a commonly used agricultural measure in arid/cold regions to improve crop growth. Despite previous studies on the impact of film mulching on soil water/heat status and crop growth, it is not clear how plastic film colours and perforations affect energy distribution, soil tem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/926 |
| _version_ | 1797613977020137472 |
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| author | Zunqiu Xu Rony Wallach Jian Song Xiaomin Mao |
| author_facet | Zunqiu Xu Rony Wallach Jian Song Xiaomin Mao |
| author_sort | Zunqiu Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastic film mulching is a commonly used agricultural measure in arid/cold regions to improve crop growth. Despite previous studies on the impact of film mulching on soil water/heat status and crop growth, it is not clear how plastic film colours and perforations affect energy distribution, soil temperature, and evaporation. Six sets of column experiments were performed with three plastic film colours: transparent (T), black (B), and silver-grey (G), and two perforation ratios: 4.49% and 21.44%, to monitor soil evaporation and soil/film mulching temperature. Using these two main control factors, a soil–mulch–atmosphere system (SMAS) model was established to simulate soil evaporation and energy distribution. The simulations of soil evaporation compared well with the measurements. The available net energy was positively related to the perforation ratio and transmittance of the plastic film, which further influenced soil temperature and altered energy distribution. Both simulated and measured results gave the following order for transpiration with the plastic films: T > B > G. The SMAS model was more accurate when a mulch with weak light transmittance covered the field. Moreover, by comparing simulated evaporation mass loss with and without considering heat conduction between the plastic mulch and the soil surface, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, we found that it is feasible to exclude <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. However, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> is indispensable in the SMAS model for understanding the mechanism of plastic film mulching in agroecosystems, particularly at night. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:02:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0bf5325b88094451b88a0207f607a968 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:02:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-0bf5325b88094451b88a0207f607a9682023-11-17T09:08:17ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-03-0113392610.3390/agronomy13030926Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and EvaporationZunqiu Xu0Rony Wallach1Jian Song2Xiaomin Mao3College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Soil and Water Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot P.O. Box 12, IsraelDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USACollege of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaPlastic film mulching is a commonly used agricultural measure in arid/cold regions to improve crop growth. Despite previous studies on the impact of film mulching on soil water/heat status and crop growth, it is not clear how plastic film colours and perforations affect energy distribution, soil temperature, and evaporation. Six sets of column experiments were performed with three plastic film colours: transparent (T), black (B), and silver-grey (G), and two perforation ratios: 4.49% and 21.44%, to monitor soil evaporation and soil/film mulching temperature. Using these two main control factors, a soil–mulch–atmosphere system (SMAS) model was established to simulate soil evaporation and energy distribution. The simulations of soil evaporation compared well with the measurements. The available net energy was positively related to the perforation ratio and transmittance of the plastic film, which further influenced soil temperature and altered energy distribution. Both simulated and measured results gave the following order for transpiration with the plastic films: T > B > G. The SMAS model was more accurate when a mulch with weak light transmittance covered the field. Moreover, by comparing simulated evaporation mass loss with and without considering heat conduction between the plastic mulch and the soil surface, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>, we found that it is feasible to exclude <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula>. However, <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mi>m</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> is indispensable in the SMAS model for understanding the mechanism of plastic film mulching in agroecosystems, particularly at night.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/926plastic film mulchingcolours and perforationsenergy distributionsoil evaporationsoil temperatureSMAS model |
| spellingShingle | Zunqiu Xu Rony Wallach Jian Song Xiaomin Mao Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation Agronomy plastic film mulching colours and perforations energy distribution soil evaporation soil temperature SMAS model |
| title | Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation |
| title_full | Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation |
| title_short | Effect of Plastic Film Colours and Perforations on Energy Distribution, Soil Temperature, and Evaporation |
| title_sort | effect of plastic film colours and perforations on energy distribution soil temperature and evaporation |
| topic | plastic film mulching colours and perforations energy distribution soil evaporation soil temperature SMAS model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/3/926 |
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