Abstract:
The agricultural land in Shigatse City, Xizang, is poor in soil fertility and characterized by low soil temperature and moisture levels due to a dry and cool climate. These conditions are unfavorable to the normal growth and development of potatoes as well as their yield formation. Nevertheless, the application of straw mulching could regulate soil temperature and moisture conditions, thereby creating a more conducive microenvironment for potato planting. In order to explore the effects of plastic film mulching and straw amendments on soil temperature, moisture, and yield of potato, a field study was conducted with treatments of conventional planting (CK1), mulching planting (CK2), straw addition to thickness of 3 cm (T1), 6 cm (T2), and 9 cm (T3). The results showed that the warming and moisturizing effect in the T3 treatment is lower than that in CK2, but higher than other treatments, and exhibits a certain moisture and heat storage effect during the whole growth period of potato. The growth period is earlier than the control, but there is no significant difference. The plant height is lower than that of other treatments, but the stem diameter is thicker in T3. Although the biological characters are not as good as those under the film mulching treatment, but conducive to increasing yield. The yield per plant is not significantly different from that of CK2, but is 33.3% higher than that of CK1. The number of tubers per plant is 43.9% higher than CK1. The yield is increased by 17.4%, but there is a decrease compared to the mulching treatment. Due to the complexity of agricultural operations associated with mulching treatment and the environmental pollution issues of plastic film, using an appropriate thickness of straw mulching instead of plastic film mulching is more suitable for the needs of green potato production in Shigatse, Xizang.