Abstract
To develop rainfed agriculture in northern China, we conducted field experiments with three straw mulching rates (0, 6, and 12 t/ha) on two plant types (a compact type, Chaoshi1, and a flat type, Danyu86) during the summer maize-growing season in 2009 and 2010 to study soil moisture content, evapotranspiration, grain yield, and water-use efficiency (WUE). The results indicated that straw mulching could significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) improve soil moisture content at a depth of 20-80 cm below the ground surface during the anthesis-silking stage; however, at maturity, straw mulching decreased the soil moisture content at a depth of 0-60 cm below the ground surface. In 2009, straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) increased the evapotranspiration in Chaoshi1 and Danyu86. In 2010, straw mulching at the rate of 6 t/ha significantly (LSD,P < 0.05) increased evapotranspiration in Danyu86 alone. The grain yields of Danyu86 in 2009 and Chaoshi1 in 2010 were significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) higher with straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha than on the application of other treatments. Irrespective of whether precipitation was concentrated during the beginning or the latter half of the summer maize growing stage, straw mulching increased the WUE of Chaoshi1, but not of Danyu86. These results indicated that under rainfed conditions in northern China, straw mulching could increase the grain yield and WUE of compact-type maize.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching significantly improved soil moisture content at 20-80 cm depth during the anthesis-silking stage of summer maize.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“straw mulching could significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) improve soil moisture content at a depth of 20-80 cm below the ground surface during the anthesis-silking stage”
Claim · model-written summary
At maturity, straw mulching decreased soil moisture content at 0-60 cm depth in summer maize plots.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“at maturity, straw mulching decreased the soil moisture content at a depth of 0-60 cm below the ground surface”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2009, straw mulching at 12 t/ha significantly increased evapotranspiration in the compact-type maize Chaoshi1.
- Material
- Chaoshi1e0
- Treatment
- straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/hae0
- Outcome
- evapotranspiratione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- In 2009e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“In 2009, straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) increased the evapotranspiration in Chaoshi1 and Danyu86”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2009, straw mulching at 12 t/ha significantly increased evapotranspiration in the flat-type maize Danyu86.
- Material
- Danyu86e0
- Treatment
- straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/hae0
- Outcome
- evapotranspiratione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- In 2009e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“In 2009, straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) increased the evapotranspiration in Chaoshi1 and Danyu86”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2010, straw mulching at 6 t/ha significantly increased evapotranspiration in Danyu86 only.
- Material
- Danyu86e0
- Treatment
- straw mulching at the rate of 6 t/hae0
- Outcome
- evapotranspiratione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- Danyu86 alonee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“In 2010, straw mulching at the rate of 6 t/ha significantly (LSD,P < 0.05) increased evapotranspiration in Danyu86 alone”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain yield of Danyu86 in 2009 was significantly higher with straw mulching at 12 t/ha than with the other treatments.
- Material
- Danyu86e0
- Treatment
- straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/hae0
- Outcome
- grain yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- in 2009e0
- Comparator
- other treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“The grain yields of Danyu86 in 2009 and Chaoshi1 in 2010 were significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) higher with straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha than on the application of other treatments”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain yield of Chaoshi1 in 2010 was significantly higher with straw mulching at 12 t/ha than with the other treatments.
- Material
- Chaoshi1e0
- Treatment
- straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/hae0
- Outcome
- grain yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- in 2010e0
- Comparator
- other treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“The grain yields of Danyu86 in 2009 and Chaoshi1 in 2010 were significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) higher with straw mulching at the rate of 12 t/ha than on the application of other treatments”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching increased the water-use efficiency of Chaoshi1 regardless of when precipitation was concentrated.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“straw mulching increased the WUE of Chaoshi1, but not of Danyu86”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching did not increase the water-use efficiency of Danyu86.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
t0“summer maize”
e0“straw mulching increased the WUE of Chaoshi1, but not of Danyu86”
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