Abstract
Water scarcity and soil hypoxia are major constraints to forage productivity in arid regions. This study investigated the effects of subsurface drip irrigation with micro-nano bubble oxygenated water (MNBO) on the rhizosphere environment, root physiology, growth, and quality of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L. cv. ‘Caoyuan No. 2’) under field conditions in Inner Mongolia. A full factorial experimental design was employed, combining three irrigation levels (20, 25, and 30 mm) and three dissolved oxygen concentrations (1.8, 5.0, and 8.2 mg/L). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to quantify the direct and indirect effects of irrigation and oxygenation on yield formation pathways. Results demonstrated that MNBO irrigation significantly improved soil enzyme activities (catalase by 15–28%; urease by 18–32%), microbial abundance (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes), and root vitality (27.9–103.6%), thereby promoting plant growth and yield. The optimal treatment (25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DO) increased dry matter yield by 8.3–30.1%, crude protein by 11.2–11.5%, and crude fat by 18.8–27.6% compared to conventional practices. Structural equation modeling revealed that yield improvement was primarily mediated through enhanced soil biological activity and root functionality, rather than direct irrigation effects. These findings provide a scientifically robust irrigation strategy that synergistically enhances water use efficiency and root zone aeration, offering significant potential to support sustainable forage production in water-limited ecosystems.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
MNBO irrigation increased soil catalase activity by 15–28%.
- Taxon
- alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Treatment
- MNBO irrigatione0
- Outcome
- soil enzyme activities (catalasee0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 15–28%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MNBO irrigation significantly improved soil enzyme activities (catalase by 15–28%; urease by 18–32%)”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
MNBO irrigation increased soil urease activity by 18–32%.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- MNBO irrigatione0
- Outcome
- ureasee0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 18–32%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MNBO irrigation significantly improved soil enzyme activities (catalase by 15–28%; urease by 18–32%)”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
MNBO irrigation improved microbial abundance.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- MNBO irrigatione0
- Outcome
- microbial abundancee0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MNBO irrigation significantly improved soil enzyme activities (catalase by 15–28%; urease by 18–32%), microbial abundance (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes)”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
MNBO irrigation increased root vitality by 27.9–103.6%.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- MNBO irrigatione0
- Outcome
- root vitalitye0
- Direction
- improvede0
- Value
- 27.9–103.6%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“MNBO irrigation significantly improved soil enzyme activities (catalase by 15–28%; urease by 18–32%), microbial abundance (bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes), and root vitality (27.9–103.6%)”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
MNBO irrigation promoted alfalfa growth and yield.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- micro-nano bubble oxygenationt0
- Outcome
- plant growth and yielde0
- Direction
- promotinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“thereby promoting plant growth and yield”
t0“alfalfa yield via micro-nano bubble oxygenation”
Claim · model-written summary
The optimal treatment increased dry matter yield by 8.3–30.1% relative to conventional practices.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- 25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DOe0
- Outcome
- dry matter yielde0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 8.3–30.1%e0
- Comparator
- conventional practicese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The optimal treatment (25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DO) increased dry matter yield by 8.3–30.1%, crude protein by 11.2–11.5%, and crude fat by 18.8–27.6% compared to conventional practices”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The optimal treatment increased crude protein by 11.2–11.5% relative to conventional practices.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- 25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DOe0
- Outcome
- crude proteine0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 11.2–11.5%e0
- Comparator
- conventional practicese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The optimal treatment (25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DO) increased dry matter yield by 8.3–30.1%, crude protein by 11.2–11.5%, and crude fat by 18.8–27.6% compared to conventional practices”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The optimal treatment increased crude fat by 18.8–27.6% relative to conventional practices.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- 25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DOe0
- Outcome
- crude fate0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 18.8–27.6%e0
- Comparator
- conventional practicese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The optimal treatment (25 mm irrigation with 5.0 mg/L DO) increased dry matter yield by 8.3–30.1%, crude protein by 11.2–11.5%, and crude fat by 18.8–27.6% compared to conventional practices”
t0“alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
SEM attributed yield improvement primarily to soil biological activity and root function.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- yield improvemente0
- Qualifier
- enhanced soil biological activity and root functionalitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“yield improvement was primarily mediated through enhanced soil biological activity and root functionality, rather than direct irrigation effects”
t0“alfalfa”
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Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.