A method for sealing holes, preserving soil moisture and increasing temperature by dry sowing and wet emergence of cotton in south Xinjiang

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of South Xinjiang cotton dry sowing wetting out hole sealing conservation of soil moisture and temperature increasing method, belong to the field of crop water-saving cultivation technology.The method of the application is in cotton field sowing, film laying and drip complete emergence water 48h, take surface dry soil from the walkway protection line between two films, directly in dry loose state quantitative covering in film hole, form loose covering layer.The application will seal hole opportunity greatly advance to, directional use walkway protection line dry soil sealing hole, both solve the problem of running soil and salt return caused by long-term opening of hole under conventional sealing hole mode, also completely avoid the phenomenon of seedling sticking caused by hole compaction, and fixed-point soil sampling does not damage film, local material zero additional cost, pre-emergence operation has no damage to cotton seedling risk, provide a kind of simple, efficient, strong reliability sealing hole new scheme for South Xinjiang dry sowing wetting out cotton field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water-saving cultivation technology for crops, specifically to a method for dry sowing, wet planting, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang. Background Technology

[0002] Southern Xinjiang boasts abundant sunshine and heat resources, but its arid climate, high evaporation rates, and severe soil salinization are significant problems. In recent years, the "dry sowing, wet germination" technology has been widely adopted in the region. Its core process involves directly preparing the land, sowing seeds, laying mulch and drip irrigation tape on dry soil, and then precisely irrigating the seedbed with a drip irrigation system under the mulch to ensure the cotton seeds germinate in a moist seedbed. This technology effectively saves irrigation water during winter and spring and also helps to inhibit soil salinization to some extent.

[0003] In the dry-seeding and wet-emergence technology system, the holes made in the plastic film during sowing need to be covered with dry soil promptly after drip irrigation (i.e., sealing the holes) to retain moisture, increase temperature, suppress salt, prevent soil compaction, and prevent wind erosion and stabilize the film. The timing of the hole-sealing operation, the selection of soil source, and the covering method directly affect the cotton emergence rate, seedling growth, and final yield.

[0004] Currently, cotton fields in southern Xinjiang generally adopt the "covering the holes after the cotton seedlings emerge and show rows" model: after sowing and watering, the holes are left open, and soil is manually removed and covered hole by hole after the cotton seedlings emerge and the cotyledons unfold. Mechanical soil covering usually involves placing soil on both sides of the mulch film holes during installation, and then using machinery to blow the dry soil from both sides of the mulch film holes to cover them after sowing, watering, and emergence. This model has the following prominent problems:

[0005] (1) The effect of moisture retention and temperature increase is seriously insufficient. The holes are left open for a long time, and a large amount of moisture in the moist seedbed evaporates ineffectively, resulting in the loss of soil temperature, which leads to slow and uneven emergence. In severe cases, the cotton seeds lose water and "germinate again".

[0006] (2) Severe accumulation of salt and alkali at the planting holes. The open planting holes exacerbate the capillary action of the soil, and the deep salts accumulate on the surface soil of the planting holes as water evaporates, forming high salt and alkali spots, which harm the roots of newly sprouted cotton seedlings.

[0007] (3) The window period for sealing the holes is extremely short, and labor is scarce. The sealing of the holes must be completed within 2-3 days after most of the cotton seedlings have unfolded their cotyledons, which is very easy to conflict with other agricultural activities and delay the farming season.

[0008] (4) Covering holes can easily damage cotton seedlings. When manually covering each hole with soil, it is easy to bump or bury tender cotton seedlings, causing them to break. There is also a risk of scalding the seedlings when working at high temperatures at noon.

[0009] (5) The amount of irrigation water is not easy to control, and the surface of the holes is prone to hardening and jamming the seedlings. After sowing, the soil is irrigated immediately to keep it moist, but the holes are exposed to the sun, which easily causes the surface soil of the holes to harden, increasing the mechanical resistance to the emergence of cotton seedlings, leading to jamming or necrosis of cotton seeds.

[0010] Therefore, developing a novel sealing method that can complete the sealing of the cavity as soon as possible after watering, with a loose and non-compacting covering layer, and is highly efficient and convenient to operate is an urgent problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In view of this, the present invention provides a method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang, in order to solve the technical problems in the prior art, such as moisture loss in the seedbed, salt return in the holes, short sealing operation window, easy damage to cotton seedlings, and easy compaction of the surface soil in the holes, which are caused by the lag in hole sealing time.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A method for dry-sowing, wet-seeding, and soil-sealing to retain moisture and increase temperature for cotton in southern Xinjiang includes the following steps: (1) Conventional mulch film, drip irrigation tape and sowing operations will be carried out in cotton fields in southern Xinjiang; (2) Drip irrigation is carried out on the cotton field to promote seedling emergence. After the drip irrigation is completed, all holes on the plastic film are sealed. (3) Take 0-5cm of dry soil from the top layer of the walkway between two adjacent plastic film sheets as soil for sealing the holes. The soil is in a loose state that is naturally air-dried or sun-dried and does not need to be moistened with water. (4) Cover each hole with soil to form a loose strip covering layer. Do not apply external pressure after covering, and keep the dry soil in a natural loose state to complete the sealing of holes for cotton dry sowing and wet emergence to retain moisture and increase temperature.

[0013] The solution of this invention originated in southern Xinjiang and has been successfully applied. The method of this invention is universal and can be implemented in other arid and semi-arid regions with similar natural conditions and agricultural foundations.

[0014] Furthermore, in step (1), the cotton is sown using a precision seeder with holes on the film, using a 2.05-meter wide film, and a planting pattern of one film, three pipes, and six rows.

[0015] Furthermore, the diameter of the sowing holes is 3-5 cm, and the sowing depth is 2-3 cm.

[0016] Furthermore, in step (2), all holes on the plastic film should be sealed within 48 hours after the dripping is completed.

[0017] Preferably, the sealing operation is completed within 12-24 hours after the drip irrigation ends. At this time, the soil moisture under the film is nearly saturated, and sealing the holes at the first time can lock in the water for seedling emergence to the maximum extent.

[0018] In this invention, the starting point for the 48h time is: after the last drip irrigation branch has completely stopped discharging water and the free water under the film has completely infiltrated into the soil.

[0019] Furthermore, the width of the walkway protection row between two adjacent plastic film sheets mentioned in step (3) is 50-60cm. After sowing, the surface is compacted mechanically or manually, and the surface is dry and flat. The topsoil that is shoveled is used after removing hard clods and debris.

[0020] Furthermore, the thickness of the strip covering layer in step (4) is 2-3 cm and the width is 8-10 cm.

[0021] Preferably, the center thickness of the covering layer is 3cm and the width is 10cm, and the edge of the covering layer is tightly attached to the mulch film to ensure that the holes are completely covered and sealed.

[0022] Furthermore, in step (4), the covering is completed using ordinary agricultural tools such as pointed shovels, handheld quantitative hole application tools, backpack quantitative hole application devices, or traction-type quantitative soil extraction and covering combined operation machines.

[0023] In the present invention, under manual operation conditions, ordinary agricultural tools such as pointed shovels or quantitative hole application devices can be used to complete the work, and uniform coverage can be achieved by controlling the amount of soil applied. Under mechanical operation conditions, a traction-type quantitative soil taking and covering machine is used. This machine takes soil from the walkway protection row in real time, sieves it, and simultaneously completes the quantitative covering of the holes on the film. It can also take soil from the walkway protection row and place it on both sides of the hole while laying the mulch film, drip irrigation tape, and sowing. After the seedling water drip irrigation is completed and the free water has completely infiltrated into the soil, a soil blowing and covering machine is used to blow dry soil on both sides of the hole onto the hole.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: (1) Excellent moisture retention and salt suppression effect, resulting in rapid and uniform seedling emergence: The timing of sealing the seed holes in this invention is within 48 hours after drip irrigation. At this time, the drip irrigation for seedling emergence is completed, and the soil around and at the bottom of the seed holes has been replenished to a state of saturation or near saturation. Covering the seed holes at this time allows the dry soil covering layer to immediately exert a capillary blocking effect, effectively inhibiting the ineffective evaporation of moisture from the moist seed bed to the atmosphere. This completely reverses the problem of water loss and moisture loss caused by long-term open seed holes, significantly reducing soil moisture evaporation. At the same time, it cuts off the soil capillaries, effectively preventing the accumulation of deep salts on the surface soil of the seed holes. The seedling emergence time is significantly earlier than conventional methods, the seedling emergence rate is significantly improved, and the cotton seedlings emerge uniformly.

[0025] (2) Synergistic effect of heat preservation and wind resistance, resulting in uniform seedling emergence: This invention uses loose, dry soil on the surface of the seed holes to form a covering layer. The covering layer is rich in static air gaps, naturally forming a loose heat-insulating layer that effectively isolates the seed holes from direct convection of hot and cold air from the outside, creating a stable warm and warm environment for cotton seed germination. At the same time, the covering layer of this invention effectively protects against strong winds through its unique structure and recoverability. Field practice shows that the surface layer of dry soil may be eroded, but the bottom soil layer above the seed holes is not easily blown away, always maintaining effective coverage of the seed holes. Moreover, due to the loose and fluid nature of the dry soil, even if the covering layer is blown too thin by extreme winds, it can be resealed in a short time using soil covering machinery. This invention utilizes the loose and porous characteristics of the dry soil covering layer to simultaneously achieve the two major functions of heat preservation and wind resistance, effectively ensuring a comfortable and stable growth environment for cotton seeds.

[0026] (3) Dry soil covering completely solves the problem of soil compaction and seedling blockage: This invention uses the top dry soil of the walkway protection row as the sealing substrate. The soil moisture content is extremely low, and it remains loose after covering, unlike wet soil which dries and shrinks to form a hard soil crust. The mechanical resistance encountered by cotton seedlings when they emerge is minimal, and they can easily break through the covering layer, thus eliminating the problems of soil compaction, seedling blockage, and seedling breakage from the root.

[0027] (4) Fixed source and quantity of soil, without damaging the mulch film: The soil used for sealing the holes in this invention is all taken from the protective row of the walkway between the two membranes. The soil taking location is fixed and close to the hole, making soil taking convenient and quick. The protective row of the walkway itself is an exposed strip without membrane, and taking the surface dry soil will not cause any damage to the mulch film on both sides, ensuring the integrity of the mulch film and helping to maintain the warming and moisture retention effect under the membrane.

[0028] (5) Local materials are used and there is no additional cost: The surface dry soil of the walkway protection row is a resource of the cotton field itself. No external materials need to be added, and no special configuration or moisture treatment is required. This reduces the material cost and operational complexity of the hole sealing operation. It is simple and easy to implement and is easily accepted and promoted by farmers.

[0029] (6) Completely avoids the risk of damaging seedlings and provides ample operating window: The sealing of the planting hole is completed before the cotton seedlings emerge from the soil. There are no seedlings in the field during the operation, which completely eliminates all risks of damaging, burying, or scalding the cotton seedlings from the root. The operation time is no longer rigidly constrained by the short window of the cotton seedling leaf age, and manpower or mechanical operation can be arranged at will, which significantly improves the flexibility of field management.

[0030] (7) It also has the function of walkway maintenance: while sealing the holes, the surface dry soil of the walkway protection row is removed, which objectively plays a role in leveling and loosening the soil in the shallow layer of the walkway, making the walkway smoother and facilitating the passage of subsequent field management operations. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1This is a flowchart of the cotton dry-sowing, wet-harvesting, hole-sealing, moisture-retaining, and temperature-increasing method of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the seedling emergence effect of cotton in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] Example 1 The experiment was conducted at the Cotton Comprehensive Experiment Base of the 16th Regiment of the First Division of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The soil type was sandy loam, and the salt content of the 0-30cm soil layer was about 0.2%.

[0035] (1) Sowing and planting pattern: Sowing was completed on April 8. A 2.05m wide plastic film was used, with a planting pattern of one film, three pipes, and six rows. Precision sowing was carried out on the film, with a hole diameter of 4cm and a sowing depth of 3cm. A 50-60cm wide walkway was reserved between two adjacent plastic films for protection. After sowing, the walkway was compacted to make its surface flat and firm.

[0036] (2) Drip irrigation for seedling emergence: Drip irrigation tape was laid at the same time as sowing. At 11:00 am on April 10, the drip irrigation system was turned on to drip seedling emergence water. At 3:30 pm, after water appeared under the film, the branch pipe valve was closed to stop dripping. At 6:00 pm, a field inspection confirmed that all the free water under the film had infiltrated into the soil and the soil moisture was saturated. This time was marked as the starting point for the hole sealing window. The hole sealing operation was organized at 8:00 am on April 11.

[0037] (3) Preparation of soil for sealing the hole: Arrange workers to walk along the protective row and use shovels to remove the top 0-5cm of dry and loose soil from the protective row, avoiding hard soil clods and debris with a diameter greater than 15mm, so as to obtain fine and dry soil for sealing the hole.

[0038] (4) Sealing and covering the holes: Pour dry soil evenly over the holes. After the dry soil falls naturally, it forms a strip-shaped covering layer with a center height of 3cm and a width of 10cm. Do not press it down after covering; keep the dry soil loose. All holes were sealed before 20:00 on the 11th, about 26 hours after the drip irrigation ended.

[0039] Results Verification: Cotton seedlings began to emerge in the field on April 18th, reaching peak emergence on April 23rd. All seedlings easily broke through the dry soil covering layer and emerged normally, exhibiting uniform emergence. Out of a total of 440 holes, 417 seedlings emerged, resulting in a final emergence rate of 95%. No salt deposits or soil compaction were observed around the holes. The surface of the protective rows after soil removal was smooth and did not impede subsequent field walking.

[0040] Example 2 The experiment was conducted in a cotton field of the 7th Company of the 16th Regiment of the 1st Division. The difference from Example 1 was that a modified traction-type combined hole-sealing machine was used for the operation, while the other schemes remained the same as Example 1.

[0041] Hole sealing and covering operation: The towed combined hole sealing machine is attached to the rear of the tractor, with a soil-collecting shovel on each side. These shovels extend into the protective row of the walkway to collect topsoil in real time. After being sieved by an onboard vibrating screen (15mm mesh), the finely broken dry soil falls into a quantitative distribution device. A screw conveyor then precisely delivers the dry soil to the corresponding holes on both sides of the membrane according to a set quantity. One operation completes the covering of a single membrane with 3 strips and 6 rows of cotton holes. The work efficiency is approximately 15 times that of manual labor. The specifications of the covering layer are the same as in Example 1.

[0042] Effect verification: The emergence performance of cotton fields with mechanized hole sealing was not significantly different from that of manual hole sealing, and the coverage was more uniform, with a more consistent effect on the leveling of the rows protected by mechanized hole sealing.

[0043] Example 3 Implemented in the cotton fields of the Sixth Company of the Sixteenth Regiment of the First Division, the difference from Example 1 is that the soil for sealing the holes was shoveled in advance during the sowing process and temporarily placed on the side of the holes. After the drip irrigation water was used to irrigate the seedlings, the side-sealing soil was blown over the holes to form the final cover.

[0044] (1) Sowing and simultaneous side sealing: Sowing was carried out on April 9th ​​using a modified precision sowing, film laying, and pipe laying integrated machine. This integrated machine, while completing film laying, hole sowing on the film, and laying drip irrigation tape, simultaneously performs the following operations through an added side sealing device: The soil-collecting shovel of the side sealing device extends into the protective row of the walkway between two adjacent film sheets, shoveling the top 0-5cm of dry, loose soil in real time. After screening, the dry soil is quantitatively transported to one or both sides of the hole via a guide trough, forming a temporary side sealing mound next to the hole. The side sealing soil is close to the hole but does not completely cover the hole opening, leaving the top of the hole open to allow subsequent drip irrigation water to infiltrate smoothly. The amount of soil used for side sealing in a single hole ultimately covers 100%-120% of the required soil volume.

[0045] (2) Drip irrigation for seedling emergence: At 12:00 noon on April 10, the drip irrigation system was turned on to apply seedling emergence water. At 16:30 in the afternoon, after water appeared under the film, the valve was closed to stop dripping. At 18:30, field inspection confirmed that all the free water under the film had infiltrated into the soil and the soil moisture was saturated.

[0046] (3) Covering the holes: The covering operation should begin immediately on the morning of the day after the dripping ends, 12 hours after the dripping ends, which is within the 48-hour window. Use a backpack electric blower or a traction air supply device, with the air outlet facing the side sealing soil mound, and use the airflow to blow the dry and loose soil of the side sealing directly above the hole. The blown dry soil will fall naturally and evenly cover the hole, forming a loose strip-shaped covering layer with a thickness of 2-3 cm and a width of 8-10 cm. Do not press it after covering, and keep the dry soil in a loose state.

[0047] Verification of Results: Cotton seedlings began to emerge in the field on April 19th, reaching peak emergence on April 24th. All seedlings easily broke through the dry soil covering layer and emerged normally, with uniform emergence and no soil compaction or seedling jamming observed. There were no salt or alkali spots around the planting holes. Because the side-sealing soil was already positioned next to the planting holes during sowing, sealing the holes only required blowing the soil back on after watering. Compared to manually removing soil from the protective rows and re-covering, this method increased field work efficiency several times over, and workers no longer needed to walk repeatedly on the film surface, significantly reducing damage to the mulch film.

[0048] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0049] Comparative Example 1 The experiment was conducted at the Cotton Comprehensive Experiment Base of the 16th Regiment of the First Division of the Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, using the local conventional method of sealing holes after seedling emergence for management.

[0050] (1) Sowing and drip irrigation: Sowing was completed on April 8. The same 2.05-meter wide mulch film and the same planting pattern of one film, three pipes and six rows were used as in Example 1. Precision sowing was carried out on the film with holes of 4 cm in diameter and a sowing depth of 2.5 cm. Drip irrigation tape was laid at the same time as sowing. At 11:00 am on April 10, the drip irrigation system was turned on to apply water for seedling emergence. At 3:30 pm, after water appeared under the film, the valve was closed to stop dripping.

[0051] (2) Waiting for seedling emergence: After drip irrigation ends, the seed holes remain completely open without any covering. During this period, the cotton field is in an "open-hole waiting" state, with the moist seedbed inside the seed holes directly exposed to the atmosphere.

[0052] (3) Sealing the holes: From April 20th, cotton seedlings will gradually emerge from the soil and become visible. By April 23rd, about 70% of the cotton seedlings will have fully expanded their cotyledons. At this time, manual sealing of the holes will be carried out. Workers will use pointed shovels to take soil from the edge of the film and cover the holes with soil from between the film. The covering thickness will be about 3cm, the length will be 8-10cm, and the width will be 8-10cm.

[0053] Effect Verification: The control group used the conventional method of sealing the planting holes after emergence, leaving the holes open for up to 15 days. The emergence rate was significantly lower than that of the method described in this invention, and even lower than the scheme in the examples. Field statistics showed that in the control group, it took 12 days for 50% emergence to occur, 2 days later than in Example 1; the final emergence rate was 86%, 9 percentage points lower than in Example 1; the seedling uniformity was poor, with significant differences in seedling size. During the period of open planting, obvious white salt spots appeared at the edges of the holes, and cotton seedling roots showed typical salt damage symptoms after contact with the high-salt area. After the moist soil sealed the holes dried, it became hardened and cracked, causing some cotton seedlings to fail to break through the soil crust and die.

[0054] Comprehensive comparisons show that the method of the present invention is significantly superior to conventional methods in terms of germination speed, germination rate, uniformity, salt suppression, prevention of soil compaction, and wind resistance.

Claims

1. A method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: (1) Conventional mulch film, drip irrigation tape and sowing operations will be carried out in cotton fields in southern Xinjiang; (2) Drip irrigation is carried out on the cotton field to promote seedling emergence. After the drip irrigation is completed, all holes on the plastic film are sealed. (3) Take 0-5cm of dry soil from the top layer of the walkway between two adjacent plastic film strips as soil for sealing the holes; (4) Cover each hole with soil to form a loose strip covering layer with a thickness of 2-3cm, a length of 8-10cm and a width of 8-10cm. Do not apply external pressure after covering, and keep the dry soil in a natural loose state to complete the sealing of holes for cotton dry sowing and wet emergence to retain moisture and increase temperature.

2. The method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cotton was sown using a precision seeder with holes planted on the film, using a 2.05-meter wide film, and a planting pattern of one film, three pipes, and six rows.

3. The method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang according to claim 2, characterized in that... The diameter of the planting holes is 3-5 cm, and the planting depth is 2-3 cm.

4. The method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang according to claim 1, characterized in that... In step (2), all holes on the plastic film must be sealed within 48 hours after the dripping is completed.

5. The method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang according to claim 1, characterized in that... The width of the walkway protection row between two adjacent plastic film sheets mentioned in step (3) is 50-60cm; The topsoil that is shoveled is used after removing hard clods and debris.

6. The method for dry sowing, wet emergence, hole sealing, moisture retention, and temperature increase of cotton in southern Xinjiang according to claim 1, characterized in that... The thickness of the strip covering layer in step (4) is 2-3cm, the length is 8-10cm, and the width is 8-10cm.

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