Ridge-furrow plastic film mulching farming for sustainable dryland agriculture on the Chinese loess plateau

Abstract

This paper describes the progress of dryland farming development by comparing the ridge-furrow plastic film mulching (RFM) system with conventional cultivation in the Chinese Loess Plateau, where the climate is cool and semi-arid or subhumid prone to drought, and dryland farming dominates. The barren soil dominated by eolian sedimentary loess is loose and erosive. For thousands of years, increasing human population pressure and high-intensity disordered land use have led to serious ecosystem degradation. Since the 1950s, large-scale and long-term construction of terraced fields have effectively reduced the soil erosion potential, and such fields have become more and more convenient for mechanized large-area production. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the crop cultivation system based on the RFM has been widely promoted. Compared with previous cropping systems, the crop productivity in the RFM system is double or multiple times greater. Soil moisture has become favorable. Soil organic C content has been controlled or increased. Most importantly, the RFM system has promoted the coordinated development of grain, forage, and livestock, and favorable market results. It has vigorously promoted the fight against poverty and the realization of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in dryland areas. Therefore, ridge-furrow mulching is the key basis for the sustainable development of the dryland farming system on the Loess Plateau.