Integrated management of conservation tillage, emulsified bituminous mulch and fertilization in dryland farming

Field experiments on surface soil mulch with emulsified bituminous materials and fertilizer management based on conservation tillage practices for spring corn were conducted in dryland farmland of Shouyang in Shanxi Province, to determine the impacts of tillage, surface mulch with emulsified bituminous materials and fertilizer rate on soil temperature, soil water, and crop seedling emergence and yields, and to evaluate the integrated management of conservation tillage, emulsified bituminous mulch and fertilization in dryland farming for promoting agricultural production. Compared with conventional tillage methods, using emulsified bituminous mulch under no-tillage soils caused the increases of 0.5~2℃ for surface temperature during the seedling stage, above 18% for the number of corn seedling emergence, about 5% for corn yields, 21 mm for the 0~200 cm soil moisture contents, and 12 mm for water use during the growing season. The study provides information for improving tillage-mulching-fertilization management of dryland farming.