Evaluation of Runoff Components in Laboratory Plots with Straw Conservation Treatment

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 Former Master Student, Department of Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Watershed Management Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

Abstract

Soil conservation aimed at reducing runoff and erosion is essential for the optimal and sustainable use of natural resources. Rice straw can be used as affordable and available organic mulch, especially in the north of the country. Effects of two coverage levels of 40 and 70% of rice straw on some hydrological components of 0.5×0.5 m plots with two types of soil with sandy-loam and sandy-clay-loam textures were investigated. Considering three replications for each treatment, 36 plots with a slope of 18% were placed under a rainfall simulator with two rainfall intensities of 50 and 90 mm h-1. The results showed that rice straw in all studied treatments had a significant effect (P≤0.01) on increasing time to runoff initiation and its end time, reducing runoff coefficient and runoff volume after the end of rainfall. The Maximum incremental changes in time to runoff and maximum decrease in runoff coefficient was in the 70% of straw treatment on the sandy-clay-loam texture with 353% increase and 108% decrease compared to control treatment, respectively. In general, 40% of straw coverage was more effective in reducing runoff in the sandy-loam soils, while the effect of 70% of straw coverage on runoff reduction was higher in the sandy-clay-loam soils. In other words, by increasing the percentage of clay, a higher covering percentage is needed to prevent the destruction of surface soil aggregates, thereby increasing permeability and reducing the runoff coefficient.

Keywords


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