Organic mulching is a well-known management practice that conserves soil water and nutrients as well as increases crop yield. Nonetheless, research on combined organic mulching using oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) and irrigation is limited. Field-based experiments were conducted over three seasons to test the sole and combined effects of EFB as organic mulch and irrigation on the growth, total dry matter yield (TDMY), accumulated intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (AIPAR), and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of African eggplant ( L.) in a low fertile tropical sandy clay loam soil. Air-dried EFB was used as an organic mulch by spreading it on the soil surface at rates of 0 (EFB), 20 (EFB), and 40 t ha (EFB), and either fully-irrigated (I), deficit-irrigated (I), or non-irrigated (I). The I plots were irrigated to field capacity (FC) every 3–4 days based on PR2 Profile Probe measurements and the resultant irrigation volume supplied to the plants via drip irrigation tubes. The I plots received 40 % of the water given to the I plots, and the I plots were solely rain-fed. At the end of the third season, the 40 t ha EFB-mulch increased soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic carbon, potassium, cation exchange capacity, and the soil’s specific surface area. In the first season, all the measured eggplant growth and yield parameters were neither responsive to irrigation only, EFB-mulch only, or both. In the second and third seasons, the EFB and EFB treatments significantly ( < 0.05) increased leaf chlorophyll content index (LCCI), photosystem II (Fv/Fm ratio), absolute performance index (PI), TDMY, AIPAR, and RUE compared to the non-mulched control treatment. Soil pH was high in the EFB-mulched plots and correlated positively with TDMY and AIPAR. The I significantly improved LCCI, Fv/Fm, PI, and TDMY during the second season. In the third season, a highly significant interaction between irrigation and mulching was detected on TDMY, AIPAR, RUE, LCCI, Fv/Fm ratio, and pH (HO). This indicated a positive effect on soil nutrient availability especially phosphorus as TDMY and AIPAR correlated with soil pH. The I and I significantly increased AIPAR by 48.1 % and 37.2 %, and RUE by 26.7 % and 11.0 %, respectively, compared to I during the third season. The total dry matter yield of the African eggplant was enhanced by EFB-mulch, with the effect increasing over up to three growing seasons, especially when combined with irrigation during dry periods.

中文翻译：

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灌溉和油棕空果串覆盖可增强茄子生长、辐射拦截和干物质产量


有机覆盖是一种众所周知的管理实践，可以保存土壤水分和养分，并提高作物产量。尽管如此，利用油棕空果串（EFB）进行有机覆盖和灌溉相结合的研究仍然有限。进行了三个季节的田间实验，以测试 EFB 作为有机覆盖物和灌溉对生长、总干物质产量 (TDMY)、累积截获光合有效辐射 (AIPAR) 和辐射利用效率 (RUE) 的单独和综合影响。 ）非洲茄子（L.）在低肥沃的热带沙质粘壤土中生长。将风干的 EFB 作为有机覆盖物，以 0 (EFB)、20 (EFB) 和 40 t ha (EFB) 的比例撒在土壤表面，并可采用完全灌溉 (I) 或赤字灌溉(I) 或非灌溉 (I)。根据 PR2 Profile Probe 测量结果以及通过滴灌管提供给植物的最终灌溉量，每 3-4 天对 I 地块进行一次灌溉至田间持水量 (FC)。 I 地块接收了 I 地块 40% 的水，并且 I 地块完全靠雨水灌溉。第三季结束时，40 吨 EFB 覆盖物增加了土壤 pH 值、电导率 (EC)、土壤有机碳、钾、阳离子交换能力和土壤比表面积。在第一个季节，所有测得的茄子生长和产量参数均不响应于仅灌溉、仅 EFB 覆盖物或两者。在第二季和第三季，EFB和EFB处理显着（< 0.05）增加叶片叶绿素含量指数（LCCI）、光系统II（Fv/Fm比）、绝对性能指数（PI）、TDMY、AIPAR和RUE改为非覆盖对照处理。 EFB 覆盖地块的土壤 pH 值较高，并且与 TDMY 和 AIPAR 呈正相关。 I 在第二个赛季中显着改善了 LCCI、Fv/Fm、PI 和 TDMY。在第三个季节，在 TDMY、AIPAR、RUE、LCCI、Fv/Fm 比和 pH (H2O) 上检测到灌溉和覆盖之间存在高度显着的交互作用。这表明对土壤养分有效性尤其是磷的积极影响，因为 TDMY 和 AIPAR 与土壤 pH 值相关。与第三季的 I 相比，I 和 I 的 AIPAR 显着增加了 48.1% 和 37.2%，RUE 显着增加了 26.7% 和 11.0%。 EFB 覆盖物提高了非洲茄子的总干物质产量，其效果在长达三个生长季节中不断增强，特别是在干旱期与灌溉相结合时。