The effects of various cover crops on soil wind erosion in the Horqin Sandy Land of northern China

To mitigate and improve soil wind erosion before spring ploughingin Horqin Sandy land in north China, the amount of wind erosion and nutrient loss under various cover crops are monitored and quantified in spring of 2022 and 2023 (from March 26 to April 26).

We monitored soil sediment transport and wind erosion associated with different cover crops (winter rye mulch, corn straw stubble and pepper stubble) using Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) stepped sand samplers, and determined the soil physicochemical properties in the spring of 2022 and 2023.

Erodible particles were observed to a height of 1 m but principally from 0 to 60 cm; the number of particles decreased with height. Soil sand transport and wind erosion decreased in the order pepper stubble field > corn straw stubble field > winter rye-mulched field. Compared to pepper stubble and corn straw stubble, winter rye mulching reduced soil sediment transport and wind erosion by more than 96%. Compared to pepper stubble and corn stubble fields, winter rye-mulched fields had the lowest nutrient losses. In terms of economic benefit, winter rye-mulched fields required the lowest amount of fertiliser to remedy wind erosion-induced losses of total nitrogen and phosphorus.

A rotation of a rye winter crop after autumn harvest may effectively reduce wind erosion in the Horqin Sandy Land of northern China.