Yan et al. (2026) Film Mulching Drip Irrigation Improves the Soil Hydrothermal Environment to Enhance Photosynthetic Efficiency and Yield of Sorghum in an Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Plants
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-04-09
• Authors: Siyu Yan, Wei Xiong, Fengpeng Guo, Bing Zhang, J.J. WANG, Matthew Tom Harrison, Kai Liu, Xiaofeng Li, Shide Dong, Xiangyang Yuan
• DOI: 10.3390/plants15081157

Research Groups

Not available from the provided text.

Short Summary

This study investigated the impact of film mulching drip irrigation (FMDI) on sorghum in northern China's agro-pastoral ecotone, revealing that FMDI significantly improves soil hydrothermal conditions and photosynthetic performance, leading to a substantial increase in sorghum yield.

Objective

• To clarify the role of film mulching drip irrigation in improving the soil hydrothermal environment and photosynthetic performance of sorghum, thereby enhancing yield in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China.
• Temporal Scale: Sorghum growing season, encompassing early growth to yield formation.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Random forest (RF) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM).
• Data sources: Experimental observations and measurements of soil temperature, soil moisture, leaf chlorophyll b content, carotenoid content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency, and sorghum yield.

Main Results

• Film mulching drip irrigation (FMDI) increased soil temperature by 0.33–2.25 °C at 0–20 cm depth.
• FMDI increased soil moisture by 13.87–18.10% at 0–20 cm depth.
• Leaf chlorophyll b content of sorghum increased by 55.61%.
• Carotenoid content of sorghum increased by 55.27%.
• Net photosynthetic rate (Pn) increased by 32.35%.
• Photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency improved.
• Chlorophyll, gas exchange, and soil moisture were identified as key drivers of yield formation.
• FMDI ultimately increased sorghum yield by 67.08% compared to bare land without film mulching or drip irrigation (CK).

Contributions

• This study clarifies the regulatory effects of film mulching drip irrigation on sorghum's soil hydrothermal environment and photosynthetic performance under the unstable conditions of the agro-pastoral ecotone zone.
• It provides strong evidence that FMDI is an effective irrigation–mulching strategy for improving sustainable sorghum production in this specific region, addressing constraints like uneven precipitation, high evaporative demand, and limited thermal resources.

Funding

Not available from the provided text.

Citation

@article{Yan2026Film,
  author = {Yan, Siyu and Xiong, Wei and Guo, Fengpeng and Zhang, Bing and WANG, J.J. and Harrison, Matthew Tom and Liu, Kai and Li, Xiaofeng and Dong, Shide and Yuan, Xiangyang},
  title = {Film Mulching Drip Irrigation Improves the Soil Hydrothermal Environment to Enhance Photosynthetic Efficiency and Yield of Sorghum in an Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Northern China},
  journal = {Plants},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3390/plants15081157},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15081157}
}