Effects Of Different Mulching Methods On Soil Moisture, Soil Temperature And Turf Green Period In Winter

In order to increase income by increasing the rate of turf producing, prolonging the opening time of golf course in the north of China, this study focused on the impact of prolonging the turf's greening period and the effects on the soil moisture and the soil temperature through the mulching on the turf. The experiment set for 3 different times of mulching (The first time is 15th Dec. the second time is 9th Jan. and the third time is 14th Feb.), which made use of Polyethylene films (PE) and non-woven fabric respectively during the Nov.2008 to Apr.2009. Comparing with the non-mulch, the major conclusions of this study may be summarized as following.(1)Compared to the uncovered control, the effect on the accumulation of soil temperature is the best under the PE covering during the 15th Dec. to 26th Mar.. Throughout the three period in the winter seasons, the temperature on soil layer of 0-5cm was increased 19.9℃,35.4℃,74.6℃.The turf which used non-woven fabric as the mulching material, could reduce the soil temperature extent of variation, and improve the soil minimum temperature and reduce the damage caused by low temperature on the lawn. In 3 different covering time, which used PE and non-woven fabric respectively, the soil temperature had good linear correlation with the coverage under the different condition of surface temperatures.(2) Compared to the uncovered control, the turf used mulching had reduced the lost of soil moisture. The mulching used PE, its capacity of holding soil moisture was the best. And the lost of soil moisture under the PE mulching during the 9th Jan. to 26th Mar. had reduced 3.12%comparing with the non-mulch. The mulching which used non-woven fabric had certain capacity of holding the water in the middle layer of soil.(3) The turf used mulching began returning green ahead the uncovered control. The mulching lawn used PE mulching during the 15th Dec. to 26th Mar., had not been totally withered in the covering period. And the turf which mulched with plastic film in the first and second time, and mulched with non-fabric, had hastened the rate of spring turf green-up by 30 days.