Effects of water irrigation methods combined with mulching materials on the growth and yield of Allium chinense on acid sulfate soil

To determine the optimal water irrigation method combined with covering material for Allium chinense growth and yield on acid sulfate soil.

The field experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design, which include four treatments, each with four replications. The plot size was 83.3 m² (19.6 m in length, 4.25 m in width). Treatments were flooding irrigation combined with rice straw covering (FI-RS), flooding irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (FI-ED, control), spray irrigation combined with rice straw covering (SI-RS) and spray irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (SI-ED).

Experimental results showed that Allium chinense planted on the treatment of SI increased clump height (47.2 cm) and weight of bulb (4.38 g), gave the highest yield of 40.9 t ha^-1 and increased up to 25.9% in comparison to planted in conventional method (control). The spray irrigation method was more suitable than the flooding irrigation method for growing Allium chinense. Vitamin C content in bulbs was not changed under different water irrigation methods combined with mulching materials.