A meta-analysis of the effects of crop residue return on crop yields and water use efficiency

After harvesting agricultural crops, the residue can be returned to the soil as mulch. This study performed a meta-analysis of previous research to investigate the effects of crop residue return and other factors on crop yields and water use efficiency (WUE). Overall, the results show that crop residue return increases crop yields by 5.0% relative to crops grown without it. The greatest increases in yield for crops grown with returned residue were associated with average annual temperatures < 10 °C (yield increase = 7.6%), rainfall ≥ 800 mm (9.5%), plowing depth ≥ 20 cm (6.5%), corn crops (8.0%), growth of a single crop per year (10.1%), no irrigation (11.9%), nitrogen (N), and potassium (K) fertilization (20.0%), and low nitrogen application rates of 0–100 kg N ha(-1) (10.8%). The effects of crop residue return on crop yields were found to vary according to the following soil properties: organic matter content ≥ 15 g kg(-1) (yield increase = 9.4%), available nitrogen content ≥ 100 mg kg(-1) (10.3%), and pH ≤ 6.5 (11.2%). The greatest magnitudes of increase in WUE associated with crop residue return were associated with corn (yield increase = 13.7%), medium nitrogen content (100–150 kg ha(-1); 23.3%), high soil organic matter (≥ 15 g kg(-1); 25.5%) and low air temperatures (< 10 °C; 19.9%). In addition, our results suggest that crop residue return might be most effective in increasing crop yields and WUE in corn crops, crops with a tillage depth ≥ 20 cm, crops grown with moderate nitrogen fertilization (0–150 kg ha(-1)), growth of a single crop per year, high soil organic matter content (≥ 15 g kg(-1)), and cold conditions (< 10 °C). Overall, the results of this meta-analysis suggest that crop residue return can increase crop yields and WUE, with the relationship being mainly affected by climatic conditions, plowing depth, fertilization management, crop types, and soil properties.