| To investigate the effects of a high-intensity plastic film mulching treatment on soil moisture, soil temperature, and cotton growth in Xinjiang cotton fields, four experimental sites were established in 2023 in Shache County, Maigaiti County, Yingjisha County, and Jiashi County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Three treatments were set at each site: a high-intensity plastic film mulching treatment (GQ), traditional polyethylene film mulching (CT), and no film mulching (CK). Measurements were taken of soil temperature at a depth of 10 cm, soil gravimetric moisture content in the 0~20 cm layer, agronomic traits of cotton, and seed cotton yield under each treatment. The results showed that soil temperatures in the GQ treatment were higher than in the CT treatment, with an average daily temperature 0.63 °C above that of CT. In terms of temporal variation, soil temperatures in the GQ treatment were generally higher than those of the CT treatment during the early stages of cotton growth, while in the later stages, GQ temperatures were noticeably lower than those of CT. The diurnal temperature range under high-intensity plastic film mulching was smaller than that under traditional polyethylene film, especially during the middle and later stages of cotton growth. Compared to CK, soil gravimetric moisture content under GQ and CT increased by 43.31% and 38.43%, respectively, suggesting that high-intensity plastic film mulching may more effectively improve moisture conditions in the 0~20 cm soil layer. In terms of agronomic traits, both GQ and CT significantly increased cotton plant height, fruit branch number and boll number per plant. Additionally, the high-intensity plastic film treatment produced a greater yield than traditional polyethylene film (P< 0.05), further enhancing cotton’s production potential. Compared to CK, seed cotton yield under GQ and CT increased by 22.71% and 15.33%, respectively. Overall, high-intensity plastic film improves soil moisture and thermal conditions, promotes cotton growth and development, and contributes to higher cotton yield, outperforming traditional polyethylene film in overall production. |
