Effects of permanent ground cover on soil moisture in jujube orchards under sloping ground: A simulation study

• Clean cultivation, four strip vegetation ground cover and a full cover were used in the simulation.
• Moisture and runoff were studied under these 6 soil managements.
• Living ground cover yields greater infiltration water and less runoff.
• No difference in the daily water consumption was found between any two treatments.
• Strip cocksfoot cover had the highest moisture during 2-year tested period.

A simulated study including 6 soil management treatments was conducted in 2011 and 2012 to evaluate impacts of ground cover on soil moisture and slope runoff in a pear-jujube (Ziziphus jujube Mill.) orchard. Treatments were (1) strip cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) cover (SCF), (2) strip crown vetch (Coronilla varia L.) cover (SCV), (3) strip birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) cover (SBF), (4) strip white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cover (SWC), (5) full white clover cover (WCC) and (6) control (clean cultivation) (CC). Results showed that, the 2-year mean infiltration water amount after rain was significantly higher under vegetation cover treatments than under CC (P < 0.05), and significantly greater under WCC than under strip vegetation cover treatments (P < 0.05, except for SCF). The runoff volume and sediment yield were significantly larger under CC than under other treatments (P < 0.05). The daily water consumption under WCC and CC was larger than other treatments. The mean soil moisture was significantly higher under SCF than under others (P < 0.05). Significant differences were found between the grass and legume covers (P < 0.05). The cocksfoot was considered as the best choice as a ground cover in pear-jujube orchards on dry slopes.