Synergistic Control of Soil Salinization via Ridge Tillage, Straw Mulching and Salt Crust Stripping in the Yellow River Delta

Soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta threatens agricultural productivity. Ridge tillage and straw mulching are widely adopted to improve water and salt management. However, how different ridge configurations, coupled with surface salt-control measures, influence soil water and salt movement remains poorly understood. In 2023, we conducted both laboratory and field experiments in the Yellow River Delta. The laboratory experiment tested three ridge configurations (narrow, medium, and wide). In contrast, the field experiment compared narrow and wide ridges against flat tillage (CK), and also evaluated straw mulching and surface salt-crust stripping under a conventional ridge. The results showed that wide ridges led to the 0~2 cm soil layer salinity in furrows being 53.89% lower than that on the ridge top. Under ridge tillage, straw mulching increased surface soil moisture on the ridge by 28% and reduced electrical conductivity by 62.3% compared to the ridge-only control (CK). Salt-crust stripping reduced surface soil salinity on the ridge by 9.6%. Optimizing ridge geometry (especially wide ridges) combined with straw mulching can effectively create a low-salinity, high-moisture root-zone environment. This integrated management strategy ameliorates root-zone water and salt regimes in coastal saline soils, which is conducive to crop growth.