Effects of Water Saving Materials on Soil Physical Characters and Maize Yield in Loess Plateau

In this study, the comparison of soil aggregates, soil bulk density and total porosity, soil water content and maize yield were made among four water saving materials in Qingshuihe County of Inner Mongolia, the results showed that all the four water saving materials can change soil aggregates, increase soil total porosity, soil water content and maize yield, the order of their effects is treatment A (using PAA) >treatment B (using PAM) >treatment D (using bentonite) >treatment C (using humic acid). And in the 0-20 cm soil layer, the content of soil aggregates of >0.25 mm of A, B, C and D increased by 20.60, 15.95, 9.70 and 11.27%, respectively than that of CK, the soil bulk density of treatment decreased by 7.14, 5.00, 2.35 and 2.86%, respectively, the soil porosity increased by 6.91, 4.84, 2.07 and 2.76%, respectively. The water content of A, B, C and D of 10-20 cm in seedling stage increased by 43.26, 38.10, 5.91 and 17.20%, respectively than that of CK. The grain yield increased by 19.48, 15.22, 2.64 and 7.82%, respectively. So four water saving materials all had the effects of improving soil physical characters and crop yield, they can play important roles in improving soil quality of Loess Plateau, but the effects of PAA and PAM were better than the other two in the Loess Plateau.