Quantitative evaluation of soil water balance under a ridge‐furrow rainwater harvesting system in Chinese rainfed agroecosystem.

BACKGROUND: The ridge‐furrow rainwater harvesting system (RFRH) is an advanced farmland management technology that plays a vital role in making full use of rainwater resources. However, it is not clear that RFRH affects crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) by regulating soil water storage (SWS). Therefore, the present study conducted a meta‐analysis to make a large compilation of previous studies and indirectly quantify the impact of RFRH on crop yield and WUE by analysing the effect of RFRH on SWS. RESULTS: The results showed that RFRH improved crop yield and WUE by 26.71% and 25.86%, respectively, by increasing SWS by 3.93% compared to the traditional flat cultivation. RFRH had a significant effect on increasing crop yield and WUE and improving SWS. A low ridge‐furrow ratio and ridge‐furrow mulching were recommended to obtain positive effects on crop yield and WUE when potatoes are grown in areas with high precipitation (600–800 mm). Furthermore, when nitrogen fertilization is applied during the crop growth period, we also found that a medium nitrogen fertilizer rate is recommended to achieve a significant positive effect on crop yield and WUE. Importantly, a win‐win analysis showed the proportions of various groups in the target zone (zone I) to determine the appropriate strategy for RFRH of crops. CONCLUSION: The present study provides a scientific reference for the future application of the RFRH. The study provides scientific recommendations on crop types, ridge‐furrow configurations, plastic mulching patterns and nitrogen fertilizer rate for future RFRH applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]