Abstract:Tigernut(Cyperus esculentus L.) is commonly harvested by completely removing its underground tubers, which can severely disturb the soil plough layer, increase dust emissions and intensify soil erosion. To clarify the effects of strip-interval harvesting on tigernut yield and wind-erosion control and sand-fixation performance, field surveys, wind-speed monitoring and sediment-collection experiments were conducted. The no-harvesting treatment(N) and complete-harvesting treatment(H) were used as controls, and three strip-interval harvesting patterns were established: two ridges left unharvested and three harvested(2N3H), two left unharvested and six harvested (2N6H), and two left unharvested and nine harvested(2N9H). The effects of the treatments on vegetation coverage, plant height, tiller number, fresh biomass yield, tuber yield, surface roughness, near-surface wind speed and sediment transport amount were evaluated. The results showed that the different strip-interval harvesting treatments significantly affected vegetation coverage in the sandy land, but had no significant effects on tigernut plant height or tiller number. Across the five treatments, fresh biomass and tuber yields ranked as follows: H>2N9H> 2N6H>2N3H>N. Under the 2N9H treatment, fresh biomass and tuber yields were 130.14 and 698.17 kg/667 m2, respectively. Compared with complete harvesting, the strip-interval harvesting treatments significantly increased post-harvest surface roughness and reduced near-surface wind speed and sediment transport amount. The overall windbreak and sand-fixation effects ranked as follows: N>2N3H>2N6H>2N9H>H. Under the 2N3H treatment, the windbreak and sand-fixation effects were 63.12% and 20.00%, respectively. Overall, strip-interval harvesting of tigernut is an important measure for reducing wind erosion in sandy land and provides a useful reference for efficient, ecological and sustainable tigernut production.