Background: To determine the optimal water irrigation method combined with covering material for Allium chinense growth and yield on acid sulfate soil.

Methods: The field experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design, which include four treatments, each with four replications. The plot size was 83.3 m2 (19.6 m in length, 4.25 m in width). Treatments were flooding irrigation combined with rice straw covering (FI-RS), flooding irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (FI-ED, control), spray irrigation combined with rice straw covering (SI-RS) and spray irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (SI-ED).

Result: Experimental results showed that Allium chinense planted on the treatment of SI increased clump height (47.2 cm) and weight of bulb (4.38 g), gave the highest yield of 40.9 t ha-1 and increased up to 25.9% in comparison to planted in conventional method (control). The spray irrigation method was more suitable than the flooding irrigation method for growing Allium chinense. Vitamin C content in bulbs was not changed under different water irrigation methods combined with mulching materials.