Crop and Environment最新文献

{"title":"Simulating crop yields and water productivity for three cotton-based cropping systems in the Texas High Plains","authors":"Bishnu Ghimire ,&nbsp;Oluwatola Adedeji ,&nbsp;Glen L. Ritchie ,&nbsp;Wenxuan Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Implementing appropriate cropping systems suited to specific soil types and climatic conditions is crucial for improving crop yield and conserving water in semi-arid environments. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) was applied to simulate crop yields of cotton, sorghum, and winter wheat across three cropping systems, including continuous cotton, cotton–sorghum, and cotton–wheat. Simulations were conducted for 48 fields with various soil types across six counties in the Texas High Plains, spanning growing seasons from 2000 to 2022. Cotton water productivity, derived from DSSAT-simulated cotton yield and crop evapotranspiration (ET), was compared among these cropping systems. The DSSAT demonstrated good performance (R² ​≥ ​0.79, nRMSE ​≤ ​15.74%, and d-index ​≥ ​0.95) in predicting yields of cotton, sorghum, and winter wheat. The CROPGRO-Cotton model showed slightly better accuracy in predicting cotton yield under the continuous cotton system than under the cotton–sorghum and cotton–wheat systems. Model performance was similar across different soil types, with slightly higher accuracy in fine-textured soils such as clay loam (R² ​≥ ​0.84, MAPE ​= ​12.35, and d-index ​= ​0.95) than in other soils (R² ​≤ ​0.82, MAPE ​≥ ​13.76, and d-index ​≤ ​0.94). Additionally, the model performance varied by season, showing high accuracy in years with adequate precipitation but generally underpredicting cotton yields in drought seasons. Among the three cropping systems, cotton yield and water productivity were the highest for the cotton–sorghum system (6.3 ​kg ​ha⁻¹ ​mm⁻¹), followed by the cotton–wheat and continuous cotton systems. Overall, the DSSAT models effectively captured the effects of management practices, soil types, and growing seasons in predicting crop yield and crop water productivity across three cotton-based cropping systems. The findings provide valuable information for decision support in adopting cropping systems across various soil types and environmental conditions, fostering sustainable agriculture and water conservation in semi-arid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 83-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144089416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coordinating yield and quality formation of wheat through post-anthesis nitrogen spraying","authors":"Jie Ren ,&nbsp;Haoran Li ,&nbsp;Chunsheng Yao ,&nbsp;Zhen Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhimin Wang ,&nbsp;Zhigan Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhencai Sun ,&nbsp;Xubo Zhang ,&nbsp;Yinghua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is a challenge to maintain high yields while improving grain quality of wheat under limited water and nitrogen supply conditions. To achieve a simultaneous improvement of yield and quality, a field trial was conducted from 2021 to 2023. Treatments with different timings (5, 10, and 15 ​d after anthesis) and frequencies of spraying nitrogen (1, 2, and 3 times) were set up after anthesis under a water-saving cultivation system. Spraying nitrogen after anthesis significantly increased grain yield and protein content by 4.99% and 6.00%, respectively. The increase in grain yield was mainly due to the improvement in grain weight, which was attributed to increased grain filling and starch synthesis. Spraying nitrogen once at 15 ​d after anthesis (T_{15 D}) was optimal. T_{15 D} treatment increased the photosynthetic pigment content and the enzyme activities of carbon and nitrogen metabolism of the flag leaves. T_{15 D} increased the pre-anthesis nitrogen remobilization to grains by 4.71%–9.06% compared to the other spraying treatments, and promoted the accumulation of nitrogen in the grains. Moreover, T_{15 D} optimized the protein composition of the grains and improved processing quality at maturity. In conclusion, spraying nitrogen at 15 ​d after anthesis may be an effective measure to simultaneously improve the yield and quality of winter wheat under a water-saving cultivation system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 45-56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The response of greenhouse gas emissions, crop yield, and soil health to water scarcity and biochar application in rice cultivation","authors":"Patikorn Sriphirom ,&nbsp;Rattapon Onchang ,&nbsp;Benjamas Rossopa ,&nbsp;Amnat Chidthaisong","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Projected climate change impacts, such as delayed rainfall and increased drought frequency, threaten rice cultivation and global food security. This study evaluated the effects of water scarcity at critical growth stages and biochar application on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, yield, and soil health in Central Thailand using the drought-tolerant cultivar Pathum Thani 1. Treatments included continuous flooding and water scarcity during tillering, reproductive, or both stages, with and without biochar, across wet and dry seasons. Water scarcity significantly reduced methane (CH₄) emissions by inhibiting hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (<em>Methanocella</em>) and acetoclastic methanogenesis (GOM Arc I of <em>Methanosarcinales</em>) but increased nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions via enhanced nitrification. Despite higher N₂O emissions, total GHG emissions, expressed as the global warming potential (GWP), were lower under water-scarce conditions than under continuous flooding, with reductions of 27.1%, 43.0%, and 58.1% during tillering, reproductive, and both stages, respectively. Water scarcity during tillering stage maintained yield, whereas water scarcity during reproductive stage caused a significant reduction in yield. Biochar amendment further mitigated GHG emissions, improved yield by 12.2%, and enhanced soil health by increasing soil pH, nutrient availability, and soil organic carbon sequestration. Its high porosity and surface area also suppressed methanogenesis and reduced N₂O formation while improving nutrient use efficiency. The strategic use of water restrictions during tillering, combined with biochar, provides a sustainable approach to mitigate GHG emissions, optimize water use, and sustain soil health and productivity. In resource-limited scenarios, prioritizing tillering-stage water scarcity over biochar application is recommended because of its greater GHG mitigation potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 57-71"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143512305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differences and similarities between japonica and indica rice cultivars in the response of grain quality to free-air CO2 enrichment","authors":"Shaowu Hu ,&nbsp;Guizhi Shi ,&nbsp;Yunxia Wang ,&nbsp;Bo Gao ,&nbsp;Liquan Jing ,&nbsp;Xinyu Chen ,&nbsp;Fei Xiong ,&nbsp;Jianguo Zhu ,&nbsp;Yulong Wang ,&nbsp;Jianye Huang ,&nbsp;Lianxin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.02.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selecting high-yielding rice cultivars with superior quality under a changing climate is of particular importance for ensuring future food security. In this field experiment, <em>japonica</em> rice Wuyunjing27 (WYJ27) and <em>indica</em> rice Yangdao6 (YD6) displaying low and high yield enhancement at elevated CO₂ (eCO₂), respectively, were compared in their grain quality responses to free-air CO₂ enrichment (FACE). Grains located at apical primary rachis (superior spikelets, SS) and at proximal secondary rachis (inferior spikelets, IS) were separately investigated in their responses to eCO₂ because of the asynchronous grain development in rice panicles. Significant quality declines were found in SS of WYJ27, including increased chalky grains and decreased protein and amino acid concentration; in contrast, YD6 was less affected by eCO₂ in these traits. Grain quality of IS of both cultivars was less affected by eCO₂, which might be associated with improved grain ripening, as shown by the reduced proportions of immature grains at harvest. Gel consistency and peak, hot, and final viscosities in the starch rapid visco analyzer profile were increased by eCO₂ when averaged across SS and IS of the two cultivars, indicating enhanced stickiness of cooked rice. For nutrient compositions, only grain sulfur concentration was reduced by eCO₂, while the concentrations of other mineral elements and phytic acid were unchanged when averaged across SS and IS of the two cultivars. These results indicate that <em>indica</em> rice with higher yield increase from eCO₂ displayed less quality deterioration, but the underlying mechanisms need further investigation in order to breed rice with both high yield and good quality in eCO₂ environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 2","pages":"Pages 73-82"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143886327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptation of cuticle metabolism to abiotic stress in plants","authors":"Peimin Zhao ,&nbsp;Qianqian Li ,&nbsp;Yang Lei ,&nbsp;Jitao Zou ,&nbsp;Qiang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2025.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cuticle, primarily composed of waxes and cutin polyesters, is a hydrophobic layer that covers the surfaces of plant tissues, evolving as physiological and biochemical adaptations to diverse environments. This layer acts as a diffusion barrier, preventing water loss and protecting plants against various biotic and abiotic stresses. Cuticular lipids, the major constituents of the cuticle, are complex mixtures of fatty acids and their derivatives. The biosynthesis, secretion, and assembly of these lipophilic metabolites are governed by multiple genes and intricately coordinated molecular networks that respond to developmental signals and various environmental stimuli. Advances in plant genetics and analytical techniques have greatly expanded our understanding of the biochemical composition and diverse functions of plant cuticles. This review provides an overview of the cuticle metabolism, with an emphasis on its role in abiotic stress adaptation in crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 38-44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143445955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genotypic adaptation to soil water deficit in rice - a comparison of desirable traits for aerobic production and lowland drought resistance","authors":"Shu Fukai,&nbsp;Jaquie Mitchell","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rainfed lowland rice and aerobic rice are two contrasting cropping systems that differ greatly in their growing environment, water management, and yield level. Rainfed lowland rice is a common cropping system in tropical Asia and the crop is grown in a paddy field with standing water during some of the growing season producing a grain yield of up to 3–6 ​t ​ha⁻¹. In contrast, aerobic rice is commonly irrigated, has no standing water in the field, and is being developed as a water-saving technology in temperate and subtropical areas with yield of up to 6–10 ​t ​ha⁻¹. However, both rainfed lowland and aerobic rice commonly experience soil water deficit during growth, and genotypic adaptation to water deficit is required to produce high yield. This review describes how soil water deficit affects rice growth and yield and aims to identify traits required for lowland and aerobic rice in their adaptation to soil water deficit and ways to achieve yield improvement. Some common traits are found to be desirable in both cropping systems, including low canopy temperature and well-developed root systems at soil depth. While aerobic rice is shown to require high stomatal conductance with high stomatal density to minimise potential photosynthetic losses due to CO₂ transport limitation, it appears desirable for rainfed lowland rice to adopt conservative water use and not consume soil water too quickly with adaptation mechanisms such as reduced stomatal density. This review concludes with several suggestions to improve grain yield in both rainfed lowland and aerobic rice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 23-37"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Foliar uniconazole application increases rice lodging resistance by altering stem morphological and anatomical traits","authors":"Wujun Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiujian Duan ,&nbsp;Maoyu Li ,&nbsp;Bin Du ,&nbsp;Zimeng Liang ,&nbsp;Yu Wang ,&nbsp;Yongqun Tang ,&nbsp;Jingyong Li ,&nbsp;Xiong Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lodging is a limiting factor for rice production in the Sichuan Basin, China. However, the mechanisms of stem lodging resistance, especially its regulation by plant growth regulators are still unclear. A two-year field study, by using the three foliar application rates of uniconazole with two rice varieties, Yuxiang203 (YX203) and Cliangyouhuazhan (CLYHZ), was conducted to determine stem lodging resistance and its morphological and anatomical mechanisms in rice plants. The results revealed that, compared with 2019, the grain yield in 2020 significantly decreased, while the lodging index (LI) significantly increased. Uniconazole treatment increased the rice yield by 4.6%–11.2% and 2.1%–7.0%, and decreased LI by 21.1%–33.9% and 11.4%–29.6% in YX203 and CLYHZ, respectively. Uniconazole treatment shortened the length of the basal internodes by 19.5%–33.0% (YX203) and 24.7%–40.7% (CLYHZ), resulting in a significant reduction in plant height. Uniconazole treatment increased the mechanical tissue thickness, areas of small and larger vascular bundles, and culm diameter, and further increased the breaking strength of the two varieties. Cell wall components, including cellulose and lignin, were increased by foliar application of uniconazole, thereby creating denser sclerenchyma cells and increasing the thickness of the mechanical tissue and area of the vascular bundle. These results suggest that the application of uniconazole enhances stem mechanical strength via increased mechanical tissue thickness and larger areas of small and large vascular bundles, thereby improving the lodging resistance of rice plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increasing seedling number alleviates the adverse effects of warming on grain yield and reduces greenhouse gas emission in late-season rice","authors":"Ruoyu Xiong ,&nbsp;Longmei Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaozhe Bao ,&nbsp;Bin Zhang ,&nbsp;Liming Cao ,&nbsp;Taotao Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the adverse effects of warming on late-season rice, we investigated the impact of increasing the number of seedlings on rice yield, quality, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under canopy warming conditions using the free-air temperature increase (FATI) system. Three treatments were implemented: ambient temperature with two seedlings hill^-1 (CKS1), canopy warming with two seedlings hill^-1 (WS1), and canopy warming with four seedlings hill^-1 (WS2). FATI increased rice canopy temperature and soil temperature by an average of 1.9–2.2°C and 0.6–0.8°C, respectively, over the two years. The yield in WS1 was significantly reduced by 10.1%–12.1% compared with CKS1, which was attributed to a significant decrease in total spikelets m^-2 and spikelets panicle^-1, despite a notable increase in filled grains in 2023. However, WS2 demonstrated no significant change in yield compared with CKS1. Analysis of yield components revealed that WS2 exhibited significantly higher panicles m^-² than CKS1, while the spikelets panicle^-1 were significantly lower than CKS1. No significant changes were observed in grain weight and processing and appearance qualities. Compared with that under CKS1, CH₄ was significantly reduced under WS2 treatment in both years, and the global warming potential (GWP) and GHG intensity (GHGI) showed a decrease, with notable differences observed in 2022. Therefore, increasing the number of seedlings hill^-1 can alleviate the negative impacts of canopy warming on grain yield and reduce GHG emissions in late-season rice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"4 1","pages":"Pages 14-22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143395057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Light condition during grain-filling stage of main crop strongly influences ratooning ability of low-stubble ratoon rice","authors":"Xiangyu Hu ,&nbsp;Boyu Yan ,&nbsp;Yanzhuo Liu ,&nbsp;Mengjuan Ma ,&nbsp;Junfeng Pan ,&nbsp;Youqiang Fu ,&nbsp;Rui Hu ,&nbsp;Meijuan Li ,&nbsp;Xinyu Wang ,&nbsp;Qunhuan Ye ,&nbsp;Yuanhong Yin ,&nbsp;Kaiming Liang ,&nbsp;Xuhua Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.09.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.09.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Compared with high-stubble ratoon rice (RR), low-stubble RR is superior in yield potential, grain quality, and economic benefit. However, the unstable ratooning ability limits the grain yield of low-stubble RR production. Light condition during the grain-filling stage of main crop (GFMC) may be important for rice ratooning. To elucidate the role of light condition during GFMC in affecting ratooning ability, the key response periods, and their underlying mechanisms, field experiments were conducted using two <em>indica</em> cultivars in 2021 and 2022. To create varied light conditions at the canopy base during GFMC, two planting density treatments combining three nitrogen (N) treatments were established in 2021, and three density treatments combining two N treatments and four shading treatments were established in 2022 for the main crop. Light intensity (LI), light quality as reflected by the ratio of red light/far red light (R/FR), and light transmission ratio (LTR) at the canopy base during GFMC, and ratooning ability were dramatically altered by N fertilization but not by planting density. With increased N application, LTR, root bleeding rate, and maximum ratooning rate significantly decreased in 2021. In 2022, low N rate increased LI, R/FR, and maximum ratooning rate by 155.7–241.4%, 47.4–65.3%, and 15.6–27.5%, respectively, but reduced missing hill percentage (proportion of hills without regenerated tillers to the total number of hills) by 30.0–62.1% compared with high N rate. The missing hill percentage was negatively correlated with the indices of light condition, while the maximum ratooning rate was positively correlated with them for both cultivars. Root activity and the ratios of abscisic acid (ABA) to cytokinins (CTK), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and IAA ​+ ​CTK could explain the effect of light condition during GFMC on ratooning ability. Shading experiment confirmed the effect of light condition on ratooning ability and further revealed that only shading during middle and late GFMC affected ratooning ability. These findings provide new insights into the regulation of ratooning ability, which are useful for developing management practices to increase the grain yield and yield stability of low-stubble RR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"3 4","pages":"Pages 213-222"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142650799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comparative assessment of polymer-coated and non-coated urea in direct-seeded rice: agronomic, economic, and environmental performance and sensitivity analysis","authors":"Mari Namikawa ,&nbsp;Miyuki Nakajima ,&nbsp;Maya Matsunami ,&nbsp;Toshihiro Hasegawa","doi":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.08.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crope.2024.08.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The application of polymer-coated urea (PCU) to crops is likely restricted because the product's capsules cause plastic pollution. Although conventional fertilizer use reduces plastic pollution, it may increase nitrogen (N) pollution owing to its lower N recovery than that of PCU. Therefore, we need to develop optimal N application methods to reduce both plastic and N pollution. Here, we aimed to (1) compare the agronomic, economic, and environmental outcomes of PCU application with those of conventional urea application and (2) provide quantitative targets for developing alternatives to PCU application in dry direct-seeded rice production. We developed a model incorporating yield, brown-rice protein content, farmer profit, and environmental damage cost due to N and polymer losses according to N fertilizer application. Data were collected from field experiments at a farm in Iwate, Japan from 2020 to 2022. The average apparent N recovery was 0.43 for PCU and 0.37 for conventional urea. Despite the plastic damage cost, the estimated total environmental cost of PCU was lower than that of normal urea owing to the former's higher N recovery. However, our ability to simulate plastic pollution is limited, as few of the environmental effects of microplastics are understood. If new N application methods with N recovery above 0.5 are developed, an N fertilization cost within $5 ​× ​10⁻³ ​g⁻¹ ​N can maintain the same benefit as that obtained in the current simulation. This model can be used to evaluate the quantitative relationships among N recovery, benefits, and implementation costs of each candidate N application method.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100340,"journal":{"name":"Crop and Environment","volume":"3 4","pages":"Pages 223-232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142720258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}