Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Digital twin-based winter wheat growth simulation and optimization","authors":"Xin Xu ,&nbsp;Feng Gao ,&nbsp;Du Xiong ,&nbsp;Zehua Fan ,&nbsp;Shuping Xiong ,&nbsp;Ping Dong ,&nbsp;Hongbo Qiao ,&nbsp;Xinming Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Wheat is an essential food crop, and precise simulations and feedback mechanisms during its growth are crucial for advancing the intelligence of wheat production systems.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>(1) Building Virtual Real Interaction of Data. (2) Constructing twin simulation of winter wheat growth process. (3) Constructing a feedback control technology for winter wheat growth process based on digital twins.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study utilized digital twin technology integrated with crop growth models to optimize monitoring and management processes through sequential experiments simulating wheat growth. By utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) devices and drones, the integration of wheat growth data and the creation of a digital twin environment were achieved. The integration of digital twin technology with crop growth models allowed precise simulation and intelligent management of wheat growth processes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The wheat growth digital twin model, developed based on the DSSAT framework, can effectively simulate wheat growth. Model calibration and dynamic parameter adjustments resulted in an R² of 0.98 for the simulation accuracy of LAI (leaf area index) and AGB (above-ground biomass). Simulation errors for flowering and maturity stages were 0.6 days and 1.1 days, respectively, while yield simulation errors remained below 0.6 t/hm². Additionally, optimal management strategies were proposed for various winter wheat varieties.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Digital twin technology enables precise simulation of wheat growth, supports effective feedback regulation, and significantly enhances the intelligence of wheat production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109953"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143906006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic effects of Azolla and a nitrification inhibitor on gaseous nitrogen losses, rice grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency","authors":"Guoying Yang ,&nbsp;Huiquan Wang ,&nbsp;Dongxiang Gu ,&nbsp;Chuanhui Zhang ,&nbsp;Simei Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Xu ,&nbsp;Kun Huang ,&nbsp;Kejun Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109944","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109944","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The application of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) is considered an efficient measure for reducing N₂O emission; however, it increases NH₃ volatilization from paddy fields, which may be resolved by the application of Azolla.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to verify the hypothesis that Azolla can mitigate the increased risk of ammonia volatilization caused by NI application and simultaneously reduce N₂O emission and to examine the combined effects of Azolla and NI on rice grain yield and nitrogen (N) use efficiency.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a 2-year field experiment involving five treatments (control, with urea [U], urea + Azolla [A] [UA], urea + NI [UNI] and urea + Azolla + NI [UANI]) to elucidate the effects of the combined application of Azolla and NI on gaseous N losses, rice grain yield as well as N absorption and utilization.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that compared with the U treatment, the total and yield-scaled NH₃ volatilization increased on average by 14.1 % and 6.0 % under the UNI treatment but decreased by 21.2 % and 29.4 % under the UA treatment and by 11.3 % and 21.0 % under the UANI treatment, which was mainly attributed to the lower NH₄⁺-N concentration, pH value and soil urease activity. The UA treatment had no considerable effect on N₂O emission. The UNI and UANI treatments markedly decreased the total and yield-scaled N₂O emissions by 24.0 % and 33.6 % and by 36.3 % and 49.9 %, respectively, compared with the U treatment largely because of the lower NO₃⁻ concentration and soil nitrate reductase activity. UANI was more effective in improving rice yield, apparent N recovery efficiency (ANRE) and N agronomic efficiency (11.8 %, 60.6 % and 44.2 %) than UA (by 11.3 %, 46.7 % and 44.4 %) and UNI (7.2 %, 34.8 % and 26.1 %). UANI achieved these benefits by increasing leaf chlorophyll content, leaf area index, biomass and total N uptake. However, the N physiological efficiency (NPE) and N grain production efficiency (NGPE) decreased with the application of Azolla and NI.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Despite the minor decrease in NPE and NGPE, the combined application of Azolla and NI could decrease gaseous N loss and improve rice yield and ANRE.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The findings will provide a technical measure to minimise gaseous N emissions from paddy fields, increase rice grain yield and ANRE as well as contribute to the sustainable production of rice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109944"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing straw strip-mulching to enhance winter wheat productivity in semi-arid drylands","authors":"Rui Li ,&nbsp;Yuzhang Chen ,&nbsp;Yuwei Chai ,&nbsp;Yawei Li ,&nbsp;Jiantao Ma ,&nbsp;Hongbo Cheng ,&nbsp;Lei Chang ,&nbsp;Shouxi Chai","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Straw strip-mulching can improve soil water efficiency but the effects of mulching patterns has not been determined for dryland winter wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum L.</em>) production. The conventional practice of sowing with no mulch (CK) was compared in the four cropping seasons from 2015 to 2019 with four straw strip-mulching patterns (SSM3, SSM4, SSM5 and SSM6 corresponding to 59, 50, 42, and 37 % of the land covered by strips) to evaluate their effects on soil water and yields. Evapotranspiration (ET) was 19.4 and 12.5 mm more with SSM3 and SSM4, respectively, compared with CK on average during the high water use growth stage of jointing to blooming. Specifically, evapotranspiration under straw strip-mulching treatments showed an inverse relationship with mulching percentage, following the order: SSM6 &gt; SSM5 &gt; SSM4 &gt; SSM3. During the winter wheat growth period, SSM3 had more SWC and 11.4 mm less ET compared with CK. The SSM3 treatment compared with CK had 3.6 and 2.2 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ for biomass- and yield-based water use efficiency, respectively, compared with the mean WUE of 25.2 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ and 9.9 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ . Although SSM3 increased the grain yield by about 7.0 % in relatively wet years, SSM3 had a great potential to increase production in dry years, which showed that yield components and yields were more with SSM3 compared with CK including 11.8 % more spike m⁻², 29.7 % more kernel spike⁻¹, 22.5 % more biomass yield, and 26.9 % more grain yield. Overall, SSM3 compared with SSM4, SSM5, SSM6, and CK had higher water use efficiency and yield. Optimized straw strip-mulching patterns enhance sustainable wheat yields by improving water use efficiency on China's Loess Plateau.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109957"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing root morphology is a key to improving maize yield under nitrogen reduction and densification cultivation","authors":"Bowen Zhao,&nbsp;Luoluo Tong,&nbsp;Huiling Liu,&nbsp;Miaoyi Hao,&nbsp;Renhe Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109958","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109958","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The optimal allocation of planting density and nitrogen (N) fertilization is crucial for enhancing maize yield. However, the mechanisms involved in increasing planting density and optimizing N fertilizer application on regulating root morphology and hormone secretion, coordinating root-shoot relationships to improve yield remain unclear.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Herein, we aimed to investigate the relationship between yield and root N utilization, architecture, and physiological and biochemical traits under the optimal density-N combination.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A split-split-plot experiment of two planting densities (D1, 6.75 ×10⁴ plants ha⁻¹ and D2, 8.25 ×10⁴ plants ha⁻¹) and five N application rates (N0, 0 kg ha⁻¹; N160, 160 kg ha⁻¹; N220, 220 kg ha⁻¹; N280, 280 kg ha⁻¹; N340, 340 kg ha⁻¹) was conducted using the maize variety Xianyu 335 during 2021–2022.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;With increasing planting density and N application rate, root gibberellic acid contents, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase activities were increased. These root hormone contents and enzyme activities enhanced root length density, dry matter, and N accumulation in both root and shoot. As planting density increased, indole acetic acid (IAA) content and nitrate reductase (NR) activity decreased, meanwhile the root morphology as root volume and root surface area per plant and root configuration as root angle ratio, root floor area, and root to shoot ratio per plant decreased. However, IAA content and NR activity were significantly enhanced as the N application rate increased, which promoted the development of root morphology and configuration. Structural equation modeling suggested that the main pathway for increasing maize yield was through root gibberellic acid, which promoted the development of root morphologies, thereby enhancing shoot dry matter accumulation and further increasing yield. The increase of planting density and N application rate improved the yield and the number of effective ears, and N application effectively alleviated the problem of yield reduction caused by the decrease of 100-kernel weight, kernel number per ear, and yield per plant due to the increase of density. The average maize yield under N160 and N220 increased by 16.1 % compared to N280 and N340 over two years, and the yield under D2 was 15.1 % higher than D1. The high-yield treatments (D2N160 in 2021 and D2N220 in 2022) averaged a yield increase of 15.6 % over two years compared to other treatments.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A planting density of 8.25 × 10⁴ plants ha⁻¹ and N application rates of 160–220 kg ha⁻¹ reached the highest yield compared to other treatments in the semi-arid region of the Guanzhong Plain, China. Optimizing planting density and N fertilizer application increases yield through enhanced root architecture, improved shoot dry matter accumulation, and further coordinated root–shoo","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109958"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential of establishing the universal critical nitrogen dilution curve for drip-irrigated maize","authors":"Weidong Ma,&nbsp;Guoyong Chen,&nbsp;Xuezhi Zhang,&nbsp;Xinjiang Zhang,&nbsp;Chunyan Zhang,&nbsp;Zaixin Li,&nbsp;Haiting Su,&nbsp;Xiao Wang,&nbsp;Xiangnan Li,&nbsp;Changzhou Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Establishing a universal critical nitrogen dilution curve (CNDC) is essential for diagnosing crop nitrogen (N) status at a regional scale. This study aims to develop a universal CNDC based on aboveground biomass (AGB) under high-yield conditions for drip-irrigated spring maize in Xinjiang and to assess parameter uncertainty across different cultivars and regions. Field experiments were conducted at three locations in northern Xinjiang using five widely cultivated maize varieties subjected to various N treatments. Both classical and Bayesian approaches were employed to construct the CNDC, and parameter estimates (Nc=a×AGB^-b) were obtained using both approaches. The Bayesian approach yielded higher parameter estimates (a = 4.17, b = 0.32) compared to the classical approach (a = 3.44, b = 0.27), reflecting a better fit to the data, particularly at higher biomass levels. This suggests that the Bayesian approach more accurately captures the relationship between AGB and N concentration. Although regional and cultivar differences influenced the developmental progression of maize, affecting biomass accumulation and N concentration, the CNDC successfully captured these relationships. Furthermore, the Bayesian approach demonstrated superior performance in validating the relative yield-Nitrogen Nutrition Index (RY-NNI) relationship. This study offers valuable insights for precise N management of drip-irrigated spring maize in arid and semi-arid regions, contributing to the advancement of precision agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109929"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of soil management and previous crop nitrogen fertilization on alfalfa productivity in Mediterranean agroecosystems","authors":"Jesús Fernández-Ortega,&nbsp;Carlos Cantero-Martínez","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Intensive maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) cultivation in Mediterranean irrigated systems has led to soil degradation and excessive nitrogen (N) accumulation, increasing the risk of environmental contamination. Alfalfa (<em>Medicago sativa</em> L.), a perennial legume with low input requirements, offers a sustainable alternative that can improve soil structure and reduce residual N. However, limited research has assessed its establishment under different tillage systems and its capacity for biological N fixation in Mediterranean conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the impact of transitioning from intensive maize cultivation to alfalfa under different tillage systems. Specifically, we hypothesized that (i) No-tillage enhances alfalfa establishment and yield, (ii) biological N fixation is higher under no-tillage, and (iii) lower residual N levels from maize would favors biological N fixation and alfalfa productivity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A three-year field experiment (2019–2021) was conducted in northeastern Spain using a randomized block design with two factors: tillage system (conventional tillage, CT, vs. no-tillage, NT) and the residual soil nitrogen levels resulting from fertilization of the preceding maize crop (0, 200, and 400 kg N ha⁻¹). Alfalfa biomass yield was measured at each harvest. Soil mineral N and moisture were monitored, and biological N fixation was quantified using the natural ¹ ⁵N abundance method. Soil structure was assessed through macroaggregate stability analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>NT significantly improved initial alfalfa establishment, resulting in a 32 % higher biomass yield in the first year (3190 vs. 2415 kg ha⁻¹ under NT and CT, respectively). However, by the second year, yield differences between tillage systems disappeared. Biological N fixation was higher in NT during the first year (111 vs. 77 kg N ha⁻¹ in CT) but equalized across treatments over time. Residual N fertilization delayed nodulation and biological N fixation, leading to lower yields in fertilized plots by the end of the first year. The duration of the experiment was sufficient to improve soil macroaggregate stability under CT, reaching values similar to those observed in NT by the end of the study.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>NT accelerated alfalfa establishment and enhanced biological N fixation in early growth stages, while alfalfa itself restored soil properties over time, reducing differences between tillage systems. Excessive residual N from maize hindered biological N fixation and negatively impacted alfalfa yields.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study underscores the benefits of integrating no-tillage alfalfa into Mediterranean irrigated systems as a sustainable strategy to improve soil health, optimize N use, and enhance long-term productivity in intensive crop rotations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 109963"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143903396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of irrigation-nitrogen-straw management measures for summer maize under future climate conditions in the Guanzhong Plain of China","authors":"Zhengxin Zhao ,&nbsp;Zongyang Li ,&nbsp;Yifan Huo ,&nbsp;Jiatun Xu ,&nbsp;Xiaobo Gu ,&nbsp;Huanjie Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109945","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Future climate change poses substantial challenges to food production systems. Identifying the future climate change trends in the Guanzhong Plain and developing optimal high yield and efficiency farmland management strategies for summer maize under future climatic conditions are crucial for safeguarding China’s food security.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to investigate future climate change trends in the Guanzhong region and identify water-nitrogen (N)-straw management practices that can ensure high productivity and resource use efficiency for summer maize under future climatic conditions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We calibrated and validated the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model using data from four seasons of field experiments. Historical meteorological data from 11 stations in the Guanzhong Plain, spanning from 1970 to 2015, were used to evaluate the accuracy of meteorological data simulations from 25 Global Climate Models (GCMs) under the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6). By integrating the calibrated APSIM model with the selected GCMs, the optimal water-nitrogen-straw strategies were selected from 208 setting strategies under future climate scenarios.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results and conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The UKESM1–0-LL model demonstrated consistently high S-scores across all meteorological indicators. Under both Shared Socio-economic Pathways2–4.5 (SSP245) and Shared Socio-economic Pathways5–8.5 (SSP585) scenarios, the average temperature during the summer maize growing season (from mid-June to the end of September) in Guanzhong Plain is projected to gradually increase, while precipitation is expected to exhibit considerable interannual variability. The calibrated APSIM model effectively simulated maize yield, biomass, and water use efficiency responses to various field management practices. During wet years under both climate scenarios, precipitation was sufficient to meet crop growth requirements, eliminating the need for irrigation. In normal years, supplemental irrigation of 30 mm and 20 mm at the three-leaf stage increased maize yield by 5.78–6.84 % and 5.73–6.25 % under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, respectively. In dry years, applying 30 mm of supplemental irrigation at both the three-leaf and tasseling stages led to a yield improvement of 9.80–18.49 % and 7.69–12.22 % under the SSP245 and SSP585 scenarios, respectively. For N application, under SSP245 scenario, the optimal N application rate was 160 kg N ha⁻¹ in wet and dry years, and 170 kg N ha⁻¹ in normal years. Under SSP585 scenario, the optimal N rate was 160 kg N ha⁻¹ in wet and normal years, and 170 kg N ha⁻¹ in dry years. Under optimized water and N management, straw incorporation increased maize yield by 4.85–9.15 % and WUE by 5.93–6.85 % across different hydrological years under SSP245 scenario, while under SSP585 scenario, it enhanced yield by 5.76–6.27 % and WUE ","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109945"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143900025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Positive interactions between legume intensification technologies and agronomic management: Evidence from participatory on-farm experiments","authors":"Mukoma Kilakila,&nbsp;Renske Hijbeek,&nbsp;Katrien Descheemaeker,&nbsp;Ken E. Giller,&nbsp;Jens A. Andersson","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109926","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Smallholder farming in Tanzania centres predominantly on maize as the staple crop, integrated with grain legumes. Technologies like mineral fertilisers and rhizobial inoculants can enhance legume yields and overall farm production, yet their adoption remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study explores the performance of these technologies across diverse field conditions and assesses their relevance for smallholders.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In the 2022/2023 seasons, 40 on-farm experiments were conducted on diverse farmers’ fields in the Songwe region, Tanzania. We assessed the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilisers and <em>Rhizobium</em> inoculation on soybean (<em>Glycine max</em>) and common bean (<em>Phaseolus vulgaris</em>) yields with improved varieties, and farmer perceptions of these technologies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Grain yields in unamended control plots varied widely: from 0.2 t ha⁻¹ to 2.3 t ha⁻¹ for soybean and from 0.1 t ha⁻¹ to 1.2 t ha⁻¹ for common bean, influenced by soil properties such as soil pH, soil P, and agronomic practices such as timing of weeding. On average, <em>Rhizobium</em> inoculation increased soybean yields by 46 % but did not affect common bean yields; On average phosphorus application increased soybean and common bean by 52 % and 50 %, respectively. Combining P and inoculation raised mean soybean yields by 66 % and common bean by 75 %. Mean return on investment exceeds 2 for all technologies, with soybean inoculation favoured by farmers for its cost-effectiveness. Delayed weeding caused a 75 % reduction in soybean yield in controls. However, delayed weeding with P fertilisers and/or <em>Rhizobium</em> inoculation had no significant negative yield effect, indicating a positive interaction between these technologies and management practices.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings show the potential of legume intensification technologies, yet with availability, cost, and market challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109926"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143895880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alternate wetting–drying combined with controlled-release/stable fertilizer enhances soil N availability by altering organic N utilization in rice-microbial system and its dominant microbes","authors":"Xiaochuang Cao ,&nbsp;Chao Ma ,&nbsp;Qingxu Ma ,&nbsp;Ruohui Lu ,&nbsp;Haimin Kong ,&nbsp;Yali Kong ,&nbsp;Lianfeng Zhu ,&nbsp;Chunquan Zhu ,&nbsp;Wenhao Tian ,&nbsp;Qianyu Jin ,&nbsp;Lianghuan Wu ,&nbsp;Junhua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109949","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Alternate wetting-drying (AWD) combined with controlled-release/stable fertilizers demonstrate promising potential for enhancing rice yield and N uptake. However, current research paradigms predominantly focus on inorganic N, while the critical role of soil organic N (ON) utilization within rice-microbe-soil continuum remains unexplored.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to investigate the shifts in soil N pools composition and availability, along with the underlying mechanism through ON partitioning within the rice-microbial system and its key microbial communities under different fertilization and irrigation regimes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Based on the five-year field experiment with two irrigation (flood irrigation, FI; AWD) and five N fertilization treatments (zero N, N&lt;sub&gt;0&lt;/sub&gt;; conventional N, PUN&lt;sub&gt;100&lt;/sub&gt;; 80 % of conventional N, PUN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt;; 80 % of conventional N applied as controlled-release N and urea, CRN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt;; and 80 % of conventional N applied as stable compound N and urea, SFN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt;), an incubation experiment was performed to investigate ON utilization by rice and microbes, using &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C,&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N-labelled glycine and &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) techniques.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Compared to FI, AWD combined with SFN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt; and CRN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt; significantly enhanced rice yield, N uptake and N use efficiency through optimized soil fertility and microbial activity. This improvement was demonstrated by increased soil nitrification rate, extractable total N (ETN), NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;sup&gt;-&lt;/sup&gt; and free amino acids (FAAs), along with elevated microbial carbon and N entropy (&lt;em&gt;q&lt;/em&gt;MBC, &lt;em&gt;q&lt;/em&gt;MBN). Furthermore, enzyme activities, including β-glucosidase (BG), invertase (Inv), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and urease (SUE) were also significantly enhanced. &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N uptake analysis revealed significantly higher values in CRN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt; and SFN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt; compared to PUN&lt;sub&gt;100&lt;/sub&gt; and PUN&lt;sub&gt;80&lt;/sub&gt;, with AWD promoting the assimilation of both intact and mineralized N forms by rice and microbes. Notably, AWD increased the proportion of &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N-glycine uptake by rice while reducing its utilization by microbes. Subsequent correlation analysis established positive relationships between rice yield/NUE and glycine uptake parameters. The synergistic effect of AWD and optimized fertilization increased total &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-PLFA contents and Fungi:Bacteria ratio, while reducing the Gram-positive:Gram-negative ratio. Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and general FAME (fatty acid methyl ester) groups have been identified as primary competitors with rice for soil ON. Redundancy analysis highlighted NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;sup&gt;-&lt;/sup&gt;, FAAs, and &lt;em&gt;q&lt;/em&gt;MBN as key drivers governing microbial composition and ON partitioning within the rice-microbial system.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclu","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109949"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic yield improvements and associated physiological and agronomic traits in soybean cultivars released from 1940 to 2021 in Northeast China","authors":"Ahmed Waqar ,&nbsp;Shuangzhe Li ,&nbsp;Yinlin Liu ,&nbsp;Kunpeng Jiang ,&nbsp;Shuai Wang ,&nbsp;Mingliang Yang ,&nbsp;Shen Yuan ,&nbsp;Qingshan Chen ,&nbsp;Limin Hu ,&nbsp;Le Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Soybean is a major leguminous crop, providing protein and oil for food and feed in China. In Northeast China, a primary soybean-producing region, soybean yield have substantially increased over the past century, largerly attributed to plant breeding advancements. However, the evolution of agronomic traits and the physiological mechanisms underlying these genetic gains remain inadequately researched.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>In a two-year field experiment, nine representative cultivars released in Northeast China from 1940 to 2021 were evaluated to characterize yield performance, agronomic characteristics, canopy light interception, and radiation use efficiency (RUE).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Soybean yield was positively correlated with the year of cultivar release, with an average genetic yield gain of 8.7 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ over the 80-year breeding period. Yield improvements were primarily associated with increased seed number per plant, 100-seed weight, and the improved the portion of three-seed and four-seed pods relative to one-seed and two-seed pods. These yield gains were driven by increases in aboveground biomass at maturity and harvest index, particularly due to the enhanced biomass accumulation post R3 stage in new cultivars. Although total intercepted solar radiation during growing season was not significantly improved, new cultivars exhibited greater canopy RUE, especially during the R3–R8 stages, which explained the observed differences in biomass production. The improved RUE was associated with optimized canopy architecture, including reduced branching, a lower canopy extinction coefficient suited to high planting densities, and enhanced chlorophyll content and leaf area duration during the late reproductive stages.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study identifies that genetic yield gains in Northeast China soybean mainly resulted from synergistic improvements in seed-related traits and canopy architecture which enhanced canopy RUE and biomass accumulation. These traits should be prioritized in future breeding programs to sustain yield progress in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109956"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}