Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Integrated plastic film and straw mulching enhances potato tuber yield in mountainous regions by optimizing rhizospheric metabolites and root–microbe interactions","authors":"Kang Du ,&nbsp;Xinyue Yang ,&nbsp;Zhenpeng Deng ,&nbsp;Xi Lin ,&nbsp;Mengyuan Hu ,&nbsp;Rui Jiang ,&nbsp;Guolian Zheng ,&nbsp;Xiaoping Yi ,&nbsp;Xun Liu ,&nbsp;Changwen Lyu ,&nbsp;Jichun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110364","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110364","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Potato production in the mountainous regions of Southwest China is constrained by low soil temperatures and poor nutrient availability. Although mulching is a widely adopted strategy to mitigate these constraints, the integrated effects of different mulching practices on the rhizosphere environment, particularly root development, soil microbial communities, and the rhizospheric metabolites, and their collective roles in yield formation remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate four mulching treatments: no mulch (NM), straw mulch (PS), plastic film mulch (PP), and integrated plastic film and straw mulch (PPS). We comprehensively evaluated their impacts on soil temperature, root morphology, soil nutrient availability, enzyme activities, bacterial community composition, the rhizospheric metabolites, and tuber yield.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The PPS treatment most effectively promoted potato growth and final tuber yield, achieving significant increases of 22.8 % in 2023 and 45.0 % in 2024 compared to NM. Specifically, PPS treatment optimized the soil thermal regime, promoted emergence 12–13 days earlier than NM, and stimulated root development, yielding the highest root volume and surface area. These enhanced root traits were associated with a distinct rhizospheric metabolic profile, including upregulation of arabinono-1,4-lactone, malic acid, and fumaric acid. Concurrently, PPS enriched beneficial bacteria taxa such as <em>Burkholderiales</em> and <em>Myxococcota</em>, which were strongly correlated with the altered metabolite pattern. The modified rhizosphere environment further improved soil nutrient availability and increased activities of urease and sucrase. Partial least squares path modeling established a positive regulatory loop: mulching-induced improvements in soil temperature and nutrients enhanced microbial diversity and the rhizospheric metabolites, which together fostered nutrient mobilization and directly promoted tuber yield.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings demonstrate that the integration of plastic film and straw mulching could enhance potato yield by establishing a coordinated mechanism in which early soil warming promotes root growth and stimulates the secretion of specific metabolites. These metabolites subsequently recruit beneficial microbial taxa, leading to enhanced soil nutrient availability and enzyme activity that ultimately support greater tuber yield. This elucidated mechanism provides a foundation for sustainable productivity enhancement in mountainous potato agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110364"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023362","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":"Assessment of oxygen levels and microbial diversities under synergistic influence of irrigation methods and different mulching widths in cotton rhizosphere soil","authors":"Zhenyue Liu ,&nbsp;Tong Heng ,&nbsp;Pengrui Ai ,&nbsp;Zhenghu Ma ,&nbsp;Maosong Tang ,&nbsp;Yingjie Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drought and water scarcity have emerged as critical stress factors threatening crop yields in arid regions, necessitating the exploration of innovative water-saving technologies to enhance water use efficiency and optimize soil microenvironments. Through field experiments conducted from 2023 to 2024, this study systematically analyzed the effects of three mulch film widths (W1: ultra-wide film 4.4 m, W2: medium-width film 2.05 m, W3: narrow film 1.4 m) and two irrigation water types (M1: magnetized irrigation, M2: unmagnetized irrigation), comprising six experimental treatments, on soil oxygen levels and microbial communities in the cotton rhizosphere. The results demonstrated that the magnetized water irrigation combined with ultra-wide film mulching treatment (W1M1) achieved soil temperature and porosity of 23.49℃ and 49.8 %, respectively, both significantly higher than all other treatments. Medium-width film mulching treatments exhibited the highest soil oxygen levels; however, due to the higher porosity and lower soil moisture content under ultra-wide film mulching, the latter demonstrated higher total soil oxygen levels, with W1M1 exceeding W2M1 by 0.07 % and W1M2 surpassing W2M2 by 0.56 % in total soil oxygen content. Furthermore, W1M1 enhances microbial metabolic functions by modulating the relative abundance of microbial communities in cotton rhizosphere soil. The combined relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota phyla under W1M1 treatment increased by 11.20 % and 14.25 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively, while the relative abundance of Chloroflexota phylum decreased by 1.07 % and 3.05 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively. Compared to W2M1 and W3M1 treatments, W1M1 showed increases of 1.79 % and 21.34 % in Carbohydrate metabolism, 5.84 % and 13.04 % in Glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and 1.98 % and 3.68 % in Membrane transport, respectively. In 2023 and 2024, the W1M1 treatment achieved the highest cotton root dry matter mass, seed cotton yield, and irrigation water use efficiency, recording 38.9 g plant⁻¹ and 40.9 g plant⁻¹ , 6328 kg ha⁻¹and 7545 kg ha⁻¹ , and 1.7 kg cm⁻³ and 1.8 kg cm⁻³ , respectively. These findings demonstrate that the W1M1 synergistic technique effectively optimizes soil structure, enhances soil oxygen content, and stimulates microbial metabolic activity, consequently improving cotton yield and water use efficiency, thus providing a promising approach for the widespread implementation of ultra-wide film mulching cultivation technology for cotton production in Xinjiang.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110355"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023363","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":"Biochar alleviated soybean continuous cropping obstacles by improving soil hydrological properties and reducing erosion: Insights from an 11 year field study on sloping farmland","authors":"Guoxin Shi ,&nbsp;Xiaoqiang Cao ,&nbsp;Qiang Fu ,&nbsp;Tianxiao Li ,&nbsp;Qingshan Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110348","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110348","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biochar is widely recognized as a beneficial soil amendment; however, its potential to mitigate long-term continuous cropping obstacles in soybean systems remains poorly understood. Based on an 11-year field experiment, this study systematically explored the effects of biochar application on soil physical properties, nutrients, hydrological characteristics, erosion resistance, and soybean yield stability. The results demonstrated that long-term continuous soybean cropping led to soil structural degradation, nutrients depletion, increased erosion, reduced soybean yield, and lower water use efficiency. In contrast, biochar application significantly enhanced total soil porosity (TP) and the generalized soil structure index (GSSI), increased the proportion of macroaggregates (&gt;0.25 mm) and pores with diameters ≥ 0.3 μm. Furthermore, biochar improved soil hydrological functions by enhancing water retention capacity and hydraulic conductivity, and significantly raised the initial, steady, and mean soil water infiltration rates. Notably, the application of 5.0 t·ha⁻¹ biochar was the most effective treatment. Compared to the control across years, it increased cumulative soil infiltration within 60 min by 50.26 mm (2015), 52.15 mm (2017), 69.88 mm (2019), 57.75 mm (2021), 55.52 mm (2023), and 67.92 mm (2025), respectively. This treatment also markedly reduced annual runoff and soil erosion, increased soil nutrients (organic carbon, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium), promoted soybean growth, and improved water use efficiency and yield stability. Structural equation modeling indicated that biochar primarily enhanced soybean yield by improving soil hydrological properties and reducing soil erosion. These long-term findings highlight that biochar, particularly at 5.0 t·ha⁻¹ , can effectively alleviate continuous cropping obstacles, providing a theoretical and technical basis for sustainable soybean production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110348"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974741","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":"Banded application of single superphosphate and ammonium sulfate enhances phosphorus-use efficiency and maize productivity on the Loess Plateau of China","authors":"Yu Yang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Liu ,&nbsp;Qin Ma ,&nbsp;Huiyao Wu ,&nbsp;Victor O. Sadras ,&nbsp;Jinshan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Phosphorus (P) over-fertilization in rainfed maize systems of the Loess Plateau of China contributes to environmental pollution and low P use efficiency. This study assessed how the reduced P fertilization rates and different application methods influence maize yield, P use efficiency, root morphology, rhizosphere enzyme activity, and soil P fractions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Exp. 1 compared a P-unfertilized control (CK), a farmer’s practice (FP) at 52.4 kg P ha⁻¹, and a reduced rate of 30.6 kg P ha⁻¹ (RF) over four years. Exp. 2 included P-unfertilized control, broadcasted application of single superphosphate (RF), banded application of single superphosphate (BP), and banded application of single superphosphate plus ammonium sulfate (AS) over two years. Maize yield, P use efficiency, root morphology, rhizosphere enzyme activity, and soil P fractions were measured and analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In Exp. 1, reducing P fertilization to 30.6 kg ha⁻¹ (RF) maintained yield, grain P content, and aboveground P uptake compared to the farmer’s practice (FP). In Exp. 2, compared to broadcasted application of single superphosphate (RF), yield was significantly increased by banded application of single superphosphate (BP) and banded application of superphosphate plus ammonium sulfate (AS), with AS showing a 13 % increase over two years. The AS treatment also lowered rhizosphere pH, enhanced labile P pool, and improved root morphology, promoting P uptake. Root traits (total root length, volume, surface area, and average root diameter) at the V3, V10, and R1 stages were positively correlated with the β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, phosphatase activity, and NH₄⁺-N availability. Both random forest and Mantel analyses identified soil available P as the primary determinant of yield and P uptake. PLS-PM further revealed that the AS treatment enhanced yield chiefly via its effects on soil available P, enzyme activity, and root traits.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our results demonstrate that a tailored, low-input P management strategy, involving a 42 % reduction in P fertilization combined with banded application of superphosphate and ammonium sulfate enhances yield, improves P use efficiency, and optimizes soil conditions under maize dryland farming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110327"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923522","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 regulation of chalkiness reduction in ratoon season rice by ABA and ascorbic acid: A physiological perspective","authors":"Hailong Xu ,&nbsp;Bianhong Zhang ,&nbsp;Xin Wu ,&nbsp;Yijiang Hu ,&nbsp;Americ Allison ,&nbsp;Bin Qin ,&nbsp;Jinying Li ,&nbsp;Chaojie Lan ,&nbsp;Jingnan Zou ,&nbsp;Yazhou Liu ,&nbsp;Anqi Li ,&nbsp;Qingyang Zhang ,&nbsp;Chunlin Guo ,&nbsp;Zhixing Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenxiong Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grain chalkiness affects rice quality, and the chalkiness reduction improves grain appearance and processing quality. Ratoon season rice (RSR), is characterized by intrinsically reduced chalkiness and superior grain quality parameters. However, the physiological pathways governing these traits remain largely uncharacterized. Using three genotypes (YY1540, HHZ, M1YZZ), we compared grain-filling traits, endogenous hormone dynamics, and metabolomic profiles among main crop (MC), single-season mid-late rice (LR) heading simultaneously with RSR, and RSR.The results showed that the chalkiness degree of inferior spikelets (IS) in RSR significantly reduced by 38.09–40.24 % compared to MC and LR, respectively, whereas the head rice percentage increased by 2.50–2.86 %. Grain filling of IS began earlier in RSR, and peak filling occurred 7.99 and 6.64 days earlier than in MC and LR.Hormonal measurements indicated that ABA content in RSR grains was significantly higher at the grain-filling peak, with ABA levels of IS elevated by 17.61–22.03 % relative to MC and LR. Metabolomic analysis identified significant enrichment of antioxidant-related metabolites such as ascorbic acid (ASA), <span>D</span>-galactose, and malic acid in IS of RSR. Exogenous ABA enhanced ASA-GSH (reduced glutathione) cycling and activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced chalkiness by 9.32 %-20.04 % in IS of MC and LR. ASA application improved endosperm structure，increased starch synthesis-related enzyme activities, and reduced chalkiness by 16.35 %-17.42 %. In summary, elevated ABA in RSR promotes ASA accumulation and antioxidant defenses, which mitigates oxidative damage, improves starch deposition, and reduces the chalkiness of RSR. This study reveals a key ABA-ASA regulatory mechanism that contributes to grain quality formation in RSR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110360"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023895","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 nitrogen fertilization modulates root-soil interactions to enhance yield and quality of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) cultivated in sandy soil","authors":"Xu Zheng ,&nbsp;Wenjing Zhao ,&nbsp;Luhua Li ,&nbsp;Jianguo Liu ,&nbsp;Jiaping Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110354","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Nitrogen-efficient fertilization on marginal sandy lands is crucial for enhancing agricultural productivity in degraded soils while promoting global food and oil security. However, the relationships between nitrogen (N) regimes, root–soil interactions, and tuber quality remain poorly understood.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to elucidate how N fertilization modulates root adaptive strategies, soil nutrient availability, and extracellular enzyme activity, thereby influencing tuber yield and quality in tiger nut (&lt;em&gt;Cyperus esculentus&lt;/em&gt; L.) grown on sandy farmland.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The experiment was conducted in sandy farmland with five nitrogen (N) application treatments: no nitrogen (N0), 100 (N100), 200 (N200), 300 (N300) and 400 (N400) kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;. We systematically investigated: root functional traits, soil properties (total nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, and organic matter), extracellular enzyme (&lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;-glucosidase (&lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;G), &lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;-&lt;span&gt;D&lt;/span&gt;-cellobiosidase (CBH), &lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), &lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;-1,4-xylosidase (XYL), &lt;span&gt;L&lt;/span&gt;-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP)) and tuber parameters (yield, crude fat, protein and starch). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships between soil properties and plant performance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our results revealed divergent root adaptation strategies across nitrogen (N) gradients. Under N0, tiger nut plants prioritized resource allocation toward thinner, elongated roots, significantly increasing specific root length (24.24 % – 372.63 %) and area (35.73 % – 385.22 %). Conversely, nitrogen-sufficient regimes (N300–N400) promoted denser root architectures, with root area and length densities increasing by 18.27 % – 57.42 %. This morphological shift coincided with significant soil enrichment; N300–N400 levels elevated soil inorganic nitrogen, total nitrogen, and organic matter, while stimulating &lt;em&gt;β&lt;/em&gt;G and NAG activities. However, soil pH and CBH declined, and XYL activity peaked specifically at N300. Consequently, tuber yield reached a maximum at N300 before plateauing at N400. High nitrogen levels further improved quality by boosting crude protein (35.41 % – 42.47 %) and oil content (10.37 %–11.56 %), despite a concurrent reduction in starch content.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study demonstrates the synergy between root morphological plasticity and soil biochemical health in boosting tiger nut productivity. Strategic nitrogen management stimulates adaptive root architecture and enhances soil enzymatic activity and nutrient availability in nutrient‑poor environments. A critical threshold of 300 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; was identified, providing a framework to transform marginal sandy soils into productive, high‑quality systems. These findings offer a sustainable pathway for cultivating clima","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110354"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000557","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":"Organic fertilizer application improved the growth characteristics and enhanced sustainable production of wheat-maize crops under saline water irrigation","authors":"Changkuan Zhu ,&nbsp;Chunlian Zheng ,&nbsp;Caiyun Cao ,&nbsp;Dan Liu ,&nbsp;Hongkai Dang ,&nbsp;Huimin Yuan ,&nbsp;Anqi Zhang ,&nbsp;Junpeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Chitao Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110350","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110350","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Saline water irrigation alleviates freshwater scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions but causes salt stress. However, the mitigating effects and regulatory mechanisms of organic fertilizer on salt stress remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>This study aimed to clarify the growth and development responses of wheat and maize under saline water irrigation combined with organic fertilizer application, and to reveal the distinct mechanisms affecting these two crops.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The four electrical conductivity (EC) levels of irrigation water (1.3 dS·m⁻¹, T1; 3.4 dS·m⁻¹, T2; 7.1 dS·m⁻¹, T3; 10.6 dS·m⁻¹, T4) and two fertilization types of organic fertilizer application (F1) and no organic fertilizer application (F0) were set up in the experiment. During the 2022–2024 growing periods, plant height (PH), leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation (DMA), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), chlorophyll relative content (SPAD), and yield of winter wheat and summer maize were measured.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed that winter wheat exhibited significant reductions in PH, LAI, DMA, Pn, Tr, and SPAD under T4 compared with T1. In contrast, summer maize showed significant decreases in growth and physiological indicators under both T3 and T4, demonstrating its greater sensitivity to saline water irrigation. F1 effectively mitigated the adverse effects of saline water irrigation on wheat and maize growth, enhancing the productivity of wheat-maize system. Especially under T3 and T4 treatments, the F1 led to an increase of 9.36 % and 12.75 % in the average annual yield of wheat, and by 9.03 % and 8.44 % for maize, respectively. Furthermore, organic fertilizer application elevated the EC thresholds of irrigation water for 5 % and 10 % yield reductions in the wheat-maize system under saline irrigation. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) indicated that organic fertilizer enhanced yield through crop-specific pathways. For winter wheat, organic fertilizer enhanced yield through the combined improvement of growth indicators as well as photosynthetic performance. Whereas summer maize primarily regulated its growth through photosynthesis to promote yield, with no significant direct impact of organic fertilizer on growth indicators.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In summary, organic fertilizer application mitigated the negative effects of saline water irrigation and boosted productivity in both types of crops through different pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>The research provided a scientific basis for sustainable grain production under saline water irrigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110350"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000558","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":"A modeling framework for spatial optimization of cropping structure to promote food supply–demand balance and environmental sustainability","authors":"Xiaoliang Li ,&nbsp;Kening Wu ,&nbsp;Weimin Cai ,&nbsp;Bailin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanan Liu ,&nbsp;Xiao Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110320","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Imbalances in cropping structure and disordered spatial distribution pose potential threats to environmental carrying capacity, food security, economic returns, and land-use efficiency. However, systematic approaches to optimizing both cropping structures and their spatial allocation remain limited. Previous studies have primarily focused on quantitative optimization while neglecting critical constraints, thereby introducing biases and limiting spatial applicability.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aims to diagnose the problems in current cropping structures and develop an integrated optimization framework that simultaneously accounts for both quantitative and spatial dimensions, thereby promoting food supply–demand balance and environmental sustainability.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We employed a life cycle assessment model to evaluate the water and carbon footprints of rice, wheat, and maize, and applied a food supply–demand balance model to identify cropping structures that meet healthy dietary requirements. A multi-objective optimization model combined with an integer linear programming approach was then used to optimize both the quantity and spatial allocation of cropping structures under dietary demand and planetary boundary constraints.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Between 2018 and 2023, the sown areas of rice, wheat, and maize remained relatively stable, whereas double-cropping areas declined and single-cropping areas expanded. Compared with the diet-oriented cropping structure in 2023, the current structure resulted in 12.18 % higher carbon footprint and 8.78 % higher water footprint, though still 19.28 % and 28.08 % lower than the planetary boundaries of carbon and blue water use, respectively. Under three optimization scenarios, net economic benefits increased by up to 37.23 %, while water and carbon footprints were reduced by 8.87 % and 16.43 %, respectively. The optimized spatial configuration was dominated by single-cropping maize and wheat–maize rotations, with cropland suitability improved by at least 9.52 %. Nevertheless, notable discrepancies remain between the current and optimized patterns, highlighting the urgent need for policy support and adjustment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Although the current structure has not exceeded planetary boundaries, it exhibits a significant mismatch between supply and demand. Optimized cropping structures can simultaneously enhance economic benefits and ensure environmental sustainability while maintaining dietary balance. Compared with current conditions, the optimized spatial allocation further improves overall cropland suitability.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Implications&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study proposes an integrated pathway for the quantitative and spatial optimization of cropping structures in the context of healthy dietary demand and environmental sustainability, providing a methodological framework and practical reference ","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110320"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145902399","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":"Sustainable intensification of maize through improved nutrient and plant density management in a water-sensitive lake basin agroecosystem","authors":"Feiyu Ying ,&nbsp;Zhibing Lv ,&nbsp;Yuewen Huo ,&nbsp;Cong Chen ,&nbsp;Zhengxiong Zhao ,&nbsp;Xiaokang Hu ,&nbsp;Prakash Lakshmanan ,&nbsp;Hans Lambers ,&nbsp;Fusuo Zhang ,&nbsp;Wen-Feng Cong","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving high maize yield while minimizing environmental impacts remains a major challenge for global food security and ecological sustainability, particularly in water-protection areas where nutrient losses pose risks to water quality.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to systematically assess the effects of nutrient management and planting density on maize yield, nutrient accumulation, allocation and remobilization, as well as nutrient runoff and environmental footprints, to identify sustainable agronomic approaches for enhancing maize productivity while reducing environmental impacts in water-protection areas.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted in the Erhai Lake Basin, a water-protection area in Southwest China. Four treatments were established: (1) no fertilizer (CK); (2) farmer’s practice (FP, high NPK inputs with low planting density); and (3) two optimized treatments: T1 with a recommended NPK rate combined with higher planting density, and T2 with the same planting density as T1 but 30 kg N ha⁻¹ less N, while keeping P and K constant.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with FP, maize yield increased by 16.7–17.2 % under T1 and 6.2–16.0 % under T2, primarily due to increases in harvested ear number and thousand-kernel weight. T1 also enhanced pre- and post-silking N and P accumulation, with total aboveground N and P accumulation increasing by 4.9–21.4 % and 15.6–20.7 %, respectively. Improved remobilization of N and P from senescing leaves to the grain further contributed to yield gains. Nutrient losses were significantly reduced under optimized treatments: total N runoff decreased by 25.4–53.4 % (T1) and 31.0–59.3 % (T2), mainly through reductions in NO₃^-–N, NH₄⁺–N, and dissolved N (DON); total P runoff decreased by 24.3–38.9 % (T1) and 25.5–26.6 % (T2), largely due to lower total dissolved P (TDP). In addition, T1 reduced the N surplus by 52.1–84.8 % and achieved a negative P surplus under high soil P conditions. The N and P footprints declined by 57.3–87.4 % and 57.4–98.3 %, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Optimizing nutrient management in conjunction with increased planting density synergistically improved maize yield, enhanced aboveground N and P accumulation and remobilization, and substantially reduced nutrient runoff, surpluses, and environmental footprints. These results demonstrate a practical “win–win” pathway for simultaneously achieving high productivity and environmental protection.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study provides new insights into reconciling crop yield goals with environmental sustainability in water-sensitive agroecosystems. The findings offer a scalable framework for sustainable intensification of maize production that supports both food security and water resource protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110326"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923517","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":"Trade-offs and synergies in agroecosystem services with organic and integrated nutrient management in South Asian agri-food systems: Evidence from a meta-analysis","authors":"Dinesh Chand Meena ,&nbsp;Pratap Singh Birthal ,&nbsp;Kiran Kumara TM ,&nbsp;Anjani Kumar ,&nbsp;Vijay Singh Meena","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110325","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110325","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The widespread and indiscriminate use of agrochemicals, coupled with unsustainable farming practices, has degraded soil health, polluted water resources, reduced biodiversity, and jeopardized environmental and human health in South Asia. Addressing these challenges requires climate-smart and sustainable nutrient management strategies that can enhance both crop productivity and agroecosystem services.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the trade-offs and synergies in agroecosystem services resulting from organic nutrient management using farmyard manure (FYM) and integrated nutrient management (INM), combining FYM with chemical fertilizers, compared to conventional chemical fertilizer practices across South Asian agri-food systems.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A meta-analysis was conducted using 869 pair-wise observations extracted from 260 field-based studies conducted exclusively in South Asia. Studies were selected through systematic screening using the PRISMA protocol and classified by climate zone, soil type, and duration. The impact of FYM and INM treatments was assessed relative to chemical (NPK) fertilizer controls across five ecosystem services: crop yield, carbon sequestration, soil fertility, greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, and water use. The natural log response ratio was used as the effect size metric.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The application of FYM alone resulted in a 4.71 % average reduction in crop yield compared to chemical fertilizers, but improved carbon sequestration (24.53 %), nutrient availability nitrogen (6.93 %), phosphorus (4.36 %), and potassium (2.49 %), and reduced water use (7.10 %). INM led to a 21.17 % increase in crop yield and significantly improved carbon sequestration and nutrient availability compared to chemical fertilizers. About 75 % of INM-related observations showed a synergistic improvement in yield and non-marketed ecosystem services, reflecting <em>win–win</em> outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>While FYM alone may not always match the yield performance of chemical fertilizers, it contributes to long-term soil health and water use efficiency. INM offers a balanced approach that enhances both productivity and environmental sustainability in diverse agro-climatic zones of South Asia.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings highlight the potential of organic and integrated nutrient strategies as climate-smart solutions for enhancing agroecosystem services in South Asian agri-food systems. The study supports informed decision-making by farmers and policymakers to promote integrated nutrient use and reduce over-reliance on chemical inputs, contributing to more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110325"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923514","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}