Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"The effect of nitrification inhibitor on the yield and quality of Triticum aestivum L. and Brassica napus L. – A long-term experiment","authors":"Jiří Antošovský,&nbsp;Petr Škarpa,&nbsp;Pavel Ryant","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109906","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109906","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>The nitrogen is a crucial element in crop production, which can be associated with the environmental loss and low agronomic nitrogen efficiency. The utilization of fertilizers with inhibitors represents an economical option by lowering the number of applications, lowering the dose of nitrogen and limiting the risk of environmental loss of N.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The long-term effect of nitrogen fertilizer with nitrification inhibitors (alternative technology) in comparison with conventional fertilizers (prevalent technology) on yield and quality of winter wheat and oilseed rape cultivated in field conditions at two experimental localities was evaluated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The long-term average yields of both crops were significantly higher after the alternative technology with the NI (+0.4 t/ha wheat grain, +0.3 t/ha rape seed) in comparison with prevalent technology. The effect of NI also resulted in significantly higher average protein content (13 %), protein production (0.98 t/ha) and gluten content (29.5 %) in wheat grain in comparison with prevalent technology without NI (12.8 %; 1.04 t/ha; 28.7 %). The oil content of oilseed rape did not differ significantly between the compared fertilizer technologies. The alternative technology with NI resulted in significantly highest production of oil (+0.1 t/ha) in comparison with prevalent technology. The economic evaluation of alternative technology with NI resulted in net profit in comparison with prevalent technology in every scenario.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These long-term results are proving, that addition of NI to the conventional fertilizer applied in higher dose and less applications is more suitable choice compared to the classic split nitrogen fertilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143847789","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":"Biological N2-fixation and grain yield of pigeon pea: The role of biochar and conservation agriculture in low-input systems","authors":"Talent Namatsheve ,&nbsp;Jan Mulder ,&nbsp;Alfred Obia ,&nbsp;Vegard Martinsen","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109923","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation by legumes such as pigeon pea is a potentially important nitrogen input and a pathway for replenishing soil nitrogen (N) in maize dominant cropping systems. Biochar has been reported to affect N cycling, yet there are no studies on the synergism of conservation agriculture (CA) and biochar amendments on biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation of pigeon pea in low input systems of sub-Saharan Africa.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objectives&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of biochar amendments under CA systems on biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation, as these practices are promising sustainable intensification options in SSA. Specifically, we explored the effects of pigeon pea rotation and biochar amendments under CA on (1) biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation, and (2) pigeon pea grain yield at three sites located in different agro-ecological regions of Uganda. We hypothesized that application of biochar under CA leads to greater biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation and grain yield, than CA alone or conventional tillage.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Materials and methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We set up three on-station experiments; one in Central Uganda (Mubende district), and two in Northern Uganda (Alebtong and Gulu districts) for two seasons. CA involved minimum tillage with planting basins established by hand hoeing. We investigated four treatments (1) conventional tillage with crop rotation (Conventional), (2) minimum tillage with crop rotation (CA), (3) CA and 2 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; of biochar, applied in both first and second year (CA+BC+BC), and (4) CA and 4 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; of biochar, applied once in the first year (CA+BC).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation was high in Gulu, compared to Alebtong and Mubende; and this was mainly related to low soil N and greater percent of N derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa), compared to other sites. Treatment effect on biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation was variable across seasons, biochar application in CA systems did not affect biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation in 2022 in Alebtong and Mubende. In 2023, biochar amendments in CA systems significantly increased biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation in all sites. Grain yield was significantly increased by biochar application in CA systems compared to conventional practices, in all seasons and sites. A single dose application or split application of 4 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; biochar had similar effects on biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation and grain yield.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation was positively influenced by biochar application under CA systems. The additional N input associated with biological N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-fixation was up to 106 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; in Gulu and it significantly increased grain yield. There were no differences between once off application of 4 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; of biochar or applying 2 Mg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; in the fi","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109923"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848512","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":"Evidence that the soil yeast Papiliotrema laurentii affects germination, vigour and grain nutrient content of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)","authors":"Christiaan F. van den Heever ,&nbsp;Leandra Moller ,&nbsp;Elizaveta Koroleva ,&nbsp;Alexander J. Valentine ,&nbsp;Lezaan Hess ,&nbsp;Willem Botes ,&nbsp;Alfred Botha","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>The effect of a soil yeast seed coating on germination, growth and crop characteristics of wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> L.) is unknown. Thus we determined the plant growth promoting (PGP) traits of <em>Papiliotrema laurentii</em> CAB 91 before evaluating the effect of the yeast on the germination and vigour of wheat. We then studied the effect of a seed coating containing the yeast on wheat growth, as well as grain morphology and nutrient content under field conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We evaluated the PGP properties of <em>P. laurentii</em> CAB 91 and determined the effects thereof on the germination and vigour of three wheat cultivars, namely cv. Ratel, cv. SST027 and cv. SST047. Additionally, the effect of polyamine (PA) production by the yeast on cv. Ratel and cv. SST027 germination was investigated, and the effect of three PAs on the germination of the same two cultivars in the absence of the yeast was determined. Finally, we evaluated the efficacy of a <em>P. laurentii</em> CAB 91 seed coating on growth and grain characteristics of cv. Ratel and cv. SST027 under field conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The PGP traits of <em>P. laurentii</em> CAB 91 include solubilisation of phosphate and zinc, as well as decarboxylation of amino acids that have been implicated in polyamine production. While the yeast increased the vigour of all three cultivars, and improved germination of cv. Ratel and cv. SST027, no effect was observed on the germination of cv. SST047. Similarly, cv. Ratel and cv. SST027 seeds exhibited improved germination on a medium designed to induce yeast PA production. In the absence of the yeast, it was found that the PA spermidine increased the germination of both cv. Ratel and cv. SST027 seeds. Under field conditions and compared to control plants, cv. SST027 treated with the yeast produced larger spikes with more grains per spike, while both yeast-treated cv. Ratel and cv. SST027 produced grain with increased protein content.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings that a soil yeast seed coating may impact on grain characteristics under field conditions paves the way for the development of affordable and efficacious yeast biofertilizers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109913"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844463","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 novel, ridged enlarging lateral space drip irrigation pattern (ReDiP) for high- yield and WUE spring wheat in Xinjiang, China","authors":"Liulong Li ,&nbsp;Zijian Wang ,&nbsp;Wenliang Wan ,&nbsp;Zhaofeng Li ,&nbsp;Jian Cai ,&nbsp;Qin Zhou ,&nbsp;Mei Huang ,&nbsp;Yingxin Zhong ,&nbsp;Xiao Wang ,&nbsp;Dong Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109921","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109921","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Drip-irrigated wheat systems typically require more drip tubes, leading to higher costs. We previously developed the enlarging lateral space (ELS) wheat drip irrigation patterns, which reduced drip tube input but resulted in fluctuating yields. Balancing economic benefits with stable yields and water use efficiency (WUE) remains a significant challenge.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To develop a ridged ELS drip irrigation pattern (ReDip) facilitating water transportation for better grain yield and WUE in wheat, and to decipher the underlying mechanisms in terms of soil water status and plant growth.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A three-year field experiment was conducted with seven drip irrigation patterns, the conventional pattern (TR4, one drip <strong>T</strong>ube serves four wheat <strong>R</strong>ows with row-space of 15 cm and <strong>L</strong>ateral <strong>S</strong>pacing of 60 cm), ELS patterns (TR6S (LS = 80 cm) and TR8S (LS = 100 cm), with narrowed row-space of 10 cm and inter-block space of 25 cm), and the ridged ELS patterns (TR6S-R₁₀ and TR8S-R₁₀, with hill angle of 10⁰; TR6S-R₁₅ and TR8S-R₁₅, with hill angle of 15⁰).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In comparison to TR4, TR6S and TR8S separately caused a yield loss of ca. 1.30 % – 10.5 % and 6.82 % – 17.69 %, whilst the corresponding ridged pattern showed much less yield reduction (2.75 % – 7.40 % and −3.32 % – 3.13 % for TR6S-R₁₀ and TR6S-R₁₅, and 8.34 % – 16.09 % and 1.50 % – 14.52 % for TR8S-R₁₀ and TR8S-R₁₅, respectively). Ridging significantly improved horizontal water movement, reducing the coefficient of variation of soil water content and ensuring uniform moisture distribution across the root zone. This was closely related to the better maintained soil water status, which facilitated both root and shoot growth in terms of higher root dry weight and modified canopy structure than the non-ridged patterns. Additionally, ridged patterns mainly improved dry matter accumulation after anthesis and its contribution to grain to increase biomass and harvest index. The optimal pattern, TR6S-R₁₅, achieved 18.91 % – 24.12 % higher in WUE and 0.56 % – 9.11 % higher in profit while maintaining yields comparable to or exceeding TR4 (e.g., 3.32 % higher in 2023).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Ridging facilitates horizontal water movement to maintain better soil moisture status and promotes wheat growth and yield formation. The TR6S-R₁₅ pattern was recommended considering performances of grain yield, WUE and profit.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The ReDiP system will potentially improve wheat production and WUE in arid regions and be adapted for other crops, offering a sustainable solution for water-saving agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109921"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844532","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 the ratio of controlled release urea relative to normal urea to improve the crop yield and N recovery efficiency – A global meta-analysis","authors":"Shiju Liu ,&nbsp;Yaru Zhang ,&nbsp;Dehao Zhao ,&nbsp;Yuncheng Liao ,&nbsp;Guangxin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yajun Li ,&nbsp;Juan Han","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Controlled release urea combined with normal urea (CN) has huge potential for wider applications as the sustained nitrogen (N) supply can meet the N demands of most crops and its cost is relatively affordable compared with the single application of controlled release urea (CRU). However, it is currently unclear how to balance the crop yield, N recovery efficiency (NRE), and N uptake in response to CN. Furthermore, the lack of a global meta-analysis on the ratio of CRU to normal urea (NU) under different environmental conditions hinders the determination of the optimal CRU:NU ratio.</div></div><div><h3>Objective and methods</h3><div>Therefore, we established a database containing 2143 observations from 345 studies published up to 2024 to conduct a global meta-analysis and explore the effects of three different ratios of CRU relative to NU (CRU:NU &lt; 1, CRU:NU = 1, and CRU:NU &gt; 1) on the crop yield, NRE, and N uptake, as well as identifying the main factors that influenced the effectiveness of CN.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that compared with NU, CN significantly increased the crop yield, NRE, and N uptake by 6.50 %, 22.88 %, and 9.31 %, respectively, and the effect of CRU:NU = 1 was generally greatest. The effects of different CRU:NU ratios on improvements in the crop yield, NRE, and N uptake depended on the mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, soil organic matter content, total N content, and pH. Furthermore, CN was suitable for most crops, but the appropriate duration of N release from CRU should be selected based on the length of the crop growth cycles. Moreover, the fertilizer combination of 199.83–222.34 kg N ha^–1, 92.76–126.15 kg P₂O₅ ha^–1, and 120 kg K₂O ha^–1 N could maximize the effectiveness of CN. In addition, CN reduced the accumulated soil nitrate (NO₃^–-N), accumulated N₂O emissions, and NH₃ volatilization by 8.24 %, 12.28 %, and 27.17 %, respectively, and improved the economic benefits by 13.77 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and implications</h3><div>Therefore, combining CRU with NU at an appropriate ratio can improve the crop productivity, as well as reducing environmental risks and improving the economic benefits, thereby supporting its widespread application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109924"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143844531","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 water–nitrogen productivity in rain-fed summer maize production in semi-humid and drought-prone area: Sustainable approach by integrating straw mulching and suitable fertilization depth","authors":"Guangzhou Chen ,&nbsp;Tie Cai ,&nbsp;Jinshan Zhang ,&nbsp;Junying Wang ,&nbsp;Liangqi Ren ,&nbsp;Yuhao Wang ,&nbsp;Qingxuan Yang ,&nbsp;Kainan Zhao ,&nbsp;Peng Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhikuan Jia ,&nbsp;Shubing Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Achieving high yields and efficient water–nitrogen utilization while increasing net economic benefits is crucial for sustainable agricultural production.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>The deep placement of fertilizer is considered an effective strategy for improving crop growth and yield formation. However, it is still not clear how water–nitrogen utilization and economic benefits respond to fertilization depths under different planting methods in summer maize fields.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A three-year field experiment was conducted in a semi-humid and drought-prone area to assess the effects of different fertilizer placement depths of 5 cm (D5, conventional fertilization), 15 cm (D15), 25 cm (D25), and 35 cm (D35) under two planting conditions (straw mulching (S) and bare land planting (N)) on the soil water, mineral nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N and NO₃^--N) and root distribution, leaf photosynthetic rate, yield formation, resource utilization, and economic benefits of summer maize.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with bare land planting, straw mulching improved the soil water content and spatiotemporal distribution, thereby affecting water storage and moisture preservation. Compared with other fertilization depths, D15 improved the mineral nitrogen content and distribution in the soil to promote root growth and nitrogen absorption (4.9–12.5 %). In addition, D15 increased the nitrogen content and photosynthetic rate of summer maize leaves to promote increases in the grain filling rate (3.7–10.0 %) and yield (6.6–18.6 %). Moreover, the combination of straw mulching and D15 significantly improved the nitrogen utilization efficiency (0.7–11.3 %), water utilization efficiency (6.2–36.6 %), net economic benefit (233.5–981.2 $ ha^–1), and input–output ratio (2.4–67.9 %) in summer maize.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results clearly indicate that in the semi-humid and drought-prone area of China, a fertilization depth of 15 cm combined with straw mulching is beneficial for improving the yield, resource utilization, and economic benefits of rain-fed summer maize.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>This management approach can replace the traditional fertilization depth under bare land planting to achieve high yields and effective resource utilization in the semi-humid and drought-prone area, and thus promote the sustainable development of rain-fed agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"327 ","pages":"Article 109918"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839507","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":"Newer wheat cultivars achieved greater yield and water productivity through root and canopy synergies in the North China Plain","authors":"Yehan Fu ,&nbsp;Jiayue Dai ,&nbsp;Han Yang ,&nbsp;Biwei Gao ,&nbsp;Yuzhao Ma ,&nbsp;Yunzhou Qiao ,&nbsp;Yongpeng Li ,&nbsp;Hong Yang ,&nbsp;Baodi Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109880","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109880","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Selecting high water productivity wheat cultivars is an ideal strategy to maintain grain yield under water limited environments. However, the evolutionary and physiological-ecological mechanisms underlying high-yielding and water-efficient traits in wheat remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A three-year field experiment (2020–2023) was conducted in the North China Plain, encompassing three irrigation environments (W0: rainfed; W1: irrigation at jointing and W2: irrigation at both jointing and anthesis), and 14 wheat cultivars released between 1976–2016. The purpose was to identify morpho-physiological differences in grain yield and water productivity with cultivar replacement.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Grain yield and water productivity increased by 0.41–0.75 % yr ⁻¹ and 0.43–0.76 % yr ⁻¹ with cultivar replacement under different irrigation environments. Compared to 1970s cultivars (JM 1 and JM 2), those released in the 2010s (JM 585, JM 518 and JM 325) showed a 70.05–117.96 % increase in leaf area index and a 32.61–44.70 % increase in post-anthesis dry matter accumulation. Additionally, the ratio of green to yellow leaf dry weight increased by 30.77–105.12 %. Wheat cultivars released in the 2010s delayed senescence of the surface 0–30 cm root system under W0 and W1, resulting in a 23.82 % and 0.73 % increase respectively in total root length post-anthesis, while reducing total root length by 22.29 % under W2. Structural equation modeling indicated that grain yield and water productivity were positively affected by leaf area index and the ratio of leaf area to total root length at late grain filling period.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Newly released wheat cultivars improve grain yield and water productivity through improving root adaptation and optimizing root-canopy synergies post-anthesis.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings offer critical insights for breeding and selecting wheat cultivars with high water efficiency, supporting sustainable agriculture in water-limited regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109880"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843943","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":"Bacterial-mediated nutrient cycling and yield recovery in high-density cassava–maize intercropping systems enhanced by maize straw return","authors":"Wei Shao ,&nbsp;Hua Wang ,&nbsp;Saiqing Lu ,&nbsp;Xiuhua Wang ,&nbsp;Jie Huang ,&nbsp;Dengfeng Wang ,&nbsp;Cuicui He ,&nbsp;Minggang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109915","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109915","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;High-Density Cassava-Maize Intercropping (HDCMI) has been proven effective in improving land-use efficiency. However, interspecific competition arising during the symbiotic period often reduces cassava or maize yields compared with monocropping.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study explored the potential of the HDCMI system with maize straw return to address these challenges. The approach emphasized possible improvements in soil nutrient cycling and beneficial microbial communities.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Field experiments involved four treatments: cassava monoculture (C), maize monoculture (M), cassava-maize intercropping without straw incorporation (CM), and cassava-maize intercropping with maize straw return (CMr). The assessments covered crop growth, yield, soil chemical properties, and microbial diversity in rhizosphere, non-rhizosphere, and inter-row soils. Advanced techniques, including co-occurrence network analysis, Mantel tests, partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM), clarified the relationships among soil nutrients, bacterial network modules, and cassava yield.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Intercropping resulted in an 10.13 % reduction (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.03) in maize yield and caused a temporary suppression of cassava growth during the symbiotic period; however, cassava recovered following maize harvest. Although the HDCMI system achieved a land equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.86, cassava yield declined by 6.62 % (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.02) compared with the monoculture treatment. In comparison with CM, the CMr treatment boosted cassava yield (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.024) and nitrogen accumulation in storage roots (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.018) by 6.5 % and 24.22 %, respectively, which restored yield to levels observed in the monoculture. CMr also increased soil organic matter, improved nutrient cycling, and raised nitrogen/potassium accumulation in cassava tissues; nitrogen effects were the most pronounced. Bacterial analysis revealed that CMr promoted soil microbial α-diversity and enriched beneficial genera such as &lt;em&gt;Mycobacterium&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Bradyrhizobium&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;IMCC26256&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;WPS-2&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Bacillus&lt;/em&gt;. Furthermore, network analysis demonstrated that maize straw return facilitated nitrogen-related taxa (e.g., &lt;em&gt;Candidatus Solibacter&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;IMCC26256&lt;/em&gt;) by suppressing Modules 2 (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &gt; 0.05) and 4 (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.024). These adjustments promoted nitrogen transfer and utilization in the cassava rhizosphere.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The HDCMI system with maize straw return enhances soil nitrogen availability through modifications in bacterial networks, ultimately supporting cassava nutrient absorption and yield formation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Significance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study advances the understanding of nitrogen-efficient strategies in cassava intercropping systems with maize straw return, providing a basis for nutrient-efficient agroecosystem manage","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109915"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838705","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":"Residual effects of repeated catch crops on spring barley yield and nitrate leaching","authors":"Uttam Kumar ,&nbsp;Ingrid Kaag Thomsen,&nbsp;Iris Vogeler,&nbsp;Maarit Mäenpää,&nbsp;Elly Møller Hansen","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context/problem</h3><div>Growing catch crops in autumn after the main crop is known to reduce nitrate leaching and improve soil fertility. Residual effects of growing catch crops repeatedly for several years on the grain yield and grain nitrogen (N) of the following main crop, and nitrate leaching are less known.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted field experiments with spring barley and catch crops, including an herbicide treated bare treatment, from 2015 to 2022 at two sites in Denmark, differing in soil type and climatic conditions. The spring barley was fertilized at four N levels (0–150 % of the recommended amount). The residual effect of the repeated catch crops was measured in 2021 for barley grain yield and grain N, and for nitrate leaching in the percolation periods of 2020–21 and 2021–22.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>During the repeated catch crop periods the average aboveground biomass N ranged between 20 and 61 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. A residual effect of the repeated catch crops on grain yield and grain N was only observed in unfertilized barley. Catch crops significantly reduced nitrate leaching compared to the bare soil, with a reduction of 38–91 % per percolation period. After discontinuing the catch crops, there was no residual effect on nitrate leaching.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Repeated catch crops for four percolation periods did not have measurable residual effects on the following main crop, nor on nitrate leaching after their discontinuation.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>More research is needed on N immobilization and mineralization processes, and the factors that influence them to better understand the residual effects of catch crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"327 ","pages":"Article 109911"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143834134","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 chemical topping in cotton: Effects of planting density and variety sensitivity to mepiquat chloride","authors":"Yanqin Wu ,&nbsp;Chaoyuan Tang ,&nbsp;Mingwei Du ,&nbsp;Jingshan Tian ,&nbsp;Mingfeng Yang ,&nbsp;Yali Zhang ,&nbsp;Wangfeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109914","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Chemical topping using plant growth regulators like mepiquat chloride (DPC) effectively inhibits apical dominance in cotton. However, the effectiveness of chemical topping may vary depending on planting density and the sensitivity of cotton varieties to DPC, which remains unclear.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A split-plot factorial AB+C design field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of variety, planting density, topping method, and their interactions on cotton agronomic traits, canopy structure, and yield. The main A plots included cotton varieties with different DPC sensitivities (insensitive and sensitive), main B plots included low, medium, and high planting density (PD&lt;sub&gt;14&lt;/sub&gt;, 14 plants m&lt;sup&gt;−2&lt;/sup&gt;, PD&lt;sub&gt;28&lt;/sub&gt;, 28 plants m&lt;sup&gt;−2&lt;/sup&gt; and PD&lt;sub&gt;55&lt;/sub&gt;, 55 plants m&lt;sup&gt;−2&lt;/sup&gt;), while subplots were assigned no topping, manual topping (remove of the main-stem tips), and chemical topping (A mixed liquor with 180 g ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; mepiquat chloride and 150 ml ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; special additives).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In DPC-insensitive varieties, plant height and number of main stem internodes decreased with the increasing plant density, while sensitive varieties showed no significant changes. Sensitive varieties exhibited stronger inhibition of plant height, plant width, and internode length (1.8–35.9 %) than insensitive ones. At medium and low densities, upper internodes in sensitive varieties were reduced by 14.7–43.2 %. At high density, an increased leaf area index (LAI) in sensitive varieties before topping improved light interception rate (LIR). This effect was further enhanced LIR at medium and low densities by sustaining a higher LAI. Compared with manual topping, seed cotton yield increased by 8.7–29.5 % with no topping and by 4.4–33.3 % with chemical topping at low density for both sensitive and insensitive varieties. At medium density, seed cotton yield in sensitive varieties with no topping increased significantly by 6.3–14.6 % under no topping. At high density, the highest seed cotton yield in sensitive varieties was observed with no topping compared with manual or chemical topping. Yield improvements in insensitive varieties under chemical topping were linked to a higher harvest index at medium and high densities, whereas in sensitive varieties, yield increases were driven by a higher total number of bolls per unit area at high density.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Chemical topping with DPC can be a substitute for manual topping at moderate or high planting density in DPC-insensitive varieties, provided systematic chemical control establishes a balanced canopy structure prior to topping. For DPC-sensitive varieties, no topping or continued low-dose chemical control with DPC is recommended for optimal topping effects. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing chemical topping strategies by considering cotton variety sensitivit","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"327 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143825009","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}