Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Physiological bases of wheat grain weight response to heat waves: Post-anthesis sensitivity and responses to source-sink manipulations in contrasting cultivars","authors":"Jinwook Kim , Breno Bicego , Gustavo A. Slafer , Roxana Savin","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The companion paper reported that two contemporary cultivars differed constitutively in their average grain weight (AGW) and in their sensitivity to heat waves (HW). It is relevant to elucidate whether the effects of HW are direct on the capacity of the grains to grow or indirect through penalizing post-anthesis (AN) growth and consequently restricting the availability of assimilates for the growing grains. Testing HW with changes in source-strength could help further understanding the causes of the sensitivity of AGW to a HW. This may help to identify strategies in crop management and traits to target in breeding.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To quantify the effects and analyse the causes of post-AN HW on AGW on two contrasting cultivars, considering a double treatment at both stages (pre- + post-AN HW) and whether an increase in source strength through removing alternate rows in the plots by thinning modify the yield penalties. Also, source strength per grain during the effective period of grain filling was either decreased (through a defoliation) or increased (through de-graining) in combination with each of the other treatments.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Experiments were carried out in two locations, Lleida and Bell-lloc (NE, Spain). Main treatments consisted in the factorial combination of two contrasting genotypes (Pistolo of high AGW and Sublim of high GN), and three HW that were imposed in the field using installing tents with transparent polyethylene films either at booting (pre-AN HW) or 15 days after anthesis (post-AN HW). An additional HW (combination of pre- and post-AN HW) was imposed in one location while thinning treatment at the onset of stem elongation in the other.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Across both locations, AGW was consistently higher in Pistolo compared to Sublim. Moreover, the entire distribution of individual grain sizes was higher in Pistolo, with both the lightest (bottom decile) and heaviest (top decile) grains significantly heavier in Pistolo. The main reason for the higher AGW of Pistolo was its higher rate of grain growth, as the duration was similar between both genotypes and also higher potential weight. Post-AN HW, reduced AGW, being Pistolo more sensitive than Sublim. The double HW treatment revealed that exposure to a post-AN HW was markedly less detrimental when preceded by a pre-AN HW. This suggests a non-additive effect on AGW, with prior HW exposure inducing a priming response that mitigated the impact of subsequent stress through antagonistic interactions between the two events. Varying source-sink ratios under heated conditions did not change the weight of the grains noticeably suggesting that direct effects of post-AN HW on the capacity of the grains to grow dominated those mediated by assimilate availability during grain filling.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The GN–AGW trade-off was not due to limited resources or more small grain","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110310"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881407","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 yield-quality balance in wheat by enhancing N uptake and allocation through split N application at the booting stage","authors":"Wei Wu ,&nbsp;Yang Wang ,&nbsp;Huasen Xu ,&nbsp;Boyang Fu ,&nbsp;Zhengping Peng ,&nbsp;Christoph-Martin Geilfus ,&nbsp;Cheng Xue","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Balancing high grain yield and superior quality in wheat production is challenging due to their inherent trade-off. Split nitrogen (N) application at the booting stage has shown potential for simultaneously improving both yield and quality; however, the underlying mechanisms driving this synergy remain insufficiently understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To determine how booting-stage split N improves grain yield while maintaining or enhancing grain protein concentration and strengthening gluten protein composition.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Three seasons of field experiments (2017–2020) at one Hebei site with the strong-gluten winter wheat ‘Gaoyou 2018’ compared four N strategies and quantified N uptake, utilization, translocation and distribution at whole-plant, organ and protein levels. A complementary 2022–2023 pot experiment used ¹⁵N labeling to trace N uptake and distribution across growth stages.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Split N application at the booting stage significantly enhanced dry matter and N accumulation, particularly during the post-anthesis period of wheat, and improved N distribution. Booting-stage split N increased grain yield by 12.6 % and strengthened protein quality without diluting grain protein concentration. Mechanistically, it boosted post-anthesis growth and N supply: post-anthesis dry matter rose by 36.1 % and post-anthesis N uptake nearly doubled (+99.2 %), elevating the contribution of post-anthesis sources to grain N. Mixed-model regressions showed post-anthesis biomass was strongly associated with post-anthesis N uptake (R² = 0.53), and a model combining post-anthesis N uptake with pre-anthesis N remobilization explained 92 % of its variation. The pot study corroborated this pathway: booting increased total ¹⁵N uptake and its partitioning to grain (86.7 % of absorbed ¹⁵N), with 24.8 % and 40.6 % incorporated into gliadin and glutenin, respectively. Canopy traits supported this pathway: greater flag-leaf area at anthesis tracked grain number and early post-anthesis flag-leaf duration aligned with thousand grain weight.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Booting-stage split N aligns N supply with stem elongation and early grain filling, increasing post-anthesis N uptake and dry-matter accumulation and directing more absorbed N to grain and gluten fractions, thereby improving yield and quality simultaneously.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These results support efficient N timing to achieve high yield and superior quality without increasing total N input, advancing more sustainable wheat production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110308"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784885","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":"Cover crop incorporation with moderate nitrogen reduction regulates soil microbial communities to drive C:N stoichiometry for enhanced peanut yield and efficiency","authors":"Lijun Chi,&nbsp;Yatong Chu,&nbsp;Han Zeng,&nbsp;Xinran Guo,&nbsp;Xiuzhi Zang,&nbsp;Tianxiao Cao,&nbsp;Jin Chen,&nbsp;Kun Zhang,&nbsp;Dongqing Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110297","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Integrating cover crops with optimized nitrogen (N) management is a promising approach for sustainable peanut (&lt;em&gt;Arachis hypogaea&lt;/em&gt; L.) production. However, the mechanistic linkages linking soil microbial communities, soil C:N stoichiometry, plant physiological traits, and yield formation remain poorly understood.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aimed to clarify how ryegrass cover crop incorporation combined with reduced N fertilization modulates soil C:N stoichiometry, microbial community structure, enzyme activities, and peanut productivity, with the goal of identifying an optimal strategy to balance yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A two-year field experiment was conducted employing two residue management strategies—cover crop incorporation (H) and biomass removal (N)—under four N rates: 0 (N0), 60 (N60), 90 (N90), and 120 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;(N120). This resulted in eight treatment combinations (HN0, HN60, HN90, HN120, N0, N60, N90, and N120). Key measurements included soil C:N stoichiometry (SOC, TN, AN, NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;⁻–N, and SOC:TN ratio), extracellular enzyme activities (urease, cellulase, invertase), microbial richness and diversity, community composition, leaf physiological traits (SPAD, ΦPSII, SPS, and NR), pod yield, and NUE.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Ryegrass incorporation significantly enhanced peanut pod yield by 19.95 %–22.50 % compared with biomass removal. Notably, under incorporation, a 25 % N reduction (HN90) achieved yields statistically equivalent to the full N rate (HN120) but increased agronomic N efficiency (AEN) by 46.84 % relative to N90. Incorporation increased SOC, TN, AN, NO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;⁻–N, and the SOC:TN ratio while maintaining high enzyme activities comparable to HN120. Microbial richness and diversity were also improved; specifically, HN90 selectively enriched beneficial taxa, including &lt;em&gt;Lysobacter&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Bacillus&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Brevibacillus&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Gemmatimonas&lt;/em&gt;, while suppressing pathogenic genera such as &lt;em&gt;Fusicolla&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Fusarium&lt;/em&gt;. Although N reduction generally decreased SPAD and ΦPSII, the 25 % N reduction under incorporation caused only minor declines compared with N120. SPS and NR activities followed similar trends. Structural equation modeling confirmed that microbial community structure and enzyme activities directly optimized soil C:N stoichiometry, which in turn positively regulated plant physiological traits and yield formation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Integrating ryegrass cover crop incorporation with moderate N reduction (25 %) enhances microbial community function, promotes nutrient cycling, sustains photosynthetic performance, and synergistically improves both yield and NUE in peanut systems.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Implications&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This management strategy offers an effective pathway to achieve coordinated improvements in soil health, nitrogen efficie","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110297"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784875","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":"Effects of soil textures on N mineralization, uptake and utilization in paddy rice","authors":"Chang Ye ,&nbsp;Yi Tao ,&nbsp;Deshun Xiao ,&nbsp;Yanan Xu ,&nbsp;Chunmei Xu ,&nbsp;Yuanhui Liu ,&nbsp;Kai Yu ,&nbsp;Danying Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110281","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Soil texture is a pivotal factor influencing soil structure and nutrient cycling. Nevertheless, the disparities in nitrogen (N) supply capacity among paddy soils with varying textures and their impacts on rice N uptake remain poorly understood.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aimed to compare N mineralization parameters across paddy soils with varying textures, and explore their effects on the plant N uptake and utilization, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for implementing scientific fertilization practices based on soil type.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study employed a flooded incubation experiment to investigate soil N mineralization parameters across three soil textures: loam (L), silty loam (SL), and silty clay loam (SCL). Using two rice varieties (YY1540 and YD6) with different N uptake capacities as materials, field and pot experiments were conducted across the three distinct soil textures under two N rates (a no-N control and an N treatment) to analyze the influence of soil texture on N mineralization and plant N uptake. Additionally, the study employed the &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N tracer method to track the fate of fertilizer-N in both rice plants and soil. Key parameters were measured, including soil N mineralization parameters, plant N accumulation, grain yield, Calculations were performed for N use efficiency,&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N recovery efficiency, and &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt; N residue percentage in the soil after rice harvest.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The results showed that the soil N supply capacity in the CK was highest in silt clay loam (SCL), followed by silty loam (SL), and the lowest in loam (L). However, upon fertilizer-N application, the net N mineralization rate of L was significantly increased, with its N supply capacity exceeding that of SL. Correlation analysis showed that in the CK, soil N mineralization was influenced by soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents as well as soil texture, whereas soil texture emerged as the predominant factor after the application of fertilizer-N. Both rice varieties YY1540 and YD6 exhibited the highest yield, dry matter accumulation, and N accumulation in SCL soil, regardless of fertilization. Nevertheless, the response to N fertilization varied among soil types, with L showing the highest increase ratio in grain yield and total N recovery efficiency (NRE), followed by SL and SCL. Conversely, the &lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;N fertilizer recovery efficiency (&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;NRE) demonstrated an opposite trend, increasing from L to SL to SCL. The field experiment revealed that YY1540, characterized by strong N uptake capacity, displayed greater sensitivity to soil texture variations compared to YD6, which had a weaker N uptake capacity. The N accumulation of YY1540 was significantly correlated with the soil N mineralization rate constant &lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;, while the correlation was not significant for YD6.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;These find","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110281"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784873","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":"Mechanisms linking straw return to soil phosphorus cycling in Chinese farmland: A meta-analysis","authors":"Tao Yushan ,&nbsp;Wang Jie ,&nbsp;Ma Xiaohan ,&nbsp;Zhang Shuxiang ,&nbsp;Guo Yanjun","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Efficient management of crop straw and soil phosphorus (P) is vital for maintaining productivity and sustainability in China’s intensive farmlands. While straw return is widely practiced, the mechanistic effects on soil P fractions across diverse soils and climates remain unclear, limiting development of optimized, site-specific strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Problem</h3><div>Despite widespread straw return, the pathways by which it enhances P availability are poorly quantified. Key uncertainties remain regarding: (1) differential responses of total P (TP), available P (AP), and Olsen-P to straw return; (2) interactions between soil properties, climate, and management duration; and (3) the relative contributions of organic matter accumulation versus chemical solubilization in P mobilization. This gap hinders mechanistic understanding and the design of precision nutrient management strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives and Methods</h3><div>This meta-analysis synthesized 263 datasets from 55 studies (up to December 31, 2024) to: (1) quantify straw return effects on TP, AP, and Olsen-P; (2) identify key environmental and management drivers of variability; and (3) elucidate underlying mechanistic pathways linking straw return, soil organic matter (SOM), and P bioavailability. Analyses included random-effects models (LnRR effect sizes), meta-regression, random forest algorithms, and structural equation modeling (SEM).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Straw return significantly increased SOM (+4.1 %), TP (+7.1 %), AP (+8.3 %), and Olsen-P (+11.2 %). TP accumulation was mainly driven by the duration of straw incorporation, while Olsen-P increases were strongly influenced by initial soil pH, with greater enhancement in acidic and neutral soils than in alkaline soils. Random forest models identified initial soil properties, especially total nitrogen and pH, as dominant predictors of P responses. SEM indicated that SOM serves as a central hub, directly enhancing P fractions and indirectly increasing bioavailability via soil acidification. Straw return enhances P through two complementary mechanisms: long-term physical TP buildup and rapid biochemical activation of bioavailable P.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Straw return systematically improves soil P supply in Chinese croplands via dual SOM-mediated pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings support transitioning from uniform straw return practices to precision strategies tailored to local soil conditions and target P fractions, advancing both nutrient use efficiency and soil health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110312"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145813785","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":"Twenty-year field evidence reveals crop-specific impacts of conservation tillage on yield in a rice-wheat system","authors":"Yalin Yu ,&nbsp;Menghan Dong ,&nbsp;Yuanchang Xia ,&nbsp;Bin Sun ,&nbsp;Yanling Li ,&nbsp;Ahmad Latif Virk ,&nbsp;Haishui Yang ,&nbsp;Feng-Min Li ,&nbsp;Shiping Liu ,&nbsp;Zheng-Rong Kan","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Conservation tillage (no-tillage straw mulch, NTS) is widely adopted to improve soil quality and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, yet its yield effects in rice-wheat systems are inconsistent.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>A 20-year field experiment was designed to quantify the impacts of NTS on rice and wheat yields and identify underlying mechanisms from soil quality.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Field experiment included three treatments: NTS, plow-tillage straw removal (PT0), and plow-tillage straw return (PTS). Crop yield and its components were measured annually. Soil samples for soil quality index (SQI), enzyme stoichiometry, and soil bulk density analysis were collected at rice harvest in October 2021 from 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 15 cm layers.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>NTS significantly increased wheat yield by 9.19 % and 7.88 %, whereas decreased rice yield by 3.73 % and 13.78 % compared with PT0 and PTS from 2021 to 2023 (20–22 years after establishment), respectively. The increase in wheat yield was attributed to the improvement of SQI in topsoil (0–5 cm). Due to the higher SOC and total nitrogen, NTS improved SQI by 102 % and 87.1 % compared with PT0 and PTS in topsoil, respectively. In contrast, rice yield was mainly affected by soil bulk density, with the highest yield observed under PTS. NTS caused greater bulk density in subsoil (5–15 cm) in flooded paddy soils, consequently inhibiting rice root development. In topsoil, enzyme stoichiometric analysis indicated that NTS shifted the soil microbial nutrient acquisition strategy toward a greater demand for nitrogen (N). Given high N demands for rice, this shift may significantly constrain nutrient uptake and crop productivity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Long-term NTS improves topsoil quality and boosts wheat yield, but compaction and insufficient N supply in subsoil reduce rice yield in flooded paddies.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>Our findings reveal a trade-off in the effects of long-term conservation tillage on crop yields with distinct mechanisms in rice-wheat cropping systems. This insight provides critical empirical basis for future targeted optimization of tillage practices to balance yield sustainability in the lower Yangtze River region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110313"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823102","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":"Meta-analysis of slow/controlled-release fertilizers on yield, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil organic carbon in major cereal crops","authors":"Zexi Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianhua Dong ,&nbsp;Xiaogang Liu ,&nbsp;Dan Xu ,&nbsp;Yanhong Liu ,&nbsp;Hualing Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinxue Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Slow/controlled-release fertilizers (SCRFs) are widely employed due to their potential to enhance crop yields and promote ecological benefits. However, the effects of SCRFs on crop yield, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and soil organic carbon (SOC) under varying crop types, field management practices, and environmental conditions remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective and methods</h3><div>Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of 951 observations from 145 published studies worldwide to evaluate how substituting SCRFs for rapid-acting fertilizers (RAFs) affects yield, GHG emissions, and SOC in maize, wheat, and rice under different agricultural systems. Furthermore, the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied to quantify the relative importance of five environmental factors, including climatic characteristics and soil properties, and to identify the key predictors regulating the effects of SCRFs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results indicated that SCRFs enhanced crop yield and increase SOC stock (yield by 3.4–7.7 %, SOC by 7.6–8.4 %), while reducing N₂O, CH₄, and CO₂ emissions (by −5.8 % to −26.9 %). The effects of SCRFs under different field management practices varied depending on crop type. A one-time basal application of SCRFs significantly enhanced yield and SOC responses in maize and rice, whereas split application was more effective for wheat. Low-to-medium nitrogen application rates (≤250 kg N ha⁻¹) were identified as a threshold at which SCRFs achieved the largest positive effect sizes for yield and SOC accumulation, while optimizing GHG emissions reduction effects, across all crops. Additionally, conservation tillage (CT) in combination with SCRFs was associated with greater SOC accumulation in maize and wheat, whereas crop-specific irrigation strategies were associated with stronger yield responses and GHG mitigation effects. The mean annual temperature (MAT) was identified as a key predictor of the effects of SCRFs on crop yield and N₂O emission, whereas soil background levels of SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and pH were key predictors of CH₄ and CO₂ emission and SOC.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>SCRFs enhance crop yield and SOC while reducing GHG emissions, with these effects strengthened by appropriate field management practices and regulated by climatic and soil factors.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings provide scientific evidence supporting the effects of replacing RAFs with SCRFs on yield improvement, emission reduction, and SOC enhancement in the three major cereal crops across diverse agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110316"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881385","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":"Yield and grain number formation as affected by pre- and post-anthesis heat waves and thinning in two contrasting wheat cultivars","authors":"Breno Bicego ,&nbsp;Jinwook Kim ,&nbsp;Roxana Savin ,&nbsp;Gustavo A. Slafer","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110309","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110309","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Wheat is essential to global food security however climate change threatens its yield. While the impacts of gradual temperature increases are known, the effects of heat waves (HW), which are becoming more frequent and severe, are less understood particularly under field conditions. This study explores the impact of pre- and post-anthesis (AN) HW on grain yield (GY), grain number (GN), average grain weight (AGW), and physiological determinants of GN.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objectives&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;To quantify the pre- and post-AN HW effects on GY, GN and AGW of two cultivars with constitutive contrasting levels of GN and AGW; to determine whether a higher or lower sensitivity to a HW would be related to genotypic inherent characteristic; and to ascertain whether penalties in GN due to pre-AN HW are direct on reproductive output or indirect by affecting crop growth. Most details on AGW determination are offered in the companion paper.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Experiments were irrigated and carried out in two locations of NE Spain. Main treatments consisted in the factorial combination of two contrasting genotypes (Pistolo of high AGW and Sublim of high GN), and three HW that were imposed in the field using portable tents covered with transparent polyethylene films, but with the base opened to favour air circulation, during 9–11 continuous days, increasing temperatures during the day only, which resulted in average daily temperature 3–4 ºC warmer. The HW started either at booting (pre-AN HW) or 15 days after anthesis (post-AN HW). An additional HW (combination of pre- and post-AN HW) was imposed in one location while thinning treatment at the onset of stem elongation in the other.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Under unheated conditions, both cultivars had similarly high yields. The increment of yield potential with thinning was lower in Pistolo (33 %) than Sublim (79 %). Both cultivars had similar spike number plasticity, but only Sublim showed spike fertility plasticity to added resources as well. HW significantly reduced GY: Pistolo was more sensitive to pre-AN HW, but not to post-AN HW. Yield losses were mainly due to reduced GN with pre-AN HW, and reduced AGW with post-AN HW. Pre-AN HW increased floret mortality mostly in central spikelets, while thinning boosted floret survival, especially in distal spikelets, restoring fertility even in typically sterile basal spikelets. Thinning reduced HW damage in Pistolo from 18 % to 1 %, but not in Sublim (c. 14 % in both conditions). This implies that HW effects could be mainly indirect, through affecting growth, or mainly direct, affecting floret developmental process (and not reversed when more assimilates become available), depending on the genotype. Post-AN HW caused greater GY penalties (24.8 %) than pre-AN HW (15.1 %), but this seemed related to environmental variation during treatments than a true greater sensitivity. More in depth analyses regarding AGW is pro","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110309"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881388","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":"Minimizing cropland GHG emissions while maintaining nutrient surplus within planetary boundaries in China","authors":"Haiyan Wang ,&nbsp;Tingyao Cai ,&nbsp;Zhong Chen ,&nbsp;Qingsong Zhang ,&nbsp;Yingcheng Wang ,&nbsp;Zhengyuan Liang ,&nbsp;Junhao Wang ,&nbsp;Qi Miao ,&nbsp;Huifang Zheng ,&nbsp;Zihan Wang ,&nbsp;Yulong Yin ,&nbsp;Zhenling Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110298","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110298","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Navigating the trade-offs between food production and environmental sustainability has become increasingly challenging in the context of accelerating climate change in China. A key question is whether the highly heterogeneous spatial patterns of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) surpluses across croplands can be mitigated to remain within county-level planetary boundaries while maintaining sustainable food production.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to minimize cropland GHG emissions in China through an integrated strategy that combines improved management, optimized cropland redistribution, and dietary shifts, while keeping N and P surpluses within county-level planetary boundaries and ensuring sustained food production.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We downscaled the planetary boundaries for GHG emissions and nutrient surpluses to county level based on population and cropland, and freshwater resources allocations. Then, we evaluated the mitigation potential of improved management (informed by the national farm survey), crop redistribution (using linear programming), and dietary shifts (50 % Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2016)), both individually and in combination.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>Our results demonstrate that the integrated strategy could reduce GHG emissions, N surplus, P surplus, and arable land area by 55 %, 62 %, 67 %, and 54 %, respectively, compared with the current status. Furthermore, this strategy would enable approximately 53 % of China’s counties to remain within the planetary boundaries for GHG emissions as well as N and P surpluses, which accounts for around 60 % of the total adjusted sowing area. The mitigation potential exhibits pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with Southeast China and the Yangtze River Basin experiencing the greatest reductions. However, even under the integrated strategy, 932 counties still exceed the planetary boundaries for P surplus, underscoring persistent challenges. Despite socio-economic and cultural constraints, achieving synergistic reductions in environmental impacts and remaining within multiple planetary boundaries at the county scale holds significant promise.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study provides a practical and scalable pathway for mitigating agricultural environmental pressures while supporting sustainable production, particularly in smallholder-dominated systems. The insights offer valuable guidance for other developing countries, such as India and African nations, seeking to reconcile rising food demand with the need to remain within Earth’s safe operating space.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110298"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784864","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":"What drives yield formation in sugar beet? Quantifying functional components across genotypes and irrigation managements","authors":"Finn Großmann ,&nbsp;Henning Kage ,&nbsp;Dieter Hackenberg ,&nbsp;Till Rose","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Improving sugar beet yield under variable environmental conditions requires a detailed understanding of the physiological mechanisms that drive yield formation. In sugar beet, canopy development determines resource capture, while radiation use efficiency (<em>RUE</em>) regulates the transformation efficiency of primary resources, and assimilate partitioning regulates the allocation of dry matter to the storage root. High-throughput phenotyping offers opportunities to quantify these physiological processes across diverse environments and genetic backgrounds, thereby identifying key traits for yield improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A scalable drone-based pipeline was established and validated to estimate physiological yield components – leaf area index (<em>LAI</em>), radiation interception efficiency (<em>RIE</em>), <em>RUE</em>, and harvest index (<em>HI</em>). Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-derived multispectral imagery, combined with environmental records and harvest measurements, was used across more than 1300 field plots in Germany and Italy (2023–2024), covering three contrasting environments, two irrigation managements, and up to 171 genotypes. <em>LAI</em> estimation was calibrated and validated under different water regimes in northern Germany (mean absolute error, MAE = 0.30 m² m⁻²).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Dynamic UAV-based <em>LAI</em> enabled continuous estimation of radiation interception and biomass accumulation. Total dry matter correlated strongly with cumulative effective (temperature-dependent) radiation interception (<em>R²</em> = 0.81), indicating a comparatively stable <em>RUE</em> across diverse conditions. Genotypic variation in yield formation was mainly driven by canopy-level processes: <em>RIE</em> accounted for 65 % of variation under water-limited conditions, while <em>RUE</em> accounted for 46 % under irrigation. Partitioning traits (<em>HI</em> and <em>Sugar HI</em>) contributed minimally in both irrigation managements.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The results highlight the dominant role of canopy development and radiation use in sugar beet yield formation under contrasting environmental conditions. The proposed UAV-based framework provides a transferable, high-throughput approach to quantify physiological yield drivers in field settings. This enables targeted trait selection for breeding and facilitates integration of functional yield components into crop improvement strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110292"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145753853","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}