Field Crops Research最新文献

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{"title":"Mechanism responsible for restricted synthesis and accumulation of lignin in wheat stems under low light conditions","authors":"Feng Qin ,&nbsp;Jiawei Zhang ,&nbsp;Long Cheng ,&nbsp;Xinjuan Guo ,&nbsp;Lihui Su ,&nbsp;Wenjing Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhikuan Jia ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Ren ,&nbsp;Peng Zhang ,&nbsp;Tiening Liu ,&nbsp;Zhenlin Wang ,&nbsp;Weibing Yang ,&nbsp;Tie Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>At present, stem lodging remains a key factor that limits further increases wheat yields, where it is attributed to the reduce mechanical strength of plant stems in the population due to low light during high-yield cultivation. The accumulation of lignin in the stem directly determines its mechanical properties. However, the mechanism associated with the effects of low light restriction on lignin metabolism in wheat stems is poorly understood, and thus there is not a sufficient theoretical basis for developing technical measures to promote stem lodging resistance under high yield cultivation conditions. Therefore, in the present study, three representative wheat cultivars with strong (Xinong511), medium (Xinong979), and weak (Shannong16) stem lodging resistance were selected as experimental materials. Different light environments were simulated within the population by using sparse and close planting treatments, and the effects of low light were assessed on lignin synthesis and accumulation in wheat stems, and stem lodging resistance. Compared with sparse planting, close planting significantly reduced the net photosynthetic rate in the third, fourth, and fifth leaves by 7.55–33.25 %, 0.09–50.48 %, and 5.64–46.49 %, respectively, the allocation of photosynthetic carbon assimilates by various organs decreased, while the root vitality decreased significantly by 9.53–22.78 %, the uptake of nitrogen by various organs decreased, the accumulation of lignin decreased significantly by 5.92–35.87 %, and the stem breaking strength and stem lodging resistance index decreased by 4.59–26.85 % and 21.40–35.59 %, respectively. Correlation analysis and path analysis showed that the light environment affected the activity and gene expression levels of enzymes related to lignin biosynthesis through both direct and indirect pathways (roots), thereby affecting lignin accumulation, and ultimately leading to weakened stem lodging resistance in wheat. The net photosynthetic rate were lower in the middle and lower leaves under low light conditions. In addition, the root vitality was weakened and the expression levels of genes encoding enzymes related to lignin synthesis in stems were significantly down regulated. Thus, the activities of enzymes related to lignin synthesis were significantly reduced, which limited the synthesis and accumulation of lignin in the basal internodes of stems, thereby, leading to wheat stems with decreased mechanical strength and a significantly increased risk of stem lodging. These findings provide important insights into the mechanism associated with stem strength weakening under high-yield wheat cultivation conditions and a theoretical basis for developing technical measures to enhance stem lodging resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109952"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143890910","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 leaching amounts and drip irrigation types on water-salt distribution and seed cotton yield in northern Xinjiang, China","authors":"Qingyang Hu,&nbsp;Hongxia Cao,&nbsp;Zijian He,&nbsp;Haolei Shi,&nbsp;Zhiwen Ren,&nbsp;Chen Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109947","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109947","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>In Xinjiang, the primary cotton-producing region of China, water scarcity and soil salinity challenge sustainable agriculture. While drip irrigation enhances water efficiency, it is inadequate for effective salinity management, making the integration of drip irrigation with leaching a promising strategy. However, the optimal irrigation management of this integrated approach to simultaneously control salinity and conserve water remains uncertain.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the effects of different leaching amounts and drip irrigation types on soil water-salt transport, desalination efficiency, and cotton growth, yield, and irrigation water productivity (IWP), and to determine the optimum leaching amount under different drip irrigation types.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This hypothesis was tested through a three-year field study (2020, 2021 and 2022) in Xinjiang, China. Surface drip irrigation (DI) without leaching in the reproductive period served as the control (CK). The experiment included three leaching amounts (120, 240 and 360 mm) combined with two drip irrigation types: surface drip irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>At 120 mm leaching amount, SDI promoted deeper wetting fronts, reducing soil salt content (SSC) in the 30–60 cm layer by 28.85 %-38.49 % versus DI. Conversely, DI increased soil water content (SWC) in the 0–20 cm layer by 13.2 %-19.1 % and lowered SSC by 10.44 %-14.25 %, but induced salt accumulation in the 20–40 cm layer, with SSC increasing by 12.7 %-18.3 %. Under these conditions, SDI increased yield by 8.24 %-13.00 % over DI. With 240 mm leaching amount, both DI and SDI effectively enhanced leaching, increasing SWC by 20.4 %-47.3 % and reducing SSC by 34.70 %-70.50 %, compared with CK. Additionally, cotton plant height, stem diameter, leaf area index, and dry matter accumulation increased by 53.48 %-69.17 %, 48.37 %-70.55 %, 107.58 %-134.62 %, and 97.97 %-114.73 %, respectively, over CK, achieving higher seed cotton yields (6072.46–7439.94 kg ha⁻¹) and improved IWP (0.932–1.33 kg m^-³). Excessive leaching amount (360 mm) decreased IWP by 14.87 %-17.29 % without yield improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Integrating 240 mm leaching amount with DI/SDI resolves water-salt trade-offs, offering a scalable strategy for sustainable cotton production in saline-alkali cultivated lands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109947"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143886398","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":"Impact of alternate irrigation with reclaimed water and saline water according to sunflower growth period on plant and grain development","authors":"Pingru He ,&nbsp;Jingang Li ,&nbsp;Jing Chen ,&nbsp;Dan Chen ,&nbsp;Xiaoping Dai ,&nbsp;Ahmed Elsayed Abdelghany ,&nbsp;Zhongyi Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address the issue of freshwater scarcity for agricultural irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions, saline water and reclaimed water have great potential as alternative irrigation water. Therefore, a three-year field study was conducted in the Yinbei Irrigation District of Ningxia, China, to investigate the effects of alternate drip irrigation using freshwater (F), saline water (S) and reclaimed water (R) on sunflower growth. The study established six alternate drip irrigation schedules (SSR, SRS, RSS, SRR, RSR, RRS) and three continuous drip irrigation modes (FFF, SSS, RRR) based on the key sunflower growth stages: emergence-budding, budding-flowering, and flowering-maturity. The results revealed that during the emergence-budding stage and budding-flowering stage, saline water irrigation favored the allocation of dry matter to the roots, whereas reclaimed water irrigation was more effective in allocating dry matter to the leaves and faceplate, and significantly promoted nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation in sunflower plants. Furthermore, reclaimed water irrigation dramatically increased the crude protein content (12.6 %-15.4 %), unsaturated fatty acid content, and saturated fatty acid content in sunflower grains. During the flowering-maturity stage, reclaimed water irrigation was more conducive to dry matter accumulation in the plant, biomass allocation to the faceplate and grains, and resulted in an increase in sunflower grain yield by 2.1 %-5.0 %. Additionally, reclaimed water irrigation during the flowering-maturity stage significantly promoted radial development of the sunflower faceplate and markedly increased the linoleic acid and palmitic acid contents in the kernels, compared to saline water irrigation. The optimal irrigation schedule for sunflower cultivation in arid and semi-arid agricultural areas of China was suggested to be alternate irrigation with saline water during the emergence-budding stage and reclaimed water during the budding-flowering stage and flowering-maturity stage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"328 ","pages":"Article 109948"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143881286","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}