Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Enhancing maize yield and water productivity through coordinated root-shoot growth under mild water stress in dense planting","authors":"Yining Ma ,&nbsp;Jiawei Ren ,&nbsp;Shengju Yang ,&nbsp;Risheng Ding ,&nbsp;Taisheng Du ,&nbsp;Shaozhong Kang ,&nbsp;Ling Tong","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109786","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109786","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>For a long time, the ultimate objective in arid and semi-arid agricultural production areas has been to optimize yield while ensuring efficient utilization of agricultural water resources. This objective can be realized through a judicious integration of dense planting and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). Currently, it is not clear how these two agronomic measures regulate maize yield by affecting root-shoot coordination.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to examine the impacts of planting density (PD) and RDI on leaf area index (LAI), fractional interception of photosynthetically active radiation (FIPAR), radiation use efficiency (RUE), root growth, dry matter distribution, root-shoot ratio (RSR), water productivity (WP), nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFPN), and maize yield. Elucidated the relationship between soil water content (SWC) and root development within different soil layers and to quantify how root characteristics correlate with WUE and yield. Methods: A two-year field trial (2020–2021) was conducted on Xianyu 335 for this study. Set two PD treatments (D1: 70,000 plants/ha, D2: 90,000 plants/ha) and three water treatments, (W1: full irrigation, W2: mild water deficit 2/3W1, W3: moderate water deficit 1/2W1).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Dense planting significantly increased the LAI of the population. The FIPAR and RUE of the middle canopy were enhanced, optimizing the canopy structure. Under the D2 treatment, a greater distribution of roots occurred in the topsoil (0–20 cm). Sufficient water availability augmented both the proportion of root mass and the absorption area in deeper soil, thereby promoting the accumulation of dry matter above ground. The RSR decreased with increasing water stress. Under the D2W2 treatment, a positive correlation was observed between SWC and root characteristics across all soil layers, particularly at depths of 60–100 cm. This suggests that moderate water stress application improves water utilization by roots in the deeper soil. Over the two growing seasons, D2W1 resulted in the highest yield and PFPN. Although the yield under the D2W2 treatment decreased marginally by approximately 2.43–3.90 % compared to D2W1, this treatment significantly enhanced WUE (2020: 11.80 %, 2021: 14.29 %) and middle canopy RUE (2020: 13.85 %, 2021: 17.07 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and implications</h3><div>D2W2 is a planting pattern suitable for maize production in Northwest China (NWC). This approach promotes root-shoot coordination and enhances the use of soil moisture by the root system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109786"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143125320","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":"Breeding for high maize yields indirectly boosting root carbon in the US Corn Belt since the 1980s","authors":"Cintia Sciarresi ,&nbsp;August Thies ,&nbsp;Christopher Topp ,&nbsp;Douglas Eudy ,&nbsp;John L. Kovar ,&nbsp;Slobodan Trifunovic ,&nbsp;Philip M. Dixon ,&nbsp;Sotirios V. Archontoulis","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Understanding changes in below-ground plant traits due to crop improvement is crucial for crop productivity and sustainability assessments.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To quantify historical changes in root traits due to maize breeding and plant density increases and assess factors influencing root trait expression under field conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We studied root mass, root length, specific root length (SRL), root: shoot ratio, and root carbon concentration in 11 maize hybrids released from 1983 to 2017 under current (8.7 plants m⁻²) and a historic plant density treatments (4.7, 6.2 and 8.7 plants m⁻²). Soil cores were collected from seven US Midwest environments.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Root mass linearly increased with the years of hybrid release under current (7.6 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, <em>p</em> = 0.15) and historical (18.2 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, <em>p</em> = 0.0028) plant density treatments. Breeding accounted for 44 % and plant density for 57 % of the increase in root mass. Root mass significantly correlated with root carbon (<em>r</em> = 0.99) and grain yield (<em>r</em> = 0.82). Root mass genetic gain was 9-fold lower than that of grain yield. Root length remained unchanged with the year of hybrid release under current density but increased with the year of hybrid release when historical increases in plant density were imposed (0.065 km m⁻² year⁻¹, <em>p</em> = 0.095). Specific root length decreased with the year of hybrid release by −0.62 mm mg⁻¹ year⁻¹ (<em>p</em> = 0.0017) in both plant density treatments. The root: shoot ratio did not change with breeding or plant density. The environment substantially influenced the expression of root traits, with precipitation explaining a portion of the variability.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Maize breeding and historical increases in plant density increased root mass, decreased SRL, and maintained the root: shoot ratio unchanged, indicating that crop improvement has altered below-ground maize traits in different directions.</div></div><div><h3>Implication or significance</h3><div>Present findings enhance our understanding of how below-ground root traits have changed due to breeding and plant density, which can also support crop modeling studies and soil carbon budgets. The increase in root mass and carbon suggests that breeding for high maize yields boosts root carbon inputs and that crop improvement aids sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109774"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143125325","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":"Phenotypic traits of sunflower varieties depend on the composition of cover crops","authors":"Lucie Souques ,&nbsp;Nicolas B. Langlade ,&nbsp;Philippe Debaeke ,&nbsp;Marc Labadie ,&nbsp;Noémie Deschamps ,&nbsp;Rachel Lackdari ,&nbsp;Damien Marchand ,&nbsp;Eric Lecloux ,&nbsp;Camille Tapy ,&nbsp;Lionel Alletto","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Introducing cover crop (CC) mixtures is a promising approach to enhance the multifunctionality of ecosystem services provided by CCs. However, CC mixtures have contrasting effects on subsequent crop yield, depending on multiple factors such as the type of subsequent crop and the mixture composition. In the context of climate change, sunflower (<em>Helianthus annuus</em> L.), which is adapted to environments with low nitrogen (N) and water requirements, has multiple varieties with different drought-tolerance strategies. However, little is known about how drought-tolerant sunflower varieties differ in their response to CCs in low-input systems.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to characterize CC ecosystem services related mainly to N and water and to investigate how CC ecosystem services influence the responses of sunflower varieties that differ in drought sensitivity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>CCs and sunflower varieties were organized in a randomized non-complete block design with a split-plot arrangement in 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. CC treatments consisted of a pure grass CC (rye), a mixture of legume CCs (purple vetch/fodder pea), three mixtures of legume and non-legume CCs (faba bean/Indian mustard/phacelia; fodder pea/rye/purple vetch and fodder radish/hairy vetch/white mustard) and a relay CC treatment (fodder sorghum then faba bean). Sunflower varieties exhibited different drought-tolerance strategies for leaf expansion and transpiration. Establishment, development, growth, N status and productivity were evaluated for the sunflower varieties preceded by CCs through low- and high-throughput phenotyping. Multiple variables of growth and development were assessed by applying image-processing tools to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) RGB images.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results indicate that CCs influenced early and late N-release uptake by sunflower, thereby extending the seed-filling period. Optimizing the CC chosen allows for yields equivalent to those of intensively tilled bare soil, while increasing the amount of carbon returned to the soil and weed control in low-input cropping systems. Furthermore, in addition to the CC chosen, optimizing the sunflower varieties chosen can improve sunflower growth during dry years.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These results can inform decisions about CCs, sunflower variety and management in low-input systems to better match the nitrogen released from CC residues to subsequent cash crop responses during vegetative and post-flowering phases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"321 ","pages":"Article 109692"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142763006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tailoring fertilizer rates to catena positions improves nutrient use efficiency of rice in inland valleys of West Africa","authors":"Guy Marius Assogba ,&nbsp;Gerrie W.J. van de Ven ,&nbsp;Jonne Rodenburg ,&nbsp;Krishna Prasad Devkota ,&nbsp;Elliott Ronald Dossou-Yovo ,&nbsp;Ken E. Giller","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109679","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109679","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Rainfed rice production in inland valleys has the potential to improve food security in West Africa, yet the average grain yield ranges only between 1 and 3 t ha⁻¹. Increased nutrient use efficiency through site-specific fertilizer management can enhance the rice yield and make rice production economically attractive.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to assess the effects of catena position and nitrogen fertilizer rates on rice yield, nutrient use efficiency and economic profitability.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>On-farm experiments were conducted in three inland valleys from 2019 to 2021, i.e. in Yawtabrikrom, Ghana and in Ouragahio and Pangbabo in Côte d’Ivoire. The experimental design was a split-plot design, with catena positions as the main factor (i.e., valley bottom, lower slope and middle slope), and fertilizer rates as the sub-factor. In the first (2019) and second (2020/2021) years of the experiment, four and eight fertilizer rates were used, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Fertilizer applications consistently, and mostly linearly increased rice yields regardless of the catena positions. Yields at the valley bottom (2.1–7.4 t ha⁻¹) and lower slope (0.9–6.5 t ha⁻¹) were higher than those obtained at the middle slope (1.0–5.6 t ha⁻¹), where water deficits were more pronounced compared to the lower two catena positions. Overall, agronomic N use efficiency was higher in the valley bottom and lower slope (26 kg grain kg⁻¹ N) than at the middle slope (19 kg grain kg⁻¹ N). The higher returns on investment made on fertilizer were achieved at N application rates from 45 to 90 kg N ha⁻¹. At high N levels risks on lodging were observed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Hydro-edaphic conditions, soil fertility distribution across the catena position, rice lodging risks, and economic indicators must be considered to guide site-specific fertilizer use in inland valley rice systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"321 ","pages":"Article 109679"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142763007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zeolite mitigates alternate wetting and drying – Induced potassium depletion and enhances potassium balance in rice paddies: A 6-year field study","authors":"Hongwei Han ,&nbsp;Taotao Chen ,&nbsp;Yongchao Su ,&nbsp;Shu Zhang ,&nbsp;Qing Zhao ,&nbsp;Yidi Sun ,&nbsp;Yikui Bai ,&nbsp;Daocai Chi","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Clinoptilolite zeolite, a class of crystalline inorganic porous material, has been shown to provide several benefits in field crops. However, there is limited information on field-aged effects of zeolite in relation to irrigation methods in rice.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>This study aimed to determine field-aged effects of zeolite on soil exchangeable K (SEK) and soil non-exchangeable K (NEK), K leaching, aboveground K uptake, water use efficiency (WUE), apparent K balance (AKB), soil K balance (SKB) and income of paddy field were analyzed under continuous flooding irrigation (CF) and alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a six-year (2017–2022) field experiment with two irrigation regimes (CF and AWD) as main plots and zeolite addition at the rate of 0 (Z₀) and 10 (Z₁₀) t ha⁻¹ as subplots.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed that AWD significantly increased soil NEK (0.65 kg ha⁻¹ in 2022) and decreased AKB_2017–2019 (75.11 %), AKB_2017–2022 (76.26 %), SKB_2017–2019 (4.75 kg ha⁻¹) and SKB_2017–2022 (11.25 kg ha⁻¹), respectively. Zeolite addition to paddy fields could decrease K leaching loss, increase soil exchangeable K, K balances and net income endured for six years, especially under AWD. Compared to I_CFZ₀, I_AWDZ₀ respectively decreased apparent K balance (AKB_2017–2022) and soil K balance (SKB_2017–2022) by 19.73 % and 15.09 %. Compared to Z₀, Z₁₀ respectively increased AKB_2017–2019 and SKB_2017–2019 by 48.51 % and 243.61 % and respectively increased AKB_2017–2022 and SKB_2017–2022 by 47.47 % and 112.87 %. I_AWDZ₁₀ has the highest AKB both in 3-yr aged field and 6-yr aged field, the highest soil NEK in 6-yr aged field.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Overall, the combination of zeolite and AWD technology improved K balances and addressed the accelerated deficit of effective K in paddy fields under AWD. These positive effects persisted for 6 years, exceeding the originally observed 3-yr duration, suggesting zeolite has a long-life cycle and potential in rice production systems.</div></div><div><h3>IMplications or significance</h3><div>zeolite application can mitigate K depletion for at least six years, especially under AWD, promoting sustainable agriculture development and income of paddy field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"321 ","pages":"Article 109690"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142763005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trade-offs between agronomic and environmental benefits: A comparison of inhibitors with controlled release fertilizers in global maize systems","authors":"Minyu Wang ,&nbsp;Ping He ,&nbsp;Daijia Fan ,&nbsp;Rong Jiang ,&nbsp;Guoyuan Zou ,&nbsp;Daping Song ,&nbsp;Libo Zhang ,&nbsp;Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Wentian He","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>The application of enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) is widely considered as an effective approach to decrease reactive nitrogen (Nr) losses and improve crop yield. Although the effectiveness of EEFs is influenced by soil properties and management practices, the main drivers on global maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) systems are still unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>The aims of this study were to: (i) determine the effectiveness of EEFs on maize productivity, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, ammonia (NH₃) volatilization, and nitrate (NO₃^-) leaching; (ii) explore the EEFs efficacy under different management and environmental factors; and (iii) estimate the economic and environmental costs of the maize production system under different fertilization treatments.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The responses of maize productivity and Nr losses to EEFs were determined based on the data from 191 studies (1039 pairs of observations) worldwide using meta-analysis. Five types of EEFs include nitrification inhibitor (NI), urease inhibitor (UI), double inhibitors (NIUI), controlled release urea (CRU), and controlled release bulk blending fertilizer (CRBF). The major drivers regulating EEFs efficacy were analyzed by random forest analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The EEFs significantly increased maize grain yield, N uptake, and N use efficiency (NUE) by 8.5 %, 11.6 % and 35.8 % compared to urea alone, respectively. The UI was most effective at increasing maize yield (by 11.0 %) and CRU was most effective at improving NUE (by 43.2 %). The UI decreased NH₃ volatilization by 46.0 % across all EEFs, whereas NI and NIUI were most effective at reducing N₂O emissions (by 45.9 %) and NO₃^- leaching (by 45.3 %), respectively. The effects of EEFs on maize yields and Nr losses were most dependent on soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC) content, soil texture, and annual precipitation. Inhibitors performed better when they were incorporated, and the suitable fertilizer placement for CRU and CRBF were banded. Lower total economic and environmental costs occurred when applying EEFs relative to urea alone, which was attributed to the environmental benefits.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Inhibitors and CRU reduced urea usage while maintaining maize yields relative to urea alone, and inhibitors decreased environmental costs over CRU, especially UI and NIUI. The yield-increasing effects were more significant when inhibitors were applied in neutral or alkaline soils, while CRU was more effective in soils with low total N.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>The EEFs should be used with appropriate management practices targeting different environmental conditions to strike a balance between pollution reduction and crop productivity improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109768"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143125008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling critical climatic factors and phenological stages impacting spring barley yields across Europe","authors":"Maëva Bicard ,&nbsp;Michel-Pierre Faucon ,&nbsp;Pai Rosager Pedas ,&nbsp;Dominique Vequaud ,&nbsp;Pierre A. Pin ,&nbsp;Chloé Elmerich ,&nbsp;Bastien Lange","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Yield is a complex trait reflecting the interaction between genotype, environment and farm management. The challenge of adapting spring crops to climate change involves unravelling the contribution of climatic factors that impact yield performance according to phenological stages. The aim of the present study was to identify the main Environmental Covariates (EC) – climatic variables calculated over phenological stages – driving spring barley yield levels. Five contrasting European agro-climatic (AC) regions were defined as follows: United Kingdom and Ireland (UK-IE), Denmark and Sweden (DK-SE), France (FR), Northeast Germany, Czech Republic and Poland (N.E. DE-CZ-PL) and South Germany and Austria (S. DE-AT). Yield data from 270 two-row spring barley accessions/varieties, grown in 125 environments between 2015 and 2021, were collected from a multi-environment trials network. Using the phenology-calibrated CERES-Barley model (DSSAT), 91 ECs were calculated in each environment based on collected weather data and simulated phenological stages. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression analyses were carried out to sort out the main ECs impacting yield performance in each of the five AC regions. Results showed that elevated temperatures and solar radiation were the main yield-drivers in all AC regions. Associations between water availability and yield were detected in most AC regions. The strongest contrasts were observed for the critical phenological stages during pre-anthesis, which govern grain number per unit area. Cool temperatures (days with minimum temperature &lt;0°C or &lt;7°C and average temperature &lt;15°C) during emergence and tillering, and solar radiation intensity between emergence and grain filling, were the most yield contributing ECs. This study showed the importance of considering climate during early stages to predict yields. The identification of major yields EC drivers suggests the need to adjust agricultural practices in spring barley production across Europe for climate adaptation. This study unraveled the complexity of yield ecophysiology affecting spring barley in Europe. In order to improve the adaptation of spring barley to climate change, the perspective is to examine the role of ECs on genotype x environment interactions for yield and develop stable cultivars that outperform existing germplasm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"321 ","pages":"Article 109665"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142763008","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 potassium management for enhanced cotton yields in China's diverse agro-ecological regions","authors":"Hongbang Liang ,&nbsp;Feihu Yin ,&nbsp;Jinzhu Zhang ,&nbsp;Jihong Zhang ,&nbsp;Yue Zhao ,&nbsp;Tao Zhao ,&nbsp;Deyi Li ,&nbsp;Zhenhua Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109773","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109773","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Potassium (K) plays a crucial role in the growth and yield of cotton. As the world's leading cotton-producing country, China faces challenges such as soil K depletion and rising costs of K fertilizers. Current research primarily focuses on K application at specific locations, which limits its applicability to broader agro-ecological regions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct K fertilizer management research on a regional scale.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to employ a novel approach by integrating meta-analysis with K-yield relationship models to assess the effects of K fertilization in China's major cotton-growing areas from 1980 to 2024, and to combine this with an economic benefit model to determine the ideal K application rates (KR) for different ecological cotton-growing regions in China.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study utilizes generalized additive models (GAM) to model seed cotton yield and economic benefits as functions of KR. Data from various studies were compiled to analyze the relationship between K application and cotton yield across different regions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The findings indicate that K fertilization enhances cotton yields by an average of 11.05 % in the Northwest Arid Zone (NW), 19.43 % in the Yellow River Basin (YR), and 20.36 % in the Yangtze River Basin (YT). K application significantly influences cotton yield, particularly in areas with mean annual temperatures (MAT) of 15–25°C, mean annual precipitation (MAP) of 600–1000 mm, low soil available K (SAK), high pH, and soil organic matter (SOM) content above 20 g/kg, especially in coarse soils.</div></div><div><h3>Recommendations</h3><div>For different cotton regions in China, ideal KR recommendations are 85.7–93.0 kg K₂O/ha for the NW, 117.5–121.5 kg K₂O/ha for the YR, and 163.1–172.1 kg K₂O/ha for the Yangtze River Basin. The corresponding planting densities are &gt; 6 plants/m² for the NW, 0–4 plants/m² for the YR, and 4–6 plants/m² for the Yangtze River Basin.</div><div>Significance</div><div>This study offers important insights for creating effective K management strategies in China's various cotton regions, highlighting the importance of adjusting fertilization and planting density based on local soil and climate conditions to improve productivity and promote sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109773"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143125020","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":"Cassava yield was not just a matter of total nutrient inputs: Insights from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi","authors":"Kokou Kintché ,&nbsp;Stefan Hauser ,&nbsp;Jackson Mirali Ciruza ,&nbsp;Zacharie Nzohabonayo ,&nbsp;João Vasco Silva ,&nbsp;Wivine Munyahali ,&nbsp;John Wendt ,&nbsp;Bernard Vanlauwe","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109766","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109766","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Problem</h3><div>Although cassava exports large nutrient amount from the soils, there is mixed evidence on its response to fertilizer.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This paper aimed at better understanding variable cassava responses to nutrient application and associated soil causes.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>A network of multi-location two-year on-farm trials, evaluating in contrasting DRC agroecological zones (Tshopo and Kongo Central (KC)) and in Burundi, cassava response to macronutrients (DRC and Burundi) and micronutrients (Burundi), was conducted. Two stochastic frontier models were fitted per DRC agroecological zone and per experiment in Burundi (macronutrient or micronutrient), with observation number ranging between 290 and 490 per scenario of model fitting. The best fitted model was used to estimate soil parameters’ contribution to yield response and to calculate the soil-efficient yield gap (Y_SEG). For nutrient combination “k” and in farm “i”, Y_SEG was calculated as ratio of yield obtained in farm “i” with “k” to the highest yield (derived from the best fitted model) attained from “k” in farms with similar soil fertility as farm “i”.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In Tshopo, only NK-combination yielded more than no-fertilizer, while all macronutrient combinations, except PK, did in KC and Burundi. Yield response to micronutrient was remarkably poor. Y_SEG averaged 70 %, 63 % and 54 % in Tshopo, Burundi and KC, respectively, indicating that, if nutrient use had been efficient, cassava yield should have been 30–50 % higher without increasing nutrient input. Soil fertility significantly determined yield in all zones, but soil parameters effects and the way in which their effect occurred were agroecology specific. In Tshopo and for micronutrients in Burundi (i.e., low yield response), there were complex interactions of soil parameters with the applied nutrients. For instance, soil N, exchangeable K and Mg significantly interacted with applied N in Tshopo, indicating that the farms might have simultaneously optimal levels of these three soil parameters to respond to the applied N. For most of the applied macronutrients in KC and Burundi, only one soil parameter had significant interaction, indicating that farms with optimal level of that soil parameter responded to the applied nutrient irrespective of the other soil parameters’ levels. In Burundi, Y_SEG was lower with no-fertilizer than with fertilizer application, indicating a lesser effectiveness of the native soil nutrients.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We conclude that soil fertility management (SFM) should be at the latest stage of prioritization in Tshopo. In Burundi and KC, SFM should be key priority, with focus on improving uptake of native soil nutrients in Burundi.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"323 ","pages":"Article 109766"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132929","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":"Using the CROPGRO-Perennial Forage Model to simulate the effect of asymbiotic nitrogen fixation on the growth of brachiariagrass","authors":"Fagner J. Gomes ,&nbsp;Kenneth J. Boote ,&nbsp;Carlos G.S. Pedreira ,&nbsp;Bruno C. Pedreira ,&nbsp;Cristiam Bosi ,&nbsp;Maira L.B. Bourscheidt ,&nbsp;Gerrit Hoogenboom","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109770","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109770","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>There is an increase in global demand to reduce fossil fuel use and to create sustainable intensification of animal production systems. Alternative sources of mineral nitrogen fertilizers have been shown to increase herbage accumulation. The environment in which plants thrive is dynamic and complex due to the nature of the soil-plant-atmosphere interactions. Modeling can evaluate and explain these aspects.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The objective of this study was to adapt the CROPGRO-Perennial Forage Model (PFM) for its ability to simulate asymbiotic N-fixation and growth of brachiariagrass (<em>Brachiaria</em> hybrid ‘BRS RB331’ Ipyporã) under four N sources: 0 N (0 N), 80 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ of mineral nitrogen fertilizer (80 N), 0 N + <em>Azospirillum brasilense</em> (Az), and 80 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ + <em>A. brasilense</em> (80 N + Az).</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>The study was conducted from November 2014 to March 2017 in Sinop, Brazil. The parameterization of the CROPGRO-PFM started with published values for ‘Marandu’ palisadegrass but required minor modifications for <em>Brachiaria</em> hybrid ‘BRS RB331’ Ipyporã. A limited number of parameter values were re-calibrated to include root senescence, dormancy sensitivity to daylength, and dry matter partitioning to leaf and stem. To mimic asymbiotic N fixation by <em>A. brasilense</em>, the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) module from CROPGRO-PFM-Alfalfa was used, along with a modified additional cost for BNF and modified specific activity.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS</h3><div>Important model modifications were to increase partitioning to leaf while decreasing partitioning to stem, along with modifying the daylength (winter) effect on partitioning to shoot. After modifying these model parameters, the simulation of herbage accumulation was improved, with a RMSE of 459 kg DM ha⁻¹, and <em>d</em>-statistic of 0.70. The model was successfully adapted to simulate BNF by <em>A. brasilense</em> which resulted in equivalent of 61.8 kg N fixed ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹.</div></div><div><h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Model adaptation for BNF by <em>A. brasilense</em> can effectively mimic the physiology of asymbiotic biological nitrogen fixation in the CROPGRO-PFM for simulating herbage accumulation of Ipyporã brachiariagrass.</div></div><div><h3>IMPLICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Replacing mineral fertilizers with a sustainable N source can assist with sustainable food production, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution. However, the simulations indicate that asymbiotic BNF is costly (nearly 10 times more than BNF of soybean nodules) and it can be overcome/saturated by higher fertilization levels that provide N at a lower energy cost, although there is the fossil fuel cost of mineral N fertilization but not for BNF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"322 ","pages":"Article 109770"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143055161","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}