Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Adaptive sowing window strategy for improving grain filling and water loss characteristics of film-mulched maize in Northwest China","authors":"Xudong Zhang ,&nbsp;Haixiang Xiong ,&nbsp;Rui Wang ,&nbsp;Junjie Li ,&nbsp;Zhaoyun Dong ,&nbsp;Zhikuan Jia ,&nbsp;Qingfang Han","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>High yield and mechanization are essential goals in modern crop production. However, sowing strategies that maximize yield and mechanical harvesting efficiency in film-mulched maize remain understudied.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to optimize the sowing window to create better water and temperature conditions, improve grain filling and water loss characteristics, and ultimately achieve mechanically harvestable high yields in film-mulched maize.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-factor field experiment was conducted over two consecutive years (2021–2022) in Northwest China, incorporating two planting methods (film-mulch vs. no-mulch) and four sowing dates (April 10 to May 16).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Film-mulch planting increased soil temperature, accelerating maize phenological development and shortening the growth period compared with no-mulch planting. Notably, it increased the growing degree days (GDD) by 32.4–173.5 °C d but reduced plant available water (PAW) by 25.2–39.9 % during grain filling period. These changes increased grain filling rate (GFR) by 27.7–45.5 % and water loss rate (GWLR) by 2.2–15.1 %, ultimately promoting grain yield by 153.9–199.6 % and advancing mechanical harvesting date by 24–33 days. Early sowing maximized yield and harvest efficiency in water-sufficient year, while delaying sowing window to April 22–May 6 for film-mulched maize (compared with April 18–28 for no-mulch) can mitigate drought stress risks from accelerated development, thereby ensuring both yield stability and mechanical grain harvesting.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A one-week sowing delay is recommended for film-mulched maize compared with no-mulched pattern. This adaptive sowing window strategy can balance yield improvement and mechanical harvesting compatibility in semi-arid regions with limited and variable precipitation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109855"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637085","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":"Increased spike density and enhanced vegetative growth as primary contributors to improvement of dryland wheat yield via surface mulching","authors":"Yuwei Chai ,&nbsp;Yawei Li ,&nbsp;Rui Li ,&nbsp;Lei Chang ,&nbsp;Hongbo Cheng ,&nbsp;Jiantao Ma ,&nbsp;Yuqing Qin ,&nbsp;Fanxiang Han ,&nbsp;Changgang Yang ,&nbsp;Yuzhang Chen ,&nbsp;Qian Chen ,&nbsp;Yao Zhang ,&nbsp;Caixia Huang ,&nbsp;Shouxi Chai","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109853","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or Problem</h3><div>Plastic film mulching and straw mulching are the primary cropping practices for increasing wheat yield and water use efficiency in water-deficient regions. Nevertheless, there remains a deficit in comprehensive and clear understanding of how mulching-induced alterations in yield components contribute to increased grain yield of wheat.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to dissect the causal mechanisms connecting yield increase of wheat with alterations in yield components under mulching.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>From 2012–2020, a total of 56 field experiments of winter wheat with different sites and tested cultivars were conducted in the semiarid rainfed region of Northwest China, using three treatments for each experiment: (1) straw strip mulch (SM), a partial ground mulching; (2) whole-ground plastic film mulching (PM); and (3) no mulching with wheat sown in rows, as a control (CK).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Meta-analysis revealed that PM enhanced grain yield and its components to a greater extent than SM. Compared with CK, on average across the 56 experiments, SM and PM increased (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) grain yield by 13.4 and 21.2 %, spike density (spikes ha⁻¹) by 7.0 and 12.9 %, thousand-grain weight by 1.8 (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05) and 5.5 %, total grains ha⁻¹ by 10.3 and 16.7 %, straw yield by 15.1 and 29.9 %, biomass by 14.6 and 26.2 %, net income by 774 and 68 <em>¥</em> ha⁻¹, respectively. However, Grains per spike and harvest indices did not differ among treatments (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). The translocation contribution, translocation amount, translocation efficiency of pre-anthesis assimilate from whole plant to grains in SM and PM were 8.5 and 19.5 %, 24.2 and 72.7 %, 3.6 and 7.1 % higher than those in CK, respectively. A significant positive correlation (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) was observed between grain yield and straw yield, as well as between each of them and spike density, the translocation contribution rate, respectively. Grain yield of SM increased with an increase in mulched area, and the grain yield in SM with 59 % of mulched area was similar to that in PM (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The increased spike density was identified as the first component leading to higher grain yield in SM and PM over CK, while the enhanced vegetative growth (straw yield) provided photosynthetic product support for increasing spike density and transferring more pre-anthesis assimilate to grains. The economics of PM were not as attractive as those of the appropriate SM system despite the higher yield merits.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The findings potentially contribute to innovation, improvement and implementation of mulching practices for wheat cultivation in water-deficient regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109853"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143628444","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":"No tillage with straw mulching enhanced radiation use efficiency of wheat via optimizing canopy radiation interception and photosynthetic properties","authors":"Pan Li ,&nbsp;Wen Yin ,&nbsp;Lianhao Zhao ,&nbsp;Pingxing Wan ,&nbsp;Zhilong Fan ,&nbsp;Falong Hu ,&nbsp;Yunyou Nan ,&nbsp;Yali Sun ,&nbsp;Hong Fan ,&nbsp;Wei He ,&nbsp;Qiang Chai","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109854","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Conservation tillage practices are widely used in dryland areas of China to intensify ecological resource use and improve crop yields. However, the response mechanisms of canopy radiation interception and use efficiency for wheat to straw retention remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to explore the potential mechanisms by which straw retention affects canopy radiation interception characteristics, photosynthetic properties, grain yield, and radiation use efficiency during the growth period of wheat.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a three-year field experiment in Northwest China to study how straw retention affects canopy radiation interception and photosynthetic properties of wheat. The experiment included four treatments: no tillage with straw mulching (NTSM), no tillage with straw standing (NTSS), conventional deep tillage with straw incorporation (CTS), and conventional deep tillage without straw retention (CT, the control).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Straw retention (NTSM, NTSS, and CTS) optimized the dynamics of canopy radiation interception during the wheat growth season. These practices helped maintain higher canopy cover and lower penetration ratio, thereby increasing canopy radiation interception of wheat. NTSM showed the most significant advantage, with 20.8 %, 17.2 %, and 7.2 % increase in canopy radiation interception of wheat over NTSS, CTS, and CT. NTSM also helped to delay the degradation of chlorophyll a, b after the wheat anthesis stage. This delay was particularly notable for chlorophyll a, resulting in a 9.2 % increase in chlorophyll a/b compared to CT. Straw retention also optimized photosynthetic mechanisms, promoted carbon assimilation, and enhanced photosynthetic production during wheat grain filling. The net photosynthetic rate of wheat at 45 d after emergence was increased by 16.4 % and 11.5 % with NTSM and NTSS over CT, and enhanced by 12.7 % and 8.0 % over CTS. This was because NTSM increased key photosynthetic enzyme activities (Rubisco, GAPDH, and FBA) by 38.1 %, 13.5 %, and 40.2 % compared to CT, with corresponding gene expression levels rising by 11.8 %, 28.1 %, and 11.7 %. The content of D1 and D2 proteins in PSII with NTSM increased by 21.7 % and 11.1 % over CT. As a result, NTSM had higher grain yield and canopy radiation use efficiency of wheat, increasing by 20.5 % and 9.1 % compared to CT.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>No tillage with straw mulching enhanced radiation use efficiency of wheat by optimizing canopy radiation interception and photosynthetic properties.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>Our research reveals the mechanisms for improving the canopy radiation use efficiency of wheat and its response to no tillage with straw mulching, offering valuable insights for long-term wheat production in irrigated arid areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109854"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143620307","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":"Foliar fertilization with potassium silicate enhances water productivity and drought resilience in sugar beet","authors":"Ahmed Shaaban ,&nbsp;Nasr M. Abdou ,&nbsp;Taia A. Abd El‑Mageed ,&nbsp;Wael M. Semida ,&nbsp;Ahmed R. Abd El Tawwab ,&nbsp;Gamal F. Mohamed ,&nbsp;Mohamed S. Mohamed ,&nbsp;Mohamed T. El‑Saadony ,&nbsp;Khaled A. El-Tarabily ,&nbsp;Synan F. AbuQamar ,&nbsp;Khaulood A. Hemida","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109840","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Sugar beet (&lt;em&gt;Beta vulgaris&lt;/em&gt; L.) is an essential industrial crop valued for its sugar production, especially in regions with limited water resources. Due to its lower water demands, sugar beet is favored over sugarcane in Egypt. We hypothesized that foliar application of potassium silicate (K₂SiO₃) would enhance sugar beet's physiological responses, yield, and water productivity under drought and saline conditions, offering an eco-friendly solution to optimize crop performance in semi-arid regions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objectives&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aimed to (i) investigate the impact of foliar-applied K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; on the physiological, biochemical, and anatomical traits of sugar beet under drought stress in saline soils, (ii) evaluate the effects of K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; on agronomic traits, root and sugar yields, and water productivity under different irrigation regimes, and (iii) assess K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; to mitigate the adverse effects of drought and salinity, enhancing sugar beet resilience and productivity.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Field experiments were conducted over two winter seasons at Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt, to assess the impact of three irrigation regimes (DIR&lt;sub&gt;0%&lt;/sub&gt;, DIR&lt;sub&gt;25%&lt;/sub&gt;, DIR&lt;sub&gt;50%&lt;/sub&gt;) and three foliar K₂SiO₃ concentrations (0, 10, 20 mmol L&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) on sugar beet (cv. Baraca) in a split-plot arrangement based on a randomized complete block design (in triplicates). Physiological parameters, such as leaf water content, membrane stability, chlorophyll fluorescence, osmolyte accumulation, and antioxidant enzyme activities, were measured. Agronomic traits, including root yield, white sugar yield, and crop water productivity (WPc), were also evaluated.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In general, drought stress negatively impacted physio-biochemical and anatomical traits, nutrient uptake, growth, sugar yield, and quality of sugar beet. This was evidenced by the significantly (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt;&lt;0.05) increased levels of osmolytes and antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic), which indicated the plant’s defensive/adaptive responses to drought stress. However, K&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;SiO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; effectively alleviated the adverse effects of deficit irrigation. Notably, the interaction of DIR&lt;sub&gt;0%&lt;/sub&gt; × KSi-20 resulted in the highest root yield (88.97 t ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) and sugar yield (14.43 t ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;), while the highest WPc (24.48 kg m&lt;sup&gt;−3&lt;/sup&gt;) was achieved in the DIR&lt;sub&gt;50%&lt;/sub&gt; × KSi-20 treatment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Foliar application of K₂SiO₃ effectively alleviates drought and salinity stress in sugar beet by improving physiological and biochemical traits. The treatment enhances photosynthetic efficiency, osmolyte accumulation, antioxidant activity, and nutrient uptake, leading to improved crop yield and quality.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Implications&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study highlights K₂SiO₃ as ","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109840"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143620306","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":"Improving seed yield and N use efficiency of sunflower by deep placement of N fertilizers and straw mulch on saline clay soils of the Ganges Delta","authors":"Bidhan Chandro Sarker ,&nbsp;Enamul Kabir ,&nbsp;Richard W. Bell ,&nbsp;Yasin Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving high nitrogen (N) fertilizer use efficiency remains a challenge for crop production, especially when the soil is dry during critical growth periods and under zero-tillage. Appropriate placement depth of N fertilizers may increase the N use efficiency and yield of crops by enhancing availability, uptake and utilization of N, but it is unclear whether these gains can be made in saline clay soils.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To test the hypothesis, sunflower was grown in consecutive dry seasons on a saline clay soil of the Ganges Delta to evaluate the effects of placement depth of N and mulch on growth, yield, net return and N use efficiency of the crop.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In both the years, the treatments consisted of eight placement combinations [P₀= prilled urea at surface (0 cm), P₁= prilled urea at 5 cm depth, P₂= prilled urea at 10 cm depth, P₃= prilled urea at 15 cm depth, P₄= urea super granules (USG) at 5 cm depth, P₅= USG at 10 cm depth, P₆= USG at 15 cm depth and P₇= USG at 20 cm depth] with and without rice straw mulch.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Main effects of N placement method and mulch significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) influenced the yield, N use efficiency and net return but their interaction for those parameters was non-significant. Prilled urea at 10–15 cm depth was associated with highest yield components, seed yield (3.8–4.0 t ha⁻¹), oil yield and net return while the agronomic N efficiency (26 kg kg⁻¹) was higher in USG at 15 cm depth than other treatments in both the cultivation years. The rice straw mulch improved the seed yield, oil yield, net return and N use efficiency by 7, 4, 11 and 8 %, respectively, relative to un-mulched fields.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We conclude that placement of prilled urea at 10 cm depth and mulch on the soil surface increase apparent N recovery and N use efficiency for zero-tilled sunflower in the saline clay soils of the Ganges Delta.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>Deep placement (10–15 cm) of N from prilled urea enhanced the yield and N use efficiency due to enhanced soil water content around the placed urea, and increased uptake and utilization of N. Mulch also conserved the soil water, leading to higher solute potential and lower topsoil salinity that were positively related to growth, yield and N use efficiency of sunflower, but the effects were independent of N placement depth or form.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109843"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609632","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":"Nitrogen and organic matter managements improve rice yield and affect greenhouse gas emissions in China’s rice-wheat system","authors":"Li Zhang ,&nbsp;Feng Zhang ,&nbsp;Kaiping Zhang ,&nbsp;Yue Wang ,&nbsp;Evgenios Agathokleous ,&nbsp;Chao Fang ,&nbsp;Zhike Zhang ,&nbsp;Haiyan Wei ,&nbsp;Zhongyang Huo","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Mineral nitrogen (N) management and organic matter management in the paddy fields directly affect yield and soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the rice-wheat rotation system of China. However, comprehensive research on the combined impacts of these two practices remains insufficient, and there is a lack of quantitative analyses on a large regional scale as well as identification of the main drivers.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to elucidate the impact of mineral N management and organic matter management on rice yield and global warming potential (GWP) and their spatial distribution patterns, and to investigate influential factors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We combined machine learning algorithms based on meta-analysis to assess the effect of mineral N management (synthetic N fertilizer, slow-/controlled- release fertilizer) and organic matter management (organic fertilizer, biochar amendment, and straw return) on rice yield and GHG in the rice-wheat system by compiling 163 peer-reviewed journal articles and high-resolution multi-source databases in China.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mineral N management significantly increased rice yield (412 %) and N₂O (162.3 %), and reduced GHG emissions intensity (GHGI; 20.1 %). Organic matter management increased CH₄, GWP, and GHGI by 74.4 %, 60.8 %, and 55.1 %, respectively. Machine learning (random forest (RF), support vector machine, multiple layer perceptron, and gradient boosting machine) suggested that RF was the optimal method for predicting rice yield and GHG (R² = 0.43–0.90). The spatial distribution indicated that mineral N management boosted rice yield and N₂O while reducing GHGI, especially in the Middle-lower Yangtze River (MLY) region, by 37.6 %, 277 %, and 25.2 %, respectively. Structural equation modeling and RF analysis revealed that field management practices and edaphic factors had major contributions to rice yield, while climatic factors were positively with CH₄ and N₂O emissions.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>Our findings provide insights into the importance of inorganic and organic managements to ensure food security and environmental sustainability, thereby contributing to the promotion of sustainable rice production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109838"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143600957","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":"Engineered silicate-solubilizing bacterial community alleviates nutrient stress in field-grown maize by enhancing silicon uptake and optimizing rhizosphere microecology","authors":"Chao Wang ,&nbsp;Chengkai Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhihong Xie ,&nbsp;Dandan Wang ,&nbsp;Yue Meng ,&nbsp;Yajie Sun ,&nbsp;Yinglong Chen ,&nbsp;Zhaoyu Li ,&nbsp;Yaowei Kang ,&nbsp;Yizhu Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109827","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109827","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Silicon (Si), as a functional element, is known to benefit the development and growth of cereals, especially under stress conditions. Si biofortification in crops using silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) offers an eco-friendly biotechnique for enhancing crop resilience.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a synthetic community of SSBs (SSB SynCom), isolated from across the country for high silica degradation capacity, in supporting competitive maize yields with reduced fertilizer application.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted to compare the effect of SSB SynCom on maize growth, yield and rhizosphere microecology with reduced fertilizer application.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The application of SSB SynCom significantly increased biomass and yield in maize under nutritional stress, particularly nitrogen (N) deficiency. Leaf photosynthetic capacity, Si concentration, and the expression levels of Si transporter genes were notably enhanced with SSB SynCom, along with significant changes in rhizosphere microecology. Notably, N and Si concentration in the shoots were strongly correlated. Additionally, several key microbial genera showed significant positive associations with the nutritional status of the host plant.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The investigated SSB SynCom proved to be a highly effective microbial agent for improving yield via N-Si interactions in field-grown maize with reduced fertilizer input, offering new avenues for sustainable agricultural development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109827"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143591941","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":"How do integrated agronomic practices enhance sunflower productivity and stability in saline-alkali soils of arid regions? Evidence from China","authors":"Lei Sun ,&nbsp;Yufan Wu ,&nbsp;Yiming Fan ,&nbsp;Puyuan Qi ,&nbsp;Jianyu He ,&nbsp;Zelin Hou ,&nbsp;Quanzhong Huang ,&nbsp;Guanhua Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109841","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109841","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving stable sunflower yield (Y) in saline-alkali soils is challenging. Integrated agronomic practices, including irrigation on crop demand (IOD), straw return (SR), and organic substitution (OS), offer promising solutions, but their combined effects remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of IOD, SR, and OS on soil microenvironment, sunflower Y, Y stability, nitrogen uptake (NU), and nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFP_N) in arid regions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A field experiment was conducted over two growing seasons (2022–2023) in northwest China, with treatments including different combinations of IOD, SR, OS, conventional drip irrigation (CDI), chemical fertilizer only (CK), and straw not return (SNR). Pearson and random forest analyses were applied to evaluate correlations, and rank the relative importance of each indicator to Y, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The IOD+SR+OS treatment significantly improved sunflower Y and stability, achieving an average yield of 4.42 t hm⁻², with a high sustainability yield index (SYI = 0.96) and a low coefficient of variation (CV = 2.9 %). Compared to CDI+SNR+CK, it increased PFP_N by 79.18 % and NU by 49.39 %. This treatment also enhanced soil nitrogen storage (NS), while reducing salt storage (SS), optimizing soil microenvironment for crop growth and NU. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between PFP_N, NS, and Y (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.01), while SS negatively correlated with Y (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.001). Random forest analysis identified SS and NS as key factors influencing sunflower Y.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Integrating IOD, SR, and OS significantly improves sunflower Y and stability in saline-alkali soils by optimizing soil water, salt, and nitrogen distribution, supporting sustainable agriculture in arid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109841"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577855","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":"Temporal and spatial patterns of N2O emissions in maize/legume strip intercropping: Effects of straw incorporation and crop interactions","authors":"Jinchuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Wei Yao ,&nbsp;Yongkang Wen ,&nbsp;Xin Qian ,&nbsp;Leanne Peixoto ,&nbsp;Shengquan Yang ,&nbsp;Shaoyong Meng ,&nbsp;Yadong Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaohai Zeng ,&nbsp;Huadong Zang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109850","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109850","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Maize/legume intercropping presents a sustainable agricultural strategy to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>The impact of maize/legume strip intercropping on N₂O emissions, crop yields, and the associated mechanisms are not yet fully understood, particularly in the context of straw incorporation practices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment comparing five cropping systems (maize/peanut strip intercropping, maize/soybean strip intercropping, and corresponding monocropping) either with or without straw incorporation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Maize/legume strip intercropping increased yields by 15–24 % and reduced N₂O emissions by 15–22 % compared to the expected intercropping. This increase in yields, combined with the reduction in N₂O emissions, led to a 20–39 % reduction N₂O emission per unit of production in intercropped systems. The primary reduction in emissions occurred 7–10 days after the second fertilization, accounting for over half of the total emission reduction. Spatial analysis revealed that the majority of the reduction originated from the maize and interaction rows. Soil nitrate (NO₃^-) concentration emerged as the most critical factor influencing N₂O flux, with NH₄⁺ concentration also playing a significant role. Notably, straw incorporation did not increase N₂O emissions from intercropping systems, while yield tended to increase, albeit not significantly.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Maize/legume strip intercropping enhances nitrogen utilization, significantly mitigates N₂O emissions, and boosts crop productivity; however, these effects remain consistent regardless of straw incorporation practices.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study highlights the advantages of maize/legume strip intercropping systems in reducing N₂O emissions and its potential contribution to crop production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109850"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577856","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":"Regulation of subsurface drip fertigation on nitrogen cycling soil microorganisms and N2O and NH3 emissions from aeolian sandy soil in alfalfa field in temperate arid regions","authors":"Hongxiu Ma,&nbsp;Quan Sun,&nbsp;Xiaojuan Zhang,&nbsp;Peng Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109748","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>How to reduce the loss of reactive nitrogen (RNL), increase the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency, and alleviate the negative impacts of nitrogen fertilization on the environment has always been the focus of scientific research. Currently, the responses of RNL and nitrogen cycling microorganisms (NCM) in aeolian sandy soil to different levels of subsurface drip fertigation and the mechanisms in temperate arid regions are still unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim was to clarify the effects of different levels of subsurface drip fertigation on the soil RNL and NCM in alfalfa fields.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted in Yinchuan, an arid region of northwest China, with two subsurface drip irrigation levels (525 and 700 mm) and three nitrogen application rates (0, 150, and 300 kg N ha⁻¹).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The pulse emissions of N₂O and NH₃ significantly increased after irrigation and nitrogen fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased N₂O and NH₃ emissions under the two soil moisture conditions compared with the control, especially the W2N2 treatment, due to that the increase in soil NH₄⁺-N content led to changes in the abundance of nitrogen cycling-related functional genes. The quantities of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) reflected their contributions in the ammonia oxidation, but this contribution varied depending on specific soil environmental conditions. Under low soil NH₄⁺-N content conditions, AOA was more active than AOB and contributed more to total ammonia oxidation. Interestingly, at the high irrigation level (700 mm), nitrogen fertilization had a weaker effect on bacterial diversity than irrigation; Irrigation had a more direct and positive effect on the number and diversity of soil bacteria by increasing soil moisture content and changing soil physicochemical properties. At the high nitrogen application rate (300 kg N ha⁻¹), AOB contributed more to the ammonia oxidation than AOA, which indirectly increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, and led to greater RNL by reducing the abundance of AOA and Firmicutes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The irrigation and nitrogen fertilization affected the diversity and composition of bacterial communities in aeolian sandy soils, and changed N₂O and NH₃ emissions by changing the abundance of NCM.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study will deepen our understanding of the regulation of subsurface drip fertigation on soil microorganisms and N₂O and NH₃ emissions in grassland ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109748"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577854","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}