Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"Irrigation management practices with novel plant growth regulators improve root growth, root lodging resistance and maize productivity under semi-arid regions","authors":"Haixing Zhang ,&nbsp;Shahzad Ali ,&nbsp;Yan Chen ,&nbsp;Liyu Yang ,&nbsp;Gang Pang ,&nbsp;Mohamed E. Assal ,&nbsp;Mohammed Rafi Shaik","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110097","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110097","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change has increased the frequency of drought; water resource management strategies must be adopted to reduce water pressure and increase corn yield, enabling growers to implement sustainable water-saving technologies. Improving the spatiotemporal coordination between soil moisture, root growth, and root lodging resistance is crucial for maize growth. Therefore, we conducted field trials during 2022 and 2023 under three irrigation practices D: drip irrigation; F: flood irrigation; R: rainfed with two novel growth regulators G1: ethephon and cycocel (EC); G2: diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6); and G3: EC+DA-6 combined applications. DG3 treatment, soil moisture, root biomass, and nutrient concentrations could be significantly improved, thus promoting root distribution, and nutrients absorption. DG3 treatment significantly improved the rooting system of the 60 cm upper soil profile. DG3 treatment significantly improved the root and stem exudates during the jointing and flowering stages. In the top of 0–60 cm, the root length density (RLD) and root surface area density (RSAD) of DG3 treatment were significantly higher during flowering and maturation stages. In addition, there was no significant change in RLD and RSAD in soil below 60 cm. Total lodging rate, root dry weight density, and root diameter occurred earlier under DG3 treatment, while TLR and RD under FG3 treatment were delayed. The average growth rate (Ć), maximum growth rage (c_m) and maximum values (W_max) of TRDW TRL, and ARD were significantly higher. DG3 treatment promoted the releases of several mineral components. In addition, DG3 treatment, it performed well in leaf water potential (Ψ_l), and root water potential (Ψ_r), there is a greater gradient between Ψ_l, and Ψ_r and lower crop water stress index. DG3 treatment increased RLD, RSAD, RVD, RWD, and root diameter, which contributed to root development and increased IWUE (55.7 %), irrigation water productivity (71.3 %), as a results significantly increasing (26.9 %) maize yield. In summary, DG3 treatment has great potential to improve maize yield by enhancing the spatial coordination between root distribution, and soil moisture movement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110097"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Yield dynamics of major crops in Thailand for the period 1918–2023: Regional patterns of growth, stagnation, and climate sensitivity","authors":"Praeploy Kongsurakan ,&nbsp;Tomomichi Kato ,&nbsp;Xinli Li ,&nbsp;Tatsuki Nakagawa ,&nbsp;Azusa Suzuki","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110094","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110094","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Understanding long-term yield trends is essential for guiding agricultural policy and climate adaptation, yet major gaps persist due to limited long-term datasets, insufficient analysis of subnational stagnation, and uncertainties in crop responses to policy and climate variability. Although Thailand plays a critical role in Southeast Asia’s agriculture, comprehensive provincial-scale historical assessments remain scarce.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to: (1) reconstruct long-term yield trends, (2) detect spatial and temporal stagnation patterns, and (3) assess crop sensitivities to large-scale climate variability for rice, maize, and soybean in Thailand.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We used national records to compile annual crop yield data from 1918 to 2023 across 77 provinces in Thailand. To capture both long-term trends and sudden shifts, we applied polynomial detrending and dynamic linear models to analyze yield trends and identify breakpoints. We then assessed correlations between crop yield anomalies and major climate teleconnection indices, including the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Dipole Mode Index (DMI), and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), to quantify climate influence over time and space.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Rice yields declined in the early 20th century but rose steadily after the 1960s. Maize yields accelerated in the 1980s, while soybean trends remained modest and variable. Stagnation occurred in 68 % of rice- and 49 % of maize-growing provinces, especially where irrigation access or economic support was limited. Soybean stagnation was more scattered. Nearly 70 % of rice provinces showed positive ENSO correlations, while maize and soybean responses were weaker or negative. Climate-yield associations were strongest from 1970 to 1999, diminishing in recent decades, possibly due to improved adaptation or evolving teleconnection behavior.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study provides the first over-100-year subnational analysis of yield dynamics in Thailand. While rice productivity improved overall, maize and soybean exhibited more frequent stagnation and higher climate sensitivity. Long-term teleconnections significantly influenced yield variability, especially before 2000, highlighting the importance of climate-informed agricultural policy.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The findings support the integration of climate risk monitoring into early warning systems and call for adaptive strategies, including drought-tolerant varieties, climate-resilient practices, and targeted support for stagnating provinces. Future work should incorporate socioeconomic data to refine localized climate adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110094"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757223","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 wheat nitrogen use efficiency through a management zone-based optimization strategy by integrating crop model and remote sensing","authors":"Yue Li ,&nbsp;Xiaotong Chen ,&nbsp;Yuxin Miao ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Liu ,&nbsp;Yongchao Tian ,&nbsp;Yan Zhu ,&nbsp;Qiang Cao ,&nbsp;Weixing Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110088","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110088","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Precision nitrogen (N) management (PNM) is gaining attention for its ability to optimize wheat N use efficiency while reducing environmental impacts. Although both remote sensing platforms and crop modeling have been widely explored as key tools for PNM, limited research has integrated these approaches to dynamically optimize both basal and topdressing N rates on a large scale.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to 1) estimate site- and season-specific target yields and basal N rates; 2) develop a new topdressing N strategy based on management zones (MZs) by integrating crop models with remote sensing data at the regional scale; and 3) evaluate its effectiveness in comparison with farmers’ conventional management (FCM) and the economic optimal N rate (EONR) strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>To achieve these objectives, county-level wheat yield data, vegetation indices, and a sustainable environmental index from Jiangsu Province were used to establish Random Forest (RF) and Quantile Random Forest models for estimating site- and season-specific target yields and basal N rates. MZs were delineated based on regional environmental heterogeneity, serving both for model calibration and determining the leaf area index (LAI) through remote sensing imagery. The WheatGrow model, calibrated by adjusting genetic coefficients, was employed to simulate wheat yield and phenology, showing strong potential for accurate simulation. Topdressing N rates were determined by calculating the LAI difference at the booting stage between topdressing and no-topdressing conditions, using a weather data fusion method. Field validation trials were conducted during the 2022–2023 wheat growing season across four MZs in Jiangsu Province.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results demonstrated that the RF model performed the best in yield prediction (R² = 0.94–0.95) and target yield determination. Higher target yields were observed in regions where the N recommendations were higher. Approximately 75 % of the N recommendations from the proposed PNM strategy were within 20 % of the measured EONR values. Field trials further revealed that the proposed PNM strategy improved partial factor productivity by 26–58 % compared to the FCM strategy while maintaining comparable yields and economic benefits.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In conclusion, the proposed PNM strategy offers a promising and scalable tool for variable-rate fertilization, with significant potential to enhance N use efficiency and promote sustainable agricultural development on a regional scale.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110088"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144750449","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":"Overcoming wheat yield stagnation in China depends more on cultivar improvements than water and fertilizer management","authors":"Huimin Zhuang ,&nbsp;Zhao Zhang ,&nbsp;Jialu Xu ,&nbsp;Jichong Han ,&nbsp;Fei Cheng ,&nbsp;Fulu Tao","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Crop yield stagnation has become a widespread challenge, posing severe threats to global food security. Understanding the dynamics of potential yields (Yp), actual yields and their drivers is essential for promoting sustainable agriculture production. Previous studies relied on either limited experiment and driving factors, or short-term studying periods, and have yet reached consistent conclusions.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to (1) investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of wheat Yp and Ygp across China, (2) quantify the relative contributions of climate change versus technological advancements (cultivar improvements and water/fertilizer management) to yield increases, and (3) determine region-specific strategies for sustainable intensification.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Utilizing a unique dataset spanning 38 years (1981–2018) from 306 agro-meteorological stations combined with the CERES-Wheat model, we investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of wheat yields and assess quantitatively the contributions of climate change and technological advance to yield increases across mainland China.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Spatially, Northwest China has a larger yield gap (Ygp) (&gt; 40 %) and increasing Yp trend (7.5 – 18.0 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), emerging as promising hotspot for future yield enhancement. Conversely, Yp declines with a smaller Ygp (&lt; 40 %) and declining Yp (-15.9 – −1.5 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) in several winter wheat regions of south China.</div><div>Nationwide, technological advances contributed 59.2 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ to yield increases, offsetting climate-induced losses (-8.4 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), with cultivar improvements accounting for 53 % of technological increases compared to 47 % from water and fertilizer management.</div><div>Especially, nitrogen application exceeding 179 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ would no longer effectively drive yield increase, with cultivar improvements becoming more advantageous.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our results highlight the greater contribution of cultivar improvement relative to input intensification in addressing yield stagnation, particularly under changing climatic conditions. Northwest regions require targeted irrigation modernization, while southern systems mandate nitrogen optimization and phenology-adjusted breeding to counter Yp decline.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>Our study quantifies the spatiotemporal dynamics of wheat yield potential and disentangles the dominant drivers across China, advocating for region-specific policies prioritizing climate-resilient cultivars and optimized nitrogen application to achieve sustainable intensification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110089"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724964","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 phosphorus rates for peanut: The role of soil P, water availability, and cultivar","authors":"Carlos Felipe dos Santos Cordeiro ,&nbsp;Maria Gabriela de Oliveira Andrade ,&nbsp;Leonardo Vesco Galdi ,&nbsp;Fábio Rafael Echer ,&nbsp;Ciro A. Rosolem","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peanut (<em>Arachis hypogea</em> L.) cultivars (cv) have different root morphology, which, combined with soil water availability, can change the response to phosphorus (P). This study evaluated peanut yield, P uptake, and P agronomic efficiency – kg kg⁻¹ as affected by cv maturity group and soil P availability. Four field experiments were carried out from 2021 to 2023 in sandy soils in southeastern Brazil. An early- and a late-maturing cv were grown with P rates of 0, 17, 35, 52, and 70 kg ha⁻¹. In the driest year, the maximum yield was approximately 4000 kg ha⁻¹, whereas with higher water availability, it reached around 8,000 kg ha⁻¹. Under P and water deficiency, the late cv yielded 7–32 % more than the early cv, but this did not result in higher P agronomic efficiency. Although the late cv accumulated more P and had higher yields, the P-resin content in the topsoil after harvest was higher than that of the early cv. The optimum P rate was 52 kg ha⁻¹ under low initial P in both years. However, when soil P content was medium, maximum yield was observed with 17 kg ha⁻¹ in the wet year and between 17 and 35 kg ha⁻¹ in the dry year, depending on the cv. High P rates (&gt; 52 kg ha⁻¹) reduced P agronomic efficiency because P uptake and peanut yield was not increased. Maximum P exports ranged from 12 to 28 kg ha⁻¹. The optimum P levels ranged from 2.2 to 3.8 g kg⁻¹ in peanut leaves and 8–25 mg kg⁻¹ in soil. The optimum P rate for peanuts depends on the initial soil P level, water availability, and cultivar. The late cv was better adapted to P-deficient soil and less responsive to P.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110086"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721820","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":"Enabling modeling of waterlogging impact on wheat","authors":"Rogério de S. Nóia-Júnior ,&nbsp;Valentina Stocca ,&nbsp;Pierre Martre ,&nbsp;Vakhtang Shelia ,&nbsp;Jean-Charles Deswarte ,&nbsp;Jean-Pierre Cohan ,&nbsp;Benoît Piquemal ,&nbsp;Alain Dutertre ,&nbsp;Gustavo A. Slafer ,&nbsp;Zhentao Zhang ,&nbsp;Marijn Van Der Velde ,&nbsp;Yean-Uk Kim ,&nbsp;Heidi Webber ,&nbsp;Frank Ewert ,&nbsp;Taru Palosuo ,&nbsp;Ke Liu ,&nbsp;Matthew Tom Harrison ,&nbsp;Gerrit Hoogenboom ,&nbsp;Senthold Asseng","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Most crop simulation models do not consider the effect of waterlogging despite its importance for crop performance. Here, we reviewed the impact of waterlogging during different wheat phenological stages on grain number per unit area, average grain size, and grain yield. Episodes of waterlogging from the onset of tillering to anthesis result in fewer, and during grain filling in lighter grains. To simulate such impacts, we implemented a new waterlogging module into the wheat crop simulation model DSSAT-NWheat, accounting for the effects of waterlogging on wheat root growth, biomass growth, and potential average grain size. The model incorporating the new waterlogging routine was tested using data from a controlled experiment, and it reasonably reproduced wheat yield responses to pre-anthesis waterlogging. A sensitivity analysis showed that the simulated impact of waterlogging on above ground biomass and roots, as well as leaf area index, grain number, and grain yield varied with phenological stages. The simulated crop was most sensitive to pre-anthesis waterlogging, consistent with experimental studies. The new waterlogging-enabled crop model is an initial attempt to consider the impact of excess rainfall and waterlogging on crop growth and final grain yield to reduce model uncertainties when projecting climate change impacts with increasing rainfall intensity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110090"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721821","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":"Performance of soy-winter wheat relay intercropping under various water conditions","authors":"Jennifer B. Thompson ,&nbsp;Thomas F. Döring ,&nbsp;Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura ,&nbsp;Jing Yu ,&nbsp;Moritz Reckling","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110083","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110083","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Relay intercropping can increase yields, grow two crops per year in regions where only one is possible, and provide ecological benefits. Nevertheless, relay intercropping is uncommon in Europe and its suitability as a crop diversification strategy is unknown.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Using a three-year field trial in eastern Germany, this study sought to understand under which management the system is most viable and how competition for light and water affects yields.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We studied soy-winter wheat relay intercropping in a plot trial with three cropping systems (sole wheat, sole soy, and relay intercropping), two winter wheat varieties, and two irrigation treatments (irrigated and rainfed). We measured yield, crop biomass, soil moisture, and intercepted photosynthetically active radiation throughout the growing season.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We found that in two of the three experimental years, relay intercropped soy had low or no yield and that the land equivalent ratio (LER) of the system barely reached 1 under any treatment. Water stress negatively affected intercropping as winter wheat outcompeted the soy and the growth-stunted soy received only 40–80 % of the PAR sole soy received. Even after the wheat harvest, intercropped soy did not fully recover and reached 80 % of the sole soy biomass in the best case, but in some years 0–40 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Using vigorous winter wheat and narrow-row management for productivity appears to cause water stress in soy. Future research should focus on mitigating water competition and identifying arrangements and varieties adapted to competition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110083"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714573","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":"Evaluation of soil quality and system sustainability in ratoon rice paddy field under green manure application in central China","authors":"Ying Xu ,&nbsp;Qiwen Hou ,&nbsp;Jinbiao Xiang ,&nbsp;Mutian Gao ,&nbsp;Pufan Shao ,&nbsp;Sheng Chen ,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Fu ,&nbsp;Pan Long ,&nbsp;Cheng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110087","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The ratoon rice (RR) system is increasingly recognized as an important rice-based cropping strategy for ensuring food security in China. Incorporating green manure through crop rotation is widely practiced to improve soil quality and increase rice yields. However, its effects on crop growth, soil quality, and the sustainability of the RR system are still not well understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate crop characteristics and soil physicochemical and biological indicators, and to assess RR system performance using the soil quality index area (<span><math><mrow><mi>SQI</mi><mo>∼</mo><mi>area</mi></mrow></math></span>) and the sustainability index (SI).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment (2019–2021) was carried out to examine the effects of green manure application with two RR varieties (YLY911 and LY6326) under three rotation scenarios: fallow-RR (FA), rapeseed-RR (RA), and milk vetch-RR (MV), where rapeseed and milk vetch were incorporated into the soil in situ.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with the FA treatment, both RA and MV treatments significantly improved RR growth, nitrogen uptake, grain yield, soil nutrient content, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen levels. On average across years, seasons, and varieties, RA and MV increased <span><math><mrow><mi>SQI</mi><mo>∼</mo><mi>area</mi></mrow></math></span> by 39.10 % and 70.41 % in the 0–10 cm soil layer, and by 37.78 % and 63.65 % in the 10–20 cm layer, respectively. Similarly, SI increased by 20.38 % and 33.93 % in the 0–10 cm layer, and by 24.40 % and 37.74 % in the 10–20 cm layer. Under MV treatment, LY6326 showed higher system sustainability than YLY911. Partial least squares path modeling analysis further revealed that green manure had significant direct positive effects on soil total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved organic nitrogen, and microbial nitrogen indicators in the 0–10 cm layer, and mainly affected TDN and DIN in the 10–20 cm layer. These improvements enhanced soil quality and system sustainability, thereby indirectly increasing grain yield.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Green manure improved soil quality and system sustainability in RR fields by increasing dissolved and microbial nitrogen levels, which indirectly enhanced yield. The combination of milk vetch and the LY6326 variety showed the greatest benefit.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The combination of milk vetch green manure and the LY6326 variety offers an effective strategy to improve soil health and productivity in RR systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110087"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721819","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":"Variation in the response of maize (Zea mays L.) root-shoot growth and grain yield to tillage practices under various soil compactions","authors":"Zhuohan Gao ,&nbsp;Xinbing Wang ,&nbsp;Zhigang Wang ,&nbsp;Zaisong Ding ,&nbsp;Lu Liang ,&nbsp;Wenchao Zhen ,&nbsp;Zheng Liu ,&nbsp;Congfeng Li ,&nbsp;Ming Zhao ,&nbsp;Baoyuan Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110082","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110082","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Appropriate tillage practice is essential for improving the production of maize (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) under various levels of soil compaction. This study aimed to reveal the underlying process of different tillage practices regulating maize root-shoot growth and yield response to various compaction levels. A two-year field experiment was conducted with two soil compaction levels (light compaction - LC, 1.45 g cm⁻³; heavy compaction - HC, 1.60 g cm⁻³) and three tillage practices (no-tillage - NT, rotary tillage - RT, and sub-soiling tillage - ST). HC decreased maize yield by 4.7–24.1 % compared to LC across tillage and years, meanwhile RT and ST significantly increased maize yield compared to NT under various compaction conditions. RT reduced soil bulk density and increased total porosity in the 0–20 cm soil layer compared to NT, while ST also contributed the effects in the 20–40 cm soil layer. As a result, ST exhibited an obvious advantage over RT in improving root length, root dry weight, and root absorption capacity, as well as shoot growth indices, such as photosynthetic parameters, leaf area index, and dry matter accumulation under HC, while it had no advantage under LC. Moreover, the improvement in root growth indices by ST was greater than that of shoot growth, particularly under HC, leading to increased root/shoot ratio. We concluded that both RT and ST could mitigate maize yield reduction from compaction by improving soil properties and root-shoot growth, while the effects of ST were enhanced under heavy compaction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110082"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714574","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":"Next-generation strategies for nitrogen-efficient maize production for a greener tomorrow","authors":"Muhammad Faheem Jan ,&nbsp;Waqas Liaqat ,&nbsp;Muhammad Tanveer Altaf ,&nbsp;Muhammad Dawood Ahmadzai ,&nbsp;Asia Maqbool ,&nbsp;Faheem Shehzad Baloch ,&nbsp;Ming Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in maize is central to addressing the dual challenges of increasing crop productivity and minimizing environmental nitrogen (N) losses. Nitrogen is essential for plant growth, but inefficient use leads to significant environmental impacts. Traditional fertilization methods often result in excessive N loss, which contributes to pollution and reduces sustainability. Improving NUE is, therefore, a key priority for both agricultural productivity and environmental protection.</div></div><div><h3>Scope</h3><div>This review integrates multidisciplinary insights into the agronomic, molecular, and technological dimensions of NUE in maize. Agronomic strategies such as the use of biofertilizers, biochar, mulching, intercropping, and green manuring are evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing N losses and promoting plant uptake. The role of root system architecture and soil-plant interactions is discussed as a foundation for understanding NUE at a physiological level. Technological advancements like precision agriculture and remote sensing are reviewed for their potential to optimize N application in real time. On the molecular front, methods including QTL mapping, GWAS, and candidate gene studies are explored for identifying genetic components of NUE. The paper also covers multi-omics approaches combining genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data for deeper insights into N-related pathways. CRISPR-Cas gene-editing is highlighted as a transformative tool for breeding N-efficient maize varieties.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>By linking agronomic innovations with molecular advancements, the review provides a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing NUE in maize. It emphasizes the synergy between traditional farming practices and cutting-edge genetic and digital technologies. Ultimately, the integration of these approaches offers a sustainable path toward improving maize productivity while mitigating environmental impact, especially in the context of climate change and increasing global food demands.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This review consolidates complex, multidisciplinary advances into a clear framework for improving NUE in maize, supporting sustainable crop production through actionable, innovation-driven strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"333 ","pages":"Article 110084"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144712928","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}