European Journal of Agronomy最新文献

{"title":"Film-mulched drip irrigation in the main potato production areas of Northern China: Assessing future yield, greenhouse gas emissions and drivers under climate change","authors":"Qiaoling Liu ,&nbsp;Jianyu Zhao ,&nbsp;Fengxin Wang ,&nbsp;Kaijing Yang ,&nbsp;Jialu Dai ,&nbsp;Bin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change threatens global agriculture through extreme weather and shifting growing conditions. Potatoes, a critical staple crop, face challenges like heat stress and water scarcity. Optimising agronomic practices, such as drip irrigation and film mulching, is critical to achieving climate-smart potato production and ensuring food security. During 2021–2100, the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model and the Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model were comprehensively used to assess the effects of drip irrigation with and without film mulching on potato yield and global warming potential (GWP) under different future climate scenarios in the main potato producing areas of northern China. The results indicated that the DNDC model could effectively predict potato growth and emissions of nitrous oxide and methane (adjusted R² &gt; 0.81, normalized root mean square error &lt; 0.20). Compared to without film mulching (NM), the aboveground biomass and tuber yield were increased under drip irrigation with film mulch (TM), with the mean annual tuber yield of potatoes being 6.2 %-7.4 % higher under multiple emission scenarios. The GWP of TM increased by 1.1–1.4 times, and the net GWP offset decreased by 9.4 %-16.3 %. The MGWR analysis showed that precipitation had a significant positive effect on tuber yield in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Ningxia, while temperature was the main negative influence on yield in Shaanxi. The main drivers of GWP were temperature and precipitation, with significant differences between regions. The findings provide a scientific basis for developing management strategies to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change on potato production, emphasizing the need to strike a balance between increasing yields and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127924"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145567428","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":"Unraveling the regional dynamics of straw mulching and incorporation on crop yields in Northeast China","authors":"Ying Song ,&nbsp;Zhijie Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoling He ,&nbsp;Jiaqiong Zhang ,&nbsp;Jinxia Fu ,&nbsp;Fenli Zheng ,&nbsp;Zhi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127943","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127943","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Selecting an appropriate straw return method is crucial for enhancing crop productivity and promoting sustainable agriculture in the black soil region of Northeast China. However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of different straw return methods on crop yield, and their regional applicability has not yet been established. This study integrates machine learning approaches and meta-analysis to assess the impact of straw mulch (SM) and straw incorporation (SI) on crop yields under varying climate, soils, and agricultural management conditions in Northeast China’s drylands. Straw return overall increases crop yield by ∼5 %, among which SM and SI have similar mean contributions to yield improvements (5 % vs 4 %). The effects of two straw return methods vary with environmental conditions; specifically, SM outperforms SI under low temperatures (mean annual temperature MAT &lt;6 ℃), drought (mean annual precipitation MAP &lt;600 mm), and moderate erosion (mean annual soil erosion ASE 0.5–2 t/ha), but SI has better effects with high temperatures (MAT &gt;6 ℃), high precipitation (MAP &gt;600 mm), and severe erosion (ASE &gt;2 t/ha). SM achieves the highest yield benefit (8 %) under moderate straw return amounts (6000–10,000 kg/ha), whereas SI performs the best (6 %) at low straw return amounts (&lt; 6000 kg/ha). Furthermore, the yield-enhancing effects of both methods intensifies with increasing experimental duration, with SI's effect gradually and consistently surpassing that of SM. Spatial prediction results reveal that the overall extent of yield increase for SI is 9 %, with higher increasing yield potential observed in the southwest and southeast regions, while the extent of yield increase for SM is lower, at only 3 %. This study elucidates the differentiated yield-enhancing effects of different straw return methods in the black soil region, providing a scientific basis for precision agricultural management and sustainable utilization of black soil in Northeast China and other similar regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127943"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145609504","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":"On-farm fertilization experiment on small-scale cocoa farms in Côte d′Ivoire: Evaluation of poultry litter compost for sustainable yield and profitability","authors":"Sibylle Lustenberger ,&nbsp;Bassirou Bonfoh ,&nbsp;Bognan Valentin Koné ,&nbsp;Johan Six ,&nbsp;Günther Fink","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127878","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In Côte d’Ivoire, cocoa is primarily produced on small-scale monoculture plantations as the main source of income for much of the rural population. Fertilization of cocoa farms remains uncommon, and long-term production without fertilization contributes to soil degradation. The ongoing decrease in productivity on small-scale cocoa farms undermines producers’ livelihoods and aggravates poverty. Poultry litter compost from the emerging poultry industry bares potential as a sustainable alternative to mineral fertilizers, but its effectiveness and profitability for cocoa production remain unknown.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our study aimed to compare productivity and profitability effects of mineral-, compost-, and mixed fertilizers on a representative sample of established small-scale, age-diverse cocoa fields.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Our randomized controlled on-farm experiment included 120 farmers’ cocoa fields in central Côte d’Ivoire to assess productivity and profitability of three fertilizer options over one production cycle: Organic- (composted poultry litter, 71 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;), mineral- (marketed NPK+, 15 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;), and 50:50 combined organic and mineral fertilization (43 kg N ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;). Experimental plots comprised three cocoa trees per treatment and trees were fertilized twice before trees’ main harvest yields were measured. We estimated bean dry weights, annual yields and financial incomes per hectare. Treatment differences in yield and market value per hectare were tested using linear mixed-effects models, and report value-to-cost ratio (VCR = additional cocoa market value divided by total fertilization cost) of treatments’ projected annual harvests. We predicted compost fertilization VCR under both low-end and high-end price scenarios to account for regional variation in commercialization of poultry litter sale and resulting price variance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results and conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Organic fertilization led to the highest increase of main harvest productivity (+ 190 kg dryweight per ha (dw), 38 %) followed by mixed fertilization (+ 145 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; dw, 31 %) and mineral fertilization (+ 118 kg ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; dw, 22 %). Organic fertilization showed a high positive return on investment (VCR&lt;sub&gt;l&lt;/sub&gt; = 3.08, CI = 1.94, 4.22) in the low cost scenario of USD 104 ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, but not when high costs were assumed (VCR&lt;sub&gt;h&lt;/sub&gt; = 0.94, CI = 0.59, 1.29, USD 342 ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;). The value-to-cost ratio was below one for both the mixed (VCR&lt;sub&gt;l&lt;/sub&gt; = 0.88, CI = 0.47, 1.29, USD 290 and VCR&lt;sub&gt;h&lt;/sub&gt; = 0.62, CI = 0.33, 0.91, USD 409 ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;) and the mineral fertilizer (VCR = 0.26, CI = 0.01, 0.51, USD 460 ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; y&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Significance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study provides first experimental evidence of the effectiveness","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127878"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145609497","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":"Agronomic and physiological responses of mature ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon grafted onto Diospyros lotus and Diospyros virginiana under spring-regulated deficit irrigation in Mediterranean conditions","authors":"Armand Román ,&nbsp;Pablo González-Altozano ,&nbsp;Pau Martí ,&nbsp;Luis Bonet ,&nbsp;María Amparo Martínez-Gimeno ,&nbsp;Eduardo Badal","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127947","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127947","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assessed the effects of spring-regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies on the physiological and agronomic performance of a ‘Rojo Brillante’ persimmon (<em>Diospyros kaki</em>) orchard grafted onto <em>Diospyros lotus</em> and <em>D. virginiana</em> rootstocks. The trial was conducted from 2016 to 2019 in a commercial orchard located in Llíria (Valencia, Spain), under Mediterranean climate conditions. RDI was applied during late spring at increasing water restriction levels, while control treatments received non-limited irrigation. Results showed that RDI did not reduce yield per tree, even under severe water deficits, and consistently improved irrigation water productivity by up to 21 % in <em>D. lotus</em> and 31 % in <em>D. virginiana</em> compared to fully irrigated controls. The reduction in fruit drop observed in RDI treatments led to a 30 % increase in harvested fruits in <em>D. lotus</em> and 42 % in <em>D. virginiana</em>. On average, fruit drop-to-flowering ratios were lower under RDI (36.5 % in <em>D. lotus</em>, 68.6 % in <em>D. virginiana</em>) than in fully irrigated controls (49.9 % and 81.6 %, respectively). <em>D. lotus</em> trees showed more stable yields and a favourable vegetative-reproductive balance, while <em>D. virginiana</em> exhibited a different water stress response pattern in the seasonal dynamics of stem water potential, which is used to characterise differences in plant water status rather than intrinsic drought tolerance. Still, <em>D. virginiana</em> trees produced lower and more variable yields under both irrigation regimes, likely due to higher fruit drop and a potential biennial bearing pattern. Overall, the findings support spring RDI as a viable strategy to enhance irrigation water productivity in persimmon orchards.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127947"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145689963","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":"Re-evaluating onion varieties in organic farming: Evidence from a decade of multi-environment trials","authors":"M.L. Romo-Pérez,&nbsp;A. Rekowski,&nbsp;C. Zörb","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Onion landraces and traditional open-pollinated varieties are gaining renewed interest in organic farming due to their potential for regional adaptation, on-farm seed use, and distinct flavor profiles. However, comprehensive long-term field-based evaluations of their agronomic and quality traits remain scarce. This study assessed the agronomic performance, compositional quality, and environmental responsiveness of traditional open-pollinated onion varieties grown under certified organic conditions across diverse environments in Germany. Between 2014 and 2024, 19 field trials were conducted at seven research and on-farm locations. Three open-pollinated varieties, including one landrace, were evaluated alongside commercial references. Yield, quality traits, and environmental interactions were analyzed using meta-analyses, linear mixed-effects models (including site-year as a random effect), and principal component analysis. The landrace Birnenförmige (Bif) and the traditional open-pollinated variety Stunova (Stu) generally matched or approached the performance of commercial varieties. Birnenförmige showed the most consistent and statistically robust advantages in compositional traits, combining early maturity with high dry matter, sugar, and pyruvate levels. In contrast, Stunova—tested only at research stations—showed positive but more variable responses, with high fructan concentrations and favorable yield trends in early trial years. By comparison, the traditional open-pollinated variety Rijnsburger 4 (Rij) showed increased sensitivity to humid conditions, with reduced marketable yield and quality. Relative humidity negatively affected dry matter and sugar accumulation but tended to increase pyruvate levels, particularly in Stu. These findings underscore the importance of variety selection tailored to environmental conditions and organic production goals. Traditional open-pollinated onion varieties can contribute to the diversification and resilience of organic farming systems. Their distinct compositional profiles and climatic responses offer valuable options for producers seeking alternatives to hybrids in the context of organic seed system development and climate adaptation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127969"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823035","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":"Long-term fertilization reshapes stoichiometric networks driving shifts in microbial life history strategies across China’s croplands","authors":"Xiaodong Sun ,&nbsp;Andong Cai ,&nbsp;Chengjie Ren ,&nbsp;Shuohong Zhang ,&nbsp;Qiang Li ,&nbsp;Shutang Liu ,&nbsp;Shuiqing Zhang ,&nbsp;Huimin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yu Li ,&nbsp;Kailou Liu ,&nbsp;Minggang Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The balance of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry fundamentally regulates nutrient cycling and microbial metabolism in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the mechanisms through which long-term fertilization and climate jointly shape multidimensional stoichiometric networks and microbial life history strategies remain unclear. In this study, six long-term (27–44 years) fertilization experiments across a 17° latitudinal gradient in China were examined under three treatments: no fertilizer (CK), mineral fertilizer (CF), and mineral plus manure fertilizer (CFM). By integrating ecological stoichiometry with metagenomic approaches, this study assessed how fertilization and climate affect soil, resource, microbial, and enzyme stoichiometry, and how these stoichiometric shifts influence microbial life history strategies. Results showed that long-term fertilization altered stoichiometric patterns, strengthening network connectivity among soil, resource, microbial, and enzymatic stoichiometry. CFM reduced soil and microbial C:P and N:P ratios by 35–70 % and decreased DOC:Olsen-P and DON:Olsen-P by up to 95 %. These shifts restructured microbial life history strategies, promoting a transition from resource acquisition (A) to growth yield (Y) strategies, with Y strategists increasing to 45–56 % under fertilization. Moreover, available resource and microbial stoichiometry, particularly DOC:Olsen-P and DON:Olsen-P ratios, were the primary predictors of microbial strategies, linking stoichiometric balance to microbial energetic allocation. Fertilization and climate jointly regulated microbial life history strategies by alleviating C:P and N:P imbalances and promoting stoichiometric homeostasis. Overall, these findings establish a mechanistic framework connecting nutrient supply, stoichiometric regulation, and microbial adaptation, thereby providing theoretical guidance for optimizing fertilization practices and maintaining soil nutrient sustainability across climatic regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127928"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145583818","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":"Process-based assessment of wheat yield gap in Mediterranean rainfed conditions: Cultivar, nutrient, and sowing optimization","authors":"Lahcen Ousayd ,&nbsp;El Houssaine Bouras ,&nbsp;Achraf Mamassi ,&nbsp;Abdelghani Chehbouni ,&nbsp;Victor Ongoma","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127967","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127967","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wheat production in Morocco remains constrained by persistent yield gaps arising from climatic variability, soil fertility decline, and suboptimal farm management. This study aimed to quantify attainable and actual yields of bread wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum L.</em>) and to identify management pathways for reducing these gaps under rainfed conditions in Morocco. The Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model was calibrated and validated for five representative cultivars across major rainfed agroecological zones using multi-season field observations. Model evaluation showed high predictive accuracy for grain yield (R² = 0.87, RMSE = 0.25 t/ha, NRMSE = 12.5 %), above-ground biomass (R² = 0.93, RMSE = 1.2 t/ha, NRMSE = 8.7 %), and leaf area index (R² = 0.81, RMSE = 0.73, NRMSE = 15.2 %). Simulated potential yield (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>Y</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>) averaged 5.4 t/ha, of which 66 % was attainable under water-limited rainfed conditions (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>Y</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>w</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> = 3.6 t/ha) and 48 % was realized as observed farmer yield (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>Y</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>a</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> = 2.6 t/ha), resulting in an exploitable yield gap of approximately 52 % (2.8 t/ha). Scenario analysis indicated yield gains of 25–35 % from improved nitrogen use and 30–40 % from supplemental irrigation, while integrated management closed 40–65 % of the exploitable gap and raised mean yields to 3.8–4.2 t/ha. Across management strategies, intermediate-input scenarios delivered strong economic performance, achieving marginal rate of return values of 257–433 % with modest additional costs (266–1389 MAD/ha). These findings demonstrate that targeted integration of water and nutrient management can substantially enhance wheat productivity and resilience, offering a practical framework for advancing sustainable intensification and national food self-sufficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"174 ","pages":"Article 127967"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883405","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":"Precision detection and geolocation of missed pre-tassels in hybrid maize seed production using UAV-based deep learning","authors":"Chenchen Ding ,&nbsp;Ruirui Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiangtao Qi ,&nbsp;Yuxin Xie ,&nbsp;Tongchuan Yi ,&nbsp;Longlong Li ,&nbsp;Mingqi Wu ,&nbsp;Weirong Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhiyuan Bao","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127923","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127923","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hybrid maize seed production relies on detasseling, a critical process to ensure genetic purity by removing male pre-tassels from female plants. However, missed pre-tassels, which are immature tassels partially enclosed by leaves and similar in color to maize foliage, remain difficult to detect and typically require labor-intensive manual inspection. This study proposes an improved UAV-based detection framework, YOLO for Missed Pre-Tassel (YOLO-MPT), built upon YOLOv7 for precise identification and geolocation of missed pre-tassels in hybrid maize fields. YOLO-MPT integrates deformable convolutions (DCNv2) for adaptive feature extraction, the S²-MLPv2 attention mechanism for enhanced spatial representation, and an additional small-object detection head to increase sensitivity to tiny or occluded targets. A comprehensive UAV-derived pre-tassel dataset was constructed under diverse agronomic and lighting conditions to support model training and validation. The impact of input image size on detection performance was systematically analyzed to identify the optimal training resolution. Experimental results show that YOLO-MPT achieved an average precision (AP) of 93.8 %, precision (P) of 93.3 %, recall (R) of 90.2 %, and an F1-score of 91.7 %, outperforming baseline models. Furthermore, a geographic coordinate extraction method was developed and integrated into a standalone “Missed Pre-Tassel Detection and Localization Software,” enabling automatic conversion of pixel detections into precise geospatial locations. Field experiments verified the workflow’s robustness and positioning accuracy, demonstrating the system’s potential to improve post-detasseling efficiency and quality assurance in hybrid maize seed production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 127923"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145553996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of fertilization, tillage, and residue management on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and soil pH in black soils of Northeast China","authors":"N’Dri Yves Bohoussou ,&nbsp;Guoxiang Zheng ,&nbsp;Shanbo Zhang ,&nbsp;Wenbo Wu ,&nbsp;Fengtao Ju ,&nbsp;Olouwatogni Michael Ayenikafo ,&nbsp;Stopira Yannick Benz Boboua ,&nbsp;Yash Pal Dang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127911","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127911","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black soils in Northeast China are among the most fertile soils and play a vital role in national food security. However, despite numerous field studies, there remains a lack of comprehensive synthesis on how agronomic practices, such as tillage, fertilization, and residue management, affect black soil. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of 802 comparisons from 80 peer-reviewed articles to determine how agronomic practices influence SOC, TN, and soil pH dynamics at 0–30 cm soil depth and their impact on crop yields. The analysis revealed that organic fertilizers significantly improved SOC and TN stock by 32.89 % and 29.74 %, respectively, while mixed fertilizers enhanced SOC (17.98 %) and TN (22.93 %) compared to unfertilized soils. Residue retention increased SOC and TN by 10.91 % and 11.13 %, respectively, compared to residue removal, while no-tillage increased TN by 10.88 % relative to conventional tillage. Soil pH declined significantly under chemical, mixed fertilizers, residue retention, and tillage. In contrast, organic fertilizer increased soil pH by 3.04 %, indicating its potential to buffer against soil acidification. Mixed fertilizers achieved the highest grain yield increase (77.17 %). Grain yield exhibited a negative relationship with soil pH, indicating the need to manage long-term acidification. Our findings highlight the importance of balanced agronomic practices, particularly organic fertilizer application, in improving TN, SOC stock, and crop yield while mitigating soil acidification risks. Implementing these practices is crucial for maintaining soil fertility and crop productivity of black soils in Northeast China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 127911"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145473186","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":"Amaranth: From Aztec tradition to climate-smart agriculture – Examining genetic resources, nutritional benefits, and resilience","authors":"S.S. Sonu ,&nbsp;Latha Rangan","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pressing challenges of rising food demand, malnutrition, competition for essential resources (land, water and energy), changing climate, and unforeseen events such as pandemics, have heightened the urgency for resilient, nutritious and diversified crops. Amaranth, an ancient grain with roots in Aztec culture, comprising of approximately 60–70 species can be categorized as vegetable, grain, or wild types. Known for its remarkable nutritional profile – rich in protein, squalene, essential amino acids and unique phytochemicals – amaranth has re-emerged as a superfood. Its resilience to environmental stress, low care and availability of diverse genetic resources for breeding, makes it a promising candidate for addressing modern agricultural challenges. In this review, we explore into the diverse aspects of amaranth that positions it as a key player in tackling food security and agricultural issues. It explores the historical context and geographical distribution of grain amaranth, tracing its journey from a staple food in ancient diets to its reintroduction as a superfood. The major points include: 1) C4 efficiency and stress tolerance detailing mechanism along with anatomical and biochemical adaptations; 2) advances in genomics, including high-quality genome assemblies and plastome characterization crucial for understanding its evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity; 3) specific databases that facilitate access to genomic information and support population genetic analyses for crop improvement; and 4) potential as a functional food and its therapeutic benefits. Collectively, this review advocates for amaranth as a super crop with significant promise for enhancing global food security and promoting sustainable agricultural practices, while suggesting future avenues for research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 127892"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145384479","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}