Food and Energy Security最新文献

{"title":"Transitioning From Soil-Based to Soil-Foliar Hybrid Application for Nitrogen Fertilizers Offers Energy-Saving and Use-Efficiency Benefits","authors":"Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj,&nbsp;Kapil Malik,&nbsp;Manu Rani,&nbsp;Ashwani Kumar,&nbsp;Sunita Devi,&nbsp;Naresh Kumar,&nbsp;Raj Kumar,&nbsp;Anita Mann,&nbsp;Parvender Sheoran,&nbsp;Uttam Kumar Mandal,&nbsp;Rajender Kumar Yadav","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70109","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient for crop plants to achieve their yield potential, yet it is also recognized as a major pollutant of the environment due to often-excessive N-fertilizer use. The world has been struggling for decades to improve N use efficiency (NUE) beyond 50%. Nano-nitrogen, a nanoparticle-based liquid N-fertilizer, has been reported to improve crop yield, yet any gain in NUE is uncertain. Field and controlled tests on the usage of nano-nitrogen in rice(scented)-wheat systems and its impact on crop yield, growth responses, and NUE were conducted to ascertain this. The study included 10 strategies for the integration of nano-nitrogen with the conventional practice of prilled urea, including four with varying degrees of replacement of soil-applied prilled urea by foliar applied nano-nitrogen (33%, 50%, 66%, and 100%), two with augmentation using additional inputs (micronutrients, and sea-weed fertilizer), and two with sensor-based fertilizer scheduling using leaf color chart (LCC) and greenseeker (GS). The controls included ‘100% prilled urea’ (R0; no replacement) and ‘no N fertilizer at all’ (No-N). Replacing prilled urea with foliar applied nano-nitrogen up to 33% in the rice-wheat system [2 soil applications of prilled urea (2/3rd of currently recommended fertilizer) and 1 foliar application of nano-nitrogen (3 mL per liter)] was found to significantly improve achievable NUE. Up to 33% replacement of conventionally used prilled urea by nano-nitrogen (2 soil-1 foliar scenario) did not significantly affect grain yield as well as N yield for the rice-wheat cropping system; however, it saved 80 kg N application, which translates to 4848 MJ energy saving per hectare in the rice (scented)-wheat cropping system. Augmentation with seaweed fertilizer, biofertilizer, and micronutrients further improved yield and energy efficiency (13% higher) compared to 100% N via prilled urea. With 13.5 M ha of area under the rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic plain, a saving of at least 65 PJ of energy is achievable from the region. More sustainable N use in rice (scented)-wheat systems can be achieved by transitioning from soil-based to soil-foliar hybrid application technique.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70109","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144909946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing Climate Resilience in Agri-Food Systems: The Role of Green Innovation and Strategic Policy Interventions","authors":"Shah Fahad,&nbsp;Mohammad Hossain","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70122","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Agri-food systems are integral to sustainable development, climate change mitigation, and food security; however, they are also responsible for 19%–29% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without targeted interventions, emissions from these systems risk escalating climate vulnerability and impeding sustainable progress. This study examines strategies for transforming agri-food systems toward low-carbon, circular bioeconomy models through green innovation and policy support, specifically within the contexts of the OECD and potentially adaptable frameworks for the Global South. Using a quantile autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, we analyze the impacts of environmental innovation, government agricultural spending, total factor productivity, and population density on climate vulnerability across OECD countries, with implications for scalability in emerging economies. Results show that long-term increases in environmental patents, government agricultural expenditures, and total factor productivity significantly reduce climate vulnerability. Additionally, a U-shaped relationship between agricultural CO₂ emissions and food vulnerability is identified, indicating that while initial emissions reduction may mitigate vulnerability, sustained emissions intensify long-term risks. These findings emphasize the role of sustainable agricultural practices and robust policy frameworks in fostering climate resilience and economic sustainability. This research provides an evidence-based assessment of environmental impacts within agri-food systems, presenting actionable policy insights for advancing a circular bioeconomy, especially relevant for sustainable transformation in the Global South.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70122","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144897644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors Influencing Intensity of Participation in Value Chains of Underutilised Crops Among Smallholder Farmers: A Case Study of Taro Roots and Sweet Potatoes in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa","authors":"Thobani Cele,&nbsp;Maxwell Mudhara","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70123","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite their nutritional and agronomic benefits, taro roots, and sweet potatoes remain underutilised in formal agricultural markets. This study investigated the factors influencing smallholder farmers' participation and intensity of participation in the value chains of these crops in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using a double-hurdle regression model on survey data from 300 smallholder farmers, the analysis identified crop-specific determinants of participation. For sweet potato farmers, location, farm size, and extension visits positively influenced participation, while marital status, irrigation access, and credit access had significant negative effects. In contrast, taro value chain participation was influenced by cultural-geographic context, market channel choice, and cooperative membership, while credit access and yield had negative effects. Intensity of participation was generally higher for sweet potato producers, reflecting stronger institutional and market support. The findings highlight that value chain integration is shaped by context-specific socioeconomic, institutional, and infrastructural factors. Policy interventions must therefore consider crop-specific dynamics and address systemic constraints such as financial service design, extension reach, and market infrastructure to support inclusive value chain participation.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70123","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144897641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heat Stress-Induced Reduction in Bioactive GA Content Decreases Rice Thermotolerance by Causing Membrane Damage Through Accumulated ROS","authors":"Yanchun Zhu,&nbsp;Susu Li,&nbsp;Tao Wang,&nbsp;Mingqian Ma,&nbsp;Qihang Ren,&nbsp;Jinyu Wang,&nbsp;Changxi Yin,&nbsp;Yongjun Lin","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70124","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) is a staple crop, but heat stress adversely impacts rice production and poses serious threats to global food security. Gibberellin (GA) is widely recognized as a critical regulator of rice growth and development; however, the mechanisms by which GA homeostasis responds to heat stress and its role in rice thermotolerance remain to be fully elucidated. This study reveals that heat stress disrupts GA homeostasis by suppressing biosynthesis and enhancing inactivation, leading to reduced bioactive GA content and impaired rice thermotolerance. The GA-deficient mutant <i>d18</i> exhibited lower thermotolerance than wild-type (WT) plants, which was restored by exogenous GA₃ application. In contrast, the GA biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol (PBZ) reduced thermotolerance in WT plants. Mechanistically, heat stress-reduced bioactive GA content triggered excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation by promoting ROS generation and inhibiting ROS scavenging. The <i>d18</i> mutant accumulated higher ROS and displayed greater membrane damage under heat stress compared to WT. Both GA₃ and the ROS scavenger glutathione alleviated ROS accumulation and membrane damage, enhancing thermotolerance in <i>d18</i>, while PBZ exacerbated ROS accumulation and membrane damage, further impairing thermotolerance in WT. Importantly, exogenous GA₃ application or genetic enhancement of GA signaling, such as knocking out the GA signaling repressor gene <i>SLR1</i>, improved rice yield under heat stress. These findings demonstrate that GA-mediated regulation of ROS homeostasis is critical for rice thermotolerance, providing strategies for developing heat-resilient rice varieties by regulating GA-ROS homeostasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70124","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144897525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comparative LCA of Field Grown Lettuce Versus Vertically Farmed Lettuce","authors":"Michael Gargaro,&nbsp;Astley Hastings,&nbsp;Richard J. Murphy,&nbsp;Zoe M. Harris","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70117","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate change has accelerated the degradation of agricultural land, prompting innovation to develop and adapt current global production systems to accommodate more people with increased demand for resources. Novel technologies such as vertical farming offer an opportunity to secure climate-resilient food production. This study used Life Cycle Assessment to examine how the environmental impact of lettuce production in a commercial vertical farm compares with traditional field farming based on two contrasting UK farms and a Spanish farm. The vertical farm was found to have higher emissions in all impact categories except for water use; however, when using renewable energy sources, vertical farming was found to have higher, yet more comparable greenhouse gas emissions to field farming (0.93 kg CO₂eq kg⁻¹ lettuce (VF), 0.58 kg CO₂eq kg⁻¹ lettuce (UK 1 + 2)). Energy use (electricity or diesel), the choice of substrate, and soil emissions were the biggest hotspots for lettuce production in this study. Yields per area in vertical farming systems, however, were much higher than the field farming scenarios (97.3 kg m⁻² (VF), 3.3 kg m⁻² (average of field farms)), and the land sparing potential of vertical farming systems offers an opportunity to use spared land to potentially reap other environmental benefits while securing food production.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70117","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144881298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Boosting Grassland Output and Lowering Methane Emission by Grazing Dairy Cows on Diverse Pastures?","authors":"Martin Komainda,&nbsp;Friederike Riesch,&nbsp;Johannes Isselstein","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70113","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Implementing phytodiverse grassland may benefit producers through improved herbage production when compared to reference grassland with fewer plant species and may reduce enteric methane emissions of ruminants. Available knowledge of the effect of diverse grassland on dairy cow milk production is contradictory, and influences of species diversity or composition are not precise enough to make valid statements on required species or proportions to improve milk production. The aims of the current study were therefore to evaluate effects of diverse grassland on dairy cow milk production, methane emissions, and forage nutritive value under grazing. Based on 16 eligible studies, we conducted a meta-analysis. In these studies, swards of diverse vs. reference grassland differed in the proportion of grass (0.38 vs. 0.69) and of dicotyledonous non-legumes (0.33 vs. 0.026). We found no differences in milk production or methane emissions related to sward type. Plant species that are expected to reduce methane emissions only occurred in very small proportions in the herbage dry matter. Our hypothesis that the milk production of cows grazing diverse grassland instead of simple reference swards is higher and methane emissions lower is thus neither rejected nor confirmed. Milk production correlated positively with legume proportion, which did not differ between sward types. Overall, the analysis revealed that 63% of the studies lasted 10 days or less. Consequently, there is a need for more full-year and multi-year dairy cow grazing system studies on diverse grassland to account for variation in grassland primary productivity and nutritive value within seasons and among years.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70113","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144881416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Do Food Gardens Improve Household Food Security Status in uMzumbe Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa?","authors":"Byamungu Lincoln Zabuloni,&nbsp;Maxwell Mudhara,&nbsp;Joyce Magoshi Chitja","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70121","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Although South Africa is nationally a food-secure country, food insecurity at household and individual levels is unacceptably high, particularly in rural areas, where many households struggle to meet their food needs. To address the food insecurity and poverty challenges in the rural areas of South Africa, the Department of Agriculture has promoted home and community garden programs to increase the food production of poor and vulnerable rural households. Thus, the study aimed to assess the impact of the food garden programs on households' food security status in uMzumbe Local Municipality. The study applied random and purposive sampling methods to collect data using a structured questionnaire administered directly to 223 respondents. A Tobit regression model was used to examine the determinants of households' food security status. The study revealed that total income (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), extension services (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), credit access (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), age, farm size (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), and education level (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) positively impacted the respondents' food security status. In contrast, household size (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), home gardens (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), and community gardens (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) negatively influenced the households' food security status in the study area. The study indicated that the implementation of the home and community garden programs was not enough, in and of itself, to improve the food security status of those living in uMzumbe Municipality. Therefore, it is recommended that land reform, income generation, credit access, and educational and extension services should be considered to expand the performance of the food gardens to contribute more to the households' food security in uMzumbe Local Municipality.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70121","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144881495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional Characterization of Cassava A20/AN1 Genes (Metip4, Metip8, and Metip11) in Multiple Abiotic Stresses","authors":"Yu-Lan Chen,&nbsp;Chun-Wen Huang,&nbsp;Yan-Liu Wu,&nbsp;Xian-Wei Fan,&nbsp;You-Zhi Li","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70114","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate/environmental changes have posed significant challenges to crop production. Cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i>) is an important starchy root crop of a great significance in food security, energy production, and various bio-industrial applications, as well as a model for studying stress tolerance. Improving stress tolerance can help further increase the starch yield of this crop and expand its planting regions. A20/AN1 domain-containing family genes are master regulators in abiotic stress tolerance, but functions for most cassava A20/AN1 genes (<i>Metip</i>) are unknown. In this study, three <i>Metip</i> genes (<i>Metip4</i>, <i>Metip8</i>, and <i>Metip11</i>) were functionally characterized by prediction, yeast two-hybrid, subcellular localization in rice protoplasts, transgene in Arabidopsis, and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and transcriptome sequencing in cassava. As a result, these genes were intron-free and positively regulated the tolerance of plants to drought, salt, high (32°C) and low (10°C) temperatures, and Mn, but differed in regulating resistance to Cd and Cu, which paralleled changes in plants in contents of proline and relative water, reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, endogenous abscisic acid, and/or catalase activity. Metip4, Metip8, and Metip11 proteins were nucleus-localized, had no direct interactions between them, and displayed variations in amino acids within A20/AN1 domains. Moreover, 280 differentially expressed genes (DEG), 4 differentially regulated pathways, and 9 DEG-encoded protein interactions were found to be common in VIGS-treated cassava potted under drought. The results not only clue the formation of multiple functions of A20/AN1 family genes but also strongly suggest that <i>Metip4</i>, <i>Metip8</i>, and <i>Metip11</i> genes have potentialities in gene engineering abiotic stress-tolerant crops.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70114","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144881379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptation of Fragrant Rice in Central China to Climate Change: The Effects of Shifting Sowing Date on Yield and 2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline Content","authors":"Haiwei Zhang,&nbsp;Youqin Xiao,&nbsp;Xinyi Gu,&nbsp;Mingshuai Chen,&nbsp;Dehao Feng,&nbsp;Shuochen Jiang","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70118","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Adjusting the sowing date is a crucial strategy for improving rice adaptability to climate change and improving grain yield. Among the quality traits of fragrant rice, the content of 2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline (2-AP) in brown rice has garnered significant attention due to its impact on flavor and market value. The comprehensive effects of weather changes induced by adjusting the sowing date on the synthesis and accumulation of 2-AP in fragrant rice, as well as on yield, remain unclear. We conducted a 5-year field study in Hubei Province, China, measuring sunshine duration, temperature, and rainfall variations under six sowing dates. The research aimed to assess the comprehensive effects of these changes on the 2-AP content in brown rice and fragrant rice yield. Delaying the sowing date resulted in shortening the rice growth duration from transplanting to heading. Early sowing (March 16) resulted in the highest rice yield, while late sowing (June 1) led to the highest 2-AP content. Generally, with delayed sowing, the effective panicles and 1000-grain weight increased, while the number of spikelets per panicle and grain filling rate decreased. The contents of proline, pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid exhibited a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing with delayed sowing. The 2-AP content was significantly positively correlated with rainfall during the grain filling to maturity stage, while it showed significant negative correlations with sunshine duration, average air temperature, and the number of high temperature days (maximum air temperature ≥ 35°C) during the same stage. Since the sowing date for the highest yield differed from that for the highest 2-AP content, we recommend early sowing to achieve optimal yield while implementing other strategies to mitigate the negative effects of prolonged sunshine duration and high temperatures during the grain filling to maturity stage on 2-AP content. This study reveals the relationship between 2-AP content and the yield of fragrant rice with weather factors during different growth stages, providing new insights for adjusting sowing dates to adapt to climate change in order to achieve either high yield or high 2-AP content.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70118","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144869835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silicon Enhances Yield in Dry-Cultivated Rice/Soybean Intercropping Systems by Altering Root Morphology and Distribution","authors":"Hongcheng Zhang,&nbsp;Shilin Li,&nbsp;Shiwen Wang,&nbsp;Bowen Shi,&nbsp;Xinjie Wang,&nbsp;Jiayin Pang,&nbsp;Hao Sun,&nbsp;Ping Tian,&nbsp;Huimin Ma,&nbsp;Zhihai Wu","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70111","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Intercropping cereals and legumes can increase agricultural productivity, but the effects of silicon (Si) fertilizer application on intercropped crop yield and interspecific root interactions in cereal/legume intercropping systems are unclear. Hence, field and pot experiments were conducted with dry-cultivated rice and soybean grown alone or intercropped under two Si levels (0 and 45 kg ha⁻¹) to investigate the effects of Si application on the yield, root morphology, and distribution of dry-cultivated rice/soybean intercropping systems. The results revealed that the total yields of the intercropping and monoculture systems were 15% and 13% greater, respectively, under Si application (Si45) than under no Si addition (Si0). Compared with the yield under monoculture, the total yield under intercropping increased by 5% and 7% under Si0 and Si45, respectively. This overyielding leads to a land equivalent ratio &gt; 1 under both Si levels. This increase was primarily due to a 24% increase in intercropped soybean yield, despite a 7% decrease in rice yield averaging the two Si levels. The crop yield was positively correlated with root morphological traits, and the root surface area was the most significant predictor of crop yield. Intercropped soybean demonstrated a competitive advantage over rice. Thus, the root morphology traits of soybean were promoted, whereas these parameters in rice were inhibited by intercropping. Compared with Si0, Si application significantly promoted the root morphology and distribution traits of both crops in the intercropping system. Overall, the application of Si during dry-cultivated rice/soybean intercropping significantly enhanced yield production by modifying the root morphology and distribution.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"14 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70111","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}