Ajit Williams, Zachary Brym, Chengci Chen, Alyssa Collins, Jamie Crawford, Heather Darby, James Dedecker, Shelby Ellison, John Fike, Karla Gage, David Gang, Jason Griffin, Burton Johnson, Virginia Moore, Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke, Swarup Podder, Mitchell Richmond, Kraig Roozeboom, Kurt Thelen, Rodrigo Werle, Robert Pearce
{"title":"Comparing agronomic performance of industrial hemp varieties for suitable production in the United States","authors":"Ajit Williams, Zachary Brym, Chengci Chen, Alyssa Collins, Jamie Crawford, Heather Darby, James Dedecker, Shelby Ellison, John Fike, Karla Gage, David Gang, Jason Griffin, Burton Johnson, Virginia Moore, Haleigh Ortmeier-Clarke, Swarup Podder, Mitchell Richmond, Kraig Roozeboom, Kurt Thelen, Rodrigo Werle, Robert Pearce","doi":"10.1002/agj2.70006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70006","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Industrial hemp (<i>Cannabis sativa</i> L.) is an ancient crop used throughout history for fiber, oilseed, and therapeutic compounds. Hemp varieties were cultivated across diverse environments in the United States, but knowledge of those agronomic practices along with genetic resources was lost during a period in which cultivation of cannabis was prohibited. Therefore, regional performance evaluations of hemp varieties for crop performance coupled with scientific communication of outcomes to the public are crucial for hemp's development as an agricultural commodity. Objectives for this research were to evaluate relative yields of industrial hemp varieties grown across the United States and link their suitability for commercial production across locations. A national collaboration established variety trials containing seven industrial hemp varieties planted across 14 locations (36°–48° N latitude and 72°–110° W longitude) over a 3-year period. Crop dry straw yield and seed yield increased from the averages of 1600 and 700 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> in Year 1 to 2400 and 1150 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> in Year 2, and 3050 and 815 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> in Year 3, respectively. The varieties Anka and X-59 performed best in Vermont and Virginia, where seed yields consistently exceeded 1100 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>; however, no single variety performed above average across all sites. Overall, this assessment identified two industrial hemp varieties suitable for commercial production in specific sites and highlighted the importance for hemp breeders to investigate variety × location × year interactions when developing improved varieties to best capture site-specific productivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/agj2.70006","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143113267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
William W. Spivey, Ricardo St. Aime, Taylor Sherer, Paul Zimmerman, Vasu Kuraparthy, Sruthi Narayanan
{"title":"Physiological characterization of leaf-shape isolines of upland cotton","authors":"William W. Spivey, Ricardo St. Aime, Taylor Sherer, Paul Zimmerman, Vasu Kuraparthy, Sruthi Narayanan","doi":"10.1002/agj2.70005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70005","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Four major leaf shapes exist in tetraploid cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.): normal, sub-okra/sea-island, okra, and super-okra. The majority of upland cotton (<i>G</i>. <i>hirsutum</i>) varieties in the United States possess a normal leaf shape. However, the other three leaf shapes were reported to show a few production advantages such as accelerated flowering rates, early maturity, reduced lint trash and boll rot, and increased pest resistance. In this study, we evaluated the leaf-shape isolines LA-213-okra, LA-213-normal, LA-213-super-okra, and LA-213-sub-okra for physiological traits related to yield and performance and identified the isolines associated with superior physiological mechanisms. During flowering stage, narrow leaf shape isolines, LA-213-okra and LA-213-super okra, showed 6%–19%, 0%–15%, and 3%–73% greater chlorophyll index, quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and photosynthetic rate, respectively, than the LA-213-normal and LA-213-sub-okra isolines. Further, the water use of LA-213-super-okra was 12%–22% lower than that of the other three leaf shape isolines. With superior physiological performance, the okra and super-okra leaf shapes offer useful trait variation for cotton breeding and variety development.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/agj2.70005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samuel Frazier, Steven M. Brown, Quentin D. Read, Alana L. Jacobson, Kassie Conner, Cesar Escalante, Kipling S. Balkcom
{"title":"Cotton stalk management and a cover crop produce minimal effects on cotton leafroll dwarf virus","authors":"Samuel Frazier, Steven M. Brown, Quentin D. Read, Alana L. Jacobson, Kassie Conner, Cesar Escalante, Kipling S. Balkcom","doi":"10.1002/agj2.70002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70002","url":null,"abstract":"<p>In 2017, cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) was first reported in the United States. One CLRDV inoculum source includes the previous year's cotton stalks; hence, destroying cotton stalks could be effective for CLRDV management. However, tillage-intensive stalk destruction methods (SDMs) can degrade southeastern soils, but a cover crop may provide short-term benefits and reduce CLRDV incidence. Therefore, we examined three SDMs (Tillage, Pull, Mow) across two cover crop levels (no cover and rye [<i>Secale cereale</i> L.]/clover [<i>Trifolium incarnatum</i> L.] mixture) and two cotton varieties to determine how cotton growth, soil penetration resistance (PR), and two CLRDV incidence sample times (pre-harvest and post-harvest) were affected across six environments during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. None of the SDMs affected any factors examined in this experiment, except soil PR and cotton yield. The Pull and Mow SDMs both increased soil PR compared to the Tillage SDM. An 8% yield increase (Pull > Mow) was observed, but the Tillage SDM yield did not differ from Pull or Mow SDMs. The rye/clover mixture also increased soil PR. Although cotton stands were 15% greater with no cover crop, subsequent cotton yield and fiber quality were minimally affected by cover crops. The rye/clover mixture increased post-harvest CLRDV incidence, and cotton yields were equal between cover crops. Pre-harvest CLRDV incidence probability was 0.23, but post-harvest CLRDV incidence probability was 0.71. Continuing to identify and evaluate cultural practices that reduce CLRDV incidence is imperative to prevent negative impacts.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/agj2.70002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Willis T. Spratling, David Jespersen, Clint Waltz, Alfredo D. Martinez-Espinoza, Bochra A. Bahri
{"title":"Evaluation of oxygenated and ozonated nanobubble water treatments for dollar spot suppression in seashore paspalum","authors":"Willis T. Spratling, David Jespersen, Clint Waltz, Alfredo D. Martinez-Espinoza, Bochra A. Bahri","doi":"10.1002/agj2.21744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21744","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Dollar spot (caused by <i>Clarireedia</i> spp.) is the most commonly occurring turfgrass disease on golf courses in North America, and current disease control programs rely on frequent fungicide applications. The escalating occurrence of fungicide resistance in <i>Clarireedia</i> spp. populations, coupled with the reduction of the annual kilograms active ingredient applied per hectare for some fungicides, emphasizes the need for alternative management strategies. The use of oxygenated or ozonated water treatments has been effective as a component of an overall plant disease management strategy. In field and growth chamber-controlled environment trials, the impacts of oxygenated and ozonated nanobubble water treatments were evaluated for turf quality and dollar spot control in seashore paspalum (<i>Paspalum vaginatum</i> Swartz). Despite generating relatively high levels of dissolved oxygen (40 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) or ozone (ca. 8 mg L<sup>−1</sup>) in water treatments through nanobubble aeration in all trials, these treatments did not cause damage to seashore paspalum tissues, but were unsuccessful in controlling dollar spot. Additionally, tests comparing two different application methods (soil drench versus foliar spray) for all treatments suggested that the application method had no effect on treatment efficacy. Overall, oxygenated and ozonated nanobubble water treatments did not adversely affect seashore paspalum turf quality and were ineffective in suppressing dollar spot in field and growth chamber trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/agj2.21744","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"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":"Crop rotations and canola yields: Evidence from field-level data in Western Canada","authors":"Feryel Lassoued, Peter Slade, Ashly Dyck","doi":"10.1002/agj2.21739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21739","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Canola (<i>Brassica napus</i>) acreage increased in Western Canada in recent years, leading to rotations with fewer break years between canola plantings. Field trials suggest that frequent plantings of canola reduce canola yields. However, there is considerable disagreement about the magnitude and persistence of these effects. We analyze the effect of rotational practices on canola yields in Saskatchewan using over 20 years of observational data, representing 61% of canola hectares in the province. We examine how the impact of rotations varies across time, soil zone, soil moisture conditions and the distribution of yields. We regress canola yields in Saskatchewan on the share of land that was planted with particular crops in previous years, using a battery of covariates and fixed effects to address potential bias in the model. After including these fixed effects, we cannot reject the hypothesis that there is no sample selection bias. We use an unconditional quantile estimator to investigate how rotations affect different deciles of the yield distribution. Our analysis confirms that crop rotations significantly influence canola yields, albeit more modest than field trials suggest. We find a 7.5% yield reduction when canola follows canola, compared to cereals, with this penalty persisting for 4 years but diminishing in magnitude with each additional year. The adverse effects of consecutive canola plantings are more pronounced in wetter regions and at lower yield deciles. Conversely, canola yields are higher when planted after pulse crops (as opposed to after cereal crops).</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Utkarsh Varman, Shoba Sivapatham, Vijayakumar K P, K. Pradeep, Dheeraj Sharma
{"title":"An integrated OkraNet Framework for detection of disease and maturity stage classification in okra farming","authors":"Utkarsh Varman, Shoba Sivapatham, Vijayakumar K P, K. Pradeep, Dheeraj Sharma","doi":"10.1002/agj2.21742","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21742","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Okra (<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i>) is a vital crop in the Indian agriculture sector, producing one-third of its production. Identifying fresh and ripe okra plants for maximum yield and profit is significantly challenging. Ripeness can be determined by shape, length, color variation, and moisture content. However, to reduce this time-consuming effort, this work emphasizes the classification of fresh and diseased okra leaves as the initial step and assesses the maturity stages, including ripe, unripe, and overripe. The OkraFarm dataset was collected from the real-time farm to determine the maturity stage. Building on state-of-the-art convolutional neural networks, three experiments are performed to lay identification of fresh and ripe okra—Experiment 1: leaf disease classification using the pre-trained VGG19 model achieving a maximum accuracy of 98.89%; Experiment 2: detection of okra fruit using the YOLOv5 model, achieving a maximum accuracy of 84.5%; Experiment 3: handling data imbalance using the MLSMOTE algorithm and classifying the maturity stages of the okra plant into ripe, overripe, and unripe, achieving a maximum accuracy of 96.10% on the test data.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120611","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Janket, S. Jogloy, N. Vorasoot, B. Toomsan, W. Kaewpradit, P. Theerakulpisut, C. C. Holbrook, C. K. Kvien, P. Banterng
{"title":"Nutrient uptakes and use efficiency of cassava under different moisture conditions","authors":"A. Janket, S. Jogloy, N. Vorasoot, B. Toomsan, W. Kaewpradit, P. Theerakulpisut, C. C. Holbrook, C. K. Kvien, P. Banterng","doi":"10.1002/agj2.70003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70003","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Precise fertilization based on crop needs is important for optimal yield and cost-effectiveness. This study aimed to investigate nutrient uptakes in cassava under different planting dates and irrigation conditions (W). Two-year field trials were conducted in the early (ERS) and post-rainy seasons (PRS), with nutrient uptakes measured at five growth stages. Planting dates had a greater impact on nutrient uptakes, accumulation rates, nutrient harvest index (NHI), and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) than W. In the ERS, the nutrients accumulated rapidly at the early to mid-growth stages, while this occurred at the mid to late growth stages for the PRS. Nutrient uptake was higher in ERS than PRS, with W differenced only in ERS 2015. Irrigation during the mid to late growth stages increased the nutrient uptake, NHI, NUE, and yield for the ERS (2015), with less impact on the PRS. In contrast, the PRS significantly improved yield, accumulation in storage roots, NHI, and NUE. Total nutrients accumulated by the whole plant (kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) were N (207–383) > K (182–401) > Ca (180–202) > Mg (62–82) > P (42–76) > S (11–25), Fe (2.60–7.64) > Mn (1.60–3.34) > Zn (0.48–0.62) > B (0.15–0.25) > Cu (0.11–0.19) > Mo (0.026–0.055). Nutrients with high NHI were K (0.41–0.64), Zn (0.35–0.58), N (0.28–0.56), Cu (0.16–0.61), B (0.16–0.52), and Mo (0.19–0.62), and lower NHI were P (0.27–0.47), Mg (0.17–0.37), S (0.15–0.48), Fe (0.15–0.34), Ca (0.09–0.19), and Mn (0.04–0.31). These findings will improve nutrient requirement guidelines for seasonal fertilizer recommendations for cassava in Thailand.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quinoa productivity and quality under irrigated conditions through crop establishment methods in Pakistan","authors":"Muhammad Kashif Hanif, Irfan Afzal","doi":"10.1002/agj2.70000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70000","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Quinoa (<i>Chenopodium quinoa</i> Willd.) is gaining global recognition for its nutritional benefits and adaptability to various environments. However, there is limited data on how different planting methods affect the productivity and quality of quinoa genotypes with varying panicle shapes, especially under irrigated conditions. We hypothesized that different crop establishment techniques influence the performance of quinoa genotypes in terms of phenology, weeds, growth, and yield aiming to enhance both yield and grain quality. To test this, a 2-year field experiment (2021–2022 and 2022–2023) was conducted at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, Pakistan. The experiment used split-plot design with three replications incorporating three sowing methods in main plots: ridge sowing (RS), line sowing (LS), and broadcasting (BC) and three quinoa genotypes with different panicle architectures: UAF-Q7 (intermediate), Line-105 (glomerulate), and Line-22 (amarantiform) in subplots. Results indicated that LS method improved morphological and yield attributes like stem thickness, terminal panicle length and weight, grain yield, 1000-grain weight, and biological yield compared to RS and BC. Among genotypes, Line-105 showed superior performance in morphology, biomass, and yield, while UAF-Q7 had higher grain protein content. Panicle number per plant showed positive correlation with terminal panicle weight, grain yield, 1000-grain weight, and harvest index. LS also resulted in highest crop growth rate and grain quality. The study suggests that LS is a better planting technique and Line-105 is a suitable genotype for achieving high grain yield under irrigated conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. M. Freitas, V. D. Nair, L. E. Sollenberger, W. G. Harris, A. N. Rodriguez
{"title":"Application and residual effects of poultry litter biochar on cropping system yields","authors":"A. M. Freitas, V. D. Nair, L. E. Sollenberger, W. G. Harris, A. N. Rodriguez","doi":"10.1002/agj2.21745","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21745","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Animal manures such as poultry litter supply plant-available phosphorus (P), but P loss can occur following manure application to crops, particularly in sandy soils. The transformation of poultry litter biochar (PLB) reduces P losses upon application to crops while providing essential plant nutrients. Our objectives were to evaluate: (1) the effects of PLB on crop yields when applied at the same total P rate as inorganic P fertilizer and (2) the residual effect of previous-year PLB and inorganic P fertilization on crop yield at two locations with different soil types (Entisols and Spodosols). Inorganic P, PLB, and no-P treatments were allocated to six replicates of a randomized complete block design at each location. The cropping system was sequential plantings of rye, corn, and sorghum each year for 2 years. The residual effect of P application was quantified in Year 2 when first-year PLB and inorganic P plots were subdivided, with half receiving no additional P and half receiving the same P application as the previous year. After each crop was harvested, crop yield, nitrogen (N) and P levels in plant tissue, and the soil phosphorus storage capacity were determined. PLB supported either similar or significantly greater cumulative biomass yields compared with inorganic P fertilization at the two locations. The effect of residual PLB on yield varied with the location and crop, highlighting the importance of soil type and management practices in optimizing the benefits of this amendment.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143120610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Muhindo, Joyce J. Lelei, Wivine Munyahali, Landry Cizungu, Alain Kangela, Benjamin Bukombe, Samuel Mwonga, Boris Rewald
{"title":"Irrigation management and biochar × mineral fertilization for improving rice yield and profitability","authors":"Daniel Muhindo, Joyce J. Lelei, Wivine Munyahali, Landry Cizungu, Alain Kangela, Benjamin Bukombe, Samuel Mwonga, Boris Rewald","doi":"10.1002/agj2.21741","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21741","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Inefficient fertilizer management and increasing water scarcity are affecting rice yields and thus food security in Central African lowlands. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of biochar and mineral fertilizer application and irrigation regime on paddy rice growth, yield and profitability. A randomized complete block design with a split-split plot arrangement and three replications was used at three field sites and for two consecutive seasons. The main plots consisted of two irrigation regimes, permanent flooding and alternate wetting and drying. Rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) cultivars TAI and AR2017105 were assigned to subplots. Six fertilization treatments were applied in sub-subplots: control, rice husk biochar or manure-charged biochar, each with and without mineral fertilizer. Alternate wetting and drying did not penalize yield. The combined use of biochar and mineral fertilizer increased paddy rice yield compared to fertilizer alone (+16%) and the control (+85%). The sole application of biochar, with or without manure, did increase yield in the first (+14%) but not in the second season compared to the unfertilized control. In both cropping seasons, the combined use of biochar and mineral fertilizer significantly increased the gross margin of paddy rice farming compared to the sole application of fertilizer. The combined application of biochar and mineral fertilizer under alternate wetting and drying can thus be recommended as a key climate-smart agricultural practice to increase food security and the agronomic profitability of rice cropping in Central African lowlands and comparable rice growing areas worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":7522,"journal":{"name":"Agronomy Journal","volume":"117 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142868845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}