Field Crops Research最新文献

{"title":"How do integrated agronomic practices enhance sunflower productivity and stability in saline-alkali soils of arid regions? Evidence from China","authors":"Lei Sun ,&nbsp;Yufan Wu ,&nbsp;Yiming Fan ,&nbsp;Puyuan Qi ,&nbsp;Jianyu He ,&nbsp;Zelin Hou ,&nbsp;Quanzhong Huang ,&nbsp;Guanhua Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109841","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109841","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving stable sunflower yield (Y) in saline-alkali soils is challenging. Integrated agronomic practices, including irrigation on crop demand (IOD), straw return (SR), and organic substitution (OS), offer promising solutions, but their combined effects remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of IOD, SR, and OS on soil microenvironment, sunflower Y, Y stability, nitrogen uptake (NU), and nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFP_N) in arid regions.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A field experiment was conducted over two growing seasons (2022–2023) in northwest China, with treatments including different combinations of IOD, SR, OS, conventional drip irrigation (CDI), chemical fertilizer only (CK), and straw not return (SNR). Pearson and random forest analyses were applied to evaluate correlations, and rank the relative importance of each indicator to Y, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The IOD+SR+OS treatment significantly improved sunflower Y and stability, achieving an average yield of 4.42 t hm⁻², with a high sustainability yield index (SYI = 0.96) and a low coefficient of variation (CV = 2.9 %). Compared to CDI+SNR+CK, it increased PFP_N by 79.18 % and NU by 49.39 %. This treatment also enhanced soil nitrogen storage (NS), while reducing salt storage (SS), optimizing soil microenvironment for crop growth and NU. Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive correlations between PFP_N, NS, and Y (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.01), while SS negatively correlated with Y (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.001). Random forest analysis identified SS and NS as key factors influencing sunflower Y.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Integrating IOD, SR, and OS significantly improves sunflower Y and stability in saline-alkali soils by optimizing soil water, salt, and nitrogen distribution, supporting sustainable agriculture in arid regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109841"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal and spatial patterns of N2O emissions in maize/legume strip intercropping: Effects of straw incorporation and crop interactions","authors":"Jinchuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Wei Yao ,&nbsp;Yongkang Wen ,&nbsp;Xin Qian ,&nbsp;Leanne Peixoto ,&nbsp;Shengquan Yang ,&nbsp;Shaoyong Meng ,&nbsp;Yadong Yang ,&nbsp;Zhaohai Zeng ,&nbsp;Huadong Zang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109850","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109850","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Maize/legume intercropping presents a sustainable agricultural strategy to enhance nitrogen use efficiency and mitigate environmental impacts.</div></div><div><h3>Research question</h3><div>The impact of maize/legume strip intercropping on N₂O emissions, crop yields, and the associated mechanisms are not yet fully understood, particularly in the context of straw incorporation practices.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment comparing five cropping systems (maize/peanut strip intercropping, maize/soybean strip intercropping, and corresponding monocropping) either with or without straw incorporation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Maize/legume strip intercropping increased yields by 15–24 % and reduced N₂O emissions by 15–22 % compared to the expected intercropping. This increase in yields, combined with the reduction in N₂O emissions, led to a 20–39 % reduction N₂O emission per unit of production in intercropped systems. The primary reduction in emissions occurred 7–10 days after the second fertilization, accounting for over half of the total emission reduction. Spatial analysis revealed that the majority of the reduction originated from the maize and interaction rows. Soil nitrate (NO₃^-) concentration emerged as the most critical factor influencing N₂O flux, with NH₄⁺ concentration also playing a significant role. Notably, straw incorporation did not increase N₂O emissions from intercropping systems, while yield tended to increase, albeit not significantly.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Maize/legume strip intercropping enhances nitrogen utilization, significantly mitigates N₂O emissions, and boosts crop productivity; however, these effects remain consistent regardless of straw incorporation practices.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study highlights the advantages of maize/legume strip intercropping systems in reducing N₂O emissions and its potential contribution to crop production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109850"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulation of subsurface drip fertigation on nitrogen cycling soil microorganisms and N2O and NH3 emissions from aeolian sandy soil in alfalfa field in temperate arid regions","authors":"Hongxiu Ma,&nbsp;Quan Sun,&nbsp;Xiaojuan Zhang,&nbsp;Peng Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109748","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>How to reduce the loss of reactive nitrogen (RNL), increase the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency, and alleviate the negative impacts of nitrogen fertilization on the environment has always been the focus of scientific research. Currently, the responses of RNL and nitrogen cycling microorganisms (NCM) in aeolian sandy soil to different levels of subsurface drip fertigation and the mechanisms in temperate arid regions are still unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The aim was to clarify the effects of different levels of subsurface drip fertigation on the soil RNL and NCM in alfalfa fields.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted in Yinchuan, an arid region of northwest China, with two subsurface drip irrigation levels (525 and 700 mm) and three nitrogen application rates (0, 150, and 300 kg N ha⁻¹).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The pulse emissions of N₂O and NH₃ significantly increased after irrigation and nitrogen fertilization. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased N₂O and NH₃ emissions under the two soil moisture conditions compared with the control, especially the W2N2 treatment, due to that the increase in soil NH₄⁺-N content led to changes in the abundance of nitrogen cycling-related functional genes. The quantities of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) reflected their contributions in the ammonia oxidation, but this contribution varied depending on specific soil environmental conditions. Under low soil NH₄⁺-N content conditions, AOA was more active than AOB and contributed more to total ammonia oxidation. Interestingly, at the high irrigation level (700 mm), nitrogen fertilization had a weaker effect on bacterial diversity than irrigation; Irrigation had a more direct and positive effect on the number and diversity of soil bacteria by increasing soil moisture content and changing soil physicochemical properties. At the high nitrogen application rate (300 kg N ha⁻¹), AOB contributed more to the ammonia oxidation than AOA, which indirectly increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota, and led to greater RNL by reducing the abundance of AOA and Firmicutes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The irrigation and nitrogen fertilization affected the diversity and composition of bacterial communities in aeolian sandy soils, and changed N₂O and NH₃ emissions by changing the abundance of NCM.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This study will deepen our understanding of the regulation of subsurface drip fertigation on soil microorganisms and N₂O and NH₃ emissions in grassland ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109748"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577854","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of sugarcane stages prone to root and stem lodging and the role of nitrogen management in enhancing resilience","authors":"Qiansi Liao ,&nbsp;Farooq Shah ,&nbsp;Zhaojie Li ,&nbsp;Peng Wang ,&nbsp;Yang Tao ,&nbsp;Qianhua Yuan ,&nbsp;Wei Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109842","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Contexts or problem</h3><div>Sugarcane is by far the most extensively grown sugar-producing crop worldwide. Unfortunately, its lengthy life cycle and erect stature have rendered it notoriously vulnerable to lodging. Whilst some studies have provided insights into the overall lodging of sugarcane, there is a lack of a detailed description that simultaneously considers both stem and root lodgings throughout the entire growth period of sugarcane and under different N rates.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>The aim of this study was to identify the most sensitive stage of sugarcane towards lodging and determine traits that can confer tolerance, particularly under higher levels of nitrogen (N) application.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Here, we explored the stem and root lodging resistance of field-grown susceptible (Zhongtang 1) and resistant (Zhongtang 3) sugarcane varieties using “safety factor” technique under different levels of N for three consecutive years.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The most sensitive stages for stem lodging and root lodgings were identified as 180 and 210 days after planting, respectively. An N rate of 300 kg ha^–1 was found to be appropriate, balancing the trade-off between sugar yield and crop lodging resistance while ensuring the maximum achievable yield under current condition. Key traits that contributed towards lodging tolerance such as enhanced stem bending strength and root anchorage strength, flexural rigidity, and diameter and mass density of the lower stem, were also identified.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions and implications</h3><div>Root lodging was relatively more prevalent than stem lodging throughout the entire growth period. Future breeding programs should prioritize sugarcane varieties with rigid root systems by increasing biomass allocation to the roots, which can strengthen their mechanical properties and ultimately enhance lodging resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109842"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577853","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":"Optimized tillage regimes in a rice-oilseed rape rotation system enhance system productivity by delaying post-flowering senescence","authors":"Chunyun Wang ,&nbsp;Zongkai Wang ,&nbsp;Hongxiang Lou ,&nbsp;Xianling Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoqiang Tan ,&nbsp;Dongli Shao ,&nbsp;Mengzhen Liu ,&nbsp;Jianqin Gao ,&nbsp;Jiefu Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Wang ,&nbsp;Jie Kuai ,&nbsp;Jing Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenghua Xu ,&nbsp;Guangsheng Zhou ,&nbsp;Jie Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109839","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109839","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>In the Yangtze River Basin (YRB), soil compaction and inappropriate tillage practices hinder crop yield improvement in the rice-oilseed rape rotation system. Hence, exploring suitable tillage regimes and their impacts on crop yield formation is essential for agricultural development in this region.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to investigate the effects of an optimized tillage regime on post-flowering senescence and yield formation in the rice–oilseed rape rotation system, providing a theoretical foundation for the development of high-productivity tillage management systems in the YRB region.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A five-year field experiment was conducted, employing shallow tillage (ST) and moderate deep tillage (MT, 20–25 cm tillage depth) in the oilseed rape season, followed by no-tillage (NT) in the rice season. Key parameters evaluated included soil compaction, post-flowering physiological activity in roots and photosynthetic organs, pre-flowering dry matter translocation, and crop yield.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Compared with ST, MT significantly reduced soil compaction in the 15–35 cm soil layer during the oilseed rape season and in the 20–35 cm layer during the subsequent NT rice season. The reduced soil compaction under MT enhanced post-flowering root activity and root xylem sap in both crops, promoting nutrient uptake. MT increased antioxidant enzyme activity, nitrogen and total chlorophyll contents while reducing O₂^-, H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde levels in oilseed rape silique walls and rice flag leaves, indicating delayed post-flowering senescence. Pre-flowering dry matter translocation rate and its contribution to yield significantly increased under MT, resulting in oilseed rape and rice yield increases of 23.9 % and 18.3 %, respectively. Furthermore, increasing planting density from 25 × 10⁴ hills ha⁻¹ to 37.5 × 10⁴ hills ha⁻¹ resulted in a 6.2 % and 11.2 % increase in rice yield, respectively, under the ST/NT and MT/NT, indicating that the yield of NT rice can be enhanced by further improving planting density under MT in the oilseed rape season.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Implementing MT in the oilseed rape season, followed by NT in the rice season, enhances crop yield by delaying post-flowering senescence and promoting pre-flowering dry matter translocation to seeds. This optimized tillage regime holds great potential as a sustainable paddy-upland rotation production technology with broad application prospects in China and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109839"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577953","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 water and nitrogen supply can regulate the dynamics of dry matter accumulation in maize, thereby promoting dry matter accumulation and increasing yield","authors":"Tingrui Yang ,&nbsp;Jinghua Zhao ,&nbsp;Ming Hong ,&nbsp;Mingjie Ma ,&nbsp;Shijiao Ma ,&nbsp;Yingying Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry Matter Accumulation (DMA) is a critical factor in yield formation. Investigating the effects of irrigation and nitrogen application on the DMA and yield formation in maize is essential to provide a theoretical basis for regulating yield formation. Over the course of two years (2022–2023), field experiments was conducted in Karamay, Xinjiang, China, with three irrigation levels (75 % ET_c, 100 % ET_c, 125 % ET_c) and four nitrogen application rates (0 kg N/ha, 93 kg N/ha, 186 kg N/ha, 279 kg N/ha). The study analyzed the effects of water and nitrogen levels on maize DMA and yield. Additionally, the Richards model for maize DMA under different water and nitrogen levels was established based on relative effective accumulated temperature. The model's parameters were used to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of DMA and its grain yield effects. The results indicate that the optimal combination of irrigation and nitrogen application for the study area is 100 % ET_c irrigation and 186 kg/ha of nitrogen. The maximum dry matter accumulation over two years was 32756 kg/ha and 33750 kg/ha, while the maximum yields were 19650 kg/ha and 18576 kg/ha, respectively. The Richards model, based on relative effective accumulated temperature for DMA, demonstrates the significant biological relevance with a determination coefficient (<em>R</em>^<em>2</em>) exceeding 0.99 and an <em>NRMSE</em> (Normalized Root Mean Square Error) less than 10 %. At the irrigation level of 100 % ET_c and nitrogen application rate of 186 kg/ha, maize exhibited the highest average rate of DMA, entering the rapid growth phase earlier and sustaining it for a longer duration. <em>Y</em>₂ (DMA during the rapid growth phase) and <em>Y</em>₃ (DMA during the slow growth phase) were significantly positively correlated with yield (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05), with correlation coefficients of 0.71 and 0.57, respectively. Additionally, hundred-grain weight and grain number per ear showed a significant positive correlation with both <em>Y</em>₂ and <em>Y</em>₃ (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05), with correlation coefficients of 0.68, 0.59, and 0.76, 0.58, respectively. Therefore, optimizing water and nitrogen supply can regulate dry matter accumulation during the rapid and slow growth phases, promoting maize dry matter accumulation and, in turn, enhancing yield. The findings of this study provide a theoretical reference for water-nitrogen management, as well as dry matter and yield regulation, in the study area or other regions with similar climatic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109837"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577852","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":"Envirotyping to drive spring barley adaptation in Northwestern Europe","authors":"Maëva Bicard ,&nbsp;Michel-Pierre Faucon ,&nbsp;Christoph Dockter ,&nbsp;Dominique Vequaud ,&nbsp;Pierre A. Pin ,&nbsp;Renaud Rincent ,&nbsp;Chloé Elmerich ,&nbsp;Bastien Lange","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109793","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Cereal crops are highly vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Due to the restricted genetic diversity within the existing elite germplasm used in modern breeding, developing high-yielding and stable cultivars in the context of climate change requires deciphering genotype x environment interactions (GEI), commonly observed in multi-environment trials (METs).</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Our study on two-row spring barley, an economically important short-cycle crop, aimed to (i) highlight the main environmental covariates (EC) – climatic variables calculated over phenological stages – driving GEI for yield, and (ii) characterize genotypes’ adaptation across the European spring malting barley production area.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Using data from 112 elite genotypes across 121 environments (from 2015 to 2022), 91 EC were calculated for each environment using the calibrated CERES-Barley model and analyzed for their contribution to GEI. An environmental classification was conducted on the main GEI-drivers across 1450 environments, including tested and untested locations, within the production area.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Elevated temperatures during barley stem elongation, as well as solar radiation intensity and water accessibility during grain filling, were identified as the major GEI-drivers. Thermal amplitude around anthesis also emerged as an influential factor. The analysis discriminated three environment types (ET) across the European Target Population of Environments (TPE), distributed according to clear spatial and repeatability variations. They contrasted mainly in terms of temperatures during vegetative growth, solar radiation intensity, and water availability during grain filling. Specific (suited to one ET) or broad adaptation (multi-ET) were identified for the tested genotypes, offering valuable information for characterizing germplasm performance and optimizing selection criteria.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>We showed how controlling GEI-drivers through envirotyping enhanced year-to-year field trial predictability, selection intensity, and yield genetic gain and stability. Further advancements will need to integrate the genetic sensitivity to GEI-drivers into genomic selection methods to improve accuracy in modern cereal breeding.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109793"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577975","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":"The effect of substituting inorganic fertilizer with manure on soil N₂O and CH₄ emissions and crop yields: A global meta-analysis","authors":"Xiaoyi Meng ,&nbsp;Shurong Liu ,&nbsp;Junliang Zou ,&nbsp;Bruce Osborne","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109831","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109831","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The replacement of inorganic fertilizers with manures is gaining increased attention as a strategy for developing sustainable agroecological farming systems. Substituting synthetic N fertilizers with manure has been proposed to affect field N₂O emissions and crop yields. However, the global effects of such substitution practices on the trade-offs between crop yield, net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and GHG intensity (GHGI) remain controversial.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This research evaluates the impact of substituting inorganic fertilizers with manure on crop yields, GHG emissions, and GHGI under varying conditions. Additionally, it examines the influence of different factors on these outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study conducted a global meta-analysis (119 articles, 856 observations) to quantify the effects of manure substitution on N₂O and CH₄ emissions and crop yields, considering variations in manure characteristics, climatic conditions, and soil properties.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusion</h3><div>The findings revealed that substituting inorganic fertilizers with manure significantly increased CH₄ emissions, while N₂O emissions decreased, though the reduction was not statistically significant. The effects on GWP and crop yields were minimal. A significant decrease in soil N₂O emissions was observed under the following conditions: mean annual temperature (MAT) &gt; 15°C, rice cropping systems, composted manure application, or manure with a C:N ratio of 8–16. A significant increase in soil CH₄ emissions was observed in clay soils, soils with SOC &gt; 15 g C kg⁻¹ , MAT &gt; 15°C or &lt; 10°C, a mean annual precipitation (MAP) &gt; 800 mm or &lt; 400 mm, vegetable cropping systems, total N application rates of 150–300 kg N ha⁻¹ , a manure N concentration of &gt; 66 %, or with raw manure applications. A significant increase in crop yield was observed in vegetable cropping systems or when manure N percentage was between 33 % and 66 %. The GHGI advantage of substituting manure fertilizer increases as SOC levels rise.</div></div><div><h3>Implication and significance</h3><div>These findings contribute to optimizing management practices for reducing GHG emissions and enhancing crop yields, supporting sustainable agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109831"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Intercropping maize and peanut under semi-arid conditions is a zero-sum game","authors":"Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Zhanxiang Sun ,&nbsp;Chen Feng ,&nbsp;Guijuan Du ,&nbsp;Liangshan Feng ,&nbsp;Wei Bai ,&nbsp;Zhe Zhang ,&nbsp;Dongsheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Jie Yang ,&nbsp;Chao Li ,&nbsp;Shu Yang ,&nbsp;Qian Cai ,&nbsp;Zhi Dong ,&nbsp;Xu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuan Li ,&nbsp;Wopke van der Werf ,&nbsp;Lizhen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109833","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109833","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Maize and peanut have been reported to be compatible species in intercropping with a high land use efficiency. However, little information is available at contemporary higher levels of fertilizer input and the possible importance of root plasticity for water uptake in rain-fed semi-arid condition.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We aimed to quantify yield, yield components, water uptake, root plasticity and distribution of maize and peanut in dryland agriculture.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A 3-year field experiment was conducted at two N input levels (N-free, without N fertilizer addition; N-farmer, N fertilizer rates were based on conventional rates used by local famers) in Liaoning province, China.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Maize had an average partial land equivalent ratio (pLER) of 0.73 over three years while peanut had an average pLER of 0.27. The total LER indicates no land use advantage of intercropping. Yields were unresponsive to fertilizer input. The harvest index (HI) of maize was increased by intercropping, from 0.47 to 0.52, whereas the HI of peanut was decreased from 0.39 to 0.32 over all years and N treatments. Intercropping decreased the branch numbers and increased the length of main stem and lateral branches at 1st to 3rd pairs. Roots of maize foraged in the peanut strip while roots of peanut were largely absent from the maize strip. The root length density/aboveground biomass of peanut increased 88 % in intercropping. However, contrary to expectation, total water uptake was not increased by intercrop and was not affected by N application rate.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Under rain-fed semi-arid condition, maize/peanut intercropping does not provide land and water use advantage and the species interaction is a zero-sum game, even though peanut showed high root plasticity (88 %). A key reason for the lack of positive LER response is the reduction of HI. Low plant vigour of intercropped peanut due to water stress and shading and the elevated the branch position and the decreased branch number may be responsible for a low rate of pegging which would then result is lower HI.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>The results provide a testable prediction that the advantage of maize/peanut intercropping may potentially be improved by solving the HI problem of intercropped peanut, such as breeding for more shade tolerant varieties or planting the maize in narrower rows to improve the insolation of peanut. Our study is helpful for field management strategies for maize/peanut intercropping in semi-arid dryland agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109833"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577950","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":"Rotational grass-legume leys increase arable crop yields, particularly at low N fertiliser rates","authors":"Fatima F. El Khosht ,&nbsp;Göran Bergkvist ,&nbsp;A. Sigrun Dahlin ,&nbsp;Christine A. Watson ,&nbsp;Johannes Forkman ,&nbsp;Johan Nilsson ,&nbsp;Ingrid Öborn","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Including perennial leys in crop rotations can increase arable crop yield and soil organic carbon content. However, ley effects are often confounded by differences in manure addition, and it is unclear how the effects change over time or are impacted by ley species. Using 48 years of data from long term experiments at three locations in Sweden, this study examined the effects of including a two-year sole-grass or mixed grass-legume ley compared with only arable crops in six-year rotations, on crop production, and soil carbon and nitrogen under different nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates but without manure additions. Rotational leys resulted in greater oilseed and cereal grain yields at zero and low N fertilisation, particularly when legumes were included in the ley. The effect was evident for grain yields throughout the rotation and similar over crop rotation cycles. However, there were no yield differences between rotations at the highest N rate. With a grass-legume ley in the rotation, less N fertiliser was required to obtain similar grain N concentrations in winter wheat as in the rotation without ley. Concentrations of topsoil C and total-N, across cycles and N rates, were higher in rotations with ley. Topsoil C was maintained between the 2nd and 8th cycle in all treatments except at the low N fertiliser rate in the rotation without ley. Including short-term grass-legume leys in crop rotations with only arable crops may be a way to reduce the dependence on N fertiliser and still maintain topsoil C.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"326 ","pages":"Article 109835"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143577951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}