Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110361
Yunuo Li , Yuhan Jiang , MengDi Wang , Conghui Liu , Yamin Peng , Jianglan Shi , Xiaohong Tian
Context
Dryland wheat systems on the Loess Plateau of China are increasingly constrained by erratic rainfall and ongoing soil degradation. The traditional summer fallow, intended for water storage, fails to restore soil fertility or sustain productivity. Under intensifying climate variability, improved management strategies are urgently needed.
Objective
This study tested whether integrating legume green manure with organic amendments (straw, manure, or both) could transform the summer fallow from a passive water-storage phase into an active biological stage, thereby enhancing yield stability, soil fertility, and system resilience.
Methods
A seven-year split-plot field experiment (2016–2023) was established in a rainfed winter wheat system on the Loess Plateau, China. The main plot compared two summer fallow systems: conventional fallow (G₀) and legume green manure incorporation (G). Subplots included five fertilization regimes: mineral fertilizer alone, mineral fertilizer combined with manure (M), straw (S), or their combination (MS).
Results
Replacing summer fallow with green manure initially reduced yield by 8–14 % but produced a 14.4 % advantage during the 2023 drought after a 3–5-year transition. The green manure system (G) enhanced crop nitrogen and phosphorus uptake primarily via soil nutrient pool expansion, whereas nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) showed strong interannual variability rather than consistent increases across years. Among treatments, the G-M achieved the highest yield, whereas G-MS most effectively enhanced soil nutrient stocks (0–60 cm) and maintained comparable nutrient uptake to G-M. Path analysis indicated that 61 % of the total yield effect occurred indirectly through nutrient-pool expansion and enhanced nutrient uptake.
Conclusions
Replacing summer fallow with green manure shifted system management from water conservation to soil fertility renewal. The G-M pathway supports short-term productivity through fast nutrient turnover, whereas G-MS builds long-term resilience by expanding soil nutrient capital and sustaining nutrient cycling.
Significance
Integrating green manure with organic amendments offers a flexible and scalable approach to strengthen soil function, enhance nutrient–yield coupling, and build climate resilience in dryland wheat systems.
{"title":"Integrating green manure and organic amendments enhances nutrient–yield coupling and system resilience in dryland wheat","authors":"Yunuo Li , Yuhan Jiang , MengDi Wang , Conghui Liu , Yamin Peng , Jianglan Shi , Xiaohong Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110361","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Dryland wheat systems on the Loess Plateau of China are increasingly constrained by erratic rainfall and ongoing soil degradation. The traditional summer fallow, intended for water storage, fails to restore soil fertility or sustain productivity. Under intensifying climate variability, improved management strategies are urgently needed.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study tested whether integrating legume green manure with organic amendments (straw, manure, or both) could transform the summer fallow from a passive water-storage phase into an active biological stage, thereby enhancing yield stability, soil fertility, and system resilience.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A seven-year split-plot field experiment (2016–2023) was established in a rainfed winter wheat system on the Loess Plateau, China. The main plot compared two summer fallow systems: conventional fallow (G₀) and legume green manure incorporation (G). Subplots included five fertilization regimes: mineral fertilizer alone, mineral fertilizer combined with manure (M), straw (S), or their combination (MS).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Replacing summer fallow with green manure initially reduced yield by 8–14 % but produced a 14.4 % advantage during the 2023 drought after a 3–5-year transition. The green manure system (G) enhanced crop nitrogen and phosphorus uptake primarily via soil nutrient pool expansion, whereas nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) showed strong interannual variability rather than consistent increases across years. Among treatments, the G-M achieved the highest yield, whereas G-MS most effectively enhanced soil nutrient stocks (0–60 cm) and maintained comparable nutrient uptake to G-M. Path analysis indicated that 61 % of the total yield effect occurred indirectly through nutrient-pool expansion and enhanced nutrient uptake.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Replacing summer fallow with green manure shifted system management from water conservation to soil fertility renewal. The G-M pathway supports short-term productivity through fast nutrient turnover, whereas G-MS builds long-term resilience by expanding soil nutrient capital and sustaining nutrient cycling.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Integrating green manure with organic amendments offers a flexible and scalable approach to strengthen soil function, enhance nutrient–yield coupling, and build climate resilience in dryland wheat systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"340 ","pages":"Article 110361"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146045260","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110368
Hezhong Dong
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Pub Date : 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110365
Bokai Yang , Xianyue Li , Jirí Šimůnek , Jianwen Yan , Ning Chen , Yuehong Zhang , Qi Hu , Hongxing Liu , Lei Liu
Context
Maize-soybean intercropping is a widely adopted agricultural system. However, most existing modeling approaches do not explicitly account for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), limiting their ability to distinguish different nitrogen sources and associated processes. As a result, the interactions among fertilizer-derived nitrogen (N), biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), and crop N uptake under different row configurations remain insufficiently understood.
Objective
This study aimed to quantify the allocation and utilization of fertilizer- and BNF-derived nitrogen between maize and soybean, evaluate crop nitrogen competition, and identify optimal row configurations under BNF.
Methods
A two-year field experiment (2024–2025) was conducted in northern China to quantify soil nitrogen dynamics and crop N uptake in maize–soybean intercropping systems with different row configurations. Soybean biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and its transfer to maize were quantified using the δ15N natural abundance method. Experimental data were further analyzed using a modified HYDRUS (2D/3D) model, in which BNF was incorporated as a time-varying nitrogen flux to simulate nitrogen transport and uptake processes.
Results
As the proportion of soybean rows increased, soil N content on the soybean side reached approximately 1.2 times that on the maize side, and the total BNF input increased from 14.3 to 44.3 kg ha−1. Conversely, the proportion of BNF-derived N taken up by maize decreased from 31.3 % to 15.2 %. The intercropping system with two rows of maize and four rows of soybean (IC2–4) resulted in soil N surplus and leaching (29.2 kg ha−1), whereas the system with two rows of maize and two rows of soybean (IC2–2) maintained the optimal balance between the BNF input and crop N uptake, achieving the highest N land equivalent ratio (LERN) of 1.15. In contrast, the system with four rows of maize and two rows of soybean (IC4–2) showed the highest total crop N uptake but the lowest BNF input, thereby limiting the N facilitation effects between the two crops.
Conclusions
An appropriate proportion of soybean rows enhances N complementarity between maize and soybean, increases both the BNF input and N use efficiency, and reduces soil N accumulation and leaching risk. Among all tested configurations, IC2–2 provides the best comprehensive performance, achieving high N uptake efficiency while minimizing environmental risks.
玉米-大豆间作是一种广泛采用的农业制度。然而，大多数现有的建模方法没有明确考虑生物固氮（BNF），限制了它们区分不同氮源和相关过程的能力。因此，在不同的行构型下，肥源性氮(N)、生物固氮（BNF）和作物氮吸收之间的相互作用仍未得到充分的了解。目的量化玉米和大豆氮素在肥料和氮素衍生作物间的分配和利用，评价作物氮素竞争，确定氮素衍生作物在氮素条件下的最佳行配置。方法采用为期2年的大田试验（2024-2025），定量研究了不同行形玉米-大豆间作系统土壤氮素动态和作物氮素吸收。采用δ15N自然丰度法定量分析了大豆生物固氮作用及其向玉米的转移。采用改进的HYDRUS （2D/3D）模型对实验数据进行分析，该模型将BNF作为时变氮通量来模拟氮的运输和吸收过程。结果随着大豆行数的增加，大豆侧土壤氮含量约为玉米侧的1.2倍，BNF总投入量从14.3增加到44.3 kg ha−1。相反，玉米吸收bnf衍生氮的比例从31.3% %下降到15.2% %。2行玉米- 4行大豆间作系统（IC2-4）导致土壤N过剩和淋失（29.2 kg ha - 1），而2行玉米- 2行大豆间作系统（IC2-2）维持了BNF投入与作物N吸收之间的最佳平衡，实现了最高的N土地当量比（LERN），为1.15。相比之下，4行玉米和2行大豆（IC4-2）的作物总氮吸收最高，但BNF输入最低，从而限制了两种作物之间的氮促进作用。结论适当的大豆种植比例可提高玉米与大豆氮素的互补性，提高氮素投入和氮素利用效率，降低土壤氮素积累和淋溶风险。在所有测试配置中，IC2-2的综合性能最好，既能获得较高的氮吸收效率，又能将环境风险降到最低。
{"title":"Nitrogen evaluation under different maize–soybean intercropping row configurations by HYDRUS (2D/3D) considering biological nitrogen fixation in northern China","authors":"Bokai Yang , Xianyue Li , Jirí Šimůnek , Jianwen Yan , Ning Chen , Yuehong Zhang , Qi Hu , Hongxing Liu , Lei Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Maize-soybean intercropping is a widely adopted agricultural system. However, most existing modeling approaches do not explicitly account for biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), limiting their ability to distinguish different nitrogen sources and associated processes. As a result, the interactions among fertilizer-derived nitrogen (N), biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), and crop N uptake under different row configurations remain insufficiently understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to quantify the allocation and utilization of fertilizer- and BNF-derived nitrogen between maize and soybean, evaluate crop nitrogen competition, and identify optimal row configurations under BNF.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment (2024–2025) was conducted in northern China to quantify soil nitrogen dynamics and crop N uptake in maize–soybean intercropping systems with different row configurations. Soybean biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and its transfer to maize were quantified using the δ<sup>15</sup>N natural abundance method. Experimental data were further analyzed using a modified HYDRUS (2D/3D) model, in which BNF was incorporated as a time-varying nitrogen flux to simulate nitrogen transport and uptake processes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>As the proportion of soybean rows increased, soil N content on the soybean side reached approximately 1.2 times that on the maize side, and the total BNF input increased from 14.3 to 44.3 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>. Conversely, the proportion of BNF-derived N taken up by maize decreased from 31.3 % to 15.2 %. The intercropping system with two rows of maize and four rows of soybean (IC<sub>2–4</sub>) resulted in soil N surplus and leaching (29.2 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), whereas the system with two rows of maize and two rows of soybean (IC<sub>2–2</sub>) maintained the optimal balance between the BNF input and crop N uptake, achieving the highest N land equivalent ratio (<em>LER</em><sub>N</sub>) of 1.15. In contrast, the system with four rows of maize and two rows of soybean (IC<sub>4–2</sub>) showed the highest total crop N uptake but the lowest BNF input, thereby limiting the N facilitation effects between the two crops.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>An appropriate proportion of soybean rows enhances N complementarity between maize and soybean, increases both the BNF input and N use efficiency, and reduces soil N accumulation and leaching risk. Among all tested configurations, IC<sub>2–2</sub> provides the best comprehensive performance, achieving high N uptake efficiency while minimizing environmental risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"340 ","pages":"Article 110365"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146045259","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110362
Zhilong Fan , Yunyou Nan , Wen Yin , Falong Hu , Cai Zhao , Aizhong Yu , Weidong Cao , Qiang Chai
Context
In arid irrigated regions with limited growing seasons, establishing sustainable post-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems is crucial for agricultural intensification and soil conservation.
Objective
This study aimed to evaluate and identify an optimal post-wheat cropping system that enhances biomass production, soil quality, crop performance, and economic returns under arid conditions.
Methods
A seven-year field experiment (2018–2024) was conducted in northwestern China, comparing seven systems after spring wheat harvest: common vetch (Vicia sativa L.)/hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) mixture (W-CV×HV), common vetch/rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) mixture (W-CV×R), hairy vetch/rapeseed mixture (W-HV×R), sole common vetch (W-SCV), sole hairy vetch (W-SHV), sole rapeseed (W-SR), and a fallow control (W-W).
Results
The W-CV×HV system demonstrated exceptional performance. It produced the highest biomass, with increases of 14.3–23.9 % over other mixtures, and enhanced crude protein yield by 13.7–44.4 %. This advantage was supported by strong interspecific facilitation (LER=1.18). This system significantly improved subsequent wheat performance, increasing grain yield by 2.7–8.8 % and yield stability by 66.9 % compared to sole legume cropping. After seven years, W-CV×HV most substantially improved soil quality, increasing soil organic matter and total nitrogen while reducing pH, EC, and bulk density. Economically, the system achieved 9.8–14.1 % higher monetary value than other cropping systems.
Conclusion
The legume-legume mixture of common vetch and hairy vetch represents a superior post-wheat cropping system, surpassing traditional fallow and single-species systems in agronomic, ecological, and economic performance.
Implications
This system provides a sustainable alternative for integrated agricultural intensification in arid environments, contributing to soil health stabilization, yield resilience, and improved farm profitability.
在生长季节有限的干旱灌区，建立可持续的小麦后种植系统对农业集约化和土壤保持至关重要。
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Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110366
Zheming Liang , Haoyang Han , Miao Wang , Zhenbo Lan , Fanchen Qiao , Zhe Zhang , Jiancan Liu , Shanchao Yue , Qiang Zhang , Ju Bai , Zhiping Yang , Yongliang Wang
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving synergistic improvements in productivity and sustainability represents a major challenge for maize production on the semi-arid Loess Plateau.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Mulching practices and optimized nitrogen management are critical for regulating maize growth and mitigating gaseous nitrogen losses. However, the mechanisms by which combining different mulching practices and nitrogen fertilizer regimes improves crop productivity while mitigating gaseous nitrogen losses remains unclear, warranting further investigation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Based on a 10-year long-term experiment, a 2-year study (2023–2024) was conducted in the eastern Loess Plateau to assess spring maize growth and gaseous nitrogen losses under different management practices. The experiment included seven field management treatments: six combinations of three mulching practices (no mulching (NM), plastic film mulching (FM), and straw mulching (SM)) and two nitrogen regimes (split urea application (UR) and one-time application of a controlled-release and common urea mixture (CR)), plus a control treatment with no mulching and no nitrogen application (CK).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among all treatments, SM+CR (CS) exhibited the strongest synergy: compared with NM+UR (UN), CS maintained higher leaf area index (LAI) and SPAD values from the silking stage (R1) to the milk stage (R3), thereby enhancing photosynthesis and resource capture, and increasing dry matter accumulation by 33.94 %-40.23 %. Consequently, relative to UN, the CS treatment promoted more grains per ear and a higher 100-grain weight, ultimately increasing grain yield by 27.51 %-40.03 % and nitrogen uptake by 50.23 %-57.87 %, while reducing gaseous nitrogen losses by 37.27 %-44.60 %. In comparison, FM promoted early-stage maize growth, increased biomass and LAI, and raised intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) 4.16 %-10.54 % relative to NM. However, FM also stimulated the activities of key soil N cycle enzymes (urease, ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), and nitrite reductase (NIR)), leading to a 34.71 %-95.50 % increase in cumulative nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emissions and a 34.35 %-101.10 % increase in global warming potential (GWP). In contrast to FM, SM moderated soil enzyme activities, improved the soil hydrothermal environment, enhanced nitrogen uptake by 5.26 %-14.89 %, and effectively reduced both yield-scaled NH<sub>3</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. Compared with UR, CR optimized nitrogen release timing, avoiding a mid-to-late season peak in soil enzyme activity and reducing gaseous nitrogen losses by 13.60 %-27.79 %. Consequently, CR increased grains per panicle and improved crop yield by 8.36 %-21.06 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>One-time application of a controlled-release and common urea mixture combined with straw mulching (CS) enhances spring maize productivity while mitigating environmental impac
实现生产力和可持续性的协同改进是半干旱黄土高原玉米生产面临的主要挑战。
{"title":"Straw mulching combined with controlled-release urea improves maize yield and lowers gaseous nitrogen losses in the Loess Plateau via regulating soil enzyme activities and optimizing nitrogen release","authors":"Zheming Liang , Haoyang Han , Miao Wang , Zhenbo Lan , Fanchen Qiao , Zhe Zhang , Jiancan Liu , Shanchao Yue , Qiang Zhang , Ju Bai , Zhiping Yang , Yongliang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Achieving synergistic improvements in productivity and sustainability represents a major challenge for maize production on the semi-arid Loess Plateau.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Mulching practices and optimized nitrogen management are critical for regulating maize growth and mitigating gaseous nitrogen losses. However, the mechanisms by which combining different mulching practices and nitrogen fertilizer regimes improves crop productivity while mitigating gaseous nitrogen losses remains unclear, warranting further investigation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Based on a 10-year long-term experiment, a 2-year study (2023–2024) was conducted in the eastern Loess Plateau to assess spring maize growth and gaseous nitrogen losses under different management practices. The experiment included seven field management treatments: six combinations of three mulching practices (no mulching (NM), plastic film mulching (FM), and straw mulching (SM)) and two nitrogen regimes (split urea application (UR) and one-time application of a controlled-release and common urea mixture (CR)), plus a control treatment with no mulching and no nitrogen application (CK).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among all treatments, SM+CR (CS) exhibited the strongest synergy: compared with NM+UR (UN), CS maintained higher leaf area index (LAI) and SPAD values from the silking stage (R1) to the milk stage (R3), thereby enhancing photosynthesis and resource capture, and increasing dry matter accumulation by 33.94 %-40.23 %. Consequently, relative to UN, the CS treatment promoted more grains per ear and a higher 100-grain weight, ultimately increasing grain yield by 27.51 %-40.03 % and nitrogen uptake by 50.23 %-57.87 %, while reducing gaseous nitrogen losses by 37.27 %-44.60 %. In comparison, FM promoted early-stage maize growth, increased biomass and LAI, and raised intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) 4.16 %-10.54 % relative to NM. However, FM also stimulated the activities of key soil N cycle enzymes (urease, ammonia monooxygenase (AMO), and nitrite reductase (NIR)), leading to a 34.71 %-95.50 % increase in cumulative nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emissions and a 34.35 %-101.10 % increase in global warming potential (GWP). In contrast to FM, SM moderated soil enzyme activities, improved the soil hydrothermal environment, enhanced nitrogen uptake by 5.26 %-14.89 %, and effectively reduced both yield-scaled NH<sub>3</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. Compared with UR, CR optimized nitrogen release timing, avoiding a mid-to-late season peak in soil enzyme activity and reducing gaseous nitrogen losses by 13.60 %-27.79 %. Consequently, CR increased grains per panicle and improved crop yield by 8.36 %-21.06 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>One-time application of a controlled-release and common urea mixture combined with straw mulching (CS) enhances spring maize productivity while mitigating environmental impac","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110366"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048012","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110357
Shuoshuo Liang , Ping He , Qingnan Chu , Wentian He , Ruochen Li , Xinpeng Xu , Rong Jiang , Shuang Liu , Linkui Cao , Zhimin Sha
The possible solutions for maintaining rice productivity while minimizing environmental impacts under climate change remain unclear. We developed a DNDC-Random Forest (DNDC-RF) framework coupling the process-based DNDC model with random forest machine learning to evaluate rice yield, NH₃ volatilization, and greenhouse gas emissions, and explored optimization potential through multi-objective fertilizer management. The DNDC model demonstrated superior performance in simulating rice yield (R² = 0.83) compared to gaseous emissions (R² = 0.80–0.86), while the DNDC-RF framework achieved enhanced predictive accuracy (R² = 0.93–0.97). Multi-objective optimization using the NSGA-III algorithm identified distinct regional variations in optimal fertilizer management strategies across Yangtze River Delta region, with partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer (MF) maintaining comparable yields while reducing GHG emissions by 25–35 % compared to conventional practices (CT). Under the SSP126 scenario, both treatments-maintained productivity gains throughout 2021–2100 with yield increases of 21.8–22.4 % during the early period, while SSP585 led to progressive yield declines reaching 42.3 % below baseline levels. Spatial analysis revealed that northern counties demonstrated greater climate resilience, while southern coastal counties showed increased vulnerability. The findings of our study provide scientific support for developing climate-smart agricultural practices that simultaneously enhance productivity and environmental sustainability.
{"title":"Multi-objective optimization of rice production and environmental sustainability under climate change in the Yangtze River Delta: A DNDC-random forest framework approach","authors":"Shuoshuo Liang , Ping He , Qingnan Chu , Wentian He , Ruochen Li , Xinpeng Xu , Rong Jiang , Shuang Liu , Linkui Cao , Zhimin Sha","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The possible solutions for maintaining rice productivity while minimizing environmental impacts under climate change remain unclear. We developed a DNDC-Random Forest (DNDC-RF) framework coupling the process-based DNDC model with random forest machine learning to evaluate rice yield, NH₃ volatilization, and greenhouse gas emissions, and explored optimization potential through multi-objective fertilizer management. The DNDC model demonstrated superior performance in simulating rice yield (R² = 0.83) compared to gaseous emissions (R² = 0.80–0.86), while the DNDC-RF framework achieved enhanced predictive accuracy (R² = 0.93–0.97). Multi-objective optimization using the NSGA-III algorithm identified distinct regional variations in optimal fertilizer management strategies across Yangtze River Delta region, with partial replacement of chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer (MF) maintaining comparable yields while reducing GHG emissions by 25–35 % compared to conventional practices (CT). Under the SSP126 scenario, both treatments-maintained productivity gains throughout 2021–2100 with yield increases of 21.8–22.4 % during the early period, while SSP585 led to progressive yield declines reaching 42.3 % below baseline levels. Spatial analysis revealed that northern counties demonstrated greater climate resilience, while southern coastal counties showed increased vulnerability. The findings of our study provide scientific support for developing climate-smart agricultural practices that simultaneously enhance productivity and environmental sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110357"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048013","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110364
Kang Du , Xinyue Yang , Zhenpeng Deng , Xi Lin , Mengyuan Hu , Rui Jiang , Guolian Zheng , Xiaoping Yi , Xun Liu , Changwen Lyu , Jichun Wang
Background
Potato production in the mountainous regions of Southwest China is constrained by low soil temperatures and poor nutrient availability. Although mulching is a widely adopted strategy to mitigate these constraints, the integrated effects of different mulching practices on the rhizosphere environment, particularly root development, soil microbial communities, and the rhizospheric metabolites, and their collective roles in yield formation remain poorly understood.
Methods
A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate four mulching treatments: no mulch (NM), straw mulch (PS), plastic film mulch (PP), and integrated plastic film and straw mulch (PPS). We comprehensively evaluated their impacts on soil temperature, root morphology, soil nutrient availability, enzyme activities, bacterial community composition, the rhizospheric metabolites, and tuber yield.
Results
The PPS treatment most effectively promoted potato growth and final tuber yield, achieving significant increases of 22.8 % in 2023 and 45.0 % in 2024 compared to NM. Specifically, PPS treatment optimized the soil thermal regime, promoted emergence 12–13 days earlier than NM, and stimulated root development, yielding the highest root volume and surface area. These enhanced root traits were associated with a distinct rhizospheric metabolic profile, including upregulation of arabinono-1,4-lactone, malic acid, and fumaric acid. Concurrently, PPS enriched beneficial bacteria taxa such as Burkholderiales and Myxococcota, which were strongly correlated with the altered metabolite pattern. The modified rhizosphere environment further improved soil nutrient availability and increased activities of urease and sucrase. Partial least squares path modeling established a positive regulatory loop: mulching-induced improvements in soil temperature and nutrients enhanced microbial diversity and the rhizospheric metabolites, which together fostered nutrient mobilization and directly promoted tuber yield.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate that the integration of plastic film and straw mulching could enhance potato yield by establishing a coordinated mechanism in which early soil warming promotes root growth and stimulates the secretion of specific metabolites. These metabolites subsequently recruit beneficial microbial taxa, leading to enhanced soil nutrient availability and enzyme activity that ultimately support greater tuber yield. This elucidated mechanism provides a foundation for sustainable productivity enhancement in mountainous potato agroecosystems.
{"title":"Integrated plastic film and straw mulching enhances potato tuber yield in mountainous regions by optimizing rhizospheric metabolites and root–microbe interactions","authors":"Kang Du , Xinyue Yang , Zhenpeng Deng , Xi Lin , Mengyuan Hu , Rui Jiang , Guolian Zheng , Xiaoping Yi , Xun Liu , Changwen Lyu , Jichun Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110364","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110364","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Potato production in the mountainous regions of Southwest China is constrained by low soil temperatures and poor nutrient availability. Although mulching is a widely adopted strategy to mitigate these constraints, the integrated effects of different mulching practices on the rhizosphere environment, particularly root development, soil microbial communities, and the rhizospheric metabolites, and their collective roles in yield formation remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate four mulching treatments: no mulch (NM), straw mulch (PS), plastic film mulch (PP), and integrated plastic film and straw mulch (PPS). We comprehensively evaluated their impacts on soil temperature, root morphology, soil nutrient availability, enzyme activities, bacterial community composition, the rhizospheric metabolites, and tuber yield.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The PPS treatment most effectively promoted potato growth and final tuber yield, achieving significant increases of 22.8 % in 2023 and 45.0 % in 2024 compared to NM. Specifically, PPS treatment optimized the soil thermal regime, promoted emergence 12–13 days earlier than NM, and stimulated root development, yielding the highest root volume and surface area. These enhanced root traits were associated with a distinct rhizospheric metabolic profile, including upregulation of arabinono-1,4-lactone, malic acid, and fumaric acid. Concurrently, PPS enriched beneficial bacteria taxa such as <em>Burkholderiales</em> and <em>Myxococcota</em>, which were strongly correlated with the altered metabolite pattern. The modified rhizosphere environment further improved soil nutrient availability and increased activities of urease and sucrase. Partial least squares path modeling established a positive regulatory loop: mulching-induced improvements in soil temperature and nutrients enhanced microbial diversity and the rhizospheric metabolites, which together fostered nutrient mobilization and directly promoted tuber yield.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings demonstrate that the integration of plastic film and straw mulching could enhance potato yield by establishing a coordinated mechanism in which early soil warming promotes root growth and stimulates the secretion of specific metabolites. These metabolites subsequently recruit beneficial microbial taxa, leading to enhanced soil nutrient availability and enzyme activity that ultimately support greater tuber yield. This elucidated mechanism provides a foundation for sustainable productivity enhancement in mountainous potato agroecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110364"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023362","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110355
Zhenyue Liu , Tong Heng , Pengrui Ai , Zhenghu Ma , Maosong Tang , Yingjie Ma
Drought and water scarcity have emerged as critical stress factors threatening crop yields in arid regions, necessitating the exploration of innovative water-saving technologies to enhance water use efficiency and optimize soil microenvironments. Through field experiments conducted from 2023 to 2024, this study systematically analyzed the effects of three mulch film widths (W1: ultra-wide film 4.4 m, W2: medium-width film 2.05 m, W3: narrow film 1.4 m) and two irrigation water types (M1: magnetized irrigation, M2: unmagnetized irrigation), comprising six experimental treatments, on soil oxygen levels and microbial communities in the cotton rhizosphere. The results demonstrated that the magnetized water irrigation combined with ultra-wide film mulching treatment (W1M1) achieved soil temperature and porosity of 23.49℃ and 49.8 %, respectively, both significantly higher than all other treatments. Medium-width film mulching treatments exhibited the highest soil oxygen levels; however, due to the higher porosity and lower soil moisture content under ultra-wide film mulching, the latter demonstrated higher total soil oxygen levels, with W1M1 exceeding W2M1 by 0.07 % and W1M2 surpassing W2M2 by 0.56 % in total soil oxygen content. Furthermore, W1M1 enhances microbial metabolic functions by modulating the relative abundance of microbial communities in cotton rhizosphere soil. The combined relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota phyla under W1M1 treatment increased by 11.20 % and 14.25 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively, while the relative abundance of Chloroflexota phylum decreased by 1.07 % and 3.05 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively. Compared to W2M1 and W3M1 treatments, W1M1 showed increases of 1.79 % and 21.34 % in Carbohydrate metabolism, 5.84 % and 13.04 % in Glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and 1.98 % and 3.68 % in Membrane transport, respectively. In 2023 and 2024, the W1M1 treatment achieved the highest cotton root dry matter mass, seed cotton yield, and irrigation water use efficiency, recording 38.9 g plant⁻¹ and 40.9 g plant⁻¹ , 6328 kg ha⁻¹and 7545 kg ha⁻¹ , and 1.7 kg cm⁻³ and 1.8 kg cm⁻³ , respectively. These findings demonstrate that the W1M1 synergistic technique effectively optimizes soil structure, enhances soil oxygen content, and stimulates microbial metabolic activity, consequently improving cotton yield and water use efficiency, thus providing a promising approach for the widespread implementation of ultra-wide film mulching cultivation technology for cotton production in Xinjiang.
{"title":"Assessment of oxygen levels and microbial diversities under synergistic influence of irrigation methods and different mulching widths in cotton rhizosphere soil","authors":"Zhenyue Liu , Tong Heng , Pengrui Ai , Zhenghu Ma , Maosong Tang , Yingjie Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drought and water scarcity have emerged as critical stress factors threatening crop yields in arid regions, necessitating the exploration of innovative water-saving technologies to enhance water use efficiency and optimize soil microenvironments. Through field experiments conducted from 2023 to 2024, this study systematically analyzed the effects of three mulch film widths (W1: ultra-wide film 4.4 m, W2: medium-width film 2.05 m, W3: narrow film 1.4 m) and two irrigation water types (M1: magnetized irrigation, M2: unmagnetized irrigation), comprising six experimental treatments, on soil oxygen levels and microbial communities in the cotton rhizosphere. The results demonstrated that the magnetized water irrigation combined with ultra-wide film mulching treatment (W1M1) achieved soil temperature and porosity of 23.49℃ and 49.8 %, respectively, both significantly higher than all other treatments. Medium-width film mulching treatments exhibited the highest soil oxygen levels; however, due to the higher porosity and lower soil moisture content under ultra-wide film mulching, the latter demonstrated higher total soil oxygen levels, with W1M1 exceeding W2M1 by 0.07 % and W1M2 surpassing W2M2 by 0.56 % in total soil oxygen content. Furthermore, W1M1 enhances microbial metabolic functions by modulating the relative abundance of microbial communities in cotton rhizosphere soil. The combined relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota phyla under W1M1 treatment increased by 11.20 % and 14.25 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively, while the relative abundance of Chloroflexota phylum decreased by 1.07 % and 3.05 % compared to W2M1 and W3M1, respectively. Compared to W2M1 and W3M1 treatments, W1M1 showed increases of 1.79 % and 21.34 % in Carbohydrate metabolism, 5.84 % and 13.04 % in Glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, and 1.98 % and 3.68 % in Membrane transport, respectively. In 2023 and 2024, the W1M1 treatment achieved the highest cotton root dry matter mass, seed cotton yield, and irrigation water use efficiency, recording 38.9 g plant⁻¹ and 40.9 g plant⁻¹ , 6328 kg ha⁻¹and 7545 kg ha⁻¹ , and 1.7 kg cm⁻³ and 1.8 kg cm⁻³ , respectively. These findings demonstrate that the W1M1 synergistic technique effectively optimizes soil structure, enhances soil oxygen content, and stimulates microbial metabolic activity, consequently improving cotton yield and water use efficiency, thus providing a promising approach for the widespread implementation of ultra-wide film mulching cultivation technology for cotton production in Xinjiang.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110355"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023363","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110360
Hailong Xu , Bianhong Zhang , Xin Wu , Yijiang Hu , Americ Allison , Bin Qin , Jinying Li , Chaojie Lan , Jingnan Zou , Yazhou Liu , Anqi Li , Qingyang Zhang , Chunlin Guo , Zhixing Zhang , Wenxiong Lin
Grain chalkiness affects rice quality, and the chalkiness reduction improves grain appearance and processing quality. Ratoon season rice (RSR), is characterized by intrinsically reduced chalkiness and superior grain quality parameters. However, the physiological pathways governing these traits remain largely uncharacterized. Using three genotypes (YY1540, HHZ, M1YZZ), we compared grain-filling traits, endogenous hormone dynamics, and metabolomic profiles among main crop (MC), single-season mid-late rice (LR) heading simultaneously with RSR, and RSR.The results showed that the chalkiness degree of inferior spikelets (IS) in RSR significantly reduced by 38.09–40.24 % compared to MC and LR, respectively, whereas the head rice percentage increased by 2.50–2.86 %. Grain filling of IS began earlier in RSR, and peak filling occurred 7.99 and 6.64 days earlier than in MC and LR.Hormonal measurements indicated that ABA content in RSR grains was significantly higher at the grain-filling peak, with ABA levels of IS elevated by 17.61–22.03 % relative to MC and LR. Metabolomic analysis identified significant enrichment of antioxidant-related metabolites such as ascorbic acid (ASA), D-galactose, and malic acid in IS of RSR. Exogenous ABA enhanced ASA-GSH (reduced glutathione) cycling and activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced chalkiness by 9.32 %-20.04 % in IS of MC and LR. ASA application improved endosperm structure，increased starch synthesis-related enzyme activities, and reduced chalkiness by 16.35 %-17.42 %. In summary, elevated ABA in RSR promotes ASA accumulation and antioxidant defenses, which mitigates oxidative damage, improves starch deposition, and reduces the chalkiness of RSR. This study reveals a key ABA-ASA regulatory mechanism that contributes to grain quality formation in RSR.
{"title":"Synergistic regulation of chalkiness reduction in ratoon season rice by ABA and ascorbic acid: A physiological perspective","authors":"Hailong Xu , Bianhong Zhang , Xin Wu , Yijiang Hu , Americ Allison , Bin Qin , Jinying Li , Chaojie Lan , Jingnan Zou , Yazhou Liu , Anqi Li , Qingyang Zhang , Chunlin Guo , Zhixing Zhang , Wenxiong Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grain chalkiness affects rice quality, and the chalkiness reduction improves grain appearance and processing quality. Ratoon season rice (RSR), is characterized by intrinsically reduced chalkiness and superior grain quality parameters. However, the physiological pathways governing these traits remain largely uncharacterized. Using three genotypes (YY1540, HHZ, M1YZZ), we compared grain-filling traits, endogenous hormone dynamics, and metabolomic profiles among main crop (MC), single-season mid-late rice (LR) heading simultaneously with RSR, and RSR.The results showed that the chalkiness degree of inferior spikelets (IS) in RSR significantly reduced by 38.09–40.24 % compared to MC and LR, respectively, whereas the head rice percentage increased by 2.50–2.86 %. Grain filling of IS began earlier in RSR, and peak filling occurred 7.99 and 6.64 days earlier than in MC and LR.Hormonal measurements indicated that ABA content in RSR grains was significantly higher at the grain-filling peak, with ABA levels of IS elevated by 17.61–22.03 % relative to MC and LR. Metabolomic analysis identified significant enrichment of antioxidant-related metabolites such as ascorbic acid (ASA), <span>D</span>-galactose, and malic acid in IS of RSR. Exogenous ABA enhanced ASA-GSH (reduced glutathione) cycling and activities of antioxidant enzymes, and reduced chalkiness by 9.32 %-20.04 % in IS of MC and LR. ASA application improved endosperm structure，increased starch synthesis-related enzyme activities, and reduced chalkiness by 16.35 %-17.42 %. In summary, elevated ABA in RSR promotes ASA accumulation and antioxidant defenses, which mitigates oxidative damage, improves starch deposition, and reduces the chalkiness of RSR. This study reveals a key ABA-ASA regulatory mechanism that contributes to grain quality formation in RSR.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110360"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023895","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}
Pub Date : 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110363
Zhentao Bai , Bingxue Dong , Xinwei Deng , Zhijun Li , Kechun Wang , Shawn Carlisle Kefauver , José Luis Araus , Muhammad Farooq , Junliang Fan , Feihu Yin
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The seed cotton (<em>Gossypium hirsutum</em> L.) yield is highly dependent on irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions around the world. However, the effects of irrigation amount on soil moisture and leaf photochemical characteristics during the drought-rewatering process, as well as canopy radiation interception and seed cotton yield of drip-irrigated cotton under film mulch remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study aimed to investigate how irrigation amounts affect soil moisture distribution, leaf photochemical recovery, and canopy radiation interception following drought‑rewatering in drip‑irrigated cotton under film mulch. We further sought to reveal the multiscale pathways (soil–leaf–canopy) through which irrigation regulates water use and yield formation.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A two-season (2023–2024) field experiment was performed in the northern Xinjiang of China, with four irrigation amounts (60 %ET<sub>c</sub>, 80 %ET<sub>c</sub>, 100 %ET<sub>c</sub> and 120 %ET<sub>c</sub>, where ET<sub>c</sub> is crop evapotranspiration). Soil moisture and leaf physiology were measured on the 1st day before irrigation, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days after irrigation. The photosynthetic pigments, canopy radiation and dry matter accumulation after irrigation as well as the final seed cotton yield were measured.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>During the drought-rewatering process, high irrigation amount (120 %ET<sub>c</sub>) significantly prolonged the retention time of deep soil moisture (80–100 cm). The narrow rows and wide rows were always the main distribution areas of soil moisture, and bare soil moisture was significantly affected by soil evaporation. The leaf stomatal conductance, actual photochemical quantum effect (φ<sub>PSII</sub>) and electron transfer rate (ETR) showed a threshold response with increasing irrigation amount. The φ<sub>PSII</sub> and ETR increased by 20.4 % and 20.6 % under 120 %ET<sub>c</sub> compared with 60 %ET<sub>c</sub>, respectively. The leaf temperature and saturated water vapor pressure deficit were significantly reduced. High irrigation increased the upper layer intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) in narrow rows by 25.9 % in 2023 and 53.5 % in 2024, but decreased it in the lower layer by 78.7 % in 2023 and 90.0 % in 2024. Total IPAR was strongly correlated with seed cotton yield (path coefficient 0.87). The 100 %ET<sub>c</sub> treatment maintained 90.4 % of the yield potential achieved while saving water under 120 %ET<sub>c</sub> demonstrating higher water-saving efficiency.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The drought-rewatering process drives cotton yield formation through a soil–leaf–canopy cascade: soil moisture dynamics regulate leaf physiological recovery, which in turn shapes canopy light capture and assimilate partitioning. Moderately increasing irrigation (80 %–100 %ET<sub>c</sub>) can increase seed cotton yie
{"title":"Responses of soil moisture, leaf physiological characteristics, and canopy radiation interception to irrigation amount during the drought-rewatering process of drip-irrigated cotton under film mulch","authors":"Zhentao Bai , Bingxue Dong , Xinwei Deng , Zhijun Li , Kechun Wang , Shawn Carlisle Kefauver , José Luis Araus , Muhammad Farooq , Junliang Fan , Feihu Yin","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2026.110363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The seed cotton (<em>Gossypium hirsutum</em> L.) yield is highly dependent on irrigation in arid and semi-arid regions around the world. However, the effects of irrigation amount on soil moisture and leaf photochemical characteristics during the drought-rewatering process, as well as canopy radiation interception and seed cotton yield of drip-irrigated cotton under film mulch remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study aimed to investigate how irrigation amounts affect soil moisture distribution, leaf photochemical recovery, and canopy radiation interception following drought‑rewatering in drip‑irrigated cotton under film mulch. We further sought to reveal the multiscale pathways (soil–leaf–canopy) through which irrigation regulates water use and yield formation.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A two-season (2023–2024) field experiment was performed in the northern Xinjiang of China, with four irrigation amounts (60 %ET<sub>c</sub>, 80 %ET<sub>c</sub>, 100 %ET<sub>c</sub> and 120 %ET<sub>c</sub>, where ET<sub>c</sub> is crop evapotranspiration). Soil moisture and leaf physiology were measured on the 1st day before irrigation, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days after irrigation. The photosynthetic pigments, canopy radiation and dry matter accumulation after irrigation as well as the final seed cotton yield were measured.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>During the drought-rewatering process, high irrigation amount (120 %ET<sub>c</sub>) significantly prolonged the retention time of deep soil moisture (80–100 cm). The narrow rows and wide rows were always the main distribution areas of soil moisture, and bare soil moisture was significantly affected by soil evaporation. The leaf stomatal conductance, actual photochemical quantum effect (φ<sub>PSII</sub>) and electron transfer rate (ETR) showed a threshold response with increasing irrigation amount. The φ<sub>PSII</sub> and ETR increased by 20.4 % and 20.6 % under 120 %ET<sub>c</sub> compared with 60 %ET<sub>c</sub>, respectively. The leaf temperature and saturated water vapor pressure deficit were significantly reduced. High irrigation increased the upper layer intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) in narrow rows by 25.9 % in 2023 and 53.5 % in 2024, but decreased it in the lower layer by 78.7 % in 2023 and 90.0 % in 2024. Total IPAR was strongly correlated with seed cotton yield (path coefficient 0.87). The 100 %ET<sub>c</sub> treatment maintained 90.4 % of the yield potential achieved while saving water under 120 %ET<sub>c</sub> demonstrating higher water-saving efficiency.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The drought-rewatering process drives cotton yield formation through a soil–leaf–canopy cascade: soil moisture dynamics regulate leaf physiological recovery, which in turn shapes canopy light capture and assimilate partitioning. Moderately increasing irrigation (80 %–100 %ET<sub>c</sub>) can increase seed cotton yie","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"339 ","pages":"Article 110363"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023361","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}
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