Pub Date : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110318
Yingbo Gao , Haiyan Chao , Xinyi Zhao , Xin Liu , Chang Liu , Guanda Hu , Xueqin Chen , Guowei Wang , Dunliang Wang , Rui Li , Juan Zhou , Xiaoxiang Zhang , Youping Wang , Jianye Huang , Zefeng Yang , Yong Zhou , Youli Yao
Context or problem
Increasing rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) through improved plant architecture and canopy management is a key strategy for sustainable agriculture.
Objective or research question
This study investigated the role of AP2/ERF transcription factor OsRAV1 in regulating rice growth and yield under varying nitrogen (N) rates and planting densities.
Methods
A three-year field experiment compared lines expressing different levels of OsRAV1 with wild-type controls. OsRAV1 expression was significantly influenced by N and planting density.
Results
Increased expression of OsRAV1 resulted in higher grain yield, primarily through increased spikelet number per panicle. Optimized planting density, combined with a moderate N rate, further enhanced yield, largely due to a reduction in panicle number per unit area at elevated OsRAV1 expression. Furthermore, increased OsRAV1 levels promoted leaf and stem elongation, increased internode diameter, and improved lodging resistance. OsRAV1 also stimulated starch and sucrose metabolism, enhanced nitrogen uptake, increased dry matter accumulation (DMA), and delayed leaf senescence. Conversely, OsRAV1 knockout line exhibited reduced grain yield, decreased NUE, and accelerated leaf senescence.
Conclusions
As a crucial regulator of rice architecture and yield, OsRAV1 increases spikelet number per panicle, stimulates starch and sucrose metabolism, and delays leaf senescence, thereby enhancing DMA, enhances yield, and improves NUE.
Implications or significance
Modulating OsRAV1 expression in rice presents a promising strategy to optimize plant architecture, increase yield, and improve NUE - key objectives for breeding programs aimed at sustainable rice production.
{"title":"Enhancing rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency through OsRAV1 expression and crop management","authors":"Yingbo Gao , Haiyan Chao , Xinyi Zhao , Xin Liu , Chang Liu , Guanda Hu , Xueqin Chen , Guowei Wang , Dunliang Wang , Rui Li , Juan Zhou , Xiaoxiang Zhang , Youping Wang , Jianye Huang , Zefeng Yang , Yong Zhou , Youli Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110318","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110318","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context or problem</h3><div>Increasing rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) through improved plant architecture and canopy management is a key strategy for sustainable agriculture.</div></div><div><h3>Objective or research question</h3><div>This study investigated the role of AP2/ERF transcription factor <em>OsRAV1</em> in regulating rice growth and yield under varying nitrogen (N) rates and planting densities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A three-year field experiment compared lines expressing different levels of <em>OsRAV1</em> with wild-type controls. <em>OsRAV1</em> expression was significantly influenced by N and planting density.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Increased expression of <em>OsRAV1</em> resulted in higher grain yield, primarily through increased spikelet number per panicle. Optimized planting density, combined with a moderate N rate, further enhanced yield, largely due to a reduction in panicle number per unit area at elevated <em>OsRAV1</em> expression. Furthermore, increased <em>OsRAV1</em> levels promoted leaf and stem elongation, increased internode diameter, and improved lodging resistance. <em>OsRAV1</em> also stimulated starch and sucrose metabolism, enhanced nitrogen uptake, increased dry matter accumulation (DMA), and delayed leaf senescence. Conversely, <em>OsRAV1</em> knockout line exhibited reduced grain yield, decreased NUE, and accelerated leaf senescence.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>As a crucial regulator of rice architecture and yield, <em>OsRAV1</em> increases spikelet number per panicle, stimulates starch and sucrose metabolism, and delays leaf senescence, thereby enhancing DMA, enhances yield, and improves NUE.</div></div><div><h3>Implications or significance</h3><div>Modulating <em>OsRAV1</em> expression in rice presents a promising strategy to optimize plant architecture, increase yield, and improve NUE - key objectives for breeding programs aimed at sustainable rice production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110318"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881386","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110310
Jinwook Kim , Breno Bicego , Gustavo A. Slafer , Roxana Savin
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The companion paper reported that two contemporary cultivars differed constitutively in their average grain weight (AGW) and in their sensitivity to heat waves (HW). It is relevant to elucidate whether the effects of HW are direct on the capacity of the grains to grow or indirect through penalizing post-anthesis (AN) growth and consequently restricting the availability of assimilates for the growing grains. Testing HW with changes in source-strength could help further understanding the causes of the sensitivity of AGW to a HW. This may help to identify strategies in crop management and traits to target in breeding.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To quantify the effects and analyse the causes of post-AN HW on AGW on two contrasting cultivars, considering a double treatment at both stages (pre- + post-AN HW) and whether an increase in source strength through removing alternate rows in the plots by thinning modify the yield penalties. Also, source strength per grain during the effective period of grain filling was either decreased (through a defoliation) or increased (through de-graining) in combination with each of the other treatments.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Experiments were carried out in two locations, Lleida and Bell-lloc (NE, Spain). Main treatments consisted in the factorial combination of two contrasting genotypes (Pistolo of high AGW and Sublim of high GN), and three HW that were imposed in the field using installing tents with transparent polyethylene films either at booting (pre-AN HW) or 15 days after anthesis (post-AN HW). An additional HW (combination of pre- and post-AN HW) was imposed in one location while thinning treatment at the onset of stem elongation in the other.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Across both locations, AGW was consistently higher in Pistolo compared to Sublim. Moreover, the entire distribution of individual grain sizes was higher in Pistolo, with both the lightest (bottom decile) and heaviest (top decile) grains significantly heavier in Pistolo. The main reason for the higher AGW of Pistolo was its higher rate of grain growth, as the duration was similar between both genotypes and also higher potential weight. Post-AN HW, reduced AGW, being Pistolo more sensitive than Sublim. The double HW treatment revealed that exposure to a post-AN HW was markedly less detrimental when preceded by a pre-AN HW. This suggests a non-additive effect on AGW, with prior HW exposure inducing a priming response that mitigated the impact of subsequent stress through antagonistic interactions between the two events. Varying source-sink ratios under heated conditions did not change the weight of the grains noticeably suggesting that direct effects of post-AN HW on the capacity of the grains to grow dominated those mediated by assimilate availability during grain filling.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The GN–AGW trade-off was not due to limited resources or more small grain
{"title":"Physiological bases of wheat grain weight response to heat waves: Post-anthesis sensitivity and responses to source-sink manipulations in contrasting cultivars","authors":"Jinwook Kim , Breno Bicego , Gustavo A. Slafer , Roxana Savin","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110310","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110310","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The companion paper reported that two contemporary cultivars differed constitutively in their average grain weight (AGW) and in their sensitivity to heat waves (HW). It is relevant to elucidate whether the effects of HW are direct on the capacity of the grains to grow or indirect through penalizing post-anthesis (AN) growth and consequently restricting the availability of assimilates for the growing grains. Testing HW with changes in source-strength could help further understanding the causes of the sensitivity of AGW to a HW. This may help to identify strategies in crop management and traits to target in breeding.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To quantify the effects and analyse the causes of post-AN HW on AGW on two contrasting cultivars, considering a double treatment at both stages (pre- + post-AN HW) and whether an increase in source strength through removing alternate rows in the plots by thinning modify the yield penalties. Also, source strength per grain during the effective period of grain filling was either decreased (through a defoliation) or increased (through de-graining) in combination with each of the other treatments.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Experiments were carried out in two locations, Lleida and Bell-lloc (NE, Spain). Main treatments consisted in the factorial combination of two contrasting genotypes (Pistolo of high AGW and Sublim of high GN), and three HW that were imposed in the field using installing tents with transparent polyethylene films either at booting (pre-AN HW) or 15 days after anthesis (post-AN HW). An additional HW (combination of pre- and post-AN HW) was imposed in one location while thinning treatment at the onset of stem elongation in the other.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Across both locations, AGW was consistently higher in Pistolo compared to Sublim. Moreover, the entire distribution of individual grain sizes was higher in Pistolo, with both the lightest (bottom decile) and heaviest (top decile) grains significantly heavier in Pistolo. The main reason for the higher AGW of Pistolo was its higher rate of grain growth, as the duration was similar between both genotypes and also higher potential weight. Post-AN HW, reduced AGW, being Pistolo more sensitive than Sublim. The double HW treatment revealed that exposure to a post-AN HW was markedly less detrimental when preceded by a pre-AN HW. This suggests a non-additive effect on AGW, with prior HW exposure inducing a priming response that mitigated the impact of subsequent stress through antagonistic interactions between the two events. Varying source-sink ratios under heated conditions did not change the weight of the grains noticeably suggesting that direct effects of post-AN HW on the capacity of the grains to grow dominated those mediated by assimilate availability during grain filling.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The GN–AGW trade-off was not due to limited resources or more small grain","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110310"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881407","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110308
Wei Wu , Yang Wang , Huasen Xu , Boyang Fu , Zhengping Peng , Christoph-Martin Geilfus , Cheng Xue
Context
Balancing high grain yield and superior quality in wheat production is challenging due to their inherent trade-off. Split nitrogen (N) application at the booting stage has shown potential for simultaneously improving both yield and quality; however, the underlying mechanisms driving this synergy remain insufficiently understood.
Objectives
To determine how booting-stage split N improves grain yield while maintaining or enhancing grain protein concentration and strengthening gluten protein composition.
Methods
Three seasons of field experiments (2017–2020) at one Hebei site with the strong-gluten winter wheat ‘Gaoyou 2018’ compared four N strategies and quantified N uptake, utilization, translocation and distribution at whole-plant, organ and protein levels. A complementary 2022–2023 pot experiment used 15N labeling to trace N uptake and distribution across growth stages.
Results
Split N application at the booting stage significantly enhanced dry matter and N accumulation, particularly during the post-anthesis period of wheat, and improved N distribution. Booting-stage split N increased grain yield by 12.6 % and strengthened protein quality without diluting grain protein concentration. Mechanistically, it boosted post-anthesis growth and N supply: post-anthesis dry matter rose by 36.1 % and post-anthesis N uptake nearly doubled (+99.2 %), elevating the contribution of post-anthesis sources to grain N. Mixed-model regressions showed post-anthesis biomass was strongly associated with post-anthesis N uptake (R² = 0.53), and a model combining post-anthesis N uptake with pre-anthesis N remobilization explained 92 % of its variation. The pot study corroborated this pathway: booting increased total 15N uptake and its partitioning to grain (86.7 % of absorbed 15N), with 24.8 % and 40.6 % incorporated into gliadin and glutenin, respectively. Canopy traits supported this pathway: greater flag-leaf area at anthesis tracked grain number and early post-anthesis flag-leaf duration aligned with thousand grain weight.
Conclusion
Booting-stage split N aligns N supply with stem elongation and early grain filling, increasing post-anthesis N uptake and dry-matter accumulation and directing more absorbed N to grain and gluten fractions, thereby improving yield and quality simultaneously.
Implications
These results support efficient N timing to achieve high yield and superior quality without increasing total N input, advancing more sustainable wheat production.
{"title":"Optimizing the yield-quality balance in wheat by enhancing N uptake and allocation through split N application at the booting stage","authors":"Wei Wu , Yang Wang , Huasen Xu , Boyang Fu , Zhengping Peng , Christoph-Martin Geilfus , Cheng Xue","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110308","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110308","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Balancing high grain yield and superior quality in wheat production is challenging due to their inherent trade-off. Split nitrogen (N) application at the booting stage has shown potential for simultaneously improving both yield and quality; however, the underlying mechanisms driving this synergy remain insufficiently understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To determine how booting-stage split N improves grain yield while maintaining or enhancing grain protein concentration and strengthening gluten protein composition.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Three seasons of field experiments (2017–2020) at one Hebei site with the strong-gluten winter wheat ‘Gaoyou 2018’ compared four N strategies and quantified N uptake, utilization, translocation and distribution at whole-plant, organ and protein levels. A complementary 2022–2023 pot experiment used <sup>15</sup>N labeling to trace N uptake and distribution across growth stages.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Split N application at the booting stage significantly enhanced dry matter and N accumulation, particularly during the post-anthesis period of wheat, and improved N distribution. Booting-stage split N increased grain yield by 12.6 % and strengthened protein quality without diluting grain protein concentration. Mechanistically, it boosted post-anthesis growth and N supply: post-anthesis dry matter rose by 36.1 % and post-anthesis N uptake nearly doubled (+99.2 %), elevating the contribution of post-anthesis sources to grain N. Mixed-model regressions showed post-anthesis biomass was strongly associated with post-anthesis N uptake (R² = 0.53), and a model combining post-anthesis N uptake with pre-anthesis N remobilization explained 92 % of its variation. The pot study corroborated this pathway: booting increased total <sup>15</sup>N uptake and its partitioning to grain (86.7 % of absorbed <sup>15</sup>N), with 24.8 % and 40.6 % incorporated into gliadin and glutenin, respectively. Canopy traits supported this pathway: greater flag-leaf area at anthesis tracked grain number and early post-anthesis flag-leaf duration aligned with thousand grain weight.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Booting-stage split N aligns N supply with stem elongation and early grain filling, increasing post-anthesis N uptake and dry-matter accumulation and directing more absorbed N to grain and gluten fractions, thereby improving yield and quality simultaneously.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These results support efficient N timing to achieve high yield and superior quality without increasing total N input, advancing more sustainable wheat production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110308"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784885","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110297
Lijun Chi, Yatong Chu, Han Zeng, Xinran Guo, Xiuzhi Zang, Tianxiao Cao, Jin Chen, Kun Zhang, Dongqing Yang
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Integrating cover crops with optimized nitrogen (N) management is a promising approach for sustainable peanut (<em>Arachis hypogaea</em> L.) production. However, the mechanistic linkages linking soil microbial communities, soil C:N stoichiometry, plant physiological traits, and yield formation remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to clarify how ryegrass cover crop incorporation combined with reduced N fertilization modulates soil C:N stoichiometry, microbial community structure, enzyme activities, and peanut productivity, with the goal of identifying an optimal strategy to balance yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted employing two residue management strategies—cover crop incorporation (H) and biomass removal (N)—under four N rates: 0 (N0), 60 (N60), 90 (N90), and 120 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>(N120). This resulted in eight treatment combinations (HN0, HN60, HN90, HN120, N0, N60, N90, and N120). Key measurements included soil C:N stoichiometry (SOC, TN, AN, NO<sub>3</sub>⁻–N, and SOC:TN ratio), extracellular enzyme activities (urease, cellulase, invertase), microbial richness and diversity, community composition, leaf physiological traits (SPAD, ΦPSII, SPS, and NR), pod yield, and NUE.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ryegrass incorporation significantly enhanced peanut pod yield by 19.95 %–22.50 % compared with biomass removal. Notably, under incorporation, a 25 % N reduction (HN90) achieved yields statistically equivalent to the full N rate (HN120) but increased agronomic N efficiency (AEN) by 46.84 % relative to N90. Incorporation increased SOC, TN, AN, NO<sub>3</sub>⁻–N, and the SOC:TN ratio while maintaining high enzyme activities comparable to HN120. Microbial richness and diversity were also improved; specifically, HN90 selectively enriched beneficial taxa, including <em>Lysobacter</em>, <em>Bacillus</em>, <em>Brevibacillus</em>, and <em>Gemmatimonas</em>, while suppressing pathogenic genera such as <em>Fusicolla</em> and <em>Fusarium</em>. Although N reduction generally decreased SPAD and ΦPSII, the 25 % N reduction under incorporation caused only minor declines compared with N120. SPS and NR activities followed similar trends. Structural equation modeling confirmed that microbial community structure and enzyme activities directly optimized soil C:N stoichiometry, which in turn positively regulated plant physiological traits and yield formation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Integrating ryegrass cover crop incorporation with moderate N reduction (25 %) enhances microbial community function, promotes nutrient cycling, sustains photosynthetic performance, and synergistically improves both yield and NUE in peanut systems.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>This management strategy offers an effective pathway to achieve coordinated improvements in soil health, nitrogen efficie
覆盖作物与优化氮素管理相结合是花生可持续生产的有效途径。然而，土壤微生物群落、土壤碳氮化学计量、植物生理性状和产量形成之间的机制联系仍然知之甚少。目的研究黑麦草覆盖与低施氮对土壤C:N化学计量、微生物群落结构、酶活性和花生生产力的调节作用，以期找到平衡产量和氮素利用效率（NUE）的最佳策略。方法在0 （N0）、60 （N60）、90 （N90）和120 kg N ha−1(N120) 4种氮肥水平下，采用覆盖还田(H)和生物量去除(N)两种秸秆管理策略进行为期2年的田间试验。结果有8种治疗组合（HN0、HN60、HN90、HN120、N0、N60、N90和N120）。关键测量包括土壤C:N化学计量（SOC， TN， AN， NO3 -N和SOC:TN比），细胞外酶活性（脲酶，纤维素酶，转化酶），微生物丰富度和多样性，群落组成，叶片生理性状（SPAD， ΦPSII， SPS和NR），豆荚产量和氮肥利用。结果与生物质去除相比，黑麦草添加显著提高花生豆荚产量19.95 % ~ 22.50 %。值得注意的是，在混作条件下，减少25 % N （HN90）的产量在统计上与全施氮（HN120）相当，但农艺N效率（AEN）相对于N90提高了46.84 %。掺入增加了SOC， TN， AN, NO3 -N，和SOC:TN的比率，同时保持与HN120相当的高酶活性。微生物丰富度和多样性也有所提高；具体来说，HN90选择性地富集有益菌群，包括溶菌属、芽孢杆菌属、短芽孢杆菌属和双胞菌属，同时抑制致病菌属，如镰刀菌属和镰刀菌属。虽然氮素减量总体上降低了SPAD和ΦPSII，但与N120相比，掺入后的25 %氮素减量只引起了轻微的下降。SPS和NR活动也有类似的趋势。结构方程模型证实，微生物群落结构和酶活性直接优化土壤C:N化学计量，进而正向调节植物生理性状和产量形成。结论黑麦草覆盖作物配施适度减氮（25% %）可增强花生系统微生物群落功能，促进养分循环，维持光合性能，协同提高产量和氮肥利用效率。该管理策略为实现土壤健康、氮素效率和作物生产力的协调改善提供了有效途径，为减少肥料投入下花生的可持续生产提供了机制基础。
{"title":"Cover crop incorporation with moderate nitrogen reduction regulates soil microbial communities to drive C:N stoichiometry for enhanced peanut yield and efficiency","authors":"Lijun Chi, Yatong Chu, Han Zeng, Xinran Guo, Xiuzhi Zang, Tianxiao Cao, Jin Chen, Kun Zhang, Dongqing Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Integrating cover crops with optimized nitrogen (N) management is a promising approach for sustainable peanut (<em>Arachis hypogaea</em> L.) production. However, the mechanistic linkages linking soil microbial communities, soil C:N stoichiometry, plant physiological traits, and yield formation remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to clarify how ryegrass cover crop incorporation combined with reduced N fertilization modulates soil C:N stoichiometry, microbial community structure, enzyme activities, and peanut productivity, with the goal of identifying an optimal strategy to balance yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A two-year field experiment was conducted employing two residue management strategies—cover crop incorporation (H) and biomass removal (N)—under four N rates: 0 (N0), 60 (N60), 90 (N90), and 120 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>(N120). This resulted in eight treatment combinations (HN0, HN60, HN90, HN120, N0, N60, N90, and N120). Key measurements included soil C:N stoichiometry (SOC, TN, AN, NO<sub>3</sub>⁻–N, and SOC:TN ratio), extracellular enzyme activities (urease, cellulase, invertase), microbial richness and diversity, community composition, leaf physiological traits (SPAD, ΦPSII, SPS, and NR), pod yield, and NUE.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ryegrass incorporation significantly enhanced peanut pod yield by 19.95 %–22.50 % compared with biomass removal. Notably, under incorporation, a 25 % N reduction (HN90) achieved yields statistically equivalent to the full N rate (HN120) but increased agronomic N efficiency (AEN) by 46.84 % relative to N90. Incorporation increased SOC, TN, AN, NO<sub>3</sub>⁻–N, and the SOC:TN ratio while maintaining high enzyme activities comparable to HN120. Microbial richness and diversity were also improved; specifically, HN90 selectively enriched beneficial taxa, including <em>Lysobacter</em>, <em>Bacillus</em>, <em>Brevibacillus</em>, and <em>Gemmatimonas</em>, while suppressing pathogenic genera such as <em>Fusicolla</em> and <em>Fusarium</em>. Although N reduction generally decreased SPAD and ΦPSII, the 25 % N reduction under incorporation caused only minor declines compared with N120. SPS and NR activities followed similar trends. Structural equation modeling confirmed that microbial community structure and enzyme activities directly optimized soil C:N stoichiometry, which in turn positively regulated plant physiological traits and yield formation.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Integrating ryegrass cover crop incorporation with moderate N reduction (25 %) enhances microbial community function, promotes nutrient cycling, sustains photosynthetic performance, and synergistically improves both yield and NUE in peanut systems.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>This management strategy offers an effective pathway to achieve coordinated improvements in soil health, nitrogen efficie","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110297"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784875","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-16DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110281
Chang Ye , Yi Tao , Deshun Xiao , Yanan Xu , Chunmei Xu , Yuanhui Liu , Kai Yu , Danying Wang
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Soil texture is a pivotal factor influencing soil structure and nutrient cycling. Nevertheless, the disparities in nitrogen (N) supply capacity among paddy soils with varying textures and their impacts on rice N uptake remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to compare N mineralization parameters across paddy soils with varying textures, and explore their effects on the plant N uptake and utilization, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for implementing scientific fertilization practices based on soil type.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study employed a flooded incubation experiment to investigate soil N mineralization parameters across three soil textures: loam (L), silty loam (SL), and silty clay loam (SCL). Using two rice varieties (YY1540 and YD6) with different N uptake capacities as materials, field and pot experiments were conducted across the three distinct soil textures under two N rates (a no-N control and an N treatment) to analyze the influence of soil texture on N mineralization and plant N uptake. Additionally, the study employed the <sup>15</sup>N tracer method to track the fate of fertilizer-N in both rice plants and soil. Key parameters were measured, including soil N mineralization parameters, plant N accumulation, grain yield, Calculations were performed for N use efficiency,<sup>15</sup>N recovery efficiency, and <sup>15</sup> N residue percentage in the soil after rice harvest.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed that the soil N supply capacity in the CK was highest in silt clay loam (SCL), followed by silty loam (SL), and the lowest in loam (L). However, upon fertilizer-N application, the net N mineralization rate of L was significantly increased, with its N supply capacity exceeding that of SL. Correlation analysis showed that in the CK, soil N mineralization was influenced by soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents as well as soil texture, whereas soil texture emerged as the predominant factor after the application of fertilizer-N. Both rice varieties YY1540 and YD6 exhibited the highest yield, dry matter accumulation, and N accumulation in SCL soil, regardless of fertilization. Nevertheless, the response to N fertilization varied among soil types, with L showing the highest increase ratio in grain yield and total N recovery efficiency (NRE), followed by SL and SCL. Conversely, the <sup>15</sup>N fertilizer recovery efficiency (<sup>15</sup>NRE) demonstrated an opposite trend, increasing from L to SL to SCL. The field experiment revealed that YY1540, characterized by strong N uptake capacity, displayed greater sensitivity to soil texture variations compared to YD6, which had a weaker N uptake capacity. The N accumulation of YY1540 was significantly correlated with the soil N mineralization rate constant <em>k</em>, while the correlation was not significant for YD6.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These find
{"title":"Effects of soil textures on N mineralization, uptake and utilization in paddy rice","authors":"Chang Ye , Yi Tao , Deshun Xiao , Yanan Xu , Chunmei Xu , Yuanhui Liu , Kai Yu , Danying Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110281","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Soil texture is a pivotal factor influencing soil structure and nutrient cycling. Nevertheless, the disparities in nitrogen (N) supply capacity among paddy soils with varying textures and their impacts on rice N uptake remain poorly understood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to compare N mineralization parameters across paddy soils with varying textures, and explore their effects on the plant N uptake and utilization, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for implementing scientific fertilization practices based on soil type.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study employed a flooded incubation experiment to investigate soil N mineralization parameters across three soil textures: loam (L), silty loam (SL), and silty clay loam (SCL). Using two rice varieties (YY1540 and YD6) with different N uptake capacities as materials, field and pot experiments were conducted across the three distinct soil textures under two N rates (a no-N control and an N treatment) to analyze the influence of soil texture on N mineralization and plant N uptake. Additionally, the study employed the <sup>15</sup>N tracer method to track the fate of fertilizer-N in both rice plants and soil. Key parameters were measured, including soil N mineralization parameters, plant N accumulation, grain yield, Calculations were performed for N use efficiency,<sup>15</sup>N recovery efficiency, and <sup>15</sup> N residue percentage in the soil after rice harvest.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed that the soil N supply capacity in the CK was highest in silt clay loam (SCL), followed by silty loam (SL), and the lowest in loam (L). However, upon fertilizer-N application, the net N mineralization rate of L was significantly increased, with its N supply capacity exceeding that of SL. Correlation analysis showed that in the CK, soil N mineralization was influenced by soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) contents as well as soil texture, whereas soil texture emerged as the predominant factor after the application of fertilizer-N. Both rice varieties YY1540 and YD6 exhibited the highest yield, dry matter accumulation, and N accumulation in SCL soil, regardless of fertilization. Nevertheless, the response to N fertilization varied among soil types, with L showing the highest increase ratio in grain yield and total N recovery efficiency (NRE), followed by SL and SCL. Conversely, the <sup>15</sup>N fertilizer recovery efficiency (<sup>15</sup>NRE) demonstrated an opposite trend, increasing from L to SL to SCL. The field experiment revealed that YY1540, characterized by strong N uptake capacity, displayed greater sensitivity to soil texture variations compared to YD6, which had a weaker N uptake capacity. The N accumulation of YY1540 was significantly correlated with the soil N mineralization rate constant <em>k</em>, while the correlation was not significant for YD6.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These find","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110281"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145784873","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-22DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110312
Tao Yushan , Wang Jie , Ma Xiaohan , Zhang Shuxiang , Guo Yanjun
Context
Efficient management of crop straw and soil phosphorus (P) is vital for maintaining productivity and sustainability in China’s intensive farmlands. While straw return is widely practiced, the mechanistic effects on soil P fractions across diverse soils and climates remain unclear, limiting development of optimized, site-specific strategies.
Problem
Despite widespread straw return, the pathways by which it enhances P availability are poorly quantified. Key uncertainties remain regarding: (1) differential responses of total P (TP), available P (AP), and Olsen-P to straw return; (2) interactions between soil properties, climate, and management duration; and (3) the relative contributions of organic matter accumulation versus chemical solubilization in P mobilization. This gap hinders mechanistic understanding and the design of precision nutrient management strategies.
Objectives and Methods
This meta-analysis synthesized 263 datasets from 55 studies (up to December 31, 2024) to: (1) quantify straw return effects on TP, AP, and Olsen-P; (2) identify key environmental and management drivers of variability; and (3) elucidate underlying mechanistic pathways linking straw return, soil organic matter (SOM), and P bioavailability. Analyses included random-effects models (LnRR effect sizes), meta-regression, random forest algorithms, and structural equation modeling (SEM).
Results
Straw return significantly increased SOM (+4.1 %), TP (+7.1 %), AP (+8.3 %), and Olsen-P (+11.2 %). TP accumulation was mainly driven by the duration of straw incorporation, while Olsen-P increases were strongly influenced by initial soil pH, with greater enhancement in acidic and neutral soils than in alkaline soils. Random forest models identified initial soil properties, especially total nitrogen and pH, as dominant predictors of P responses. SEM indicated that SOM serves as a central hub, directly enhancing P fractions and indirectly increasing bioavailability via soil acidification. Straw return enhances P through two complementary mechanisms: long-term physical TP buildup and rapid biochemical activation of bioavailable P.
Conclusions
Straw return systematically improves soil P supply in Chinese croplands via dual SOM-mediated pathways.
Implications
These findings support transitioning from uniform straw return practices to precision strategies tailored to local soil conditions and target P fractions, advancing both nutrient use efficiency and soil health.
{"title":"Mechanisms linking straw return to soil phosphorus cycling in Chinese farmland: A meta-analysis","authors":"Tao Yushan , Wang Jie , Ma Xiaohan , Zhang Shuxiang , Guo Yanjun","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Efficient management of crop straw and soil phosphorus (P) is vital for maintaining productivity and sustainability in China’s intensive farmlands. While straw return is widely practiced, the mechanistic effects on soil P fractions across diverse soils and climates remain unclear, limiting development of optimized, site-specific strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Problem</h3><div>Despite widespread straw return, the pathways by which it enhances P availability are poorly quantified. Key uncertainties remain regarding: (1) differential responses of total P (TP), available P (AP), and Olsen-P to straw return; (2) interactions between soil properties, climate, and management duration; and (3) the relative contributions of organic matter accumulation versus chemical solubilization in P mobilization. This gap hinders mechanistic understanding and the design of precision nutrient management strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives and Methods</h3><div>This meta-analysis synthesized 263 datasets from 55 studies (up to December 31, 2024) to: (1) quantify straw return effects on TP, AP, and Olsen-P; (2) identify key environmental and management drivers of variability; and (3) elucidate underlying mechanistic pathways linking straw return, soil organic matter (SOM), and P bioavailability. Analyses included random-effects models (LnRR effect sizes), meta-regression, random forest algorithms, and structural equation modeling (SEM).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Straw return significantly increased SOM (+4.1 %), TP (+7.1 %), AP (+8.3 %), and Olsen-P (+11.2 %). TP accumulation was mainly driven by the duration of straw incorporation, while Olsen-P increases were strongly influenced by initial soil pH, with greater enhancement in acidic and neutral soils than in alkaline soils. Random forest models identified initial soil properties, especially total nitrogen and pH, as dominant predictors of P responses. SEM indicated that SOM serves as a central hub, directly enhancing P fractions and indirectly increasing bioavailability via soil acidification. Straw return enhances P through two complementary mechanisms: long-term physical TP buildup and rapid biochemical activation of bioavailable P.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Straw return systematically improves soil P supply in Chinese croplands via dual SOM-mediated pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings support transitioning from uniform straw return practices to precision strategies tailored to local soil conditions and target P fractions, advancing both nutrient use efficiency and soil health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110312"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145813785","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110313
Yalin Yu , Menghan Dong , Yuanchang Xia , Bin Sun , Yanling Li , Ahmad Latif Virk , Haishui Yang , Feng-Min Li , Shiping Liu , Zheng-Rong Kan
Context
Conservation tillage (no-tillage straw mulch, NTS) is widely adopted to improve soil quality and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, yet its yield effects in rice-wheat systems are inconsistent.
Objective
A 20-year field experiment was designed to quantify the impacts of NTS on rice and wheat yields and identify underlying mechanisms from soil quality.
Methods
Field experiment included three treatments: NTS, plow-tillage straw removal (PT0), and plow-tillage straw return (PTS). Crop yield and its components were measured annually. Soil samples for soil quality index (SQI), enzyme stoichiometry, and soil bulk density analysis were collected at rice harvest in October 2021 from 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 15 cm layers.
Results
NTS significantly increased wheat yield by 9.19 % and 7.88 %, whereas decreased rice yield by 3.73 % and 13.78 % compared with PT0 and PTS from 2021 to 2023 (20–22 years after establishment), respectively. The increase in wheat yield was attributed to the improvement of SQI in topsoil (0–5 cm). Due to the higher SOC and total nitrogen, NTS improved SQI by 102 % and 87.1 % compared with PT0 and PTS in topsoil, respectively. In contrast, rice yield was mainly affected by soil bulk density, with the highest yield observed under PTS. NTS caused greater bulk density in subsoil (5–15 cm) in flooded paddy soils, consequently inhibiting rice root development. In topsoil, enzyme stoichiometric analysis indicated that NTS shifted the soil microbial nutrient acquisition strategy toward a greater demand for nitrogen (N). Given high N demands for rice, this shift may significantly constrain nutrient uptake and crop productivity.
Conclusions
Long-term NTS improves topsoil quality and boosts wheat yield, but compaction and insufficient N supply in subsoil reduce rice yield in flooded paddies.
Implications
Our findings reveal a trade-off in the effects of long-term conservation tillage on crop yields with distinct mechanisms in rice-wheat cropping systems. This insight provides critical empirical basis for future targeted optimization of tillage practices to balance yield sustainability in the lower Yangtze River region.
{"title":"Twenty-year field evidence reveals crop-specific impacts of conservation tillage on yield in a rice-wheat system","authors":"Yalin Yu , Menghan Dong , Yuanchang Xia , Bin Sun , Yanling Li , Ahmad Latif Virk , Haishui Yang , Feng-Min Li , Shiping Liu , Zheng-Rong Kan","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110313","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110313","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Conservation tillage (no-tillage straw mulch, NTS) is widely adopted to improve soil quality and soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, yet its yield effects in rice-wheat systems are inconsistent.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>A 20-year field experiment was designed to quantify the impacts of NTS on rice and wheat yields and identify underlying mechanisms from soil quality.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Field experiment included three treatments: NTS, plow-tillage straw removal (PT0), and plow-tillage straw return (PTS). Crop yield and its components were measured annually. Soil samples for soil quality index (SQI), enzyme stoichiometry, and soil bulk density analysis were collected at rice harvest in October 2021 from 0 to 5 cm and 5 to 15 cm layers.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>NTS significantly increased wheat yield by 9.19 % and 7.88 %, whereas decreased rice yield by 3.73 % and 13.78 % compared with PT0 and PTS from 2021 to 2023 (20–22 years after establishment), respectively. The increase in wheat yield was attributed to the improvement of SQI in topsoil (0–5 cm). Due to the higher SOC and total nitrogen, NTS improved SQI by 102 % and 87.1 % compared with PT0 and PTS in topsoil, respectively. In contrast, rice yield was mainly affected by soil bulk density, with the highest yield observed under PTS. NTS caused greater bulk density in subsoil (5–15 cm) in flooded paddy soils, consequently inhibiting rice root development. In topsoil, enzyme stoichiometric analysis indicated that NTS shifted the soil microbial nutrient acquisition strategy toward a greater demand for nitrogen (N). Given high N demands for rice, this shift may significantly constrain nutrient uptake and crop productivity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Long-term NTS improves topsoil quality and boosts wheat yield, but compaction and insufficient N supply in subsoil reduce rice yield in flooded paddies.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>Our findings reveal a trade-off in the effects of long-term conservation tillage on crop yields with distinct mechanisms in rice-wheat cropping systems. This insight provides critical empirical basis for future targeted optimization of tillage practices to balance yield sustainability in the lower Yangtze River region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110313"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145823102","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110316
Zexi Zhang , Jianhua Dong , Xiaogang Liu , Dan Xu , Yanhong Liu , Hualing Zhang , Jinxue Li
Context
Slow/controlled-release fertilizers (SCRFs) are widely employed due to their potential to enhance crop yields and promote ecological benefits. However, the effects of SCRFs on crop yield, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and soil organic carbon (SOC) under varying crop types, field management practices, and environmental conditions remain unclear.
Objective and methods
Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of 951 observations from 145 published studies worldwide to evaluate how substituting SCRFs for rapid-acting fertilizers (RAFs) affects yield, GHG emissions, and SOC in maize, wheat, and rice under different agricultural systems. Furthermore, the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied to quantify the relative importance of five environmental factors, including climatic characteristics and soil properties, and to identify the key predictors regulating the effects of SCRFs.
Results
Results indicated that SCRFs enhanced crop yield and increase SOC stock (yield by 3.4–7.7 %, SOC by 7.6–8.4 %), while reducing N₂O, CH₄, and CO₂ emissions (by −5.8 % to −26.9 %). The effects of SCRFs under different field management practices varied depending on crop type. A one-time basal application of SCRFs significantly enhanced yield and SOC responses in maize and rice, whereas split application was more effective for wheat. Low-to-medium nitrogen application rates (≤250 kg N ha−1) were identified as a threshold at which SCRFs achieved the largest positive effect sizes for yield and SOC accumulation, while optimizing GHG emissions reduction effects, across all crops. Additionally, conservation tillage (CT) in combination with SCRFs was associated with greater SOC accumulation in maize and wheat, whereas crop-specific irrigation strategies were associated with stronger yield responses and GHG mitigation effects. The mean annual temperature (MAT) was identified as a key predictor of the effects of SCRFs on crop yield and N₂O emission, whereas soil background levels of SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and pH were key predictors of CH₄ and CO₂ emission and SOC.
Conclusions
SCRFs enhance crop yield and SOC while reducing GHG emissions, with these effects strengthened by appropriate field management practices and regulated by climatic and soil factors.
Implications
These findings provide scientific evidence supporting the effects of replacing RAFs with SCRFs on yield improvement, emission reduction, and SOC enhancement in the three major cereal crops across diverse agricultural systems.
缓释/控释肥料因其具有提高作物产量和促进生态效益的潜力而被广泛应用。然而，在不同作物类型、田间管理方式和环境条件下，scfs对作物产量、温室气体排放和土壤有机碳（SOC）的影响尚不清楚。目的与方法本研究对全球145项已发表研究的951项观察结果进行了荟萃分析，以评估在不同农业制度下，用速效肥料替代速效肥料对玉米、小麦和水稻产量、温室气体排放和有机碳的影响。此外，应用极端梯度增强（XGBoost）模型结合SHapley加性解释（SHAP），量化了气候特征和土壤性质等5个环境因子的相对重要性，并确定了调节scfs效应的关键预测因子。结果表明，scfs提高了作物产量，增加了有机碳储量（产量增加3.4-7.7 %，有机碳增加7.6-8.4 %），同时减少了N₂O、CH₄和CO₂的排放（减少−5.8 %至−26.9 %）。在不同的田间管理措施下，scfs的效果因作物类型而异。一次性基施可显著提高玉米和水稻的产量和有机碳响应，而分施对小麦更有效。低至中等施氮量（≤250 kg N ha - 1）被确定为一个阈值，在此阈值下，所有作物的scfs对产量和有机碳积累的正效应最大，同时优化温室气体减排效果。此外，保护性耕作（CT）与scfs相结合，玉米和小麦的有机碳积累更大，而特定作物的灌溉策略与更强的产量响应和温室气体缓解效应相关。年平均温度（MAT）是scfs对作物产量和N₂O排放影响的关键预测因子，而土壤背景有机碳（SOC）、总氮（TN）和pH是nh4和CO₂排放以及有机碳（SOC）的关键预测因子。结论scfs在提高作物产量和有机碳含量的同时减少温室气体的排放，这些作用在适当的田间管理措施下得到强化，并受气候和土壤因子的调节。这些发现为在不同农业系统中，用秸秆秸秆代替秸秆秸秆对三种主要谷类作物增产、减排和有机碳增强的影响提供了科学证据。
{"title":"Meta-analysis of slow/controlled-release fertilizers on yield, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil organic carbon in major cereal crops","authors":"Zexi Zhang , Jianhua Dong , Xiaogang Liu , Dan Xu , Yanhong Liu , Hualing Zhang , Jinxue Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Slow/controlled-release fertilizers (SCRFs) are widely employed due to their potential to enhance crop yields and promote ecological benefits. However, the effects of SCRFs on crop yield, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and soil organic carbon (SOC) under varying crop types, field management practices, and environmental conditions remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objective and methods</h3><div>Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of 951 observations from 145 published studies worldwide to evaluate how substituting SCRFs for rapid-acting fertilizers (RAFs) affects yield, GHG emissions, and SOC in maize, wheat, and rice under different agricultural systems. Furthermore, the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was applied to quantify the relative importance of five environmental factors, including climatic characteristics and soil properties, and to identify the key predictors regulating the effects of SCRFs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Results indicated that SCRFs enhanced crop yield and increase SOC stock (yield by 3.4–7.7 %, SOC by 7.6–8.4 %), while reducing N₂O, CH₄, and CO₂ emissions (by −5.8 % to −26.9 %). The effects of SCRFs under different field management practices varied depending on crop type. A one-time basal application of SCRFs significantly enhanced yield and SOC responses in maize and rice, whereas split application was more effective for wheat. Low-to-medium nitrogen application rates (≤250 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup>) were identified as a threshold at which SCRFs achieved the largest positive effect sizes for yield and SOC accumulation, while optimizing GHG emissions reduction effects, across all crops. Additionally, conservation tillage (CT) in combination with SCRFs was associated with greater SOC accumulation in maize and wheat, whereas crop-specific irrigation strategies were associated with stronger yield responses and GHG mitigation effects. The mean annual temperature (MAT) was identified as a key predictor of the effects of SCRFs on crop yield and N₂O emission, whereas soil background levels of SOC, total nitrogen (TN), and pH were key predictors of CH₄ and CO₂ emission and SOC.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>SCRFs enhance crop yield and SOC while reducing GHG emissions, with these effects strengthened by appropriate field management practices and regulated by climatic and soil factors.</div></div><div><h3>Implications</h3><div>These findings provide scientific evidence supporting the effects of replacing RAFs with SCRFs on yield improvement, emission reduction, and SOC enhancement in the three major cereal crops across diverse agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110316"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145881385","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 : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110309
Breno Bicego , Jinwook Kim , Roxana Savin , Gustavo A. Slafer
<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Wheat is essential to global food security however climate change threatens its yield. While the impacts of gradual temperature increases are known, the effects of heat waves (HW), which are becoming more frequent and severe, are less understood particularly under field conditions. This study explores the impact of pre- and post-anthesis (AN) HW on grain yield (GY), grain number (GN), average grain weight (AGW), and physiological determinants of GN.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To quantify the pre- and post-AN HW effects on GY, GN and AGW of two cultivars with constitutive contrasting levels of GN and AGW; to determine whether a higher or lower sensitivity to a HW would be related to genotypic inherent characteristic; and to ascertain whether penalties in GN due to pre-AN HW are direct on reproductive output or indirect by affecting crop growth. Most details on AGW determination are offered in the companion paper.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Experiments were irrigated and carried out in two locations of NE Spain. Main treatments consisted in the factorial combination of two contrasting genotypes (Pistolo of high AGW and Sublim of high GN), and three HW that were imposed in the field using portable tents covered with transparent polyethylene films, but with the base opened to favour air circulation, during 9–11 continuous days, increasing temperatures during the day only, which resulted in average daily temperature 3–4 ºC warmer. The HW started either at booting (pre-AN HW) or 15 days after anthesis (post-AN HW). An additional HW (combination of pre- and post-AN HW) was imposed in one location while thinning treatment at the onset of stem elongation in the other.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Under unheated conditions, both cultivars had similarly high yields. The increment of yield potential with thinning was lower in Pistolo (33 %) than Sublim (79 %). Both cultivars had similar spike number plasticity, but only Sublim showed spike fertility plasticity to added resources as well. HW significantly reduced GY: Pistolo was more sensitive to pre-AN HW, but not to post-AN HW. Yield losses were mainly due to reduced GN with pre-AN HW, and reduced AGW with post-AN HW. Pre-AN HW increased floret mortality mostly in central spikelets, while thinning boosted floret survival, especially in distal spikelets, restoring fertility even in typically sterile basal spikelets. Thinning reduced HW damage in Pistolo from 18 % to 1 %, but not in Sublim (c. 14 % in both conditions). This implies that HW effects could be mainly indirect, through affecting growth, or mainly direct, affecting floret developmental process (and not reversed when more assimilates become available), depending on the genotype. Post-AN HW caused greater GY penalties (24.8 %) than pre-AN HW (15.1 %), but this seemed related to environmental variation during treatments than a true greater sensitivity. More in depth analyses regarding AGW is pro
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Pub Date : 2026-03-15Epub Date: 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110292
Finn Großmann , Henning Kage , Dieter Hackenberg , Till Rose
Context
Improving sugar beet yield under variable environmental conditions requires a detailed understanding of the physiological mechanisms that drive yield formation. In sugar beet, canopy development determines resource capture, while radiation use efficiency (RUE) regulates the transformation efficiency of primary resources, and assimilate partitioning regulates the allocation of dry matter to the storage root. High-throughput phenotyping offers opportunities to quantify these physiological processes across diverse environments and genetic backgrounds, thereby identifying key traits for yield improvement.
Methods
A scalable drone-based pipeline was established and validated to estimate physiological yield components – leaf area index (LAI), radiation interception efficiency (RIE), RUE, and harvest index (HI). Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-derived multispectral imagery, combined with environmental records and harvest measurements, was used across more than 1300 field plots in Germany and Italy (2023–2024), covering three contrasting environments, two irrigation managements, and up to 171 genotypes. LAI estimation was calibrated and validated under different water regimes in northern Germany (mean absolute error, MAE = 0.30 m² m⁻²).
Results
Dynamic UAV-based LAI enabled continuous estimation of radiation interception and biomass accumulation. Total dry matter correlated strongly with cumulative effective (temperature-dependent) radiation interception (R² = 0.81), indicating a comparatively stable RUE across diverse conditions. Genotypic variation in yield formation was mainly driven by canopy-level processes: RIE accounted for 65 % of variation under water-limited conditions, while RUE accounted for 46 % under irrigation. Partitioning traits (HI and Sugar HI) contributed minimally in both irrigation managements.
Conclusions
The results highlight the dominant role of canopy development and radiation use in sugar beet yield formation under contrasting environmental conditions. The proposed UAV-based framework provides a transferable, high-throughput approach to quantify physiological yield drivers in field settings. This enables targeted trait selection for breeding and facilitates integration of functional yield components into crop improvement strategies.
{"title":"What drives yield formation in sugar beet? Quantifying functional components across genotypes and irrigation managements","authors":"Finn Großmann , Henning Kage , Dieter Hackenberg , Till Rose","doi":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110292","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fcr.2025.110292","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Improving sugar beet yield under variable environmental conditions requires a detailed understanding of the physiological mechanisms that drive yield formation. In sugar beet, canopy development determines resource capture, while radiation use efficiency (<em>RUE</em>) regulates the transformation efficiency of primary resources, and assimilate partitioning regulates the allocation of dry matter to the storage root. High-throughput phenotyping offers opportunities to quantify these physiological processes across diverse environments and genetic backgrounds, thereby identifying key traits for yield improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A scalable drone-based pipeline was established and validated to estimate physiological yield components – leaf area index (<em>LAI</em>), radiation interception efficiency (<em>RIE</em>), <em>RUE</em>, and harvest index (<em>HI</em>). Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-derived multispectral imagery, combined with environmental records and harvest measurements, was used across more than 1300 field plots in Germany and Italy (2023–2024), covering three contrasting environments, two irrigation managements, and up to 171 genotypes. <em>LAI</em> estimation was calibrated and validated under different water regimes in northern Germany (mean absolute error, MAE = 0.30 m² m⁻²).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Dynamic UAV-based <em>LAI</em> enabled continuous estimation of radiation interception and biomass accumulation. Total dry matter correlated strongly with cumulative effective (temperature-dependent) radiation interception (<em>R²</em> = 0.81), indicating a comparatively stable <em>RUE</em> across diverse conditions. Genotypic variation in yield formation was mainly driven by canopy-level processes: <em>RIE</em> accounted for 65 % of variation under water-limited conditions, while <em>RUE</em> accounted for 46 % under irrigation. Partitioning traits (<em>HI</em> and <em>Sugar HI</em>) contributed minimally in both irrigation managements.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The results highlight the dominant role of canopy development and radiation use in sugar beet yield formation under contrasting environmental conditions. The proposed UAV-based framework provides a transferable, high-throughput approach to quantify physiological yield drivers in field settings. This enables targeted trait selection for breeding and facilitates integration of functional yield components into crop improvement strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12143,"journal":{"name":"Field Crops Research","volume":"338 ","pages":"Article 110292"},"PeriodicalIF":6.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145753853","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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