Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128008
Liang Fang , Dongping Shen , Zhen Wang , Linli Zhou , Tingting Zhang , Guoqiang Zhang , Jun Xue , Ruizhi Xie , Peng Hou , Keru Wang , Bo Ming , Ling Gou , Shaokun Li
Confronted with the dual imperatives of ensuring food security and reducing environmental pollution in China’s intensive agricultural systems, this study proposes and validates an innovative crop management paradigm: a High-Density Production System enabled by Precision Stage-Specific Regulation (HD-PSR). Based on a three-year field experiment spanning a wide nitrogen (N) application gradient (0–765 kg N ha⁻¹), we assessed the effects of N rate on grain yield, nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFPN), plant N dynamics (uptake, distribution, and remobilization), soil residual N, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. The results show that the system achieved a clear yield plateau of 14.7–16.5 t ha⁻¹ at 243.8–306.4 kg N ha⁻¹ , while sustaining efficient internal N uptake and remobilization, providing a strong physiological basis for high yield. Simultaneously, the system markedly reduced the direct N₂O emission factor to a consistently low range of 0.3 %–0.9 %, well below the IPCC default. Notably, both cumulative N₂O emissions and the emission factor exhibited a strictly linear relationship with N application rate, in contrast to the exponential increases widely reported under conventional fertilization. This linearity is attributed to split application, which prevents the accumulation of soil mineral N that typically triggers microbial N₂O emission pulses. A comprehensive benefit index identified approximately 289 kg N ha⁻¹ as the synergistic optimum for high yield and low emissions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that HD-PSR—through deep integration of high-density planting with whole-season, physiology-oriented precision regulation—can simultaneously enhance grain yield and nitrogen-use sustainability, offering a practical systemic pathway for the sustainable intensification of cereal production.
面对中国集约化农业系统中确保粮食安全和减少环境污染的双重需求，本研究提出并验证了一种创新的作物管理模式：由精确阶段特定调控（HD-PSR）实现的高密度生产系统。通过一项为期3年的大田试验，研究了不同施氮量（0-765 kg N ha⁻¹）对粮食产量、氮素偏因子生产力（PFPN）、植株氮素动态（吸收、分配和再动员）、土壤残氮和氧化亚氮（N₂O）排放的影响。结果表明，该体系达到了14.7-16.5 tha⁻¹ （243.8-306.4 kg N ha⁻¹ ）的明显产量平台，同时保持了体内氮的有效吸收和再迁移，为高产提供了强有力的生理基础。同时，该系统显著降低了直接的N₂O排放因子，持续降低到0.3 % -0.9 %的较低范围，远低于IPCC的默认值。值得注意的是，累积N₂O排放量和排放因子与施氮量呈严格的线性关系，而常规施肥则呈指数增长。这种线性归因于拆分应用，这可以防止土壤矿物N的积累，而土壤矿物N通常会触发微生物N₂O发射脉冲。综合效益指数确定约289 kg N ha⁻¹ 为高产低排放的协同最优。综上所述，通过高密度种植与全季、以生理为导向的精准调控的深度融合，hd - psr可以同时提高粮食产量和氮素利用的可持续性，为谷物生产的可持续集约化提供了切实可行的系统途径。
{"title":"Achieving synergistic improvements in maize yield and nitrogen use sustainability through a novel high-density production system enabled by precision stage-specific regulation","authors":"Liang Fang , Dongping Shen , Zhen Wang , Linli Zhou , Tingting Zhang , Guoqiang Zhang , Jun Xue , Ruizhi Xie , Peng Hou , Keru Wang , Bo Ming , Ling Gou , Shaokun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Confronted with the dual imperatives of ensuring food security and reducing environmental pollution in China’s intensive agricultural systems, this study proposes and validates an innovative crop management paradigm: a High-Density Production System enabled by Precision Stage-Specific Regulation (HD-PSR). Based on a three-year field experiment spanning a wide nitrogen (N) application gradient (0–765 kg N ha⁻¹), we assessed the effects of N rate on grain yield, nitrogen partial factor productivity (PFP<sub>N</sub>), plant N dynamics (uptake, distribution, and remobilization), soil residual N, and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. The results show that the system achieved a clear yield plateau of 14.7–16.5 t ha⁻¹ at 243.8–306.4 kg N ha⁻¹ , while sustaining efficient internal N uptake and remobilization, providing a strong physiological basis for high yield. Simultaneously, the system markedly reduced the direct N₂O emission factor to a consistently low range of 0.3 %–0.9 %, well below the IPCC default. Notably, both cumulative N₂O emissions and the emission factor exhibited a strictly linear relationship with N application rate, in contrast to the exponential increases widely reported under conventional fertilization. This linearity is attributed to split application, which prevents the accumulation of soil mineral N that typically triggers microbial N₂O emission pulses. A comprehensive benefit index identified approximately 289 kg N ha⁻¹ as the synergistic optimum for high yield and low emissions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that HD-PSR—through deep integration of high-density planting with whole-season, physiology-oriented precision regulation—can simultaneously enhance grain yield and nitrogen-use sustainability, offering a practical systemic pathway for the sustainable intensification of cereal production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128008"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979827","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 : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.127992
Mohammad Jahanbakht , Alex Olsen , Ross Marchant , Emilie Fillols , Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi
Weed mapping plays a critical role in precision management by providing accurate and timely data on weed distribution, enabling targeted control and reduced herbicide use. This minimizes environmental impacts, supports sustainable land management, and improves outcomes across agricultural and natural environments. Recent advances in weed mapping leverage ground-vehicle Red Green Blue (RGB) cameras, satellite and drone-based remote sensing combined with sensors such as spectral, Near Infra-Red (NIR), and thermal cameras. The resulting data are processed using advanced techniques including big data analytics and machine learning, significantly improving the spatial and temporal resolution of weed maps and enabling site-specific management decisions. Despite a growing body of research in this domain, there is a lack of comprehensive literature reviews specifically focused on weed mapping. In particular, the absence of a structured analysis spanning the entire mapping pipeline, from data acquisition to processing techniques and mapping tools, limits progress in the field. This review addresses these gaps by systematically examining state-of-the-art methods in data acquisition (sensor and platform technologies), data processing (including annotation and modelling), and mapping techniques (such as spatiotemporal analysis and decision support tools). In the data processing stage, weed detection was identified as a critical enabling component of the mapping pipeline; accordingly, dedicated sections were included to systematically review state-of-the-art methods. Following PRISMA guidelines, we critically evaluate and synthesize key findings from the literature to provide a holistic understanding of the weed mapping landscape. This review serves as a foundational reference to guide future research and support the development of efficient, scalable, and sustainable weed management systems.
{"title":"Advancements in weed mapping: A systematic review","authors":"Mohammad Jahanbakht , Alex Olsen , Ross Marchant , Emilie Fillols , Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.127992","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.127992","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weed mapping plays a critical role in precision management by providing accurate and timely data on weed distribution, enabling targeted control and reduced herbicide use. This minimizes environmental impacts, supports sustainable land management, and improves outcomes across agricultural and natural environments. Recent advances in weed mapping leverage ground-vehicle Red Green Blue (RGB) cameras, satellite and drone-based remote sensing combined with sensors such as spectral, Near Infra-Red (NIR), and thermal cameras. The resulting data are processed using advanced techniques including big data analytics and machine learning, significantly improving the spatial and temporal resolution of weed maps and enabling site-specific management decisions. Despite a growing body of research in this domain, there is a lack of comprehensive literature reviews specifically focused on weed mapping. In particular, the absence of a structured analysis spanning the entire mapping pipeline, from data acquisition to processing techniques and mapping tools, limits progress in the field. This review addresses these gaps by systematically examining state-of-the-art methods in data acquisition (sensor and platform technologies), data processing (including annotation and modelling), and mapping techniques (such as spatiotemporal analysis and decision support tools). In the data processing stage, weed detection was identified as a critical enabling component of the mapping pipeline; accordingly, dedicated sections were included to systematically review state-of-the-art methods. Following PRISMA guidelines, we critically evaluate and synthesize key findings from the literature to provide a holistic understanding of the weed mapping landscape. This review serves as a foundational reference to guide future research and support the development of efficient, scalable, and sustainable weed management systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 127992"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979743","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 : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128002
Shenqiang Lv , Ting Yang , Jia Li , Zeyu Yang , Huitong Li , Linquan Wang , Shenzhong Tian , Ahmed I. Abdo
A systematic elucidation of soil ammonia (NH3) volatilization (SAV), canopy NH3 flux (CAF), field NH3 emission (FAE), and their underlying drivers is imperative for evaluating NH3 pollution mitigation strategies and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. Currently, the role of the maize canopy in NH3 emission and the contributions of field factors to NH3 emission remain inadequately understood. A consecutive field experiment was conducted over a 3-year period from 2019 to 2021 with a split-plot design. The experiment comprised five tillage treatments (conventional tillage without mulch (CT), ridge-furrow tillage without mulch (RT), plastic film mulch (PM), ridge-furrow cultivation with plastic film mulch on the ridge (RTPM), and straw mulching (SM)) and two N application rates (0 kg N ha–1 and 225 kg N ha–1). The results demonstrated that the CAF was positive, which meant that the maize canopy acted as an NH3 source. The cumulative SAV, CAF, and FAE amounted to 4.21–10.12 kg N ha–1, 1.27–4.94 kg N ha–1 and 6.07–13.26 kg N ha–1, respectively. The N fertilizer NH3 loss rate was 1.13 %–2.41 %. Soil mulching practices (PM, RTPM, and SM) resulted in a 5.3 %–61.1 % increase in CAF, but markedly reduced SAV, FAE, and the N fertilizer NH3 loss rate by 15.4 %–31.9 %, 9.5 %–11.7 %, and 0.94 %-1.04 %, respectively, compared to those of CT. Conversely, RT exhibited negligible effects on these parameters. Meteorological variables, including the air temperature and solar radiation exhibited positive correlations with the CAF. A mechanistic analysis identified soluble protein (SP, primary regulator) and the NH3 compensation point (ACP) as direct positive regulators of the CAF, with canopy NH4+ concentration exerting indirect positive effects. Conversely, glycolate oxidase (GO) and glutamine synthetase (GS) activities directly suppressed CAF. Consequently, although it promoted the CAF, soil mulching depressed maize field NH3 emission and N fertilizer NH3 loss rate. Hence, soil mulching emerges as an effective strategy for mitigating non-point source pollution risks while enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems.
系统阐明土壤氨（NH3）挥发（SAV）、冠层氨通量（CAF）、农田氨排放（FAE）及其驱动因素，对评估氨污染缓解策略和推进可持续农业实践具有重要意义。目前，玉米冠层在NH3排放中的作用以及田间因子对NH3排放的贡献尚不清楚。采用分块设计，于2019 - 2021年进行了连续3年的田间试验。试验包括常规免覆盖耕作（CT）、垄沟免覆盖耕作（RT）、地膜覆盖（PM）、垄沟覆地膜栽培（RTPM）和秸秆覆盖（SM） 5种耕作方式和2种施氮量（0 kg N ha-1和225 kg N ha-1）。结果表明，CAF呈阳性，说明玉米冠层具有NH3源的作用。累积SAV、CAF和FAE分别为4.21 ~ 10.12 kg N ha-1、1.27 ~ 4.94 kg N ha-1和6.07 ~ 13.26 kg N ha-1。氮肥NH3损失率为1.13 % ~ 2.41 %。土壤覆盖（PM、RTPM和SM）使CAF增加了5.3 % ~ 61.1 %，而SAV、FAE和氮肥NH3损失率分别显著降低了15.4 % ~ 31.9 %、9.5 % ~ 11.7 %和0.94 % ~ 1.04 %。相反，RT对这些参数的影响可以忽略不计。气温、太阳辐射等气象变量与CAF呈正相关。机制分析发现可溶性蛋白（SP）和NH3补偿点（ACP）是CAF的直接正调控因子，冠层NH4+浓度起间接正调控作用。相反，乙醇酸氧化酶（GO）和谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）活性直接抑制CAF。因此，虽然土壤覆盖促进了CAF，但降低了玉米田NH3排放和氮肥NH3损失率。因此，土壤覆盖成为减轻非点源污染风险，同时提高农业系统氮利用效率的有效策略。
{"title":"Soil mulching enhanced maize canopy ammonia flux in contrast mitigating field ammonia emission","authors":"Shenqiang Lv , Ting Yang , Jia Li , Zeyu Yang , Huitong Li , Linquan Wang , Shenzhong Tian , Ahmed I. Abdo","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A systematic elucidation of soil ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) volatilization (SAV), canopy NH<sub>3</sub> flux (CAF), field NH<sub>3</sub> emission (FAE), and their underlying drivers is imperative for evaluating NH<sub>3</sub> pollution mitigation strategies and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. Currently, the role of the maize canopy in NH<sub>3</sub> emission and the contributions of field factors to NH<sub>3</sub> emission remain inadequately understood. A consecutive field experiment was conducted over a 3-year period from 2019 to 2021 with a split-plot design. The experiment comprised five tillage treatments (conventional tillage without mulch (CT), ridge-furrow tillage without mulch (RT), plastic film mulch (PM), ridge-furrow cultivation with plastic film mulch on the ridge (RTPM), and straw mulching (SM)) and two N application rates (0 kg N ha<sup>–1</sup> and 225 kg N ha<sup>–1</sup>). The results demonstrated that the CAF was positive, which meant that the maize canopy acted as an NH<sub>3</sub> source. The cumulative SAV, CAF, and FAE amounted to 4.21–10.12 kg N ha<sup>–1</sup>, 1.27–4.94 kg N ha<sup>–1</sup> and 6.07–13.26 kg N ha<sup>–1</sup>, respectively. The N fertilizer NH<sub>3</sub> loss rate was 1.13 %–2.41 %. Soil mulching practices (PM, RTPM, and SM) resulted in a 5.3 %–61.1 % increase in CAF, but markedly reduced SAV, FAE, and the N fertilizer NH<sub>3</sub> loss rate by 15.4 %–31.9 %, 9.5 %–11.7 %, and 0.94 %-1.04 %, respectively, compared to those of CT. Conversely, RT exhibited negligible effects on these parameters. Meteorological variables, including the air temperature and solar radiation exhibited positive correlations with the CAF. A mechanistic analysis identified soluble protein (SP, primary regulator) and the NH<sub>3</sub> compensation point (ACP) as direct positive regulators of the CAF, with canopy NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> concentration exerting indirect positive effects. Conversely, glycolate oxidase (GO) and glutamine synthetase (GS) activities directly suppressed CAF. Consequently, although it promoted the CAF, soil mulching depressed maize field NH<sub>3</sub> emission and N fertilizer NH<sub>3</sub> loss rate. Hence, soil mulching emerges as an effective strategy for mitigating non-point source pollution risks while enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128002"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979829","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 : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128004
Qiuting Yan , Jiahao Zhang , Jiao Liu , Meiying Gu , Guangmu Tang , Mallavarapu Megharaj , Haixia Tian , Wanli Xu , Wenxiang He
Biochar amendment holds considerable potential for enhancing soil multifunctionality (SMF), yet its underlying biochemical mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study integrates pot experiments with a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of biochar on SMF in grey desert and aeolian sandy soils, focusing on enzyme kinetics as indicators of nutrient cycling. The meta-analysis revealed that biochar increased soil pH (4.76 %, 0.31 units), microbial biomass carbon (MBC, 32.64 %), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP, 7.12 %), while reducing ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N, 10.07 %). Notably, biochar suppressed net nitrogen accumulation and nitrification rates by over 93 %. It also shifted enzyme stoichiometry toward nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation, reflected by a 14.17 % decrease in the Cenz: Nenz ratio and an 11.83 % increase in the Cenz: Penz ratio. Pot experiments demonstrated biochar application enhanced the catalytic efficiency (Vmax/Km) of urease (0.005–0.77 μmol g−1 h−1/mM), invertase (4.74–37.74 μmol g−1 h−1/mM), and alkaline phosphatase (3.28–24.25 μmol g−1 h−1/mM), indicating improved nitrogen turnover, carbon availability, and phosphorus mobilization. These kinetic parameters proved more sensitive and direct indicators of SMF than traditional soil metrics. Among the treatments, 2 % biochar amendment delivered the most pronounced benefits, increasing SMF by 137.2 % in grey desert soil and 118.0 % in aeolian sandy soil. Structural equation modeling (SEM) identified enzyme kinetics, MBC, ALP, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as primary drivers of SMF enhancement. Overall, the findings highlight the critical role of enzyme kinetics in soil biochemical functioning and reinforce biochar’s potential as a sustainable strategy for restoring nutrient-deficient soils.
{"title":"Enzyme kinetics reveal biochar-driven soil multifunctionality improvements in arid soils: Insights from pot experiments and meta-analysis","authors":"Qiuting Yan , Jiahao Zhang , Jiao Liu , Meiying Gu , Guangmu Tang , Mallavarapu Megharaj , Haixia Tian , Wanli Xu , Wenxiang He","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biochar amendment holds considerable potential for enhancing soil multifunctionality (SMF), yet its underlying biochemical mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. This study integrates pot experiments with a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of biochar on SMF in grey desert and aeolian sandy soils, focusing on enzyme kinetics as indicators of nutrient cycling. The meta-analysis revealed that biochar increased soil pH (4.76 %, 0.31 units), microbial biomass carbon (MBC, 32.64 %), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP, 7.12 %), while reducing ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N, 10.07 %). Notably, biochar suppressed net nitrogen accumulation and nitrification rates by over 93 %. It also shifted enzyme stoichiometry toward nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation, reflected by a 14.17 % decrease in the C<sub>enz</sub>: N<sub>enz</sub> ratio and an 11.83 % increase in the C<sub>enz</sub>: P<sub>enz</sub> ratio. Pot experiments demonstrated biochar application enhanced the catalytic efficiency (V<sub>max</sub>/K<sub>m</sub>) of urease (0.005–0.77 μmol g<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>/mM), invertase (4.74–37.74 μmol g<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>/mM), and alkaline phosphatase (3.28–24.25 μmol g<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>/mM), indicating improved nitrogen turnover, carbon availability, and phosphorus mobilization. These kinetic parameters proved more sensitive and direct indicators of SMF than traditional soil metrics. Among the treatments, 2 % biochar amendment delivered the most pronounced benefits, increasing SMF by 137.2 % in grey desert soil and 118.0 % in aeolian sandy soil. Structural equation modeling (SEM) identified enzyme kinetics, MBC, ALP, and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as primary drivers of SMF enhancement. Overall, the findings highlight the critical role of enzyme kinetics in soil biochemical functioning and reinforce biochar’s potential as a sustainable strategy for restoring nutrient-deficient soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128004"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979828","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 : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128005
Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Qaswar, Ajit Borundia, Abdul Mounem Mouazen
Subsoil compaction remains a critical constraint to agricultural productivity, necessitating effective mitigation strategies to enhance soil health and crop performance. This study investigates the synergistic effects of subsoil vertical drilling and fodder maize cropping on fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) yield and soil physical properties compared to direct beet cultivation in a Cambisol sandy-textured soil. A field experiment was carried out on a commercial farm in Beervelde, Belgium, employing a semi-autonomous soil vertical drilling machine to apply six treatments with varying drilling depths (50 cm and 90 cm) and hole-to-hole spacings (50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm) in a completely randomized design with three replicates across two fields representing two cropping scenarios: 1) fodder maize followed by fodder beet rotation and 2) direct fodder beet cultivation. Treatments included T1 (50 cm depth × 50 cm spacing), T2 (50 cm × 75 cm), T3 (50 cm × 100 cm), T4 (90 cm × 50 cm), T5 (90 cm × 75 cm), T6 (90 cm × 100 cm), and a no-drilling control (T0). Soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), and moisture content (MC) were measured at 40 cm and 70 cm depths, alongside fodder beet yield. Results showed that in the maize-beet rotation system, T4 significantly reduced BD by 4.27 % and PR by 20.02 % at 70 cm, increased MC by 15.28 % at 40 cm, and boosted yield by 26.28 % compared to T0. Conversely, direct beet cultivation showed negligible BD reductions, variable PR changes, and yield reductions in most treatments (up to 31 % in T5), with only T6 yielding a 19.8 % increase. In both cropping systems, yield was negatively correlated with BD and PR. These correlations were stronger in the maize-beet rotation system (r = –0.94 for BD, r = –0.86 for PR at 70 cm) than in direct beet cultivation (r = –0.76 for BD, r = –0.61 for PR at 70 cm), highlighting the role of improved soil structure in enhancing productivity. These results demonstrate that maize–beet rotation combined with vertical soil drilling outperforms direct beet cultivation in mitigating subsoil compaction and increasing fodder beet yield. In particular, subsoil drilling at 90 cm depth with 50 cm spacing (T4) showed the most pronounced effects. These findings underscore the value of integrating crop diversification with targeted drilling applications for sustainable soil management in compacted sandy soils.
{"title":"Synergistic effects of subsoil vertical drilling and fodder maize on soil physical properties and fodder beet yield","authors":"Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Qaswar, Ajit Borundia, Abdul Mounem Mouazen","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subsoil compaction remains a critical constraint to agricultural productivity, necessitating effective mitigation strategies to enhance soil health and crop performance. This study investigates the synergistic effects of subsoil vertical drilling and fodder maize cropping on fodder beet (<em>Beta vulgaris</em> L.) yield and soil physical properties compared to direct beet cultivation in a Cambisol sandy-textured soil. A field experiment was carried out on a commercial farm in Beervelde, Belgium, employing a semi-autonomous soil vertical drilling machine to apply six treatments with varying drilling depths (50 cm and 90 cm) and hole-to-hole spacings (50 cm, 75 cm, and 100 cm) in a completely randomized design with three replicates across two fields representing two cropping scenarios: 1) fodder maize followed by fodder beet rotation and 2) direct fodder beet cultivation. Treatments included T1 (50 cm depth × 50 cm spacing), T2 (50 cm × 75 cm), T3 (50 cm × 100 cm), T4 (90 cm × 50 cm), T5 (90 cm × 75 cm), T6 (90 cm × 100 cm), and a no-drilling control (T0). Soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), and moisture content (MC) were measured at 40 cm and 70 cm depths, alongside fodder beet yield. Results showed that in the maize-beet rotation system, T4 significantly reduced BD by 4.27 % and PR by 20.02 % at 70 cm, increased MC by 15.28 % at 40 cm, and boosted yield by 26.28 % compared to T0. Conversely, direct beet cultivation showed negligible BD reductions, variable PR changes, and yield reductions in most treatments (up to 31 % in T5), with only T6 yielding a 19.8 % increase. In both cropping systems, yield was negatively correlated with BD and PR. These correlations were stronger in the maize-beet rotation system (<em>r</em> = –0.94 for BD, <em>r</em> = –0.86 for PR at 70 cm) than in direct beet cultivation (<em>r</em> = –0.76 for BD, <em>r</em> = –0.61 for PR at 70 cm), highlighting the role of improved soil structure in enhancing productivity. These results demonstrate that maize–beet rotation combined with vertical soil drilling outperforms direct beet cultivation in mitigating subsoil compaction and increasing fodder beet yield. In particular, subsoil drilling at 90 cm depth with 50 cm spacing (T4) showed the most pronounced effects. These findings underscore the value of integrating crop diversification with targeted drilling applications for sustainable soil management in compacted sandy soils.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128005"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979830","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 : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127976
Bahareh Kamali , Seyed Hamid Ahmadi , Thomas Gaiser
Crop rotation systems effectively enhance resource use efficiency and biodiversity. Process-based agroecosystem models serve as valuable tools for their sustainable design. However, most model applications overlook the role of root characteristics on simulated above- and belowground model components. This is particularly critical in crop rotations, involving diverse species and cultivars. Overlooking this aspect can lead to significant inaccuracies in modelling crop yields, as well as soil organic carbon (SOC), and nitrogen leaching (N-leaching). This study quantifies the contribution of climate, management (crop rotation, irrigation and rainfed systems), and cultivar (phenology and root growth characteristics) factors on simulation of crop yields, N-leaching, and SOC. The analysis was conducted in mono-cropping and 10 different crop rotations (cereals-tuber, cereal-cereal, tuber-tuber crops). The MOdel of NItrogen and CArbon dynamics (MONICA) was used for this purpose. MONICA was parameterized and calibrated using detailed data on the time and amount of irrigation recorded for Hamerstorf experimental site located in Lower Saxony, Germany. Our results demonstrated a stronger effect of root depth factor on yield variability in rainfed compared to irrigated systems, accounting for approximately 60 % of the observed variation. In contrast, crop phenology had a greater impact on yield under irrigation. For N-leaching and SOC, crop rotation explained over 65 % of the variability. Root depth and root density contributed more significantly to SOC dynamics than to N-leaching. These findings highlight the importance of accurate estimation on root growth in models to reduce uncertainty in simulating crop rotation systems. Precise root growth characteristics become even more critical when modeling extends beyond yield to include nitrogen and SOC—key indicators of sustainable agricultural systems.
{"title":"Root growth traits are the dominant sources of uncertainty in simulating agricultural crop rotational systems","authors":"Bahareh Kamali , Seyed Hamid Ahmadi , Thomas Gaiser","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127976","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127976","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crop rotation systems effectively enhance resource use efficiency and biodiversity. Process-based agroecosystem models serve as valuable tools for their sustainable design. However, most model applications overlook the role of root characteristics on simulated above- and belowground model components. This is particularly critical in crop rotations, involving diverse species and cultivars. Overlooking this aspect can lead to significant inaccuracies in modelling crop yields, as well as soil organic carbon (SOC), and nitrogen leaching (N-leaching). This study quantifies the contribution of climate, management (crop rotation, irrigation and rainfed systems), and cultivar (phenology and root growth characteristics) factors on simulation of crop yields, N-leaching, and SOC. The analysis was conducted in mono-cropping and 10 different crop rotations (cereals-tuber, cereal-cereal, tuber-tuber crops). The MOdel of NItrogen and CArbon dynamics (MONICA) was used for this purpose. MONICA was parameterized and calibrated using detailed data on the time and amount of irrigation recorded for Hamerstorf experimental site located in Lower Saxony, Germany. Our results demonstrated a stronger effect of root depth factor on yield variability in rainfed compared to irrigated systems, accounting for approximately 60 % of the observed variation. In contrast, crop phenology had a greater impact on yield under irrigation. For N-leaching and SOC, crop rotation explained over 65 % of the variability. Root depth and root density contributed more significantly to SOC dynamics than to N-leaching. These findings highlight the importance of accurate estimation on root growth in models to reduce uncertainty in simulating crop rotation systems. Precise root growth characteristics become even more critical when modeling extends beyond yield to include nitrogen and SOC—key indicators of sustainable agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 127976"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979723","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 : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128001
Zhaoyang Li , Nan Shi , Yixuan Yuan , Haiyang Chang , Yuling Meng , Weixing Shan , Moskvicheva Elena , Ansabayeva Assiya , Zhikuan Jia , Xiaolong Ren , Kadambot H.M. Siddique , Ruixia Ding , Peng Wu , Huaze Li , Jiangang Liu , Peng Zhang
Context and problem
As potato is one of the four major food crops, enhancing yield is crucial, particularly when considering the mitigation of environmental impacts. Deep fertilization represents a potential strategy for efficient nutrient utilization; however, its specific on potato yield, quality and greenhouse gas emissions require further elucidation.
Methods
We conducted a four-year field experiment (2020–2023) using potatoes as the test crop. We investigated the impacts of four fertilization depths (D5, 5 cm, control with locally conventional fertilization depth; D15, 15 cm; D25, 25 cm; D35, 35 cm) on soil C, N, and P content and ratios, enzyme activity, greenhouse gas emissions, potato growth, yield, and quality.
Results
Deep fertilization significantly increased the soil SOC:TN, SOC:TP, MBC:MBN, and SIC:SIN ratios, while decreasing the MBC:MBP, MBN:MBP, and POC:PON ratios. In addition to soil catalase, the activities of invertase, urease and phosphatase were closely related to the soil C:N:P ratio. Specifically, deep fertilization increased soil invertase and phosphatase activities but decreased catalase and urease activities. Correlation analysis showed that N2O and CO2 emissions were positively correlated with soil urease activity, whereas CH4 uptake and CO2 emissions were negatively correlated with soil phosphatase and sucrase activities, respectively. Furthermore, increase of soil phosphatase activity enhanced the leaf area index, net photosynthetic rate, and dry matter accumulation of potato while reducing stem lodging, ultimately improving yield and quality. Among these treatments, D25 achieved the highest improvements in large potato rate (16.4 %) and yield (11.5 %), while simultaneously resulting in high tuber quality in starch (42.5 %), reducing sugar (52.7 %), protein (33.4 %), and vitamin C (31.9 %) content. In addition, its greenhouse gas emission intensity was also at the lowest level (decreased by 32.7 %).
Conclusions
Deep fertilization affects enzyme activity by altering soil C:N:P ratios, thereby promoting potato production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this region, fertilization depths of 15–25 cm exhibited distinct advantage in terms of yield enhancement, whereas depths exceeding 35 cm were more effective in reducing emissions.
{"title":"Deep fertilization effects on potato production and GHG emissions depend on soil C:N:P-enzyme interactions: Evidence from a 4-year study","authors":"Zhaoyang Li , Nan Shi , Yixuan Yuan , Haiyang Chang , Yuling Meng , Weixing Shan , Moskvicheva Elena , Ansabayeva Assiya , Zhikuan Jia , Xiaolong Ren , Kadambot H.M. Siddique , Ruixia Ding , Peng Wu , Huaze Li , Jiangang Liu , Peng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context and problem</h3><div>As potato is one of the four major food crops, enhancing yield is crucial, particularly when considering the mitigation of environmental impacts. Deep fertilization represents a potential strategy for efficient nutrient utilization; however, its specific on potato yield, quality and greenhouse gas emissions require further elucidation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a four-year field experiment (2020–2023) using potatoes as the test crop. We investigated the impacts of four fertilization depths (D5, 5 cm, control with locally conventional fertilization depth; D15, 15 cm; D25, 25 cm; D35, 35 cm) on soil C, N, and P content and ratios, enzyme activity, greenhouse gas emissions, potato growth, yield, and quality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Deep fertilization significantly increased the soil SOC:TN, SOC:TP, MBC:MBN, and SIC:SIN ratios, while decreasing the MBC:MBP, MBN:MBP, and POC:PON ratios. In addition to soil catalase, the activities of invertase, urease and phosphatase were closely related to the soil C:N:P ratio. Specifically, deep fertilization increased soil invertase and phosphatase activities but decreased catalase and urease activities. Correlation analysis showed that N<sub>2</sub>O and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were positively correlated with soil urease activity, whereas CH<sub>4</sub> uptake and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions were negatively correlated with soil phosphatase and sucrase activities, respectively. Furthermore, increase of soil phosphatase activity enhanced the leaf area index, net photosynthetic rate, and dry matter accumulation of potato while reducing stem lodging, ultimately improving yield and quality. Among these treatments, D25 achieved the highest improvements in large potato rate (16.4 %) and yield (11.5 %), while simultaneously resulting in high tuber quality in starch (42.5 %), reducing sugar (52.7 %), protein (33.4 %), and vitamin C (31.9 %) content. In addition, its greenhouse gas emission intensity was also at the lowest level (decreased by 32.7 %).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Deep fertilization affects enzyme activity by altering soil C:N:P ratios, thereby promoting potato production and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this region, fertilization depths of 15–25 cm exhibited distinct advantage in terms of yield enhancement, whereas depths exceeding 35 cm were more effective in reducing emissions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128001"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961721","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 : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128003
Godspower Oke Omokaro
Herbicides remain the dominant tools for weed control because of their cost effectiveness and selectivity, yet prolonged and intensive use has raised concern regarding soil degradation, disruption of microbial communities, non-target effects, and the rapid emergence of herbicide resistance. This research synthesizes evidence on the ecological impacts of herbicides and evaluates biological control strategies as sustainable and complementary alternatives within integrated weed management. A PRISMA-ScR guided literature review identified 108 peer reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 from Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect and SpringerLink, with selective inclusion of foundational literature capturing early biological weed control research. Evidence indicates that herbicides alter soil microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and community composition, with outcomes dependent on herbicide class, application rate, soil properties, and environmental context. Glyphosate and atrazine suppress sensitive microbial taxa while enriching specialized degraders, reflecting ecological disruption and microbial adaptation. Fungal communities, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are consistently vulnerable, leading to reduced nutrient acquisition and weakened plant resilience. Herbicide resistance continues to expand globally, undermining long term chemical efficacy. Biological control strategies, including microbial agents such as Trichoderma and Bacillus, insect herbivores, grazing animals, allelopathic crops, bioherbicides, compost and biochar, demonstrate diverse mechanisms of weed suppression and soil restoration across agroecosystems. These approaches enhance crop competitiveness and stimulate beneficial microbial functions, although field performance is constrained by environmental variability, formulation stability, regulatory barriers, and limited extension support. The findings emphasize the need for integrative and sound weed management.
{"title":"Biological control strategies as sustainable alternatives to herbicides in weed management","authors":"Godspower Oke Omokaro","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2026.128003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herbicides remain the dominant tools for weed control because of their cost effectiveness and selectivity, yet prolonged and intensive use has raised concern regarding soil degradation, disruption of microbial communities, non-target effects, and the rapid emergence of herbicide resistance. This research synthesizes evidence on the ecological impacts of herbicides and evaluates biological control strategies as sustainable and complementary alternatives within integrated weed management. A PRISMA-ScR guided literature review identified 108 peer reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 from Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect and SpringerLink, with selective inclusion of foundational literature capturing early biological weed control research. Evidence indicates that herbicides alter soil microbial biomass, enzyme activity, and community composition, with outcomes dependent on herbicide class, application rate, soil properties, and environmental context. Glyphosate and atrazine suppress sensitive microbial taxa while enriching specialized degraders, reflecting ecological disruption and microbial adaptation. Fungal communities, particularly arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, are consistently vulnerable, leading to reduced nutrient acquisition and weakened plant resilience. Herbicide resistance continues to expand globally, undermining long term chemical efficacy. Biological control strategies, including microbial agents such as <em>Trichoderma</em> and <em>Bacillus</em>, insect herbivores, grazing animals, allelopathic crops, bioherbicides, compost and biochar, demonstrate diverse mechanisms of weed suppression and soil restoration across agroecosystems. These approaches enhance crop competitiveness and stimulate beneficial microbial functions, although field performance is constrained by environmental variability, formulation stability, regulatory barriers, and limited extension support. The findings emphasize the need for integrative and sound weed management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 128003"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961720","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 : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2026.128000
Ferdaous Rezgui , Louise Blanc , Daniel Plaza-Bonilla , Jorge Lampurlanés , Christos Dordas , Paschalis Papakaloudis , Andreas Michalitsis , Laure Hossard , Fatima Lambarraa-Lehnhardt , Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura , Carsten Paul , Moritz Reckling
Agriculture has long been at the core of Mediterranean culture, resulting in multifunctional landscapes and diverse ecosystem services. In Mediterranean Europe, policy favored specialized agriculture, and reversing this trend has proven difficult. Diversification of crop rotations holds ecological benefits, yet adoption remains low. The objective of this study was to accompany Spanish and Greek stakeholders in a structured learning process beginning with the co-design of available diversification options. It continued with an ex-ante assessment of agri-environmental, social, and economic performance of these options, followed by a co-evaluation step where stakeholders rated both the assessed performances and the indicators used. These ratings were analyzed using an importance-performance matrix. Finally, the adoption likelihood of diversification was predicted using the Adoption and Diffusion Outcome Prediction (ADOPT) tool. The ex-ante assessment revealed that legumes, rapeseed, and intercropping systems generally outperformed continuous cereal cropping in the agri-environmental and social dimensions but not economically, with a profit reduction of up to 12 %. From the stakeholders’ ratings, we learned that they placed the greatest importance on the economic indicators. In contrast, the agri-environmental dimension was given little importance even when energy use indicators increased by 5–42 %. Likewise, diversified systems offered notable social benefits, such as reduced workload by up to 29 %, but social aspects were ranked as less important. This divergent performance of the diversified options was translated into low adoption rates. Legume systems reached a 23–28 % adoption rate in 8–10 years, while intercropping reached 14 % in 17 years, and rapeseed systems reached only 4–5 % in 9–11 years. Economic performance emerged as the main barrier to the adoption of diversification. This study evaluated the impacts of different diversification options available to local farmers from both scientific and a local stakeholder perspective. This process can be adapted to other regions to create shared knowledge, thus enabling a wide range of actors to better understand diversification impacts. This knowledge gain affects the stakeholder’s capacity to adopt diversification options and, beforehand, their willingness to do so.
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Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127981
Hongxing Li , Fei Gao , Lei Wang , Jingzhe Shi , Zihan Jin , Sher Alam , Bin Zhao , Peng Liu , Wei Xiong , Baizhao Ren , Jiwang Zhang
Sustainable agriculture is a central focus of global agricultural transformation; straw return and optimised nitrogen fertilizer management emerging as key technologies for achieving efficient resource utilization. Therefore, clarifying the substitution effect of straw nitrogen release on chemical nitrogen fertilizers and quantifying the comprehensive impact of different nitrogen fertilizer application rates under straw return conditions on yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and system sustainability are crucial for identifying optimal nitrogen fertilizer management strategies. From 2017–2023, field trials are conducted on the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–summer maize (Zea mays L.) rotation system on the North China Plain. These trials systematically investigate the combined effects of varying straw-return rates and nitrogen fertilizer application levels on crop yield, economic benefit, nitrogen use efficiency, and environmental impact. Results indicate that straw decomposition of maize and wheat can provide 47.6 kg ha−1 and 28.5 kg ha−1 of nitrogen to the crop-soil system in the later season, respectively. Based on the characteristics of nitrogen release, the application of 178.5 kg ha−1 of nitrogen fertilizer (S-15 %N treatment) following straw return can maintain high yield and yield stability of crops while reducing fertilizer by 15 % and considerably enhancing nitrogen use efficiency. When compared with conventional nitrogen application (SN, 210 kg ha−1), the S-15 %N treatment demonstrates superior resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability while effectively meeting crop nitrogen nutrition requirements were met. By establishing a sustainability evaluation system incorporating multidimensional indicators such as yield, economic returns, nitrogen loss mitigation, and carbon emissions reduction, this study clearly demonstrates, for the first time, that the S-15 %N treatment achieves the highest sustainability performance score. The promotion of this model in the North China Plain can reduce about 0.96 Mt of nitrogen loss and 649 kg ha−1 of carbon emissions per year, with notable environmental and ecological benefits. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for implementing green, low-carbon fertilization practices in the wheat-maize rotation system on the North China Plain.
可持续农业是全球农业转型的中心焦点；秸秆还田和优化氮肥管理成为实现资源高效利用的关键技术。因此，明确秸秆氮肥释放对化学氮肥的替代效应，量化秸秆还田条件下不同氮肥施用量对产量、氮素利用效率和系统可持续性的综合影响，对于确定最优氮肥管理策略至关重要。2017-2023年，在华北平原进行了冬小麦-夏玉米轮作制度的田间试验。这些试验系统地研究了不同秸秆还田率和氮肥施用量对作物产量、经济效益、氮利用效率和环境影响的综合影响。结果表明，玉米和小麦秸秆分解在后期分别可向作物-土壤系统提供47.6 kg ha−1和28.5 kg ha−1氮素。根据氮素释放特性，秸秆还田后施178.5 kg ha−1氮肥（S-15 %N处理）可保持作物高产和产量稳定，同时减肥15 %，显著提高氮素利用效率。与常规施氮量（210 kg ha−1）相比，S-15 %N处理在有效满足作物氮素营养需求的同时，具有更强的资源利用效率和环境可持续性。通过建立包含产量、经济回报、氮损失缓解和碳减排等多维指标的可持续性评价体系，本研究首次明确表明S-15 %N处理的可持续性绩效得分最高。该模式在华北平原推广后，每年可减少氮素损失约96 Mt，减少碳排放649 kg ha−1，环境生态效益显著。本研究为华北平原小麦-玉米轮作系统实施绿色低碳施肥实践提供了理论基础和技术支持。
{"title":"Integrated assessment of economic profitability, energy consumption and environmental footprints by nitrogen fertilizer management using straw return in the wheat-maize cropping system","authors":"Hongxing Li , Fei Gao , Lei Wang , Jingzhe Shi , Zihan Jin , Sher Alam , Bin Zhao , Peng Liu , Wei Xiong , Baizhao Ren , Jiwang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127981","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127981","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sustainable agriculture is a central focus of global agricultural transformation; straw return and optimised nitrogen fertilizer management emerging as key technologies for achieving efficient resource utilization. Therefore, clarifying the substitution effect of straw nitrogen release on chemical nitrogen fertilizers and quantifying the comprehensive impact of different nitrogen fertilizer application rates under straw return conditions on yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and system sustainability are crucial for identifying optimal nitrogen fertilizer management strategies. From 2017–2023, field trials are conducted on the winter wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum L.</em>)–summer maize (<em>Zea mays L.</em>) rotation system on the North China Plain. These trials systematically investigate the combined effects of varying straw-return rates and nitrogen fertilizer application levels on crop yield, economic benefit, nitrogen use efficiency, and environmental impact. Results indicate that straw decomposition of maize and wheat can provide 47.6 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> and 28.5 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> of nitrogen to the crop-soil system in the later season, respectively. Based on the characteristics of nitrogen release, the application of 178.5 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> of nitrogen fertilizer (S-15 %N treatment) following straw return can maintain high yield and yield stability of crops while reducing fertilizer by 15 % and considerably enhancing nitrogen use efficiency. When compared with conventional nitrogen application (SN, 210 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), the S-15 %N treatment demonstrates superior resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability while effectively meeting crop nitrogen nutrition requirements were met. By establishing a sustainability evaluation system incorporating multidimensional indicators such as yield, economic returns, nitrogen loss mitigation, and carbon emissions reduction, this study clearly demonstrates, for the first time, that the S-15 %N treatment achieves the highest sustainability performance score. The promotion of this model in the North China Plain can reduce about 0.96 Mt of nitrogen loss and 649 kg ha<sup>−1</sup> of carbon emissions per year, with notable environmental and ecological benefits. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical support for implementing green, low-carbon fertilization practices in the wheat-maize rotation system on the North China Plain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"175 ","pages":"Article 127981"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928713","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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