Pub Date : 2025-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127508
Yushan Wu, Meng Chen, Sirong Huang, Yue Li, Min Li, Di He, Pengcheng Hu, Tao Duan, Wanzhuo Gong, Yanhong Yan, Titriku John Kwame, Muhammad Ali Raza, Wenyu Yang
Taller crops affect the direct light interception and use efficiency of shorter crops in strip intercropping. Quantifying the light interception of shorter crops and optimizing it by manipulating the configurations could reduce lodging and produce a greater yield. Prior investigations have examined the instantaneous light interception of short-stature crops in intercropping. However, the direct quantification of daily light interception (DAI) and its inter-row variation in strip intercropping remains unclear. In this study, we developed a modelling approach to quantify the daily light interception of soybean plants in different arrangements of maize soybean strip intercropping and verified its accuracy by measuring photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and phenotypic response (plant height, leaf area, biomass, and yield) to light. Treatments included five intercropping systems (1M1S represents one maize row intercropped with one soybean row, 2M1S, 2M2S, 2M3S and 2M4S represent two maize rows intercropped with 1–4 soybean rows, respectively, with the increase of soybean strip width) and two sole soybean cropping system (S40 and S50, soybean row distances of 0.4 m and 0.5 m, respectively), all plants were planted in east-west rows direction. Our results showed that the DAI calculated using the new model of the soybean canopy in intercropping was lower than that in sole cropping. At the grain-filling stage, the DAI at the soybean canopy increased from 29.3 MJ/m2 in 1M1S to 125.6 MJ/m2 in 2M4S. In 2M2S, 2M3S, and 2M4S, the DAI of border rows (soybean rows close to the neighboring maize row) on the north side were 1.37, 8.89, and 18.72 times higher than those of the border rows on the south side, respectively. DAI was significantly correlated with the measured instantaneous PAR and increased with an increase in soybean strip width. The measured plant height, leaf area, biomass, and grain yield of soybean across each row of each intercropping treatment exhibited a consistent trend with changes in DAI, and they were positively correlated with the soybean strip width. Soybean plants in rows with less light interception showed an obvious shade response: plant height increased, and leaf area, biomass, and yield decreased. This physiological response of soybean was caused by changes in light interception, confirming the accuracy of the model. The proposed light interception model and related physiological responses offer a quantitative approach and reference for understanding light competition in strip intercropping systems to design better strip configurations.
{"title":"Combining modelling and experiment to quantify light interception and inter row variability on intercropped soybean in strip intercropping","authors":"Yushan Wu, Meng Chen, Sirong Huang, Yue Li, Min Li, Di He, Pengcheng Hu, Tao Duan, Wanzhuo Gong, Yanhong Yan, Titriku John Kwame, Muhammad Ali Raza, Wenyu Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127508","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2025.127508","url":null,"abstract":"Taller crops affect the direct light interception and use efficiency of shorter crops in strip intercropping. Quantifying the light interception of shorter crops and optimizing it by manipulating the configurations could reduce lodging and produce a greater yield. Prior investigations have examined the instantaneous light interception of short-stature crops in intercropping. However, the direct quantification of daily light interception (DAI) and its inter-row variation in strip intercropping remains unclear. In this study, we developed a modelling approach to quantify the daily light interception of soybean plants in different arrangements of maize soybean strip intercropping and verified its accuracy by measuring photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and phenotypic response (plant height, leaf area, biomass, and yield) to light. Treatments included five intercropping systems (1M1S represents one maize row intercropped with one soybean row, 2M1S, 2M2S, 2M3S and 2M4S represent two maize rows intercropped with 1–4 soybean rows, respectively, with the increase of soybean strip width) and two sole soybean cropping system (S40 and S50, soybean row distances of 0.4 m and 0.5 m, respectively), all plants were planted in east-west rows direction. Our results showed that the DAI calculated using the new model of the soybean canopy in intercropping was lower than that in sole cropping. At the grain-filling stage, the DAI at the soybean canopy increased from 29.3 MJ/m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> in 1M1S to 125.6 MJ/m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> in 2M4S. In 2M2S, 2M3S, and 2M4S, the DAI of border rows (soybean rows close to the neighboring maize row) on the north side were 1.37, 8.89, and 18.72 times higher than those of the border rows on the south side, respectively. DAI was significantly correlated with the measured instantaneous PAR and increased with an increase in soybean strip width. The measured plant height, leaf area, biomass, and grain yield of soybean across each row of each intercropping treatment exhibited a consistent trend with changes in DAI, and they were positively correlated with the soybean strip width. Soybean plants in rows with less light interception showed an obvious shade response: plant height increased, and leaf area, biomass, and yield decreased. This physiological response of soybean was caused by changes in light interception, confirming the accuracy of the model. The proposed light interception model and related physiological responses offer a quantitative approach and reference for understanding light competition in strip intercropping systems to design better strip configurations.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142975608","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}
Dwarfism in rice has reduced plant height, enhancing lodging resistance and supporting high grain yields. Alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD) has proven effective for water conservation in rice production. However, the impact of AWD on grain yield and lodging-resistant stem characteristics during rice variety improvement is not well understood. This study evaluated eight mid-season indica rice varieties from Jiangsu province spanning the last 80 years, across two years under conventional irrigation (CI) and AWD. We observed that grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) increased with variety improvement under both CI and AWD irrigation regimes. However, AWD significantly boosted yield and WUE compared to CI, with increases of 10.32 % in early tall, 9.37 % in dwarf, 20.33 % in semi-dwarf, and 25.22 % in semi-dwarf hybrid types, respectively. Concurrently, stem breaking resistance, parenchyma and mechanical tissue thickness, and silicon content in the second basal internode of the stem were significantly enhanced, while the lodging index decreased with variety improvement. Internode length initially decreased and then stabilized, and the contents of soluble sugar, starch, lignin, and cellulose in the stem and sheath rose, then decreased, and eventually stabilized. AWD improved the morphological, mechanical, physicochemical characteristics, and anatomical indicators in the second basal internode, and reduced the lodging index. Correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between yield, WUE, lodging index, and stem characteristics. Notably, modern hybrid rice varieties with low lodging indices achieved high yields and WUE under AWD, attributed to the enhanced characteristics of the second basal internode.
{"title":"The synergistic effect of variety improvement and alternate wetting and drying irrigation on yield, water use efficiency and lodging resistance in rice","authors":"Hanzhu Gu, Zhilin Xiao, Qinghao Meng, Xiaotong Fa, Chen Wang, Wenjiang Jing, Weilu Wang, Kuanyu Zhu, Weiyang Zhang, Junfei Gu, Lijun Liu, Jianhua Zhang, Hao Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2025.127507","url":null,"abstract":"Dwarfism in rice has reduced plant height, enhancing lodging resistance and supporting high grain yields. Alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD) has proven effective for water conservation in rice production. However, the impact of AWD on grain yield and lodging-resistant stem characteristics during rice variety improvement is not well understood. This study evaluated eight mid-season <ce:italic>indica</ce:italic> rice varieties from Jiangsu province spanning the last 80 years, across two years under conventional irrigation (CI) and AWD. We observed that grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) increased with variety improvement under both CI and AWD irrigation regimes. However, AWD significantly boosted yield and WUE compared to CI, with increases of 10.32 % in early tall, 9.37 % in dwarf, 20.33 % in semi-dwarf, and 25.22 % in semi-dwarf hybrid types, respectively. Concurrently, stem breaking resistance, parenchyma and mechanical tissue thickness, and silicon content in the second basal internode of the stem were significantly enhanced, while the lodging index decreased with variety improvement. Internode length initially decreased and then stabilized, and the contents of soluble sugar, starch, lignin, and cellulose in the stem and sheath rose, then decreased, and eventually stabilized. AWD improved the morphological, mechanical, physicochemical characteristics, and anatomical indicators in the second basal internode, and reduced the lodging index. Correlation analysis revealed a close relationship between yield, WUE, lodging index, and stem characteristics. Notably, modern hybrid rice varieties with low lodging indices achieved high yields and WUE under AWD, attributed to the enhanced characteristics of the second basal internode.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"61 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142975604","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 : 2025-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127509
Alvaro Delgado, David Ruiz, Ana M. Muñoz-Morales, José Antonio Campoy, Jose A. Egea
The fulfilment of cultivar-specific chill requirements (CR) and heat requirements (HR) is crucial for breaking dormancy and achieving optimal blooming and fruit set in temperate fruit trees. The reduction in winter chill availability over the coming decades due to global warming is expected to compromise the fulfilment of CR in many production areas, leading to production losses. The interplay between the accumulation of CR and HR remains unclear. In this study, we used three-year-old potted trees of the apricot cultivar ‘Deseo’ (60 chill portions; CP) to examine how the dynamics of chill and heat accumulation affect the timing of full bloom. We supplied the trees with their specific chill needs by moving them between three distinct environments (constant temperature cold store, ambient conditions and heated glasshouse) before transferring them to a heated glasshouse for flowering. Despite trees being exposed to similar chilling, the variation in temperature dynamics during the dormant period affected flowering dates. The findings suggest that chill and heat accumulation phases can overlap, and once a specific percentage the cultivar specific CR is fulfilled, the simultaneous accumulation of chill and heat appears to advance flowering. A higher heat accumulation (measured in Growing Degree Hours; GDH) during the fulfilment of CR was associated with lower heat accumulation needed for blooming in a heated glasshouse where the accumulation of chill had ceased. The higher correlation was observed when the 75 % of the CR had been fulfilled suggesting that simultaneous accumulation of chill and heat in the last stages appears to be more effective in triggering earlier blooming. This experimental set up could also help to develop new modelling approaches for temperate fruit trees, considering changes in typical patterns of chill accumulation as well as abnormal high winter temperatures caused by climate change.
{"title":"Analysing variations in flowering time based on the dynamics of chill and heat accumulation during the fulfilment of cultivar-specific chill requirements in apricot","authors":"Alvaro Delgado, David Ruiz, Ana M. Muñoz-Morales, José Antonio Campoy, Jose A. Egea","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127509","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2025.127509","url":null,"abstract":"The fulfilment of cultivar-specific chill requirements (CR) and heat requirements (HR) is crucial for breaking dormancy and achieving optimal blooming and fruit set in temperate fruit trees. The reduction in winter chill availability over the coming decades due to global warming is expected to compromise the fulfilment of CR in many production areas, leading to production losses. The interplay between the accumulation of CR and HR remains unclear. In this study, we used three-year-old potted trees of the apricot cultivar ‘Deseo’ (60 chill portions; CP) to examine how the dynamics of chill and heat accumulation affect the timing of full bloom. We supplied the trees with their specific chill needs by moving them between three distinct environments (constant temperature cold store, ambient conditions and heated glasshouse) before transferring them to a heated glasshouse for flowering. Despite trees being exposed to similar chilling, the variation in temperature dynamics during the dormant period affected flowering dates. The findings suggest that chill and heat accumulation phases can overlap, and once a specific percentage the cultivar specific CR is fulfilled, the simultaneous accumulation of chill and heat appears to advance flowering. A higher heat accumulation (measured in Growing Degree Hours; GDH) during the fulfilment of CR was associated with lower heat accumulation needed for blooming in a heated glasshouse where the accumulation of chill had ceased. The higher correlation was observed when the 75 % of the CR had been fulfilled suggesting that simultaneous accumulation of chill and heat in the last stages appears to be more effective in triggering earlier blooming. This experimental set up could also help to develop new modelling approaches for temperate fruit trees, considering changes in typical patterns of chill accumulation as well as abnormal high winter temperatures caused by climate change.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142975605","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 : 2025-01-11DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127505
M.A. Rossini, G.A. Maddonni
Most studies in maize (Zea mays L.) focus on biomass partitioning to the ear (BAE) during the critical period for kernel setting (from −220 +100°Cd from silking; R1). However, early-established interplant variability of growth (around V7) affects both plant and ear growth during this period, influencing kernel setting across plant hierarchies. Delays in silk extrusion are often linked to reduced BAE due to low plant growth just before R1. This study examined whether variability of BAE and thermal time (TT) to R1 among plants is pre-conditioned early in the cycle (close V7). Two maize hybrids with contrasting tolerance to crowding stress (AX820: high, AX877: low) were grown in field conditions under combinations of stand densities (9 and 12 plants m−2) and nitrogen levels (0 and 200 kg N ha−1) or water availabilities (well-watered and water deficit). Plants were sampled from V7 to 100°Cd after R1 and classified into dominant, intermediate, and dominated hierarchies. For each hierarchy, BAE was estimated as the ratio of ear biomass to plant biomass. Abiotic stresses increased interplant variability, reduced growth and BAE, and delayed TT to R1. Differences on BAE patterns among plant hierarchies were analyzed using ANOVA of linear regressions of natural log of BAE vs TT from sowing. Dominated plants showed longer TT to R1 due to a delayed onset of active BAE. A common BAE pattern emerged when TT was aligned with R1 for each hierarchy, suggesting an ontogenic effect on BAE.
{"title":"Temporal pattern of biomass partitioning to apical ear in maize plant hierarchies under contrasting resource availabilities","authors":"M.A. Rossini, G.A. Maddonni","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2025.127505","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2025.127505","url":null,"abstract":"Most studies in maize (Zea mays L.) focus on biomass partitioning to the ear (BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf>) during the critical period for kernel setting (from −220 +100°Cd from silking; R1). However, early-established interplant variability of growth (around V7) affects both plant and ear growth during this period, influencing kernel setting across plant hierarchies. Delays in silk extrusion are often linked to reduced BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> due to low plant growth just before R1. This study examined whether variability of BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> and thermal time (TT) to R1 among plants is pre-conditioned early in the cycle (close V7). Two maize hybrids with contrasting tolerance to crowding stress (AX820: high, AX877: low) were grown in field conditions under combinations of stand densities (9 and 12 plants m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−2</ce:sup>) and nitrogen levels (0 and 200 kg N ha<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>) or water availabilities (well-watered and water deficit). Plants were sampled from V7 to 100°Cd after R1 and classified into dominant, intermediate, and dominated hierarchies. For each hierarchy, BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> was estimated as the ratio of ear biomass to plant biomass. Abiotic stresses increased interplant variability, reduced growth and BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf>, and delayed TT to R1. Differences on BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> patterns among plant hierarchies were analyzed using ANOVA of linear regressions of natural log of BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> vs TT from sowing. Dominated plants showed longer TT to R1 due to a delayed onset of active BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf>. A common BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf> pattern emerged when TT was aligned with R1 for each hierarchy, suggesting an ontogenic effect on BA<ce:inf loc=\"post\">E</ce:inf>.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142975678","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 : 2025-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127492
Hari Sankar Nayak, João Vasco Silva, Chiter Mal Parihar, Mangi Lal Jat, Rajbir Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Dipak Ranjan Sena, Hanuman Sahay Jat, Harminder Singh Sidhu, Timothy J. Krupnik, Tek B. Sapkota
Northwest India achieved remarkable wheat productivity gains during the past decades. However, this has been accompanied by increasing input levels and intensive production practices, raising questions about the economic and environmental sustainability of current cropping systems. A multicriteria integrated assessment is required for wheat farms in the region to understand the scope for cleaner wheat production in the future. Production practices from irrigated wheat fields (n = 3928) were evaluated for multiple sustainability indicators, namely yield gap, nitrogen (N)-use efficiency, profitability, and greenhouse gas emissions. Stochastic frontier analysis was combined with simulated potential yield (Yp) data to identify the causes of wheat yield gaps in the region. N-use efficiency was estimated by calculating the partial factor productivity of N, profitability was computed based on reported input-output amounts and prices, and greenhouse gas emissions were quantified using the Mitigation Options Tool (MOT). These indicators were subjected to a multicriteria assessment using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) under different scenarios (i.e., different weights for different indicators). For each scenario, farmers’ fields were classified as most efficient, efficient, less efficient, and least efficient, and random forest was used to identify the most important management practices governing the field classification. Wheat yield gaps were small (25–30 % of Yp or 2.4 t ha<ce:sup loc="post">−1</ce:sup>) and mostly attributed to the technology yield gap (ca. 20 % of Yp or 1.5 t ha<ce:sup loc="post">−1</ce:sup>). Ranking and grouping the farmers’ fields in the scenario with equal weights for all indicators revealed that at least 25 % of the fields had very high greenhouse gas emissions (>1500 kg CO<ce:inf loc="post">2</ce:inf>-eq ha<ce:sup loc="post">−1</ce:sup>) at a productivity level of < 4.5 t ha<ce:sup loc="post">−1</ce:sup>, and that it is possible to produce wheat sustainably without compromising yields in Northwest India, as indicated by the performance of the most efficient fields. Tillage intensity and N application rates can be adjusted for least efficient fields (<10 % least efficient fields adopting zero tillage vs >80 % most efficient fields adopting zero tillage) to achieve an overall objective of higher yield, lower greenhouse gas emissions, more profit and higher N-use efficiency, whereas residue retention and tillage intensity would need to be prioritized for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. For the most efficient fields the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions was always associated with a decline in yield level. The most important management practices governing the field classification included the crop establishment method used for the previous rice crop, the number of tillage operations, residue retention, and the N fertilizer rate for wheat. The study provides a data-dr
{"title":"Ensuring sustainable crop production when yield gaps are small: A data-driven integrated assessment for wheat farms in Northwest India","authors":"Hari Sankar Nayak, João Vasco Silva, Chiter Mal Parihar, Mangi Lal Jat, Rajbir Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Dipak Ranjan Sena, Hanuman Sahay Jat, Harminder Singh Sidhu, Timothy J. Krupnik, Tek B. Sapkota","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127492","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127492","url":null,"abstract":"Northwest India achieved remarkable wheat productivity gains during the past decades. However, this has been accompanied by increasing input levels and intensive production practices, raising questions about the economic and environmental sustainability of current cropping systems. A multicriteria integrated assessment is required for wheat farms in the region to understand the scope for cleaner wheat production in the future. Production practices from irrigated wheat fields (n = 3928) were evaluated for multiple sustainability indicators, namely yield gap, nitrogen (N)-use efficiency, profitability, and greenhouse gas emissions. Stochastic frontier analysis was combined with simulated potential yield (Yp) data to identify the causes of wheat yield gaps in the region. N-use efficiency was estimated by calculating the partial factor productivity of N, profitability was computed based on reported input-output amounts and prices, and greenhouse gas emissions were quantified using the Mitigation Options Tool (MOT). These indicators were subjected to a multicriteria assessment using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) under different scenarios (i.e., different weights for different indicators). For each scenario, farmers’ fields were classified as most efficient, efficient, less efficient, and least efficient, and random forest was used to identify the most important management practices governing the field classification. Wheat yield gaps were small (25–30 % of Yp or 2.4 t ha<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>) and mostly attributed to the technology yield gap (ca. 20 % of Yp or 1.5 t ha<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>). Ranking and grouping the farmers’ fields in the scenario with equal weights for all indicators revealed that at least 25 % of the fields had very high greenhouse gas emissions (>1500 kg CO<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf>-eq ha<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>) at a productivity level of < 4.5 t ha<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>, and that it is possible to produce wheat sustainably without compromising yields in Northwest India, as indicated by the performance of the most efficient fields. Tillage intensity and N application rates can be adjusted for least efficient fields (<10 % least efficient fields adopting zero tillage vs >80 % most efficient fields adopting zero tillage) to achieve an overall objective of higher yield, lower greenhouse gas emissions, more profit and higher N-use efficiency, whereas residue retention and tillage intensity would need to be prioritized for minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. For the most efficient fields the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions was always associated with a decline in yield level. The most important management practices governing the field classification included the crop establishment method used for the previous rice crop, the number of tillage operations, residue retention, and the N fertilizer rate for wheat. The study provides a data-dr","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"199 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142975606","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 : 2025-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127504
Laura Stefan, Silvan Strebel, Karl-Heinz Camp, Sarah Christinat, Dario Fossati, Christian Städeli, Lilia Levy Häner
In the current quest for a more sustainable, environment-friendly agriculture, variety mixtures are often suggested as a practical option to increase the stability of food production systems. Their effects on yield have been extensively researched, yet clear conclusions remain elusive, notably in terms of mechanistic processes and optimal variety combinations. Furthermore, in the case of wheat, yield is not the only component in the equation: grain quality is crucial for the bread value chain, yet the effects of variety mixtures on wheat quality and its stability have rarely been investigated. To that end, we conducted a multi-year, multi-site wheat variety mixture experiment investigating the role of variety mixtures on the performance and stability of five traits linked to grain yield and quality, and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Eight varieties were grown in pure stands and mixtures of 2 and 8 varieties, following a full diallel design. We considered the responses of grain yield, protein content, thousand kernel weight, hectoliter weight, and Zeleny sedimentation value. Results showed that mixtures generally outperformed pure stands in terms of global performance and stability for the 5 parameters. We particularly noticed an increase in quality stability and in Zeleny sedimentation value in mixtures, showing the potential of mixtures to improve crop quality. Moreover, we highlighted the important role of light interception for increased mixtures benefits. A more detailed investigation into individual mixture performances led us to some practical rules for optimal variety combinations: we advise combining varieties with similar heights and phenologies but different tillering abilities and yield potential. This study thus shows that variety mixtures represent a promising solution to sustainably increase the stability of wheat yield and quality. With practical recommendations, our results could benefit farmers but also processors and bakers, and promote the adoption of wheat variety mixtures.
{"title":"Multi-trait assessment of wheat variety mixtures performance and stability: Mixtures for the win!","authors":"Laura Stefan, Silvan Strebel, Karl-Heinz Camp, Sarah Christinat, Dario Fossati, Christian Städeli, Lilia Levy Häner","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127504","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127504","url":null,"abstract":"In the current quest for a more sustainable, environment-friendly agriculture, variety mixtures are often suggested as a practical option to increase the stability of food production systems. Their effects on yield have been extensively researched, yet clear conclusions remain elusive, notably in terms of mechanistic processes and optimal variety combinations. Furthermore, in the case of wheat, yield is not the only component in the equation: grain quality is crucial for the bread value chain, yet the effects of variety mixtures on wheat quality and its stability have rarely been investigated. To that end, we conducted a multi-year, multi-site wheat variety mixture experiment investigating the role of variety mixtures on the performance and stability of five traits linked to grain yield and quality, and the mechanisms underlying these effects. Eight varieties were grown in pure stands and mixtures of 2 and 8 varieties, following a full diallel design. We considered the responses of grain yield, protein content, thousand kernel weight, hectoliter weight, and Zeleny sedimentation value. Results showed that mixtures generally outperformed pure stands in terms of global performance and stability for the 5 parameters. We particularly noticed an increase in quality stability and in Zeleny sedimentation value in mixtures, showing the potential of mixtures to improve crop quality. Moreover, we highlighted the important role of light interception for increased mixtures benefits. A more detailed investigation into individual mixture performances led us to some practical rules for optimal variety combinations: we advise combining varieties with similar heights and phenologies but different tillering abilities and yield potential. This study thus shows that variety mixtures represent a promising solution to sustainably increase the stability of wheat yield and quality. With practical recommendations, our results could benefit farmers but also processors and bakers, and promote the adoption of wheat variety mixtures.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142935448","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 : 2025-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127503
Xiaoyang Li, Yifan Wu, Chen Huang, Md. Abiar Rahman, Eli Argaman, Yan Xiao
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely distributed and can establish symbiotic relationships with various plants. AMF plays a critical role as a biological fertilizer in promoting sustainable agriculture. However, comprehensive studies on the effects of AMF inoculation under field conditions are still lacking. This study conducted a global synthesis of 117 peer-reviewed publications with 1633 field observations to assess the effects of different AMF inoculation treatments on plant colonization rate and crop growth performance in field experiments. The overall effect of AMF inoculation on plant colonization rate, nitrogen (N) uptake, phosphorus (P) uptake, yield and plant height demonstrated a positive impact. In crop studies, AMF inoculation was more beneficial for Leguminosae than Gramineae. Single inoculation produced greater effects than mixed inoculation. Claroideoglomus stood out in its ability to significantly boost colonization rates. However, its role in enhancing crop yields was less pronounced when compared to the contributions of Rhizophagus and Funneliformis. In tree inoculation studies, mixed inoculation outperformed single inoculation, with similar effects across fungal genera as observed in crops. AMF inoculation was more beneficial for crop P uptake rather than N uptake. Yield positively correlated with colonization and was closely associated with nutrient uptake. Soil environmental factors mainly affected plant colonization rate, while climate factors influenced crop yield. AMF inoculation positively impacts plant growth and development, but species differences, climate and soil conditions influence its effects. Therefore, this study offers valuable insights into sustainable agricultural production management and the application of AMF inoculants.
{"title":"Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the field promotes plant colonization rate and yield","authors":"Xiaoyang Li, Yifan Wu, Chen Huang, Md. Abiar Rahman, Eli Argaman, Yan Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127503","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127503","url":null,"abstract":"Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely distributed and can establish symbiotic relationships with various plants. AMF plays a critical role as a biological fertilizer in promoting sustainable agriculture. However, comprehensive studies on the effects of AMF inoculation under field conditions are still lacking. This study conducted a global synthesis of 117 peer-reviewed publications with 1633 field observations to assess the effects of different AMF inoculation treatments on plant colonization rate and crop growth performance in field experiments. The overall effect of AMF inoculation on plant colonization rate, nitrogen (N) uptake, phosphorus (P) uptake, yield and plant height demonstrated a positive impact. In crop studies, AMF inoculation was more beneficial for Leguminosae than Gramineae. Single inoculation produced greater effects than mixed inoculation. <ce:italic>Claroideoglomus</ce:italic> stood out in its ability to significantly boost colonization rates. However, its role in enhancing crop yields was less pronounced when compared to the contributions of <ce:italic>Rhizophagus</ce:italic> and <ce:italic>Funneliformis</ce:italic>. In tree inoculation studies, mixed inoculation outperformed single inoculation, with similar effects across fungal genera as observed in crops. AMF inoculation was more beneficial for crop P uptake rather than N uptake. Yield positively correlated with colonization and was closely associated with nutrient uptake. Soil environmental factors mainly affected plant colonization rate, while climate factors influenced crop yield. AMF inoculation positively impacts plant growth and development, but species differences, climate and soil conditions influence its effects. Therefore, this study offers valuable insights into sustainable agricultural production management and the application of AMF inoculants.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142935465","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}
Accurate and timely crop yield prediction is essential for effective agricultural management and food security. Soil moisture (SM) is a major factor that directly influences crop growth and yield, especially in arid regions. Hydrological models are often used to determine SM, which can be incorporated into crop growth models to estimate crop yield in large-scale areas. However, in existing studies on the coupling of hydrological models and crop models, there is little integration of remote sensing observation indicators into the coupled models, and few studies focus on selecting the most effective depth of SM and the number of SM layers. In this study, we developed a framework for integrating the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model and the WOrld FOod STudies (WOFOST) model to estimate winter wheat yield in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). The framework first selected the optimal SM layer from three layers and then jointly assimilated this SM as well as the leaf area index (LAI) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) model into the WOFOST model using a genetic algorithm (GA). Results showed that the VIC model had a high performance in the validation period across the four subregions, with the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of the simulated daily runoff and the observed runoff ranging from 0.31 to 0.73 and the corresponding Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging from 256.55 to 467.21 m³ /s. The first SM layer (SM1), with a depth of 0–10 cm in the Longmen-Toudaoguai subregion and 0–26 cm in the Huayuankou-Longmen subregion, was found to be optimal, and jointly assimilating SM1 and LAI resulted in the best performance at the point scale (coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.85 and 0.87 in 2015 and 2018, respectively). The R2 improved by 0.11 and 0.06 in 2015 and 2018, respectively, compared to assimilating LAI alone, and the R2 improved by 0.04 and 0.02, respectively, compared to assimilating SM1 alone. Moreover, joint assimilation significantly improved the estimation of winter wheat yield compared to a model without assimilation (open-loop model) at the regional scale, with the R2 increasing by 0.57 and 0.59, respectively, and the RMSE decreasing by 1808.12 and 859.20 kg/ha in 2015 and 2018, respectively. The yield estimated by the joint assimilation of SM1 and LAI showed more spatial heterogeneity than that estimated by the open-loop model. This study shows that assimilating the optimal SM layer from the VIC model into the WOFOST model enhances the reliability of crop yield estimation, providing policymakers with information to improve crop management.
{"title":"Estimation of winter wheat yield by assimilating MODIS LAI and VIC optimized soil moisture into the WOFOST model","authors":"Jing Zhang, Guijun Yang, Junhua Kang, Dongli Wu, Zhenhong Li, Weinan Chen, Meiling Gao, Yue Yang, Aohua Tang, Yang Meng, Zhihui Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127497","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127497","url":null,"abstract":"Accurate and timely crop yield prediction is essential for effective agricultural management and food security. Soil moisture (SM) is a major factor that directly influences crop growth and yield, especially in arid regions. Hydrological models are often used to determine SM, which can be incorporated into crop growth models to estimate crop yield in large-scale areas. However, in existing studies on the coupling of hydrological models and crop models, there is little integration of remote sensing observation indicators into the coupled models, and few studies focus on selecting the most effective depth of SM and the number of SM layers. In this study, we developed a framework for integrating the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model and the WOrld FOod STudies (WOFOST) model to estimate winter wheat yield in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). The framework first selected the optimal SM layer from three layers and then jointly assimilated this SM as well as the leaf area index (LAI) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) model into the WOFOST model using a genetic algorithm (GA). Results showed that the VIC model had a high performance in the validation period across the four subregions, with the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of the simulated daily runoff and the observed runoff ranging from 0.31 to 0.73 and the corresponding Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging from 256.55 to 467.21 m³ /s. The first SM layer (SM1), with a depth of 0–10 cm in the Longmen-Toudaoguai subregion and 0–26 cm in the Huayuankou-Longmen subregion, was found to be optimal, and jointly assimilating SM1 and LAI resulted in the best performance at the point scale (coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.85 and 0.87 in 2015 and 2018, respectively). The R<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> improved by 0.11 and 0.06 in 2015 and 2018, respectively, compared to assimilating LAI alone, and the R<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> improved by 0.04 and 0.02, respectively, compared to assimilating SM1 alone. Moreover, joint assimilation significantly improved the estimation of winter wheat yield compared to a model without assimilation (open-loop model) at the regional scale, with the R<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> increasing by 0.57 and 0.59, respectively, and the RMSE decreasing by 1808.12 and 859.20 kg/ha in 2015 and 2018, respectively. The yield estimated by the joint assimilation of SM1 and LAI showed more spatial heterogeneity than that estimated by the open-loop model. This study shows that assimilating the optimal SM layer from the VIC model into the WOFOST model enhances the reliability of crop yield estimation, providing policymakers with information to improve crop management.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142935449","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 : 2025-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127491
Xue Kong, Bo Xu, Yang Meng, Qinhong Liao, Yu Wang, Zhenhai Li, Guijun Yang, Ze Xu, Haibin Yang
In-situ rapid detection of biophysical parameters in tea leaves using spectral data is essential for enhancing the quality and yield of tea. However, a major challenge with the current application of spectral technology is its inability to completely distinguish between old leaves and picked leaves within the field of view, which affects the accurate correspondence of biochemical elements. Therefore, this study achieved precise matching of biophysical parameters with spectral information by focusing on the spectra of picked leaves. By combining the Excess Green minus Excess Red (ExGR) with the image segmentation methods of Otsu and P75, the spectral features of picked leaves were effectively identified from complex backgrounds. Additionally, the vegetation indices (VIs) closely associated with the biophysical parameters of tea were selected, and a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was applied for parameter inversion. Results demonstrated that the VIs calculated using Otsu (VI_OtsuPix) and P75 (VI_P75Pix) exhibited significantly improved correlations with the biophysical parameters of tea compared with those calculated using ExGR > 0 (GreenPix). The PLSR model based on VI_OtsuPix performed well in estimating the total polyphenols (TPP), achieving a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.39 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 32.24 mg g−1. In predicting free amino acids (FAA), VI_P75Pix demonstrated the best inversion accuracy (R2 = 0.53, RMSE = 3.41 mg g−1). These findings not only confirmed the potential of integrated image technology in the non-destructive assessment of biophysical components in picked leaves but also provide the tea production and processing industry with a fast and cost-effective method for quality monitoring.
{"title":"Assessing tea foliar quality by coupling image segmentation and spectral information of multispectral imagery","authors":"Xue Kong, Bo Xu, Yang Meng, Qinhong Liao, Yu Wang, Zhenhai Li, Guijun Yang, Ze Xu, Haibin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127491","url":null,"abstract":"In-situ rapid detection of biophysical parameters in tea leaves using spectral data is essential for enhancing the quality and yield of tea. However, a major challenge with the current application of spectral technology is its inability to completely distinguish between old leaves and picked leaves within the field of view, which affects the accurate correspondence of biochemical elements. Therefore, this study achieved precise matching of biophysical parameters with spectral information by focusing on the spectra of picked leaves. By combining the Excess Green minus Excess Red (ExGR) with the image segmentation methods of Otsu and P75, the spectral features of picked leaves were effectively identified from complex backgrounds. Additionally, the vegetation indices (VIs) closely associated with the biophysical parameters of tea were selected, and a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was applied for parameter inversion. Results demonstrated that the VIs calculated using Otsu (VI_OtsuPix) and P75 (VI_P75Pix) exhibited significantly improved correlations with the biophysical parameters of tea compared with those calculated using ExGR > 0 (GreenPix). The PLSR model based on VI_OtsuPix performed well in estimating the total polyphenols (TPP), achieving a coefficient of determination (R<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup>) of 0.39 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 32.24 mg g<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>. In predicting free amino acids (FAA), VI_P75Pix demonstrated the best inversion accuracy (R<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup> = 0.53, RMSE = 3.41 mg g<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup>). These findings not only confirmed the potential of integrated image technology in the non-destructive assessment of biophysical components in picked leaves but also provide the tea production and processing industry with a fast and cost-effective method for quality monitoring.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142935443","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 : 2025-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2024.127499
Li Li, Jinkang Yang, Yalin Yu, Awais Shakoor, Ahmad Latif Virk, Feng-Min Li, Haishui Yang, Zheng-Rong Kan
Biochar can potentially be used to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC). However, a comprehensive assessment of SOC and its fractions in response to biochar produced by crop straw is still lacking compared to straw return. Here, a global meta-analysis with 58 publications was conducted to quantify the impacts of straw biochar on SOC contents. The results showed that straw biochar (BC) addition increased SOC content by 49.4 % and 20.1 % compared to straw removal (S0) and straw return (ST), respectively. Random Forest model suggested that soil initial total N, mean annual precipitation (MAP), bulk density (BD), mean annual temperature (MAT), initial SOC, and biochar pyrolysis temperature were the critical factors affecting SOC contents under BC than that under S0 (P < 0.05). Compared to ST, experimental duration, soil initial total N, initial SOC, cropping system, soil pH, and land use were the main factors driving the response of SOC to BC (P < 0.05). Specifically, with significant variations among subgroups, the biochar-amended soil had higher relative changes in SOC content under experimental duration of 2–4 years (23.0 %), soil initial total N ≤ 0.9 g kg−1 (28.0 %), initial SOC < 9 g kg−1 (26.0 %), double cropping system (23.8 %), soil initial pH > 6.4 (22.6 %), paddy-upland (19.8 %) when compared to ST. Straw biochar had a higher microbial biomass carbon (MBC), humic acid carbon (HAC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) compared with S0. Whereas compared to ST, BC significantly decreased the concentrations of MBC, mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and DOC, indicating that biochar produced by crop straw is not conductive to microbial utilization and growth. Overall, straw biochar application enhances SOC accumulation while it is difficult to be used by microorganisms. It is recommended that the co-application of crop straw and biochar from straw may benefit both SOC sequestration and the microbially mediated carbon cycle.
{"title":"Crop straw converted to biochar increases soil organic carbon but reduces available carbon","authors":"Li Li, Jinkang Yang, Yalin Yu, Awais Shakoor, Ahmad Latif Virk, Feng-Min Li, Haishui Yang, Zheng-Rong Kan","doi":"10.1016/j.eja.2024.127499","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127499","url":null,"abstract":"Biochar can potentially be used to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC). However, a comprehensive assessment of SOC and its fractions in response to biochar produced by crop straw is still lacking compared to straw return. Here, a global meta-analysis with 58 publications was conducted to quantify the impacts of straw biochar on SOC contents. The results showed that straw biochar (BC) addition increased SOC content by 49.4 % and 20.1 % compared to straw removal (S0) and straw return (ST), respectively. Random Forest model suggested that soil initial total N, mean annual precipitation (MAP), bulk density (BD), mean annual temperature (MAT), initial SOC, and biochar pyrolysis temperature were the critical factors affecting SOC contents under BC than that under S0 (<ce:italic>P</ce:italic> < 0.05). Compared to ST, experimental duration, soil initial total N, initial SOC, cropping system, soil pH, and land use were the main factors driving the response of SOC to BC (<ce:italic>P</ce:italic> < 0.05). Specifically, with significant variations among subgroups, the biochar-amended soil had higher relative changes in SOC content under experimental duration of 2–4 years (23.0 %), soil initial total N ≤ 0.9 g kg<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup> (28.0 %), initial SOC < 9 g kg<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−1</ce:sup> (26.0 %), double cropping system (23.8 %), soil initial pH > 6.4 (22.6 %), paddy-upland (19.8 %) when compared to ST. Straw biochar had a higher microbial biomass carbon (MBC), humic acid carbon (HAC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) compared with S0. Whereas compared to ST, BC significantly decreased the concentrations of MBC, mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), fulvic acid carbon (FAC), and DOC, indicating that biochar produced by crop straw is not conductive to microbial utilization and growth. Overall, straw biochar application enhances SOC accumulation while it is difficult to be used by microorganisms. It is recommended that the co-application of crop straw and biochar from straw may benefit both SOC sequestration and the microbially mediated carbon cycle.","PeriodicalId":51045,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Agronomy","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142935469","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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