International Journal of Plant Production最新文献

Predicting the distribution of climatically suitable areas for rice in China and identifying the key climatic factors can help optimize the rice planting layout and ensure food security. According to rice planting system in China, rice can be divided into early-season rice (ESR), mid-season rice and single-cropping late rice (MRSLR), and double-season late rice (DSLR). According to the actual growth period of ESR, MRSLR and DSLR, we calculated 36 climatic factors which may influence the distribution of climatically suitable areas and we employed MaxEnt model for prediction the climatically suitable areas of ESR, MRSLR and DSLR in historical period (2001–2020) and future periods (2041–2060 and 2081–2100). The key climatic factors for ESR are minimum air temperature of July, precipitation of driest month, precipitation of growth period and average air temperature of March; for MRSLR, the key climatic factors are minimum air temperature of coldest month, minimum air temperature of July and precipitation of wettest month; for DSLR, the key climatic factors are minimum air temperature of June, maximum air temperature of October and minimum air temperature of July. For ESR and DSLR, climatically suitable areas expand northwestward, with almost no climatically unsuitable areas. For MRSLR, climatically suitable areas expand northeastward, but climatically unsuitable areas appear in Guangxi, Guangdong, and Taiwan. The influence of climate change on the climatically suitable areas of rice in China exhibits significant regional differences, the unsuitable areas of rice are transforming into suitable areas. Attention should be focused on new suitable areas and new unsuitable areas. This study offers important scientific insights for the effective management and cultivation of rice.

Traditional rice and wheat cropping system (RWCS) of the western Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) is not only less productive, but also unsustainable owing to its elevated energy demands and environmental carbon footprint. Transition towards the long-term adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) technologies can possibility overcomes these constraints and making it a crucial component of modern farming systems. Therefore, the effects of conservation tillage and residue retention on wheat cultivation were evaluated from 2015–2016 to 2019–2020 under RWCS on CA fields maintained for twenty one years. Five tillage treatments viz., zero tillage without residue retention (ZT-R), zero tillage with residue retention (ZT+R), permanent bed planting without residue retention (PBP-R), rotary tillage without residue retention (RT-R) and conventional tillage without residue retention (CT-R) were evaluated in four times replicated randomised complete block design. The CT-R recorded 28%, 25%, 24%, and 16% higher energy inputs than those of the ZT+R, ZT-R, PRB-R, and RT-R, respectively. Nevertheless, the lowest grain energy output was recorded in RT-R (86,769 MJ ha⁻¹) and CT-R (86,926 MJ ha⁻¹). Under CT-R, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were approximately 20%, 19%, 17%, and 10% greater than those under ZT-R, ZT+R, PRB-R, and RT-R, respectively. Compared to ZT-R, ZT+R, PRB-R, and RT-R plots, CT-R exhibited significantly lower carbon efficiency ratio and carbon sustainability index. The long-term study revealed that ZT+R represent a promising step towards sustainability, characterized by low global warming potential and high energy use efficiency. This makes it an appealing agricultural technique for wheat production in the sub-tropical IGP regions under irrigated RWCS.

Graphical Abstract

Rice-wheat cropping system facing serious issues in terms of scarcity of resources (water, labour, land and energy), escalating cultivation cost coupled with frequent climatic anomalies in South Asia. Generally, farmers following in-situ burning for easy disposal off of rice residue and timely seeding of succeeding wheat crop. Timely sowing of wheat under full rice residue load has become possible with the help of efficient seeding machineries. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study soil temperature fluctuation, weed dynamics and crop productivity under different tillage and rice residue management options in wheat during rabi 2020-21 and 2021-22. Zero tillage with rice residue showed thermo-moderating effect by lowering afternoon soil temperature by 1.8 to 3.59 ℃ and 0.88 to 4.66 ℃ under normal (2020-21) and terminal heat stress (2021-22) conditions, respectively compared to conventional till wheat from 5 to 14^th standard meteorological weeks. Lower soil temperature found under zero tillage scenario compared to conventional tillage and difference was more pronounced in heat stress conditions. This congenial environment also reflected in wheat yields as zero till wheat under full rice residue retention with (4891–5238 kg/ha) and without waste decomposer (4950–5264 kg/ha) resulted in higher grain yields as compared to conventional till wheat (3740–4244 kg/ha). Sowing of wheat under residual soil moisture (irrigation is to be applied 10–14 days before super straw management based combine harvesting of rice) and residue driven reduction in soil temperature may facilitate early sowing and moderating soil temperature against terminal heat stress, besides saving of pre-sowing irrigation in wheat.

Although legumes can meet nitrogen requirements via symbiotic nitrogen fixation, they must acquire phosphorus from the rhizosphere through their roots. Additionally, the fixation of phosphorus with various cations in soils reduces its availability, thereby decreasing its effectiveness and increasing production costs. This study was conducted during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 growing seasons to investigate the effects of seed pre-treatment (priming) and phosphorus doses on plant growth, yield attributes, and seed chemical composition in lentil at Siirt, Türkiye. Six seed priming treatments and four phosphorus doses were used in the study. The research was laid out in split-plot randomized complete block design with four replications. According to the results, phosphorus fertilizer increased seed yield, but there was no statistical difference between 15 and 60 kg P₂O₅ ha^− 1. Seed priming had a synergistic effect, allowing for higher seed yield when combined with phosphorus fertilizer, especially silicon priming resulting in high seed yield even at low phosphorus fertilizer doses. This result also indicated that seed priming improved phosphorus efficiency. The highest seed yield and net income were obtained by 6 kg P₂O₅ ha^− 1 with silicon priming treatment. Moreover, seed priming with salicylic acid, beneficial bacteria and silicon boosted growth and yield attributes, and seed chemical composition. Silicon priming increased the total antioxidant content in seeds while salicylic acid priming provided opportunities for both the increase of total antioxidants and phenolics. In conclusion, seed priming is an easy-to-implement and economical method for reducing phosphorus fertilizer and an effective way for higher profitability in lentil cultivation.

Higher energy inputs, greenhouse gases (GHG) emission, and higher costs are associated with fertilizer use which necessitates the exploration of alternative sources of plant nutrients. Keeping this in view, modified indigenous mineral product (MIMP) along with nanofertilizers were evaluated in wheat crop. Strip plot design was followed with sources of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) as horizontal factors viz. i) recommended phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) through fertilizers (P1) ii) MIMP with Nano DAP (P2), iii) MIMP with Nano K (P3); and Nitrogen (N) management options as vertical factors viz., i) No nitrogen (N1), ii) Three sprays of Nano Urea (NU) (N2) iii) 50 kg N ha⁻¹ at sowing with two spray of NU (N3), iv) 150 kg N ha⁻¹(N4). Growth and yield parameters were comparable for the horizontal factors; whereas, N3 and N4 recorded at par values among the vertical factors. N uptake in P2 was significantly more compared to rest. Sulfur (S) & silicon (Si) uptake were significantly higher with MIMP application. Increasing the dose of N increased the nutrient uptake. The alternative sources of NPK led to significant increase in net returns under unsubsidized supplies. Reduced input energy and increased energy ratio (each by 32%) were observed with N3 compared to N4. Lower GHG emissions was reported with P2 and P3 (74–77%) compared to P1; and with N3 (67%) compared to N4. The study provides an insight for alternative nutrient management in place of existing practices for sustainable agriculture without reducing the crop productivity.

This study evaluates the impact of varying planting densities on hybrid winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties in the eastern Huang-Huai-Hai region, an area critical to China’s wheat production. Focusing on ‘Jingmai 17’, a hybrid variety, and ‘Jimai 22’, a conventional type, across three planting densities (150, 300, and 450 plants·m⁻²) during the 2021–2023 growing seasons, the investigation centered on key agronomic metrics such as leaf area per culm (LAC), SPAD values for chlorophyll content, dry matter, nitrogen accumulation and remobilization, alongside grain yield and its components. The results highlight ‘Jingmai 17’’s superior performance over ‘Jimai 22’, notably in maintaining a larger LAC post-anthesis, a slower decline in SPAD values during grain filling, and an extended green leaf area duration. These characteristics are conducive to higher biomass accumulation and efficient post-anthesis remobilization. Importantly, a planting density of 300 plants·m⁻² emerged as optimal, enhancing canopy structure for maximal light interception and promoting a higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and yield for both varieties. The NUE of Jingmai 17 and Jimai 22 in both years increased by 2.2%, 0.4% and 1.7%, 1.4%, respectively, relative to the 450 plants·m⁻² treatment; and the yield increased by 10%, 4%, 9%, 4%, and 10%, 5%, 8%, 2%, relative to the 150 plants·m⁻² and 450 plants·m⁻² treatments, respectively. This optimal density represents a strategic balance, enabling robust wheat growth while maximizing resource use efficiency. For the eastern Huang-Huai-Hai region, these findings suggest a potent strategy to augment wheat yields and improve agricultural sustainability. Adopting a planting density of 300 plants·m⁻² could significantly enhance the productivity of hybrid winter wheat varieties, tapping into their heterosis advantages for substantial yield improvements. By refining planting density practices, the eastern Huang-Huai-Hai region stands to achieve marked gains in wheat yield efficiency, contributing to the broader goals of food security and sustainable farming practices.

The goal of this study was to undertake a detailed investigation of the agroecological state of the wheat and sugar beet ecosystems on a local scale. From 2001 to 2016, a set of the most critical agroecological indicators of wheat and sugar beet farming systems in the Torbat-e Heydarieh region, northeast of Iran, were studied. Potential yield calculations using both FAO and modified FAO methodologies revealed that potential yield was nearly consistent for both ecosystems over the research period in the region. The extent of the yield gap for both habitats decreased. The study of the regional yield factor revealed that improving the management system resulted in higher actual yield and thus a smaller yield gap in both ecosystems. In both ecosystems, there was a reduction in yield stability. The rate of ​nitrogen uptake efficiency, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) all decreased during the studied years in the region. According to the findings, the primary cause of the increase in nitrogen consumption, growing intensification, and decreasing stability in the analyzed systems appears to be a deficiency of NUE and its downward trend. As a result, planning and altering management methods focusing on enhancing NUE may be proposed as the first step toward boosting sustainability in the Torbat-e Heydarieh wheat and sugar beet agroecosystems.

A two-year field experiment was conducted at Lovely Professional University, Phagwara during the Rabi season of 2018–2019 and 2019-20 to study the effect of crop establishment methods and sowing schedule on the growth and yield of wheat under the rice-wheat cropping system. The experiment comprised different rice residue management-based wheat establishment methods, sowing dates, and varying nitrogen levels. The results confirmed that growth, yield and yield attributes were all influenced by different crop establishment methods, sowing dates and level of nitrogen application. The results showed that maximum plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of spikes per plant, spike length, number of grains per spike and grain yield were observed under 20th November sowing (timely sowing) and with 100% RDN (recommended dose of nitrogen). Moreover, the maximum number of spikes per plant, spike length and grain yield were significantly highest for the residue incorporation method of wheat establishment. The optimum time of sowing also improved the grain yield of wheat. Among the different crop establishment methods, the best attainment of available nitrogen status in soil was found in residue incorporation treatment.

Micronutrient application rate and tillage practices are considered important factors in triggering the productivity of oilseed crops, especially canola (Brassica napus L.). The soil in the area is deficient in available zinc (Zn) and sulfur (S), which necessitates the supplementary application of these nutrients for sustainable crop development. The following study was conducted to evaluate the interactive effect of tillage and micronutrient on the growth, quality, and yield of canola and weed density. The present study was executed consisting of two tillage systems along with four treatments of micronutrients application including control, soil application of recommended doses of zinc (10 kg ha⁻¹), soil application of a recommended dose of sulfur (45 kg ha⁻¹), and combined application of a recommended dose of Zn + S (10 kg + 45 kg ha⁻¹) during the crop growing seasons of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. The results showed that the combined use of Zn and S under different tillage systems significantly affected crop growth, yield, and quality parameters. An increase of 0.99% in plant height, 6.33% in number of branches, 33% in silique length, 6.25% number of siliques per plant, 10% in number of seeds per silique, 4.64% in thousand seed weight, 0.74% in grain yield, and 0.42% in biological yield was recoded under conventional tillage practices as compared to zero tillage. In crux, the combined application of Zn and S at 10 and 45 kg ha⁻¹ respectively, to canola crops under conventional tillage practices could be a sustainable option to improve canola crop growth, yield, and productivity.

Similar to numerous water- and data-scarce regions, Egypt confronts a critical challenge in sustaining food production for its rapidly growing population. Consequently, the country’s water and land resources are under considerable stress and require careful management. About half of Egypt’s both annually harvested areas and renewable freshwater are allocated for cultivating rice, maize, wheat, and berseem clover. However, the extent to which crop production might be improved and how this would impact future water and land requirements remains poorly understood. We analyzed potential improvements in the production of these crops and quantified their future water and land requirements under different scenarios. Potential improvements were detected through percentile analysis in three remote sensing-derived performance indicators for each crop in the Nile Delta’s Zankalon region: (i) crop yield, (ii) crop water productivity, and (iii) transpiration fraction (transpiration to actual evapotranspiration, T/AET). We applied detected improvementsto construct plausible scenarios for Egypt’s water and land requirements to sustain domestic crop production until 2050. Our findings indicate limited potential to improve T/AET (< 4%). However, improvements of up to 27% for crop yields and up to 14% for water productivity are possible. To meet the production targets by 2050, national production must increase by 128, 78, 69, and 71% above the 2016–2020’s average for rice, maize, wheat, and berseem, respectively. Depending on the improvement levels in the developed scenarios, a total harvested land area between 5.3 and 6.4 million ha will be required by 2050, with 18% allocated to rice, 28% to maize, 36% to wheat, and 18% to berseem. Associated freshwater requirements will amount to 59–68 billion cubic meters, divided into 23% for rice, 34% for maize, 28% for wheat, and 15% for berseem. Interventions increasing yields and water productivity will benefit more the summer (rice and maize) than the winter crops (wheat and berseem). We discuss likely interventions for meeting these requirements and for sustaining the supply of these crops in Egypt.