Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jian-Yong Wang, Fei Mo, Hong Zhou, Levis Kavagi, Simon N. Nguluu, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: The research in semi-arid Kenya showed that ridge-furrow mulching farming systems can significantly increase field productivity and economic profitability, while improving water use efficiency and soil quality.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
S. Kasper, F. Mohsin, L. Richards, A. Racelis
Summary: Cover crops are sustainable tools that can help with weed pressure, soil erosion, and soil health. However, adoption rates in water-limited farms without irrigation access in Texas are low due to concerns about potential negative impacts on cash crop yields. This study confirms that cover cropping can lead to soil moisture deficits and cash crop failure in seasons with low rainfall, but careful management can mitigate some of the risks.
JOURNAL OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Lali Jat, Rama Krishna Naresh, Rajan Bhatt, Mandapelli Sharath Chandra, Sanskriti Singh, S. K. Gupta, Abed Alataway, Ahmed Z. Dewidar, Mohamed A. Mattar
Summary: The research on different nutrient management methods in wheat cultivation found that wheat growth and yield were improved by incorporating farmyard manure and bio-stimulants, and soil health was promoted. Application of farmyard manure, NPK bio-fertilizer+urea, and bio-stimulant+NPK sprays synergistically increased grain yields significantly.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sadam Hussain, Muhammad Asad Naseer, Ru Guo, Fei Han, Basharat Ali, Xiaoli Chen, Xiaolong Ren, Saud Alamri
Summary: Intercropping is a sustainable practice for enhancing crop productivity and water use efficiency under rainfed conditions. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of different crop rows and nitrogen application on the physiological, yield, and related traits of wheat/maize relay-strip intercropping. Results showed that intercropping significantly improved land use efficiency and grain yield of both crops, especially with nitrogen application.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Hamed Sabzchi-Dehkharghani, Amir Hossein Nazemi, Ali Ashraf Sadraddini, Abolfazl Majnooni-Heris, Asim Biswas
Summary: An algorithm was developed to classify wheat fields into high-productive and low-productive classes using satellite images based on ETa values, with a statistical assessment of the results. The study successfully mapped and classified wheat fields, evaluating productivity and accuracy of yield estimates.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Jaime Martin-Garcia, Jose A. Gomez-Limon, Manuel Arriaza
Summary: This study compares the economic performance of conventional and organic olive farms in Spain and finds that conventional farms are more productive while organic farms are more resilient. CAP subsidies are shown to be effective in promoting the conversion to organic farming.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dianyuan Ding, Naijiang Wang, Xi Zhang, Yufeng Zou, Ying Zhao, Zhipeng Xu, Xiaosheng Chu, Jianchao Liu, Yanchao Bai, Shaoyuan Feng, Hao Feng, Kadambot H. M. Siddique, Ole Wendroth
Summary: This study conducted research on different agricultural practices during wheat growth on the Loess Plateau, finding that transparent film and black film mulching treatments had relatively stable photosynthetic activity during dry periods, and there was a positive relationship between RUE and WUE.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biology
Sanjay Singh Rathore, Subhash Babu, Ahmed H. El-Sappah, Kapila Shekhawat, Vinod K. Singh, Rajiv K. Singh, P. K. Upadhyay, Raghavendra Singh
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of different planting combinations on the productivity, economic returns, and environmental sustainability of semi-arid agricultural fields. The results showed that integrating perennial fruit trees with seasonal crops can increase farm productivity, economic returns, and water use efficiency, while also increasing soil organic carbon density.
SAUDI JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jianguo Zhou, Zhiwen Zhang, Yue Xin, Guodong Chen, Quanzhong Wu, Xueqi Liang, Yunlong Zhai
Summary: The root system is vital for connecting plants with soil moisture and nutrients. This research explored the response of different spike type winter wheat varieties to different planting configurations and studied the growth and development of the root system during the whole growth period. The results showed that the root system was most dense and had the largest diameter at a soil depth of 0-40 cm. The jointing stage and heading stage were the most vigorous periods of root growth, and promoting root thickening could effectively meet the water and nutrient needs for aboveground plant and grain formation. The highest yield was achieved with a specific planting pattern. Overall, the study highlights the importance of root system characteristics and management practices for winter wheat production.
Article
Agronomy
Fengke Yang, Baolin He, Bo Dong, Guoping Zhang
Summary: Potatoes are the most important noncereal crop in the world, and increasing potato production is crucial for global food security. China is the largest potato producer, but potato productivity is hindered by water scarcity and poor fertilizer use efficiency. Recently, a planting technique called autumn film mulched ridge microfurrow rainwater harvesting (ARF) has been successful in dryland farming in Northwest China, but its effects on nutrient use efficiency in potatoes have not been thoroughly studied.
Article
Agronomy
Bushra Ahmed Alhammad, Dhirendra Kumar Roy, Shivani Ranjan, Smruti Ranjan Padhan, Sumit Sow, Dibyajyoti Nath, Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Harun Gitari
Summary: A three-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different tillage and residue management practices, as well as weed management approaches, in a rice-wheat-green gram rotation. The study found that adopting the transplanting method for rice, followed by zero tillage for wheat and green gram, enhanced productivity and profitability, while preserving soil health.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
S. C. Tripathi, Karnam Venkatesh, Raj Pal Meena, Subhash Chander, G. P. Singh
Summary: Legume intercropping in the maize + legume-wheat system improves land-use efficiency, soil fertility, and economic returns by reducing nitrogen fertilizer application and increasing crop productivity.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Steven A. A. Mauget, Sushil K. K. Himanshu, Tim S. S. Goebel, Srinivasulu Ale, Paxton Payton, Katie Lewis, R. Louis Baumhardt
Summary: This study investigates the effects of winter cover crop residue on dryland cotton production in semi-arid regions. The results show that although cover crops can mitigate the stresses of dryland production, they can also reduce soil moisture and cash crop yields. The outcomes of field studies vary, partly due to the limited sampling of seasonal rainfall conditions. Simulation models were used to estimate the probabilities of cover crop effects under more representative climate conditions.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Chong-Liang Luo, Xiao-Feng Zhang, Hai-Xia Duan, Rui Zhou, Fei Mo, David M. Mburu, Bao-Zhong Wang, Wei Wang, Levis Kavagi, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: The study indicates that a ridge-furrow ratio of 1-1.5 in combination with the minimum ridge-furrow unit size proved to be the optimum plastic mulching system for dryland wheat productivity in semiarid EAP.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Navneet Kaur, Krishan Kumar Vashist, A. S. Brar
Summary: The study found that the maize + cowpea(f)-gobhi sarson-summer moong crop sequence was the most energy efficient, while the maize-potato-mentha + onion crop sequence had the lowest energy efficiency. Energy productivity increased with higher irrigation water application, suggesting the adoption of alternative cropping sequences to reduce irrigation water requirements.
Article
Agronomy
Shuang-Guo Zhu, Hao Zhu, Zheng-Guo Cheng, Rui Zhou, Yu-Miao Yang, Jing Wang, Wei Wang, Bao-Zhong Wang, Hong-Yan Tao, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: High P and water environments intensified the asymmetric interspecific competition. The trait-dependent facilitation shift was mechanically driven by rhizospheric interaction in intercropping systems. The findings update the understanding on stress gradient hypothesis in a modified model.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yu-Miao Yang, Ying Zhu, Minha Naseer, Qi Wang, Guang Li, Hong-Yan Tao, Shuang-Guo Zhu, Bao-Zhong Wang, Wei Wang, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: The rhizosphere effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is crucial for plant growth. Excessive nZVI particles can cause deformation and inactivation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) symbionts, inhibiting water uptake in plants. However, an appropriate dose of nZVI can enhance mycorrhizal infection and nutrient uptake in plants.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Shuang-Guo Zhu, Zheng-Guo Cheng, Jing Wang, Dong-Shan Gong, Fazal Ullah, Hong-Yan Tao, Hao Zhu, Hai-Xia Duan, Yu-Miao Yang, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: This study investigates the influence of intercropping systems on soil phosphorus utilization under different environmental conditions. The results show that plant-plant facilitation is more significant under phosphorus-deficient conditions, and the dynamics of facilitation shift depend on soil acidification and microbial communities. Grass pea is more easily facilitated under low phosphorus and moist soil, while it becomes the facilitator under high phosphorus and moist soil.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zheng-Rong Kan, Zirui Wang, Wei Chen, Ahmad Latif Virk, Feng-Min Li, Jian Liu, Yaguang Xue, Haishui Yang
Summary: Methane emission from rice paddy fields is mainly driven by methanogens. However, little is known about the relationship between methanogenic diversity and methane production. This study found that methanogenic evenness explains 23% of variations in methane production potential, and it is regulated by soil properties such as organic carbon, available phosphorus, and nitrate. These findings highlight the importance of considering methanogenic evenness in evaluating methane production in response to agricultural practices and soil properties.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ai-tian Ren, Dan-Ying Hu, Pei-Xia Qi, Shao-Cong Zhang, He-Miao Gao, Bede S. Mickan, You-Cai Xiong, Long-Yi Yuan
Summary: Subalpine peat wetlands are sensitive to environmental changes and disturbances. Soil seed banks (SSB) can help plant communities resist disturbance, but their response to soil moisture varies. SSB composition is less affected by soil moisture changes compared to plant community composition. High SSB diversity and similarity to vegetation provide a buffer against moisture changes. SSB is important for restoring propagule diversity after disturbance if hydrology is restored.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zheng-Rong Kan, Jiajia Zhou, Feng-Min Li, Mohamed S. Sheteiwy, Jianying Qi, Changqing Chen, Haishui Yang
Summary: The study investigates the effects of straw return and earthworm presence on nitrous oxide (N2O) production. It is found that straw return increases N2O emissions while the presence of earthworms decreases it. The interaction between straw and earthworms plays a significant role in reducing N2O emissions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiao-Bin Xiong, Ze-Ying Zhao, Peng-Yang Wang, Rui Zhou, Jing Cao, Jing Wang, Kiprotich Wesly, Wen-Li Wang, Ning Wang, Meng Hao, Yi-Bo Wang, Hong-Yan Tao, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: The thickness of LDPE film has a significant effect on its mechanical strength, clean production, and soil health, particularly in terms of soil structure.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Tong Li, Huanxin Xie, Zhangheng Ren, Yuting Hou, Deqiang Zhao, Weiyan Wang, Ziting Wang, Yang Liu, Xiaoxia Wen, Juan Han, Fei Mo, Yuncheng Liao
Summary: Crop rotation and soil tillage significantly influence the diversity, co-occurrence network and assembly processes of rhizobacterial communities. The interaction between crop rotation and tillage has a stronger effect on community composition than their individual contributions. The rhizobacterial network is more connected under crop rotation and the connectivity decreases with decreasing tillage intensity. Soil tillage determines the dominant assembly process in rhizobacterial communities.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Pingxing Wan, Feng Zhang, Kaiping Zhang, Yufei Li, Rongzhu Qin, Jianjun Yang, Chao Fang, Yakov Kuzyakov, Shiqing Li, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Plastic film mulch is widely used in semi-arid regions to increase crop yield by saving soil water and increasing temperature. However, the impact of plastic film mulch on soil bacterial community structure and metabolic functions is still unclear. This study found that short-term mulching reduced bacterial abundance but increased diversity, while long-term mulching changed bacterial community structure and decreased metabolic functions. The complexity and stability of bacterial communities were also influenced by plastic film mulch.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weiyan Wang, Houping Zhang, Nangia Vinay, Dong Wang, Fei Mo, Yuncheng Liao, Xiaoxia Wen
Summary: Conservation tillage optimizes soil structure, enhances microbial diversity, and increases soil organic carbon storage. However, the effects of soil aggregate distribution and microbial community structure and function on soil organic carbon transformation under long-term conservation tillage are still unclear.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Ai-Tian Ren, Ji-Yuan Li, Ling Zhao, Rui Zhou, Jian-Sheng Ye, Yi-Bo Wang, Xu-Cheng Zhang, Kiprotich Wesly, Ming-Sheng Ma, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: Reducing the use of plastic film while maintaining high water use efficiency and soil health is a significant global challenge. A two-year field investigation showed that under no-tillage conditions, both full and half plastic film mulching improved rainfall infiltration, grain yield, and water use efficiency compared to tillage conditions. Among the no-tillage treatments, half plastic film mulching resulted in significantly higher soil organic carbon and enhanced nutrient uptake due to increased root biomass and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Therefore, it is feasible and efficient to reduce plastic mulching but improve water use efficiency and soil health in semi-arid environments.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Zheng-Rong Kan, Yifan Li, Xinyu Yang, Silong Zhai, Yi Meng, Chaofan Xu, Jianying Qi, Feng-Min Li, Changqing Chen, Haishui Yang
Summary: Straw return is a recommended practice to improve soil fertility, but it often leads to increased methane emissions from rice paddies. This study investigated how the tillage type (before or after irrigation) affects methane emission under straw return. The results showed that dry tillage before irrigation mitigates methane emission, while wet tillage after irrigation reduces methane emission in the absence of significant interaction between straw and tillage type.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Gege Li, Kexin Wang, Qun Qin, Qi Li, Fei Mo, Vinay Nangia, Yang Liu
Summary: As climate change events become more frequent, drought is an increasing threat to agricultural production and food security. This study reveals that drought and genotype drive changes in the compositions of rice rhizosphere bacterial communities and root exudates. Organic acid exudation and suppression of amino acid exudation play important roles in selecting specific rhizosphere bacterial communities to cope with drought. The findings have important implications for improving rice adaptability to drought.
Article
Agronomy
Yue Xi, Dong Wang, Jacob Weiner, Yan-Lei Du, Feng-Min Li
Summary: Crop breeding has successfully increased crop grain yield through reduced vegetative size, increased reproductive effort, and improved water-use efficiency. The relationship between grain yield and time from sowing to flowering remains unclear. Early flowering genotypes have higher water-use efficiency in grain production, but no significant difference in total biomass production. Yield is positively correlated with soil water remaining at harvest. Further increases in grain yield through this route are unlikely in the future.
Article
Agronomy
Tao Feng, Yong-He Zhu, Ning Chai, Xin-Tan Zhang, Yan-Lei Du, Neil C. Turner, Pengzhen Du, Feng-Min Li
Summary: The increase in wheat yield in modern cultivars is associated with a decrease in aboveground vegetative growth. It is not clear whether the reduction in aboveground growth is associated with increased or decreased root growth and carbon allocation. In this study, the changes in belowground biomass and activity were evaluated as the grain yield increased with modern genotypes of wheat.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Cevat Eser, Suleyman Soylu, Hakan Ozkan
Summary: Drought is a pressing issue worldwide, and selecting wheat genotypes adapted to changing climatic conditions is crucial. This study evaluated 156 bread wheat genotypes, including landraces and modern varieties, under different drought treatments. The results showed that landraces had higher yield stability and protein content under drought stress, suggesting their potential for developing drought-tolerant modern wheat varieties. Effective utilization of landraces in breeding programs is important for developing climate-resilient wheat varieties.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Jagdeep Singh, Audrey Gamble, Steve Brown, Todd B. Campbell, Johnie Jenkins, Jenny Koebernick, Paul C. Bartley III, Alvaro Sanz-Saez
Summary: This study evaluated the changes in nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, and yield of 20 cotton cultivars released in the USA between 1953 and 2018. The results showed that modern cotton cultivars have increased total nutrient uptake but slower improvement in nutrient use efficiency. The findings highlight the potential for enhanced nutrient uptake traits in cotton.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Elisa Erbetta, Laura Echarte, Maria Eugenia Sanz Smachetti, Nadia Gabbanelli, Maria Mercedes Echarte
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different combinations of photoperiod sensitivity, sweet-stalk, and bmr traits on sorghum biomass yield and allocation, and discussed the implications for bioenergy production.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Wenqing Zuo, Baojian Wu, Yuxuan Wang, Shouzhen Xu, Minzhi Chen, Fubin Liang, Jingshan Tian, Wangfeng Zhang
Summary: This study assessed the impact of different row spacing configurations and irrigation amounts on cotton photosynthesis and fiber quality. The results showed that under adequate irrigation, RS76L could be a suitable replacement for RS66+10H to improve fiber quality.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2024)