Article
Plant Sciences
Jamal Nasar, Chang Jiang Zhao, Rayyan Khan, Hina Gul, Harun Gitari, Zeqiang Shao, Ghulam Abbas, Imran Haider, Zafar Iqbal, Waqas Ahmed, Raheela Rehman, Qing Ping Liang, Xun Bo Zhou, Juan Yang
Summary: This study investigated the effects of maize-soybean intercropping on nitrogen uptake, yield, utilization efficiency, and nitrogen assimilatory enzymes of maize crops under different nitrogen fertilization conditions. The results showed that intercropping at the optimal nitrogen rate significantly increased maize grain yield, residue yield, and 100-grain weight in both years. Intercropping also improved nitrogen content and uptake, as well as the activities of nitrogen assimilatory enzymes. These findings highlight the potential of intercropping for enhancing nitrogen status and use efficiency in maize crops, supporting sustainable agricultural production.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Lucas Pecci Canisares, Ciro Antonio Rosolem, Letusa Momesso, Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol, Daniel Mauricio Villegas, Jacobo Arango, Karl Ritz, Heitor Cantarella
Summary: Intercropping maize with Brachiaria grasses does not increase maize yield, but it can provide carbon and recycle nitrogen in the system.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sajid Masood, Muhammad Suleman, Sajid Hussain, Muhammad Jamil, Muhammad Ashraf, Manzer H. Siddiqui, Rizwan Nazar, Naseerullah Khan, Sarvet Jehan, Khalid Saifullah Khan, Muhammad Tahir
Summary: The study aimed to improve the nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE) of maize by applying a balanced ratio of ammoniacal-nitrogen (NH4+-N) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3--N) (1:1), and to assess the economic impacts of these fertilizers on maize productivity. Field studies were conducted in Sahiwal, Pakistan for three years, along with multi-location field experiments in farmers' fields. The results showed that the combination of Sarsabz nitrophos (NP) and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) increased maize grain yield by up to 30% compared to other fertilizer combinations, while also increasing total N and NO3--N concentrations in soils. Overall, the combined application of NP and CAN improved the NRE and net return of maize.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Waqas Qasim, Longlong Xia, Shan Lin, Li Wan, Yiming Zhao, Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
Summary: Excessive nitrogen fertilizer use in greenhouse vegetable production leads to low nitrogen use efficiency and high nitrogen losses, which can be mitigated by reducing fertilizer application rates.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jianzheng Li, Ligang Wang, Zhongkui Luo, Enli Wang, Guocheng Wang, Han Zhou, Hu Li, Shiwei Xu
Summary: The study showed that optimizing with daily N2O emissions can improve model accuracy, and the posterior distributions of key parameters provide a reference range for future model improvement and applications. The results also indicated a potential to optimize nitrogen fertiliser rate in order to reduce N2O emissions while maintaining crop yield in an irrigated wheat-maize rotation system.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Javier A. Fernandez, Jeffrey E. Habben, Jeffrey R. Schussler, Tim Masek, Ben Weers, James Bing, Ignacio A. Ciampitti
Summary: Biotechnology has shown that increasing and extending the expression of zmm28 transcription factor can enhance nitrogen use efficiency in maize. Transgenic hybrids have better nitrogen uptake and utilization efficiency, leading to improved maize yield.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Chaoran Yang, Shengbao Wei, Ning Han, Mengting Liu, Ruilin Mao, Changqing Chen
Summary: Global warming is expected to enhance crop nitrogen absorption capability and change nitrogen fertilizer input. The impacts of warming and nitrogen application on winter wheat growth, yield and nitrogen use efficiency are still unclear. In a 4-year field experiment, night-time warming shortened the vegetative growth period of winter wheat by 8.3 days but prolonged the reproductive growth period by 6.7 days. Warming increased winter wheat yield by increasing the number of spikes and grains per spike.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Junji Li, Haiyan Ma, Hongliang Ma, Fang Lei, Dahai He, Xiulan Huang, Hongkun Yang, Gaoqiong Fan
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of reducing nitrogen levels and applying biostimulants on yield formation and nitrogen utilization of wheat and maize. The results showed that the application of biostimulants increased soil enzyme activities and reduced residual nitrate and ammonium nitrogen content at maturity. Wheat and maize plants treated with biostimulants showed an increase in nitrogen assimilation after the flowering stage, leading to higher nitrogen accumulation in grains and improved yield. The combined use of biostimulants also enhanced nitrogen use efficiency.
Article
Plant Sciences
Md Elias Hossain, Zhe Zhang, Wenyi Dong, Shangwen Wang, Meixia Liu, Enke Liu, Xurong Mei
Summary: This study found that plastic film mulching (PFM) can significantly increase maize yield, water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, and soil nitrogen pools under rainfed dryland conditions. This has important implications for improving the sustainability of agricultural systems.
Article
Agronomy
Baizhao Ren, Zhiyuan Huang, Peng Liu, Bin Zhao, Jiwang Zhang
Summary: This study found that the synergistic application of UAN with urease and nitrification inhibitors can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ammonia volatilization, improve nitrogen use efficiency, and enhance the yield and economic benefits of summer maize under the fertigation.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Monica Montoya, Guillermo Guardia, Jaime Recio, Antonio Castellano-Hinojosa, Celia Gines, Eulogio J. Bedmar, Jose Manuel Alvarez, Antonio Vallejo
Summary: Previous studies have shown that the combination of zinc chelate fertilizers with nitrogen fertilizers can increase nitrous oxide emissions in non-irrigated conditions, but this strategy is not effective for reducing nitrous oxide emissions in irrigated maize under semi-arid conditions.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Yunyun Ban, Guoyong Leng, Qiuhong Tang
Summary: High temperature generally leads to reduced crop yield, and the concurrent precipitation plays a role in regulating this impact. However, the specific effects of precipitation modulation on crop yield response to global warming have not been extensively studied. This research examines the role of concurrent changes in precipitation in modulating global maize yield response to temperature increase. The findings reveal a negative impact of precipitation on maize yield sensitivity to temperature. Under warming scenarios, global maize yield is projected to decrease significantly, with the contribution of precipitation modulation being a crucial factor.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Quan Li, Kunkai Cui, Jianhua Lv, Junbo Zhang, Changhui Peng, Yongfu Li, Zhikang Gu, Xinzhang Song
Summary: Biochar amendment can alleviate the promoting effects of nitrogen input on greenhouse gas emissions in forest soils, increase soil organic carbon storage, and contribute to decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dong Guo, Chuanyong Chen, Baoyuan Zhou, Di Ma, William D. Batchelor, Xiao Han, Zaisong Ding, Mei Du, Ming Zhao, Ming Li, Wei Ma
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of different irrigation methods and nitrogen fertilizer application rates on maize yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency in the North China Plain. The results showed that drip irrigation improved soil water content and nitrogen levels, resulting in increased maize dry matter accumulation and grain yield compared to flood irrigation. Drip fertigation could enhance the maize grain yield with lower water consumption and nitrogen application rates, leading to increased economic benefits.
Article
Agronomy
Rongfa Li, Julin Gao, Yuanyuan Li, Shaobo Yu, Zhigang Wang
Summary: Research on eight maize hybrids and their parental inbred lines reveals that the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) heterosis of maize hybrids has increased over time, primarily due to increased kernel number per ear and the evolution of nitrogen internal efficiency heterosis.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Sunusi Amin Abubakar, Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Guang-shuai Wang, Hao Liu, Faisal Mehmood, Abubakar Sadiq Abdullahi, Yang Gao, Ai-wang Duan
Summary: Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer in winter wheat cultivation in the North China Plain leads to nitrogen loss and poor use efficiency. Drip fertigation is an effective method for improving nitrogen use efficiency and reducing losses, but its performance is limited by poor nitrogen scheduling. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different split urea applications on winter wheat growth, development, and yield. The results showed that the 50%-50% split fertigation and single application of slow-release fertilizer significantly influenced wheat grain yield and water use efficiency.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Sunusi Amin Abubakar, Guangshuai Wang, Rakhwe Kama, Takayuki Kurihara, Kun Liu, Yang Gao, Aiwang Duan
Summary: Excessive nitrogen fertilizer application leads to environmental problems such as increased greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Monitoring nitrogen fertilizer is crucial for winter wheat production. Limited studies have evaluated the effects of microbial decomposing inoculants on global warming potential in winter wheat experiments with different fertigation modes and water regimes.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chao Huang, Anzhen Qin, Yang Gao, Shoutian Ma, Zugui Liu, Ben Zhao, Dongfeng Ning, Kai Zhang, Wenjun Gong, Mengqiang Sun, Zhandong Liu
Summary: In recent years, extreme weather events have led to more frequent drought disasters in the maize growing season. Severe drought can significantly reduce plant growth, maize yield, and maize quality, especially for waxy maize. This study investigated the effects of water deficits at different growth stages on plant growth, yield, and grain quality of waxy maize and provided insights for better water management practices.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Sunusi Amin Abubakar, Zhuanyun Si, Rakhwe Kama, Yang Gao, Aiwang Duan
Summary: Chemical fertilizer overuse poses a severe threat to the environment by contaminating soil and water resources. In order to address this issue, optimizing nitrogen fertilizer application in winter wheat through various irrigation scheduling is a potential solution. A two-year field experiment demonstrated that applying nitrogen equally in splits at basal-top-dressing rates can be an effective and economically competitive alternative to costly slow-release fertilizers for drip-irrigated winter wheat cultivation. The I45N50-50 treatment showed the highest grain yield, aboveground biomass, net photosynthetic rate, and chlorophyll parameters, suggesting its suitability for promoting wheat production in the North China Plain.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Qisheng Han, Yuanyuan Fu, Rangjian Qiu, Huifeng Ning, Hao Liu, Caixia Li, Yang Gao
Summary: Farmland application of soil amendments is a common method to alleviate soil salinization. Soil amendment can improve soil properties and indirectly affect soil microbial community structures. In this study, we investigated the effects of biochar and desulfurization on the soil bacterial community associated with Zea mays seedlings. We found that biochar significantly increased soil bacterial biodiversity and altered the soil bacterial community, providing important theoretical and technical support for future soil amendment applications.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Zhuanyun Si, Anzhen Qin, Yueping Liang, Aiwang Duan, Yang Gao
Summary: Irrigation is crucial for sustaining wheat as a major global food crop and as a means of adapting to climate change. Improved irrigation management plays a significant role in increasing water productivity and ensuring sustainable water resources. Considering the high water requirements of wheat, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, efficient wheat irrigation management is urgently needed. This review critically analyzes the impact of irrigation management on wheat physiology, plant growth, yield formation, and grain quality. Future perspectives for enhancing wheat irrigation efficiency are also suggested based on key traits associated with water uptake and utilization efficiency.
Article
Agronomy
Junming Liu, Zhuanyun Si, Shuang Li, Sunusi Amin Abubakar, Yingying Zhang, Lifeng Wu, Yang Gao, Aiwang Duan
Summary: Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes are used to quantify root water uptake from different sources. Three Bayesian tracer mixing models were tested to determine the root water uptake of winter wheat under different soil water content conditions. The MixSIAR model showed better performance under normal and wet conditions.
Article
Agronomy
Junming Liu, Zhuanyun Si, Lifeng Wu, Xiaojun Shen, Yang Gao, Aiwang Duan
Summary: High-low seedbed cultivation (HLSC) is a promising planting system for improving crop productivity and resource use efficiency in the North China Plain. It significantly increases tiller development, leaf area index (LAI), aboveground biomass, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), and crop nitrogen uptake. HLSC also enhances grain yield and net return, as well as the efficient use of water, radiation, and nitrogen compared to flat cultivation (FC).
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zhuanyun Si, Junming Liu, Lifeng Wu, Sen Li, Guangshuai Wang, Jiachuan Yu, Yang Gao, Aiwang Duan
Summary: A new planting pattern called high-low seedbed cultivation (HLSC) has been developed to improve land utilization and productivity of winter wheat, as well as water and nitrogen use efficiency. The results showed that HLSC significantly increased grain yield by 22.63% and water-nitrogen use efficiency by 6.77%. Therefore, HLSC is recommended as the best cultivation pattern for improving winter wheat production in the North China Plain (NCP).
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Hongbo Wang, Zhaoyang Li, Zhuanyun Si, Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Weixiong Huang, Kai Fan, Xingpeng Wang, Yang Gao
Summary: Plastic film mulching for cotton production in Xinjiang, China has led to high levels of plastic residues in the soil, causing negative impacts on the soil environment and ecosystem. A study compared the performance of drip irrigation with film mulching (FMDI) and drip irrigation without mulching (WMDI) patterns on cotton growth, yield, and economic profits. Results showed that cotton yield was 26.21% lower under WMDI compared to FMDI. However, the WMDI pattern presented greater interannual stability and reduced costs of plastic film and fertilizer application. Despite obstacles, the WMDI pattern is a viable method to achieve sustainable cotton production and reduce plastic pollution in Xinjiang and similar regions.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xuepeng Zhang, Chao Huang, Ye Meng, Xuchen Liu, Yang Gao, Zhandong Liu, Shoutian Ma
Summary: Waterlogging stress during the jointing stage significantly impacts waxy maize production by affecting the source, sink, and transport of photoassimilates. The number of kernels decreased by 6.7-15.5%, resulting in a decrease of 9.9-20.2% in the final yield. This shows that waterlogging stress restricts source synthesis and photoassimilate transport during the jointing stage.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yuanyuan Fu, Penghui Li, Abdoul Kader Mounkaila Hamani, Sumei Wan, Yang Gao, Xingpeng Wang
Summary: Water shortages and crop responses to drought and salt stress have a close relationship with the efficient use of water resources and food security. The effects of combined PEG and NaCl stress on root parameters, antioxidant enzymes, osmotic adjustment, and root hydraulic conductivity of three wheat varieties were investigated. The study found that under stress conditions, most of the root characteristics in the wheat seedlings decreased, resulting in a reduction in root hydraulic conductivity, which affected the transport of nutrients from roots to shoots.
Article
Polymer Science
Kanghu Li, Lin Ma, Yang Gao, Jiyang Zhang, Sen Li
Summary: Transparent soil (TS) is a medium designed to support root growth and enable real-time phenotyping. This study aimed to optimize the cost of TS production by substituting costly materials with more economical alternatives. The different brands of TS were compared in terms of transparency, mechanical characteristics, particle size, porosity, and stability. The results suggest that it is feasible to replace the costly material without significant differences in porosity and stability, thus reducing the production cost of TS.
Article
Environmental Studies
Ruyu Yan, Ximei Zhao, Penghui Li, Zhuanyun Si, Yang Gao, Jifu Li
Summary: This study analyzed the composition and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi in natural walnut orchards in Tibet at different altitude gradients (3000-3500 m) using Illumina MiSeq sequencing technology. The results showed that the vertical distribution pattern of fungal community was more obvious than bacterial community, and bacterial community diversity first increased and then decreased with altitude. Altitude significantly affected the composition and diversity of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and soil nitrogen and phosphorus availabilities were the main limiting factors.
