Search Results (173)

Given the pressing global food security crisis and climate change-induced constraints on agricultural productivity, crop rotation proves critical for boosting yield and grain quality of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) alongside ameliorating soil quality. However, the legacy effect of different preceding crops on synergistic increments of wheat productivity and soil fertility remains to be fully clarified. Five different preceding crop–winter wheat rotations were conducted in a field experiment established in Huanghua, China. Maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and millet (Setaria italica) were designated as preceding gramineous crops, and soybean (Glycine max) and mung bean (Vigna radiata) were assigned as preceding legume crops. Grain yield, protein fraction, and soil nutrients were measured to elucidate the legacy effect of the preceding crops on the subsequent winter wheat. Leguminous predecessors significantly evaluated the grain yield of winter wheat compared to gramineous predecessors, particularly that the mung–winter wheat rotation (Mun-W) was 11.56% higher than that of the maize–winter wheat rotation (Mai-W). This rising yield was attributed to the increase of 4.05% in spike number per hectare and 14.31% in kernel number per spike. The Mun-W facilitated the highest gluten protein content (8.22%) in winter wheat among five treatments, which was 6.06% higher than that in the sorghum–winter wheat system. Soil organic matter (SOM) showed an advantage in legume–winter wheat rotations (Leg-Ws) compared to gramineous crop–winter wheat systems (Gra-Ws). Notably among these, the Mun-W significantly enhanced SOM content by 0.99% relative to the Mai-W. The soybean–winter wheat system decreased soil pH by 0.36 compared to the Mai-W system. Coupling coordination degree (CCD) and co-benefit index (CBI) in the Leg-Ws exhibited significant superiority of 62.41% and 42.22% over the Gra-Ws, respectively, and the Mun-W attained maximum CCD by 0.84 and CBI by 0.77. From a multi-objective assessment perspective of the legacy effect of the preceding crops, legume-based rotations facilitate synergistic improvements of yield, protein quality, and soil nutrients in winter wheat. Full article

Global food security relies on wheat, maize, and soybean, yet their cultivation faces escalating threats from Fusarium head blight (FHB) pathogens. We demonstrate that agricultural intensification enables cross-kingdom root infections by Fusarium graminearum and F. asiaticum across these crops. Screening of 180 Fusarium strains revealed tripartite host infectivity, with transcriptomics uncovering host-adapted virulence strategies. Transcriptome analysis identified distinct gene expression patterns during the infection of each crop, with F. graminearum employing host-specific genes, such as FgPPDT1 (a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent transferase), for maize root infection. The FgPPDT1 knockout mutant (Δfgppdt1) exhibited severely impaired root colonization. Our findings establish differential gene expression as a regulatory axis for cross-host adaptation, directly linking FHB transmission risks to wheat–maize intercropping and wheat-soybean rotations. Full article

This study, which began in the 2013/2014 agricultural year, aimed to assess the suitability of two soil tillage systems for wheat cultivation: conventional soil tillage (CS), which involved moldboard plowing to a depth of 28 cm followed by a single pass with a rotary harrow to prepare the seedbed, and no-tillage (NT). It also sought to analyze the impacts of these systems on weed infestation levels and, consequently, on yield. A moderate level of fertilization was applied. The experimental field was established with a three-year crop rotation system: soybean–winter wheat–maize. The total number of weed species was 30 in CS, the representative species being Xanthium strumarium, and in NT there were 29 species, with Xanthium strumarium, Cirsium arvense, Bromus tectorum, and Agropyron repens predominating. There was an increase in the number of perennials (dicots and monocots). The total dry matter of weeds was 35.4 t ha⁻¹ in CS and 38.8 t ha⁻¹ in NT. After 11 agricultural years, it was found that there were no significant differences between the two soil tillage systems in terms of wheat yield (6.55 t ha⁻¹ in CS and 6.46 t ha⁻¹ in NT). The uneven rainfall negatively affected wheat growth and favored the spread of weeds, especially dicotyledonous ones. Full article

Under conservation tillage in the Huang-Huai-Hai wheat–maize rotation area, the ridge-clearing no-till seeder for strip tillage mitigates the adverse impacts of surface residues on seeding quality by clearing stubble specifically within the seed rows, demonstrating significant potential for application and promotion. However, the inadequate understanding of the seeder’s operational performance and governing mechanisms under varying field conditions hinders its high-quality and efficient implementation. To address this issue, this study selected the stubble height, forward speed, and stubble knife rotational speed (PTO speed) as experimental factors. Employing a three-factor quasi-level orthogonal experimental design, coupled with response surface regression analysis, this research systematically elucidated the interaction mechanisms among these factors concerning the seeding depth consistency and seed spacing uniformity of the seeder. An optimized parameter-matching model was subsequently derived through equation system solving. Field trials demonstrated that a lower forward speed improved the seed spacing uniformity and seeding depth consistency, whereas high speeds increased the missing rates and spacing deviations. An appropriate stubble height enhanced the seed spacing accuracy, but an excessive height compromised depth precision. Higher PTO speeds reduced multiple indices but impaired depth accuracy. Response surface analysis based on the regression models demonstrated that the peak value of the seed spacing qualification index occurred within the forward speed range of 8–9 km/h and the stubble height range of 280–330 mm, with the stubble height being the dominant factor. Similarly, the peak value of the seeding depth qualification index occurred within the stubble height range of 300–350 mm and the forward speed range of 7.5–9 km/h, with the forward speed as the primary factor. Validation confirmed that combining stubble heights of 300−330 mm, forward speeds of 8−9 km/h, and PTO speeds of 540 r/min optimized both metrics. This research reveals nonlinear coupling relationships between operational parameters and seeding quality metrics, establishes a stubble–speed dynamic matching model, and provides a theoretical foundation for the intelligent control of seeders in conservation tillage systems. Full article

Conservation agriculture is increasingly recognized as a sustainable alternative to conventional farming in temperate regions due to its benefits in terms of reducing soil erosion, enhancing water retention, and mitigating climate change. Despite these benefits, these practices are not broadly adopted, partially due to perceived weed management challenges in conservation systems. This paper explores how a conservation system that uses cover crops and non-inversion tillage (chiselling) influences the weed flora abundance and evolution before cover crop termination and over a complete rotation cycle (sunflower–winter wheat–maize–sunflower) in southeastern Romania when compared to conventional tillage (ploughing). Overall, the conservation system significantly reduced weed density by 31%, preserving a higher diversity and evenness (H′ = 0.75, E = 0.46) by the end of the rotation cycle and an evenly distributed weed community compared to the conventional system, where the opportunistic species Veronica hederifolia exhibited dominance. Full article

Increasing species richness through rotation is considered a promising measure to enhance agroecosystem functions and services. However, the legacy effects of introducing legumes into a wheat–maize rotation in the North China Plain on soil microecology, especially the soil metabolome, in the succeeding wheat season have not been elucidated. This study established three cropping systems: (1) a continuous winter wheat–summer maize rotation (M), (2) a winter wheat–summer peanut (summer maize) rotation (PM), and (3) a winter wheat–summer soybean (summer maize) rotation (SM). The soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities, and metabolomes were analyzed at the stage of the succeeding wheat crop. Introducing peanuts or soybeans into a wheat–maize rotation significantly reduced the soil bacterial abundance and increased the soil fungal Shannon index. This rotation adjustment had a substantial impact on the structure and taxa composition of the soil microbial community. Crop diversification increased the number of total edges, the average degree, and the average number of neighbors in the soil microbial co-occurrence network. Different crop rotations significantly affected the soil metabolic profiles in the positive and negative ion modes. Crop diversification significantly reduced the abundance of coumarin and coumaric acid in the soils. In conclusion, introducing peanuts or soybeans into a wheat–maize rotation could increase the soil fungal community diversity, change the soil microbial community structure and taxa composition, increase the complexity of the soil microbial ecological network, and reduce the abundance of soil allelochemicals. Our study demonstrated the continuity of the impact of crop rotation on soil ecology, and revealed the ecological advantages of crop diversification from the perspective of soil microbiology and metabolomics. Full article

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) continuous cropping reduces yield and quality, but the effects of specific rotation methods on yield and endophytic bacterial colonization remain unclear. Based on five years of continuous cropping trial data, three different cropping systems (WF, annual summer peanut and winter fallow; GM, annual summer peanut and winter ryegrass; CR, summer peanut rotated with summer maize and winter wheat) were employed in this study to systematically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of crop rotation in mitigating peanut continuous cropping obstacles and its underlying mechanisms. The results showed that CR increased pod yield by 33% and kernel nitrogen content by 6.8% compared to WF, while GM had a marginal effect (1.4% nitrogen increase). Microbial analysis (LEfSe/LDA) revealed that CR enriched beneficial bacteria (e.g., Actinobacteria, Corynebacteriales) in pods while suppressing potential pathogens (e.g., Gammaproteobacteria, Burkholderiales). These findings demonstrate that strategic crop rotation, particularly CR, mitigates continuous cropping obstacles by enhancing yield, improving kernel quality, and promoting beneficial endophytic bacterial communities. Our findings highlight the complexity of crop rotation system functioning and how interactions between cropping patterns and endophytic microbiota affect peanut yield and kernel quality. Full article

Straw incorporation and manure are recognized as a sustainable farming practice to enhance soil fertility and improve crop yields. However, the effects of straw incorporation in combination with manure on productivity, soil nutrient status, N use efficiency (NUE), and the bacterial community are not well understood in wheat–summer maize rotation systems in the southern Shanxi Province. The five treatments were (1) CK, no fertilization; (2) NP, inorganic N and P fertilizers; (3) NPM, mineral N and P fertilizers plus chicken manure; (4) SNP, mineral N and P fertilizers plus maize straw; and (5) SNPM, mineral N and P fertilizers plus maize straw and chicken manure. The results showed that NP, NPM, SNP, and SNPM significantly increased wheat yields by 56.19%, 76.89%, 111.08%, and 114.30%, compared with CK, respectively. Nitrogen agronomic efficiency (AE_N), partial factor productivity (PEP_N), apparent recovery efficiency (Apparent RE_N), and accumulated recovery efficiency (Accumulated RE_N) increased by 103.36%, 37.19%, 76.39%, and 30.90% in the SNPM treatment, compared with NP. Straw incorporation and manure significantly improved soil fertility. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, Chloroflex, Bacteroidota, Planctomycetota, Gemmatimonadota, Armatimonadota, Firmicutes, Methylomirabilota, and Myxococcota were the predominant bacterial phyla. Compared with NP, straw incorporation and manure (NPM, SNP, and SNPM) decreased diversities (richness index, Chao1 index, and Shannon index). Principal coordinates (PCoA) and cluster analyses demonstrated that manure treatments (NPM and SNPM) significantly optimized bacterial community structure. Pearson’s correlation analysis demonstrated that organic matter, total phosphorus, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium had significant positive correlations with Halanaerobiaeota but significant negative positive correlations with Chloroflexi, Entotheonellaeota, and Myxococcota. Wheat yields, AE_N, PEP_N, Apparent RE_N, and Accumulated RE_N were primarily and significantly negatively associated with Cyanobacteria. Straw incorporation in combination with manure significantly optimized bacterial community structure, wheat yields, and N use efficiency through improving soil fertility. Collectively, straw incorporation in combination with manure is a promising practice for sustainable development. Full article

Human agricultural activities can impact the soil microbial ecosystem, but the future implications of such changes remain largely unknown. This study aimed to explore how soil microbes survive and reproduce under the pressure of human agricultural cultivation and whether they resist or adapt. A 10-year continuous experiment was conducted, planting a maize and soybean rotation (control group), alfalfa (legume), and wheat (poaceae) to study the impact of different crop planting on soil microbial communities. During the experiment, the physical and chemical properties of the soil samples were measured, and the rhizosphere microbial communities were analyzed. Different crop plantings had varying effects on soil microbial species diversity, but these differences were relatively limited. The relative abundance of Cyanobacteriales (order) was higher in wheat than in alfalfa. Moreover, Cyanobacteriales were positively correlated with soil peroxidase, thereby promoting wheat growth. In addition, nutrition for fungi is mainly derived from decaying straw and plant roots. This study divided soil microbes under agricultural cultivation conditions into three categories: adaptive microbes, neutral microbes, and resistant microbes. At the ecological level of plant rhizosphere microbes, the plant rhizosphere soil microbial community showed a coevolutionary relationship with human cultivation activities. Future research needs to pay more attention to the adaptability of soil microbial communities to agricultural cultivation and the potential impact of this adaptability on the global ecosystem. Full article

Agroecosystems play a key role in the global carbon cycle, with CO₂ exchange driven by photosynthesis and respiration. Indicators such as gross primary productivity (GPP), net primary productivity (NPP), and carbon, water, and light use efficiency (CUE, WUE, LUE) are essential for assessing resource use in agricultural systems. Conventional tillage depletes carbon, water, and nutrients, negatively impacting the environment, while conservation practices aim to improve soil health and biodiversity. This study evaluated the effects of a cover crop in a wheat–maize rotation on sloped arable land prone to water erosion. The experiment involved minimum contour tillage combined with cover cropping, and its impact on carbon balance components and resource use efficiency was assessed. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of a cover crop significantly improved GPP and NPP. Water and light use efficiency also increased, particularly in 2022 and 2023, which were characterized by summer drought. However, carbon use efficiency remained unchanged over the study period. These findings highlight the potential of conservation practices, such as cover cropping and reduced tillage, to enhance productivity and resource efficiency in sloped agricultural landscapes under water stress conditions. Full article

Balancing food security with fertilizer-driven climate impacts remains critical in intensive agriculture. While organic–inorganic substitution enhances soil fertility, its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions remain uncertain. This study evaluated N₂O/NO emissions, crop yields, and agronomic parameters in a subtropical wheat–maize rotation under four fertilization regimes: inorganic-only (NPK), manure-only (OM), and partial substitution with crop residues (CRNPK, 15%) or manure (OMNPK, 30%), all applied at 280 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Emissions aligned with the dual Arrhenius–Michaelis–Menten kinetics and revised “hole-in-the-pipe” model. Annual direct emission factors (EF_d) for N₂O and NO were 1.01% and 0.11%, respectively, with combined emissions (1.12%) exponentially correlated to soil nitrogen surplus (p < 0.01). CRNPK and OMNPK reduced annual N₂O+NO emissions by 15–154% and enhanced NUE by 10–45% compared with OM, though OMNPK emitted 1.7–2.0 times more N₂O/NO than CRNPK. Sole OM underperformed in yield, while partial substitution—particularly with crop residues—optimized productivity while minimizing environmental risks. By integrating emission modeling and agronomic performance, this study establishes CRNPK as a novel strategy for subtropical cereal systems, reconciling high yields with low greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

No-tillage (NT) is a key practice in conservation agriculture that minimizes soil disturbance, thereby enhancing soil structure, porosity, and overall quality. However, its long-term effects on soil pore networks and hydro-physical functions remain underexplored. This study evaluated the impacts of NT and conventional tillage (CT) on soil hydro-physical properties using undisturbed soil columns, X-ray computed tomography, and standard physical measurements. A field experiment was conducted under an eight-year continuous cropping system, with a four-year rotation [winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)—maize (Zea mays L.)—sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)—peas (Pisum sativum L.)], comparing NT and CT treatments with three replications. Soil parameters including bulk density (BD), moisture content, total porosity (SP), water-stable aggregates (WSA), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) were measured. Results showed that NT increased BD (1.45 g/cm³) compared to CT (1.19 g/cm³), likely due to reduced soil disturbance. Moisture content under NT was up to 78% higher than CT. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was also higher in NT, with 17% and 43% increases observed at harvest in 2022 and 2023, respectively, except in the 0–30 cm layer immediately after sowing. Micro-CT analysis revealed a 34–115% increase in macropores (>1025 μm) under NT at 10–40 cm depth. These findings demonstrate that long-term NT improves key soil hydro-physical properties, supporting its integration into sustainable farming systems to balance productivity and environmental stewardship. Full article

Understanding the effects of agricultural practices on soil nutrient dynamics is critical for optimizing land management in arid regions. This study analyzed spatial patterns, driving factors, and surface stocks (0–20 cm) of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and their stoichiometric ratios (C:N, C:P, and N:P) across six cropping systems (paddy fields, cotton fields, wheat–maize, orchards, wasteland, and others) in the Aksu region, Northwest China, using 1131 soil samples combined with geostatistical and field survey approaches. Results revealed moderate to low levels of SOC, TN, and TP, and stoichiometric ratios, with moderate spatial autocorrelation for SOC, TN, TP, and C:N but weak dependence for C:P and N:P. Cropping systems significantly influenced soil nutrient distribution: intensive systems (paddy fields and orchards) exhibited the highest SOC (22.31 ± 10.37 t hm⁻²), TN (2.20 ± 1.07 t hm⁻²), and TP stocks (peaking at 2.58 t hm⁻² in orchards), whereas extensive systems (cotton fields and wasteland) showed severe nutrient depletion. Soil pH and elevation were key drivers of SOC and TN variability across all systems. The C:N ratio ranked highest in “other systems” (e.g., diversified rotations), while wheat–maize fields displayed elevated C:P and N:P ratios, likely linked to imbalanced fertilization. These findings highlight that sustainable intensification (e.g., paddy and orchard management) enhances soil carbon and nutrient retention, whereas low-input practices exacerbate degradation in arid landscapes. The study provides actionable insights for tailoring land-use strategies to improve soil health and support ecosystem resilience in water-limited agroecosystems. Full article

Crop rotation systems profoundly influence soil phosphorus (P) dynamics through physicochemical and microbial interactions. The mechanisms regulating P availability under various rotational practices remain poorly understood. This five-year field experiment investigated the effects of four rotation systems (WM: wheat–maize; WP: wheat–peanut; WS: wheat–soybean; MV: maize–hairy vetch) on soil P fractions, phosphatase activities, P-cycling gene abundance, and their interactions with soil properties. The WM rotation substantially reduced soil pH (6.29) while increasing labile P fractions (Ca₂-P) and moderately labile P (Al-P, Fe-P, and Ca₈-P), which was attributed to enhanced acid phosphatase activity. The WP rotation elevated soil pH (8.13) but reduced P availability due to calcium–P immobilization. The MV rotation stimulated microbial P cycling, exhibiting the highest phoD (2.01 × 10⁶ copies g⁻¹) and phnK (33,140 copies g⁻¹) gene abundance, which was linked to green manure-induced microbial activation. Redundancy analysis identified soil pH, total nitrogen, and stoichiometric ratios (C/N and N/P) as key shared drivers of P fractions and enzymatic activity. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS–PM) indicated that crop rotation directly regulated P availability through pH modulation (r = −0.559 ***) and the C/N ratio (r = 0.343 ***) while indirectly regulating P fractions through phosphatase activity. Lower C/N ratios (<10) across all rotation regimes amplified the carbon limitation in the process of P transformation, indicating that exogenous carbon inputs and appropriate stoichiometry in the soil should be optimized. The results of this study inform the selection of suitable crop rotation patterns for sustainable agriculture. Full article

Accurately partitioning evapotranspiration (ET) of cropland into productive plant transpiration (T) and non-productive soil evaporation (E) is important for improving crop water use efficiency. Many methods, including machine learning methods, have been developed for ET partitioning. However, the applicability of machine learning models in cropland ET partitioning with diverse crop rotations is not clear. In this study, machine learning models are used to predict E, and T is obtained by calculating the difference between ET and E, leading to the derivation of the ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration (T/ET). We evaluated six machine learning models (i.e., artificial neural networks (ANN), extremely randomized trees (ExtraTrees), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)) on partitioning ET at 16 cropland flux sites during the period from 2000 to 2020. The evaluation results showed that the XGBoost model had the best performance (R = 0.88, RMSE = 6.87 W/m², NSE = 0.77, and MAE = 3.41 W/m²) when considering the meteorological data, ecosystem sensible heat flux, ecosystem respiration, soil water content, and remote sensing vegetation indices as input variables. Due to the unavailability of observed E or T data at the 16 cropland sites, we used three other widely used ET partitioning methods to indirectly validate the accuracy of our ET partitioning results based on XGBoost. The results showed that our T estimation results were highly consistent with their T estimation results (R = 0.83–0.91). Moreover, based on the XGBoost model and the three other ET partitioning methods, we estimated the ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration (T/ET) for different crops. On average, maize had the highest T/ET of 0.619 ± 0.119, followed by soybean (0.618 ± 0.085), winter wheat (0.614 ± 0.08), and sugar beet (0.611 ± 0.065). Lower T/ET was found for paddy rice (0.505 ± 0.055), winter barley (0.590 ± 0.058), potato (0.540 ± 0.088), and rapeseed (0.522 ± 0.107). These results suggest the machine learning models are easy and applicable for cropland T/ET estimation with different crop rotations and reveal obvious differences in water use among different crops, which is crucial for the sustainability of water resources and improvements in cropland water use efficiency. Full article