•Traditional soybean breeding has changed the water use strategy from profligate to conservative and improved yield performance and WUEG.•Soybean breeding has increased the sensitivity of stomatal ...conductance to water stress and reduced water uptake ability.•The high sensitivity of stomatal conductance to water stress is correlated with low root hydraulic conductance to limit water use.
Water is the main factor determining yield performance under drought conditions. Traditional soybean breeding has significantly increased grain yield under drought, but its effect on water use strategies and associated traits are not well understood. Field and pot experiments with new cultivars and landrace soybean genotypes were undertaken to identify the effect of soybean breeding on water use strategies and related leaf and root functional traits under different water regimes. The new cultivars, on average, had 33.9 %, 45.1 % and 169 % higher grain yields and 47.9 %, 98.4 % and 244 % higher water use efficiencies for grain yield (WUEG) but 8.8 %, 38.1 % and 19.6 % lower water use than the landraces in the field and pot experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Stomatal conductance decreased in the new cultivars at higher soil water contents than the landraces during soil drying. The new cultivars, on average, had a 22.9 % lower root fraction, 21.5 % lower leaf fraction, 20.6 % lower stem fraction and 69.8 % higher pod fraction than landraces, which had 21.7 % and 26.8 % lower root hydraulic conductance at the R2 and R6 stages, respectively, than the landraces. Our results show that (1) traditional soybean breeding has changed the water use strategy from profligate to conservative and improved yield performance and WUEG, (2) the high sensitivity of stomatal conductance to water stress is coordinated with lower root hydraulic conductance to limit water use, and (3) selecting new cultivars with high grain yield but low water use may a new way to improve yield performance under water-limited conditions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Bridging yield gaps in staple crops is widely reported as a highly efficient means for improving grain production. However, changes in production efficiency and the environmental footprint remain ...less investigated when narrowing these gaps. In this study, we collected data from 299 wheat plots on the Loess Plateau of China to identify changes in nitrogen efficiency, nutrient balance, and environmental risks when narrowing the yield gaps. The low-yielding (LY) and high-yielding (HY) plots had an average yield gap of 1936 kg ha–1 (33.5%) and nitrogen partial factor productivity gap of 10.3 kg kg–1 (30.1%) that were simultaneously narrowed under similar fertilizer inputs. Optimizing sowing date improved spikes per m2 (27.4%) and grains per head (12.9%), key measures to improving wheat grain yields. The high-yielding high-efficiency (HYHE) plots produced on average 43.0% and 14.6% higher nitrogen partial factor productivity and grain yield, respectively than the high-yielding low-efficiency (HYLE) plots. Appropriate nitrogen fertilizer inputs significantly enhanced nitrogen use efficiency and maintained grain yield on HY plots. Grain yield and nitrogen partial factor productivity gradually increased with year of cultivar release (1995–2019) (P < 0.05). However, soil organic matter, pH, available phosphorus, mineral nitrogen, and available potassium had no significant effect on grain yield or nitrogen use efficiency. The HYHE plots had the lowest nitrogen surplus (25 kg N ha–1), phosphorus surplus (31 kg P ha–1), and greenhouse gas emissions (2327 kg CO2-eq ha–1) of the surveyed plots. In the HY plots, moderate potassium fertilizer should be supplemented to balance wheat production. In conclusion, excellent cultivars and high plant density are key for bridging the yield gap between LY and HY plots. Optimizing fertilizer management could further promote HY plots from low to high production efficiency. This research provides farmers with the knowledge and methods to sustainably bridge field-level yield gaps in dryland wheat production.
•Field-level gaps were found in grain yields and nutrient use efficiencies among dryland plots.•Poor seeding and older wheat cultivars were constraining the yield and efficiency increase.•Fertilizer inputs should match the yield requirement for lowering carbon footprints.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Researchers are increasingly concerned about antimony (Sb) in ecosystems and the environment. Sb primarily enters the environment through anthropogenic (urbanization, industries, coal mining, cars, ...and biosolid wastes) and geological (natural and chemical weathering of parent material, leaching, and wet deposition) processes. Sb is a hazardous metal that can potentially harm human health. However, no comprehensive information is available on its sources, how it behaves in soil, and its bioaccumulation. Thus, this study reviews more than 160 peer-reviewed studies examining Sb's origins, geochemical distribution and speciation in soil, biogeochemical mechanisms regulating Sb mobilization, bioavailability, and plant phytotoxicity. In addition, Sb exposure effects plant physio-morphological and biochemical attributes were investigated. The toxicity of Sb has a pronounced impact on various aspects of plant life, including a reduction in seed germination and impeding plant growth and development, resulting from restricted essential nutrient uptake, oxidative damages, disruption of photosynthetic system, and amino acid and protein synthesis. Various widely employed methods for Sb remediation, such as organic manure and compost, coal fly ash, biochar, phytoremediation, microbial-based bioremediation, micronutrients, clay minerals, and nanoremediation, are reviewed with a critical assessment of their effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and suitability for use in agricultural soils. This review shows how plants deal with Sb stress, providing insights into lowering Sb levels in the environment and lessening risks to ecosystems and human health along the food chain. Examining different methods like bioaccumulation, bio-sorption, electrostatic attraction, and complexation actively works to reduce toxicity in contaminated agricultural soil caused by Sb. In the end, the exploration of recent advancements in genetics and molecular biology techniques are highlighted, which offers valuable insights into combating Sb toxicity. In conclusion, the findings of this comprehensive review should help develop innovative and useful strategies for minimizing Sb absorption and contamination and thus successfully managing Sb-polluted soil and plants to reduce environmental and public health risks.
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•This review examines antimony (Sb) entry into soil, its distribution, and chemical forms.•This describes influence of Sb exposure on plant physiology, biochemistry and growth.•The effectiveness and cost efficiency of Sb remediation strategies have been discussed.•Advances in genetic and molecular techniques to combat Sb toxicity are also described.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Agricultural intensification has increased crop productivity but simplified production and reduced cropping system diversity. In recent decades, the intensified wheat–maize rotation in the North ...China Plain has sharply decreased the groundwater table, with associated environmental and biodiversity issues. Understanding whether increasing cropping system diversity stabilizes productivity, improves resilience, and reduces adverse environmental impacts is critical. This study quantified the water requirements of nine staple crops from 1960 to 2020, established 15 alternative crop rotations, and evaluated the resilience of each rotation in the Cangzhou area, a typical groundwater deletion funnel area. The results showed that reducing cropping density (harvests per year) from 2 to 1.5 decreased the average annual water requirement and irrigation demand by 14 % and 33 %, respectively. Summer soybean alternated with maize and rotated with wheat did not reduce groundwater use but increased profitability and protein production. Spring mung bean–summer millet-based multi-rotations had higher precipitation coupling degrees (8 % in wet years, 17 % in normal years, and 56 % in dry years) and profitability (1.1–2.4 times) than the wheat–maize rotation. The spring potato–summer millet rotation in one year had the greatest profitability, the highest equivalent yield to wheat, and the highest water use efficiency (WUE), while spring maize rotated with winter wheat–summer soybean performed best for protein content, energy output, and WUEs. This study identified 11 alternative rotations with a higher comprehensive evaluation index than the conventional wheat–maize rotation based on entropy-TOPSIS considering 12 indicators. Spring mungbean is not suitable for inclusion in the crop rotation when solely cultivated in one year due to mismatched rainfall. Beyond wheat and maize, soybean, millet, and potato are promising crops for innovative multi-year multi-crop rotations to enhance crop diversification, maximize system outputs, and minimize groundwater and energy depletion. This study’s analysis could be extended to develop robust and diverse crop rotations with multiple co-benefits in other water-stressed agricultural regions.
•Water requirements of nine staple crops from 1960 to 2020 was quantified.•15 diversified crop rotations were redesigned and established.•Multi-dimensional outcomes of each rotation were evaluated for synergies and tradeoff.•Reducing cropping density mitigated groundwater table decline.•Wheat-maize rotations involving soybean, millet and potato achieved multiple co-benefits.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Salt stress inhibits photosynthetic process and triggers excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study examined the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association in regulating ...photosynthetic capacity and antioxidant activity in leaves of two maize genotypes (salt-tolerant JD52 and salt-sensitive FSY1) exposed to salt stress (100 mM NaCl) in soils for 21 days. The leaf water content, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic capacity in non-mycorrhizal (NM) plants were decreased by salt stress, especially in FSY1, with less reduction in AM plants than NM plants. Salinity increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR)) in both genotypes regardless of AM inoculation, but decreased the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants (reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (AsA)), especially in FSY1, with less decrease in AM plants than NM plants. The AM plants, especially JD52, maintained higher photosynthetic capacity, CO
fixation efficiency, and ability to preserve membrane integrity than NM plants under salt stress, as also indicated by the higher antioxidant contents and lower malondialdehyde (MDA)/electrolyte leakage in leaves. To conclude, the higher salt tolerance in AM plants correlates with the alleviation of salinity-induced oxidative stress and membrane damage, and the better performance of photosynthesis could have also contributed to this effect through reduced ROS formation. The greater improvements in photosynthetic processes and antioxidant defense systems by AM fungi in FSY1 than JD52 under salinity demonstrate genotypic variation in antioxidant defenses for mycorrhizal amelioration of salt stress.
In semi-arid areas, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is widely grown, but its growth is often restricted due to limited rainfall and soil nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P). Nutrient resorption is an ...effective strategy for dealing with nutrient shortages. Alleviation of these limited resources using film mulch and P fertilization—which are common practices in semi-arid areas—can affect the internal recycling of such nutrients. Little is known about such effects in alfalfa and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield. We conducted a two-year field experiment in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China using film mulch and P fertilization to investigate the response to long-term increasing soil water and P availability on leaf nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K) concentrations and nutrient resorption characteristics in alfalfa. In green leaves, mulching significantly increased P concentration by an average of 5.5% but it had no significant effect on N concentration over two years, and it decreased K concentration by 16.1% in 2017. P fertilization significantly increased N concentrations to a greater degree in 2018 (8.1%) than 2017 (1.6%). P fertilization also significantly increased P concentrations by an average of 34.1% over two years. In contrast, P fertilization significantly decreased K concentration in the mulched treatment by an average of 17.3% in 2017 and 21.8% in 2018, but it had no effect in the no-mulch treatment. In senescent leaves, mulching significantly increased N concentration by an average of 3.9% and P concentration by an average of 16.7%, but it had no significant effect on K concentration over two years, while P fertilization significantly decreased N and K concentrations over two years by an average of 7.5%, and 32.8%, respectively. P fertilization significantly increased senesced P concentration by an average of 11.9% in 2017 and 17.5% in 2018; and year × mulching × P fertilization had a significant interaction on senesced leaf P concentration. For resorption efficiency, mulching decreased P resorption efficiency by an average of 3.0%, but it had no impact on N or K resorption efficiency, while P fertilization increased the N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa by an average of 6.8%, 6.2%, and 76.4% over two years, respectively. Interactive effects of mulching and P fertilization were found on P and K resorption efficiencies over time. In addition, N and K resorption efficiencies were significantly higher in 2018 than in 2017. The application of P fertilizer without mulching resulted in positive correlations between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies, but no correlations were observed under film mulch. That is, mulching changed the relationship between forage yield and N, P, and K resorption efficiencies in alfalfa, suggesting that N, P, and K resorption efficiencies may not be related to high yield. Our results provide new insights into the role of nutrient resorption in alfalfa in response to increasing soil water and P availability and the relationship between resorption efficiency and forage yield, which will help us to improve alfalfa yield in semi-arid regions.
Straw management strategies are highly important for maximizing the benefits of straw incorporation, which should aim to increase crop production while improving soil fertility. Ammoniated straw ...incorporation may be one of the potential candidates for achieving these goals. However, the effects of ammoniated straw incorporation on wheat yield, yield stability and soil properties as well as their potential relationships remain poorly understood. Based on an ongoing long-term field experiment commenced in 2011 on the Chinese Loess Plateau, we investigated the responses of soil properties, wheat yield and yield stability of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to ammoniated and conventional straw incorporation during 2017–2020. The three treatments were: (i) no straw (Control), (ii) conventional straw incorporation (CSI), and (iii) ammoniated straw incorporation (ASI). We found that the ASI treatment on average significantly increased wheat yield by 10.1% and yield stability by 19.5% compared to the CSI treatment, and significantly increased wheat yield by 26.9% and yield stability by 38.7% compared to the Control treatment. Changes in wheat yield and yield stability were positively related to ASI-induced increases in soil water storage. When compared to the Control and CSI treatments, the ASI treatment on average significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) content by 17.2% and 14.2% and total nitrogen (TN) content by 27.3% and 18.3% in 0–10 cm depth, and it significantly increased SOC content by 19.2% and 12.4% and TN content by 27.8% and 19.4% in 10–20 cm depth, respectively. There were positive relationships between changes in wheat yield and SOC and TN content. These results demonstrate that it is feasible to achieve higher wheat yield and yield stability while increasing SOC and TN content by optimizing straw management practices in semi-arid areas.
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•We compared ammoniated and conventional straw incorporation (ASI and CSI) for their performances in wheat cropping.•ASI treatment increased grain yield, yield stability, SOC and TN compared to CSI and Control treatments.•Increases in grain yield and yield stability are positively correlated with changes in soil water storage.•There were positive relationships between changes in grain yield and SOC and TN.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Whether continuous ridge-furrow plastic film mulch (PM) and flat planting with PM is sustainable for soil water status and yield remain unknown. The study investigated effects of ridge-furrow PM ...applied in spring (RFM
S
) or autumn (RFM
A
), flat planting with no mulch (CK), flat planting with 60% mulch in spring (M
S
) or autumn (M
A
) on soil water and maize yield from 2016 to 2019. High yields in RFM
A
resulted from high soil water storage (SWS) consumption in 0-220 cm soil layer during the growing season, with main water supply for early plant growth coming from 0 to 80 cm layer and can be recovered from rainfall during later in the growing season. From 80 to 220 cm, SWS declined during growing season but recovered during next fallow season. The 2016 growing season had the lowest precipitation, and RFM
A
and M
A
had significantly more deep soil water consumption, which was replenished to normal levels in the following fallow season of 2016-2017. After four growing seasons, all PM treatments did not reduce deep soil water, compared to CK, or follow a declining trend over time, i.e., continuous cultivation with PM on Loess Plateau did not reduce soil water status.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
Slope runoff acts as a driving force for soil erosion on the Loess Plateau but is also an important water source for alleviating water shortages and maintaining vegetation growth. Identifying how to ...regulate runoff can help solve the problems of water shortages and soil erosion. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of conservation measures on controlling slope runoff and soil loss in a 20° runoff plot using scouring experiments. The treatments included plots with bare slope (CK) and three typical soil and water conservation (SWC) measures—engineering measures (fish-scale pits, FSPs), vegetation measures (grass revegetation by alfalfa, GR), and agricultural measures (straw mulching, SM). The results showed that the SWC practices significantly (P < 0.05) controlled runoff and soil loss. The GR, FSPs, and SM significantly delayed runoff start time by 150–250%, 200–300%, and 250–400%, respectively, compared with CK, and reduced runoff coefficients by 25–60%, 7–50%, and 40–80%, respectively. The runoff reduction rate (RRB) and sediment reduction rate (SRB) averaged 33.6% and 82.1%, 43.7% and 76.4%, and 82.3% and 94.0%, respectively, for the GR, FSPs, and SM treatments. However, the effectiveness decreased with increasing inflow rate, especially for the FSPs as they were gradually destroyed and lost their ability to control runoff scour at 7.0 m3 h–1. The RRB and SRB were most affected by SM compared with FSPs and GR. All three SWC measures increased the Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficients (f) and reduced the velocity (V), Reynolds (Re), and Froude (Fr) numbers. Except for FSPs at 7.0 m3 h–1, all SWC treatments had a laminar flow regime and subcritical flow state. Gray correlation analysis (GRA) showed that stream power and Reynolds number had better relational degrees with erosion rate for conservation measures, followed by shear stress, indicating that they may be preferred descriptors of the erosional process. These results provide meaningful guidance on measures for preventing soil erosion on sloping farmland in the Loess Plateau.
•Three typical soil and water conservation (SWC) measures had significant effects on runoff interception and erosion control.•These measures can greatly alter the flow line, weaken the erosive force and flow turbulence, and reduce the stream power.•Engineering measures (fish scale pits) were ineffective in controlling runoff when discharge rate was high.•These SWC measures should be effectively implemented on slopes.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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