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The residual effect of different thicknesses of nonwoven jute agro-textile mulches (NJATM), rice straw, and black polythene on the yield of maize, soil fertility, soil moisture, microbial population, and weed suppression was studied in lateritic soil of eastern India after broccoli. Results indicated that residual 400 gsm (grams per square meter) NJATM showed highest plant height (212.43 cm), plant per m2 (8.29), cobs per plant (2.00), cob length (22.63 cm), cob diameter (14.95 cm), test weight (235.6 g), grain yield (6.90 t ha−1), biological yield (16.0 t ha−1), and harvest index (43.11%) of maize. Residual NJATM decreased the density of weeds (broadleaved, grasses, sedges), and their significantly lower density was in 400 gsm NJATM. The population of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi was increased from their initial value in residual NJATM-treated plots. In post-harvest soil, the population of bacteria and actinomycetes (72.50 × 106 and 152.75 × 104 cfu per g) were highest with residual 400 gsm NJATM. Residual NJATM significantly increased the soil moisture content compared to the control, and its 400 gsm thickness showed its highest content of 13.18%, 18.98%, 17.12%, and 15.98% at 15, 30, 60, and 90 DAS, respectively. Again, residual NJATM improved soil fertility compared to other mulches, and residual 400 gsm NJATM recorded the highest available N, P, and K (145.98 kg ha−1, 30.33 kg ha−1, and 138.23 kg ha−1) and organic C (0.70%). Thus, the residual 400 gsm NJATM proved the best in improving soil fertility and microbial population, conserving soil moisture, suppressing weeds, and increasing maize yield in lateritic soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Maize is a vital global crop used for food and industrial purposes and whose growth is negatively affected by climate change. Through the use of combined microbial and plant-derived biostimulants, we conducted an experimental field trial on the beneficial effect it exerts on maize, in terms of improving its productivity and resistance to pathogenic toxins and adverse conditions, such as drought. This synergistic approach promises to be a valuable contribution to the field of sustainable agronomy. Maize, a globally significant cereal, is increasingly cultivated under challenging environmental conditions, necessitating innovations in sustainable agriculture. This study evaluates the synergistic effects of a novel technique combining a Bacillus velezensis A6 strain with a plant extract from the Lamiales order on maize growth and stress resilience. Employing a pilot field trial, this study was conducted on the "La Añoreta" experimental farm of the ECONATUR group, where various biostimulant treatments, including bacterial and plant extract applications, were tested against a control group. The treatments were applied during key vegetative growth stages (V10-Tenth-Leaf, VT-Tassel, R1-Silking) and monitored for effects on plant height, biomass, and fumonisin content. The results suggest that the combined treatment of Bacillus velezensis A6 and the plant extract increases maize height (32.87%) and yield (62.93%) and also reduces fumonisin concentrations, improving its resistance to stress, compared to the control and other treatments. This study highlights the potential of microbial and botanical biostimulants and its novel combination for improving crop productivity and sustainability, suggesting that such synergistic combinations could play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural resilience to environmental stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization is a critical issue impacting agriculture, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different drip irrigation and fertilization treatments on soil water and salt dynamics, maize water use efficiency, and crop yield in the saline–alkali soils of northern Ningxia, China. Over three years, four irrigation treatments were tested: CK (flood irrigation, 810 mm), W1 (low-volume drip irrigation, 360 mm), W2 (medium-volume drip irrigation, 450 mm), and W3 (high-volume drip irrigation, 540 mm). The results demonstrate that treatments W2 and W3 significantly increased soil moisture content at depths of 0–20 cm and 60–100 cm compared to CK, facilitating uniform salt leaching in the 0–40 cm soil layer. However, in the 40–100 cm layer, decreased porosity and upward moisture movement hindered salt migration, resulting in subsurface salt accumulation. Furthermore, drip irrigation combined with fertilization significantly reduced phosphorus fixation and nitrogen leaching, enhancing nutrient availability. This led to a reduction in underground leakage and surface evaporation by up to 39.63%, while water use efficiency improved by 18.97% to 55.13%. By the third year, grain yields under drip irrigation treatments increased significantly compared to CK, with W3 showing the highest gains (up to 21.90%). This study highlights the potential of integrating drip irrigation and fertilization as an effective strategy for managing saline–alkali soils, improving water use, and increasing crop productivity, providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize production in Indonesia faces challenges of climate change, affecting the deviation of planting seasons and overall yield stability. This study evaluates the impact of biosullary application on maize growth and yield across two planting periods using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). With twenty-one experimental units and treatments replicated three times, the study encompassed 252 plants and 63 sample plants. Findings indicate Treatment P6 consistently produced the tallest plants (199.67 cm), highest number of leaves (13.33 at planting period 1, 12.00 at planting period 2), and fastest flowering period (39.00 days at planting period 1, 45.00 days at planting period 2). P6 also showed notable cob length (11.67 cm in period 1), while Treatment P5 excelled in period 2 with 13.00 cm. Treatment P5 recorded the highest 100-seed weight (26.33 grams at planting period 1, 22.67 grams at planting period 2). To sustain maize productivity, increasing fertilizer dosage at the planting period 2 is recommended. Biosullary application not only enhances maize growth and yield but also improves soil physical properties, boosts microbial vitality, and stabilizes soil pH. These findings highlight biosullary potential as a sustainable approach to mitigate climate impacts and enhance maize production in Indonesia.

A 2-year field experiment was conducted to test the effects of individual and co-application of biochar and inorganic fertilizer on soil quality using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique. The dry season field experiments were performed with biochar applied at 0 and 20 t ha−1, and fertilizer at 300 and 0 kg ha−1 (control). The factorial combinations of the above-mentioned treatments were subjected to irrigation at 60, 80, and 100% of irrigation amounts (IAs). Soil hydro-physical and chemical properties and grain yield were determined at harvest. Results from the PCA indicated that the soil total nitrogen (N) and moisture content (MC) were the soil properties mostly affecting the grain yield. The amendments' effects on the soil physico-chemical properties and maize yield were in the order control < biochar < fertilizer < biochar + fertilizer. The derived comprehensive soil quality index (CSQI) from the PCA showed that the soil quality increased by 76, 100, and 200% in treatments individually applied with biochar, inorganic fertilizer, and the co-applications. This study therefore showed that the PCA revealed the actual dynamics in soil properties, in terms of the SQI upon the soil amendment addition, as well as their relationship with maize yield under different weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Balancing yield and soil CO2 emissions in cropping systems has become a focus of agricultural research. To explore effective ways to achieve the balance, three years (2016–2018) of field experiments were conducted in the oasis zone of Northwest China. Methods: Three replications of the four tillage systems (NT, no-tillage; MT, minimal-tillage; ST, sub-tillage; FT, fold-tillage) were used in a randomized complete block design. Results: It was found that tillage practice had no significant effect on soil carbon pools. However, FT exhibited a significantly higher soil carbon emission intensity (SCEI) and net ecosystem primary productivity (NPP). Still, poorly in terms of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) than those of the NT, MT, and ST treatments, MT performed the highest NEP and maize yield (P < 0.05). The total cumulative CO2 emissions of the FT were 23.3%-37.6% higher than those of the other tillage practices. Furthermore, we identified that soil CO2 emission was mainly influenced by soil temperature and soil moisture. NT increased farmers' net income and output/input ratio by 20.2% and 41.3% respectively compared with FT and demonstrated better economic benefits and net ecosystem productivity. Conclusions: The results suggest that conservation tillage (especially NT and MT) is advantageous to local economic and ecological benefits in the short term. However, the years of continuous tillage are critical for increasing crop yields and reducing CO2 emissions, so the feedback response of long-term tillage on farmland still needs to be observed and studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: China is the largest producer, consumer, and trader of grain. Changes in China's agricultural policies will affect global food trade and thus impact food security. In this paper, we use China's maize subsidy system reform (MSSR) as a quasi-natural experiment to investigate the impact of marketoriented reforms in price support policy on the productivity of grain. Methods: We use official Chinese government panel data on farm households and a PSM-DID model to overcome the endogeneity problem of policy change. Results and discussion: The empirical results show that MSSR can increase maize productivity. The MSSR is divided into two phases: eliminating the maize purchase price and implementing maize producer subsidies. The policy effect of eliminating the purchase price exceeds the implementation of producer subsidies. Further analysis reveals that for farmers with a larger scale of cultivation, higher level of specialization, and higher degree of part-time employment, the MSSR enhances their productivity more significantly. In the high quartile, the MSSR reduces farmers' productivity. In the low quartile, the MSSR raises farmers' productivity, suggesting that the MSSR reduces the productivity differences among farmers. The results of our study suggest that market-based reform of price subsidies is an effective institutional arrangement to mitigate resource mismatch and increase food productivity, and point to the need to continue to improve the MSSR, explore diversified maize producer subsidy policies, and take into account the impact of other subsidies on farmers' maize production behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTo foster maize productivity and advance agricultural development, the Government of Ghana (GoG) has enacted several flagship programmes as a response to the pressing need to improve the sector. Planting for food and jobs (PFJ) is one such programme. This study investigates the impact of PFJ participation on maize productivity and income amongst maize farmers in northern Ghana. The study sampled 384 maize farmers. Cross-sectional data were collected and analysed using the probit model, propensity score matching, and Dolby robust estimator. The estimation shows that PFJ participation had a positive effect on maize productivity and farmers’ income. It was also observed that PFJ participation was influenced by gender, farming experience, education, access to credit, cooperative membership, and farm distance. Limited fertilizer access and restricted market access were the major challenges that militated against PFJ programme participation. Thus, Government of Ghana (GoG), through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), prioritised the provision of subsidised fertiliser to farmers who would otherwise struggle to purchase enough fertiliser to increase productivity and income. This could greatly reduce the impact of the crowding out phenomenon on the PFJ programme.

Maize production in Indonesia faces challenges of climate change, affecting the deviation of planting seasons and overall yield stability. This study evaluates the impact of biosullary application on maize growth and yield across two planting periods using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). With twenty-one experimental units and treatments replicated three times, the study encompassed 252 plants and 63 sample plants. Findings indicate Treatment P6 consistently produced the tallest plants (199.67 cm), highest number of leaves (13.33 at planting period 1, 12.00 at planting period 2), and fastest flowering period (39.00 days at planting period 1, 45.00 days at planting period 2). P6 also showed notable cob length (11.67 cm in period 1), while Treatment P5 excelled in period 2 with 13.00 cm. Treatment P5 recorded the highest 100-seed weight (26.33 grams at planting period 1, 22.67 grams at planting period 2). To sustain maize productivity, increasing fertilizer dosage at the planting period 2 is recommended. Biosullary application not only enhances maize growth and yield but also improves soil physical properties, boosts microbial vitality, and stabilizes soil pH. These findings highlight biosullary potential as a sustainable approach to mitigate climate impacts and enhance maize production in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural resilience. However, there is a need for a more comprehensive exploration of their specific impact on maize productivity under future climate change scenarios. While previous studies focused mainly on CSA effects on crop yield, a broader investigation is needed encompassing factors like water use efficiency, soil water content, and crop evapotranspiration. This study addresses this gap, aiming to assess the effects of diverse CSA practices on maize productivity in mid-western Uganda under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5 for mid-century (2040–2069) and end-century (2070–2099) climate change scenarios. Seven CSA treatments, including conventional practice, half-moon pits, permanent planting basins of 20 cm and 30 cm depth, mulches of 2 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm thicknesses, were assessed using the AquaCrop model and field experiments. The results reveal substantial increases in maize grain yield (25–228%) and water use efficiency (1–53%) due to future CSA practices under projected climate change conditions, highlighting the potential for long-term sustainability. Also, specific CSA treatments exhibited notable effects on maize productivity under varying climate change scenarios, addressing critical knowledge gaps and guiding the optimal utilization of CSA practices for improved maize productivity. This research offers valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing and tailoring CSA interventions for sustainable maize production in the face of progressive climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enduring existence of pollution presents a substantial danger to human health, natural systems, and social welfare. Human activities mostly generate greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide, which negatively impacts the environment. This study used annual datasets to examine the association between maize crop production, maize yield, fertilizer consumption, agricultural land use, and environmental quality in China. In order to identify the positive and negative shocks with the assessment of short- and long-run dynamics, the study used an asymmetric Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach. A Robust Least Squares method was also used to locate the parameters nexus in order to assess the series' robustness. Results from the long-run interaction indicate that the maize crop production and agricultural land use has a positive impact on CO2 emissions with probability values of (0.000), (0.000), and (0.001), (0.780), respectively, via both positive and negative interruptions. Additionally, maize yield exposed a detrimental effect on environmental quality. Results of the robust least squares analysis showed that maize crop production, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural land use had a positive influence on environmental quality, with probability values of (0.000), (0.004), and (0.949), respectively. However, there is an unfavourable relationship between variable maize yields and CO2 emissions. China should play a significant role in seeking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and adopt the beneficial policies necessary to ensure the environment's long-term sustainability, since these emissions are now a rising issue around the world.

This study delved into the impact of input factor allocation on maize production, seeking to identify strategies for enhancing productivity. The primary data for this study were collected from maize farmer households and analyzed using the binary logistic regression model (BLRM). Consequently, the simultaneous examination of the twelve independent variables using the BLRM yielded a noteworthy impact on maize production. Meanwhile, five of the twelve variables examined in part revealed a significant and positive impact on maize production. The variables that demonstrated statistically significant positive relationships consisted of land area, labor, urea fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, and labor. Then, seed application and NPK fertilizer variables had a negative and significant influence, whereas the other variables did not. The results of this study indicate that some production factors employed by farmers significantly affected maize yield. This information may be used to develop a practical strategy for enhancing productivity in maize farming. Some practical implications in immediately oriented recommended: the expansion of maize farming area managed by farmers and the increase in the volume of application of urea fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides, as well as the increase in the number of workers in maize farming, are expected to encourage an increase in maize production. The results of this research also contribute to the existing knowledge by providing empirical evidence that clarifies the positive and significant impact of various production inputs, which include land area, urea fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, and labor, on maize production and productivity. It also supports the objective of promoting more efficient farming practices.

Maize, a globally significant cereal, is increasingly cultivated under challenging environmental conditions, necessitating innovations in sustainable agriculture. This study evaluates the synergistic effects of a novel technique combining a Bacillus velezensis A6 strain with a plant extract from the Lamiales order on maize growth and stress resilience. Employing a pilot field trial, this study was conducted on the “La Añoreta” experimental farm of the ECONATUR group, where various biostimulant treatments, including bacterial and plant extract applications, were tested against a control group. The treatments were applied during key vegetative growth stages (V10-Tenth-Leaf, VT-Tassel, R1-Silking) and monitored for effects on plant height, biomass, and fumonisin content. The results suggest that the combined treatment of Bacillus velezensis A6 and the plant extract increases maize height (32.87%) and yield (62.93%) and also reduces fumonisin concentrations, improving its resistance to stress, compared to the control and other treatments. This study highlights the potential of microbial and botanical biostimulants and its novel combination for improving crop productivity and sustainability, suggesting that such synergistic combinations could play a crucial role in enhancing agricultural resilience to environmental stresses.

Soil salinization is a critical issue impacting agriculture, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different drip irrigation and fertilization treatments on soil water and salt dynamics, maize water use efficiency, and crop yield in the saline–alkali soils of northern Ningxia, China. Over three years, four irrigation treatments were tested: CK (flood irrigation, 810 mm), W1 (low-volume drip irrigation, 360 mm), W2 (medium-volume drip irrigation, 450 mm), and W3 (high-volume drip irrigation, 540 mm). The results demonstrate that treatments W2 and W3 significantly increased soil moisture content at depths of 0–20 cm and 60–100 cm compared to CK, facilitating uniform salt leaching in the 0–40 cm soil layer. However, in the 40–100 cm layer, decreased porosity and upward moisture movement hindered salt migration, resulting in subsurface salt accumulation. Furthermore, drip irrigation combined with fertilization significantly reduced phosphorus fixation and nitrogen leaching, enhancing nutrient availability. This led to a reduction in underground leakage and surface evaporation by up to 39.63%, while water use efficiency improved by 18.97% to 55.13%. By the third year, grain yields under drip irrigation treatments increased significantly compared to CK, with W3 showing the highest gains (up to 21.90%). This study highlights the potential of integrating drip irrigation and fertilization as an effective strategy for managing saline–alkali soils, improving water use, and increasing crop productivity, providing valuable insights for sustainable agricultural practices.

A 2-year field experiment was conducted to test the effects of individual and co-application of biochar and inorganic fertilizer on soil quality using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique. The dry season field experiments were performed with biochar applied at 0 and 20 t ha−1, and fertilizer at 300 and 0 kg ha−1 (control). The factorial combinations of the above-mentioned treatments were subjected to irrigation at 60, 80, and 100% of irrigation amounts (IAs). Soil hydro-physical and chemical properties and grain yield were determined at harvest. Results from the PCA indicated that the soil total nitrogen (N) and moisture content (MC) were the soil properties mostly affecting the grain yield. The amendments’ effects on the soil physico-chemical properties and maize yield were in the order control < biochar < fertilizer < biochar + fertilizer. The derived comprehensive soil quality index (CSQI) from the PCA showed that the soil quality increased by 76, 100, and 200% in treatments individually applied with biochar, inorganic fertilizer, and the co-applications. This study therefore showed that the PCA revealed the actual dynamics in soil properties, in terms of the SQI upon the soil amendment addition, as well as their relationship with maize yield under different weather conditions.

The fully mulched ridge–furrow (FMRF) system has been widely used on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China due to its high maize (Zea mays L.) productivity and rainfall use efficiency. However, high outputs under this system led to a depletion of soil moisture and soil nutrients, which reduces its sustainability in the long run. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the system for the sustainable development of agriculture. The development, yield-increasing mechanisms, negative impacts, optimization, and their relations in the FMRF system are reviewed in this paper. We suggest using grain and forage maize varieties instead of regular maize; mulching plastic film in autumn or leaving the mulch after maize harvesting until the next spring, and then removing the old film and mulching new film; combining reduced/no-tillage with straw return; utilizing crop rotation or intercropping with winter canola (Brassica campestris L.), millet (Setaria italica), or oilseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L.); reducing nitrogen fertilizer and partially replacing chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizer; using biodegradable or weather-resistant film; and implementing mechanized production. These integrations help to establish an environmentally friendly, high quality, and sustainable agricultural system, promote high-quality development of dryland farming, and create new opportunities for agricultural development in the semi-arid Loess Plateau.

Abstract Background Maize production in semi‐arid areas has been hindered by moisture stress and poor soil fertility. Long frequent droughts and shortening of growing seasons have been causing yield reduction. Limited knowledge of soil water management by farmers is another key contributor to poor maize yields in the smallholder sector. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate the effects of contour‐based and field‐based water harvesting technologies on maize grain yield and rainwater use efficiency under rain‐fed conditions on three farms (Jera, Kudzeeta and Manjengwa) with sandy soils in the Marange smallholder farming area of Zimbabwe. The experiment was laid out as a split plot in a randomised complete block design with three replications at each site. Contour‐based rainwater harvesting structures were the main treatments comprising tied contour (TC), standard contour (STDC) and infiltration pits (IP). Field‐based rainwater harvesting structures were the subplot treatments comprising tied ridges (TR), pot holing (PH) and the flat system (FLAT). Results Results showed that the contour‐based water harvesting structures significantly influenced (p 0.05) with what was obtained on PH. The combination of TC and TR water harvesting technologies resulted in significantly higher maize yields (p 0.05) from STDC. Conclusion It can be concluded that farmers in semi‐arid areas adopt a combination of TC with either TR or PH to improve rainwater use efficiency and maize yields.

Access to credit is crucial to improve farm performance as it allows farmers to procure inputs and technology. However, on the empirical front, evidence of the impact of agricultural credit access remains scanty. This study examines how access to credit from formal and informal sources influences the productivity and technical efficiency of maize farming in ten major maize-producing provinces in Indonesia. Secondary Food Crops Survey data by Statistics Indonesia were employed and analyzed using a quasi-experimental approach, i.e., the propensity score matching (PSM). The estimation shows that agricultural credit access improves farm performance. In fact, the ability to obtain credit from institutions increased productivity and technical efficiency more effectively than from informal sources. This study suggests that agricultural credit access remains relevant in Indonesia and needs to be improved continuously.

Heavy metals (HMs) stress, particularly lead (Pb) stress, is one of the most hazardous environmental stresses that can negatively affect plants' growth, yield, and quality. Therefore, the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs; 50 mg L−1), nano-hydroxyapatite (HP-NPs; 50 mg kg−1), and their combination on growth, physiological, and yield traits of maize grown in soil contaminated with Pb (i.e., 100 mg kg−1) were investigated. The results showed that Pb stress significantly reduced plant leaf area by 50.9% at 40 days after sowing (DAS), 55.5% at 70 DAS, and 54.2% at 100 DAS in comparison to the unstressed plants (control). However, the combined application of ZnO-NPs (50 mg L−1) + HP-NPs (50 mg kg−1) reduced the adverse effects of Pb on plant growth in terms of increasing leaf area by 117.6% in plants grown in Pb-contaminated soil (100 mg kg−1). Similarly, the combined application of ZnO-NPs + HP-NPs resulted in increments in the total chlorophyll content by 47.1%, photosynthesis rate by 255.1%, and stomatal conductance by 380% in comparison to that obtained from maize stressed with Pb. On the other hand, antioxidants such as sodium dismutase (SOD; 87.1%), peroxidase (POX; 90.8%), and catalase (CAT; 146%), and proline content (116%) were significantly increased as a result of Pb stress compared to unstressed plants. Moreover, N, P, K, and Zn contents in the whole plant grown under Pb stress were decreased by 38.7%, 69.9%, 46.8%, and 82.1%, respectively, compared to those obtained from the control. Whereas the combined treatment of ZnO-NPs (50 mg L−1) + HP-NPs (50 mg kg−1) resulted in increased uptake of plant nutrients and, consequently, the highest values of ear weight, grain yield, and harvest index were obtained. Furthermore, the combined application of HP-NPs + ZnO-NPs in contaminated soil reduced Pb uptake in plant biomass by 77.6% and grains by 90.21% in plants exposed to Pb stress. In conclusion, the combined application of ZnO-NPs and HP-NPs significantly improved growth, physiological traits, antioxidants, and yield as well as elemental uptake of maize grown under Pb stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2021 in farmer's field at Halavarthy village of Davanagere district, Karnataka, which comes under Central Dry Zone of Karnataka (Zone 4), using RCBD with eleven treatments and three replications to evaluate the impact of three different nano phosphorus fertilizers on the productivity of maize. Treatments included T1: Absolute control, T2: 100 per cent recommended package of practice (RPP), T3 to T5: 75 per cent RDP (75% recommended dose of P) through SSP + 5 per cent RDP through NP1(hydroxyapatite nano fertilizer), NP2 (nano rock phosphate) and NP3 (hydroxyapatite nanoparticles coated with CMC), T6 to T8: 75 per cent RDP + 1 per cent RDP through foliar spray of NP1, NP2 and NP3, T9 to T11: 75 per cent RDP + 5 per cent RDP through soil application of NP1, NP2 and NP3 and 1 per cent RDP through foliar spray of NP1, NP2 and NP3, respectively. Results revealed that application of phosphorus in nano form had significant effect on growth and yield of maize. Treatment with 75 per cent RDP through SSP + 5 per cent RDP through soil application of NP1 + 1 per cent RDP through foliar spray of NP1 recorded significantly higher plant height, number of leaves plant-1, chlorophyll content, dry matter accumulation, cob length (19.01 cm), number of rows cob-1 (16.27), number of kernels row-1 (35.27), test weight (33.20 g), stover yield (82.23 q ha-1) and kernel yield (73.59 q ha-1) over absolute control and were better when compared to T2 (100 % RPP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Maize productivity in semi‐arid regions is increasingly at risk because of the sparse and uneven precipitation, and it is also restricted by excessive or insufficient fertilization management strategies. A 4‐year (2016–2019) field experiment was therefore conducted to show the effects of fertilizer with five nitrogen levels (0, 75–90, 150–180, 270, and 360 kg ha−1, represented as N0, N75‐90, N150‐180, N270, N360, respectively) under two variable precipitation patterns (rainy at pre‐anthesis in 2016 and 2018 versus dry at pre‐anthesis in 2017 and 2019) on soil water storage (SWS), water use efficiency (WUE), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and maize yield in the Loess Plateau. RESULTS: Nitrogen inputs increased the amount of above‐ground dry matter and the WUE for dry matter (WUEd). Dry years at pre‐anthesis significantly reduced dry matter accumulation and kernel number per plant. However, soil water storage before sowing (SWSs) decreased from 440 mm in 2016 to 384 mm in 2019, and the increase in fertilization resulted in the water imbalance. Both the maximum grain yield and WUE for grain yield were found in N270 under rainy years at pre‐anthesis, whereas in N150‐180 under dry years at pre‐anthesis. The average nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE), nitrogen agronomy efficiency (NAE) and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) decreased with increases in N application, compared with N360, the NRE,NAE and NPFP of N150‐180 increased by 63.5%, 189.2% and 135.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing basal N fertilizers could enhance maize yield and maintain moderate water and nitrogen productivity in years with less rainfall. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the determinants and impacts of mobile money (MM) usage on maize productivity and poverty likelihood (i.e., the probability of a household falling below the international poverty line at USD 1.9 per capita per day) in the Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The analysis was conducted using the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model on data from a random sample of 1310 households selected from seven districts in the region. Results of the ESR estimation show that MM usage is strongly and positively associated with the education level of the household head, asset ownership, credit access, input access, and social networks. MM usage is also significantly associated with increased maize productivity and a reduced poverty likelihood. Farmers who chose to use MM services increased their maize productivity by about 124 kg/acre and reduced their poverty likelihood by nearly 25 percentage points, as measured by the progress out of poverty index. These findings call for a targeted approach to reaching and supporting MM usage among households with constrained access to formal financial services to increase maize productivity and reduce poverty likelihood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSecurity of land tenure among rural households is an integral part in achieving high agricultural productivity. However, there is limited information on the nexus between land tenure security, credit access and agricultural productivity. This study investigates the effects of land tenure security on maize productivity through credit access. Using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires, cross-sectional primary data were collected from randomly selected 366 small-scale maize farmers in Trans-Mara East and Trans-Mara West sub counties of Narok County, Kenya. Descriptive statistics and conditional mixed process (CMP) model were used to analyse the data. Results show that about 46.99% of the interviewed households had land title deeds. Household heads with land title deeds were more educated, had larger land and farm sizes, had more productive parcels of land and obtained higher gross margins as compared to those without land title deeds. Moreover, the majority of household heads with secure land tenure were married, had community leadership position and acquired land through purchase. The CMP results indicate that, land tenure security was significantly influenced by sex, marital status, education level of the household head as well as presence of land disputes, soil fertility, and purchase of land. The study confirmed the relationship between land tenure security, credit access and maize productivity. Land tenure security significantly and positively influenced credit access, while farmers with access to credit increased maize productivity by 2001.902 kg/ha. The findings call for efforts by stakeholders to enact policies that could promote cost-friendly access to secure land tenure through the acquisition of land title deeds. Additionally, there is need for the government to promote the development and strengthening of both land and credit markets that would stimulate agricultural productivity.

Combined nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization is a good management strategy to reduce N loss and increase the efficiency of N fertilizers to achieve high grain yields and quality. Field trials for 2 yrs. (2018–2019) were conducted to evaluate the comparative advantage of conventional urea (150 N kg ha−1) compared to urea+ ammonium sulfate (150 N kg ha−1), urea+ calcium sulfate (150 N kg ha−1), and urea cocrystals (CaSO4.4urea) (150 N kg ha−1) when applied as nitrogen fertilizers to the maize. The statistics show a significant treatments effect on developed corn cobs, fresh and dry cob yields and grain yield, with 1000 grains with better results in 2019 than in 2018. The fertilization treatments affected grain yields significantly for 2018 and 2019, respectively. Urea+ ammonium sulfate and urea cocrystal provided a significant increase in grain yields by 10.5% and 7.50%, respectively, compared to urea in 2018, w1hereas, in 2019, urea cocrystal supplied the grain yields with a significant increase of 23.07% compared to urea, followed by urea + calcium sulfate which provided a 10.46% increase compared to urea. The study highlights that using urea-sulfur fertilizers enhanced the release of mineral nitrogen in the soil, improved the grain's N uptake by the plant and increased maize grain yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to improve maize production and develop agriculture led to the design and implementation of many flagship programmes in Ghana. Among these programmes is the rural growth credit programme. This paper used current data (2021) from credit-constrained maize farmers in the rural growth credit programme to extend the propensity score matching method to the analysis of credit impacts on farm productivity. The study used a sample of 130 farmers, comprising 65 farmers as a treatment group and 65 farmers as a control group. The findings of this paper indicate that, credit-constrained farmers who have access to the rural growth credit relatively have more productivity than credit-constrained farmers who did not have access to the credit. The paper therefore conclude that, the rural growth credit intervention program did achieved its intended purpose in respect of improving farm productivity in Ghana. It could therefore be deduced that credit interventions programs do have a positive impact on farm productivity in Ghana.

The objective of this paper is to analyze the impact of climate change adaptation strategies on maize productivity of farms focusing on gender differences. To do so, a selection model generalizing the Heckman (1979) approach and the Oaxaca and Blinder decomposition procedure are specified and estimated. The empirical analysis is based on intra-agricultural household data from the 2018 Harmonized Household Living Conditions Survey (EHCVM) of Togo with a total sample of 8622 maize plots disaggregated by seasonThe results reveal that the average maize productivity of men is about 23.5% higher than that of women. Similarly, the average maize productivity of married women is about 28.5% higher than that of unmarried women. This suggests that married men and women have greater adaptive capacity than their counterparts and are also more likely to improve their productivity. The factors that contribute to the performance of married men and women at the expense of their counterparts are secondary education, producer assets, and climate information. We also find that the use of improved seeds, off-season cropping, and a combination of both strategies are the types of coping strategies adopted by men and married women to increase their productivity. These results have implications for the direction of development policies. These development policies can be more targeted at unmarried women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the recognised role of blanket extension advice in the low uptake of productivity‐enhancing technologies among developing country farmers, personalised or site‐specific extension approaches are gaining attention. Focusing on the case of the plant clinic extension model which provides personalised crop protection services to smallholder farmers, we investigate to what extent and how accurately farmers adopt personalised extension advice, and the implications for agricultural productivity. We combine a unique database of personalised integrated pest management (IPM) recommendations provided to 420 plant clinic attendees in Zambia with survey data on the actual IPM practices implemented by these same clinic attendees. We find that more than 80% of the sample farmers deviated from the personalised IPM recommendations they received from plant clinics. Based on the degree of deviation from the personalised recommendations, we identify five categories of adopters of IPM practices and show their heterogeneous effects on maize productivity. For example, our multi‐valued treatment effect estimates suggest an 82% yield penalty for non‐adopters compared to full adopters of recommended IPM practices, while the yield gain for full adopters is more than double that of partial adopters, as well as that of those who adopted additional practices beyond what was recommended. Our findings have important implications for the promotion of personalised extension services and for the measurement of the impact of complex agricultural technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop production in tropical soils is constrained by low fertility. The scarcity and high prices of chemical fertilizers have added to the existing challenges. This study examined the influence of different types of biochar and cow dung compost (CDC) on soil properties, growth and cob weight of maize. A polythene pot experiment was conducted at the screen house of the Institute of Ecology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. Amendments used were: cow dung compost, cow dung biochar and maize cob biochar, which were applied singly at the rates of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 t.ha-1. The production of biochar from cow dung compost and maize cobs was done using a local charcoal-fired reactor. The feedstocks were slowly pyrolyzed at 350 0C and removed after 3hrs. The treatments were replicated twice. Soils amended with CDC had the highest growth parameters compared to other amendments. In the first season, CDC had a 22% increase in height compared to MCB. CDC had a height of 72 cm while MCB had the lowest height with 56 cm. The growth rate was as follows: CDC > CDB > MCB. CDC also increased cob weights when compared to other amendments. At 4 t ha-1, CDC had 2.20 g, CDB had 0.90 g while MCB had 0.47 g. Significant differences were observed among the treatments. However, it was observed that CDB increased soil chemical properties compared to other amendments. Soil properties such as organic carbon and total nitrogen were significantly improved in soils treated with CDB. This study concluded that cow dung biochar was better suited to improve soil properties while also improving crop growth compared to other amendments.

Innovative fertilizer management is the most effective strategy for increasing crop yields and reducing environmental pollution. Deep fertilization reduces NH 3 emissions and increases crop yield, but its effects on N 2 O emissions are still unclear. Nitrification or urease inhibitors trigger cross-contamination of N 2 O and NH 3. Little is known about whether innovative fertilizer management strategies can reduce nitrogen emissions while maintaining higher yields. We conducted field experiments using maize in the semi-humid and drought-prone areas of the Loess Plateau in China from 2019 to 2021. To further verify the research results, experiments were conducted in semi-arid and drought-prone areas in 2022 and 2023 using surface fertilization (SF), surface fertilization with nitrification (SNI) or urease inhibitor (SUI), deep fertilization (DF), and deep fertilization with urease and nitrification inhibitor (DUN) as experimental treatments. The trends were similar at the three experimental locations over five years, where the ability of DF to reduce emissions was equivalent to those of SNI for N 2 O and SUI for NH 3. However, the increase in the crop productivity was significantly higher under DF than SUI and SNI. Compared with SF, DF significantly reduced the N 2 O and NH 3 emissions by 39.85 % and 46.08 %, respectively, and significantly the increased maize yield, N uptake, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 16.86 %, 15.83 %, and 32.79 %. The innovative fertilizer management strategies combined the advantages of inhibitors and deep fertilization, and they obtained the highest maize yield and NUE, as well as the lowest N 2 O and NH 3 emissions and gaseous nitrogen loss intensity (GNLI) among all treatments. Compared with SF, DUN reduced the urease, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and hydroxylamine reductase activities by 22.03 %, 58.81 %, 52.72 %, and 50.27 %, respectively, the soil NO 3 –-N and NH 4 +-N contents by 82.94 % and 53.71 %, and N 2 O and NH 3 emissions by 80.79 %, and 79.33 %. DUN increased the maize yield and NUE by 23.30 % and 46.91 %, respectively, and decreased the GNLI by 84.69 %. DUN reduced the concentration of substrates for producing gaseous nitrogen by regulating the activities of soil nitrogen circulating enzymes to significantly reduce the nitrogen loss, and it achieved the highest maize yield (11,818.10 kg ha–1) and NUE (46.62 %) with the lowest GNLI (0.71 g N kg–1 grain). Innovative fertilizer management strategies can help to balance economic and environmental benefits in the Loess Plateau region of China. Our findings provide a reference for obtaining higher maize productivity with low environmental pollution in the Loess Plateau region of China. • Effects of deep fertilization and inhibitors on maize productivity and gaseous nitrogen losses comprehensively evaluated. • Nitrification inhibitor reduced N 2 O emissions but not NH 3 emissions. • Urease inhibitor reduced both N 2 O and NH 3 emissions. • Deep fertilization reduced N 2 O and NH 3 emissions. • Deep fertilization with inhibitors obtained higher maize productivity with the lower environmental cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals (HMs) stress, particularly lead (Pb) stress, is one of the most hazardous environmental stresses that can negatively affect plants’ growth, yield, and quality. Therefore, the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs; 50 mg L−1), nano-hydroxyapatite (HP-NPs; 50 mg kg−1), and their combination on growth, physiological, and yield traits of maize grown in soil contaminated with Pb (i.e., 100 mg kg−1) were investigated. The results showed that Pb stress significantly reduced plant leaf area by 50.9% at 40 days after sowing (DAS), 55.5% at 70 DAS, and 54.2% at 100 DAS in comparison to the unstressed plants (control). However, the combined application of ZnO-NPs (50 mg L−1) + HP-NPs (50 mg kg−1) reduced the adverse effects of Pb on plant growth in terms of increasing leaf area by 117.6% in plants grown in Pb-contaminated soil (100 mg kg−1). Similarly, the combined application of ZnO-NPs + HP-NPs resulted in increments in the total chlorophyll content by 47.1%, photosynthesis rate by 255.1%, and stomatal conductance by 380% in comparison to that obtained from maize stressed with Pb. On the other hand, antioxidants such as sodium dismutase (SOD; 87.1%), peroxidase (POX; 90.8%), and catalase (CAT; 146%), and proline content (116%) were significantly increased as a result of Pb stress compared to unstressed plants. Moreover, N, P, K, and Zn contents in the whole plant grown under Pb stress were decreased by 38.7%, 69.9%, 46.8%, and 82.1%, respectively, compared to those obtained from the control. Whereas the combined treatment of ZnO-NPs (50 mg L−1) + HP-NPs (50 mg kg−1) resulted in increased uptake of plant nutrients and, consequently, the highest values of ear weight, grain yield, and harvest index were obtained. Furthermore, the combined application of HP-NPs + ZnO-NPs in contaminated soil reduced Pb uptake in plant biomass by 77.6% and grains by 90.21% in plants exposed to Pb stress. In conclusion, the combined application of ZnO-NPs and HP-NPs significantly improved growth, physiological traits, antioxidants, and yield as well as elemental uptake of maize grown under Pb stress.

This paper examines how climate change adaptation impacts on farm productivity and the ability of households to accumulate assets in the context of a developing economy. We apply an endogenous switching regression to data obtained from 1440 farmers in Ghana. Our model, which accounts for endogeneity and selection bias, allows us to simultaneously determine the factors that influence maize farmers’ decision to adapt to climate change and the productivity and household assets that result from both adaptation and otherwise. We estimate an inverse relationship between rainfall and the decision to adapt to climate change. As expected, we find that access to information has a positive effect on the decision to adapt. Farms that benefit from adaptation do not become less productive with increases in temperature or rainfall. Overall, we find that farmers who adapt to climate change are more productive and have more household assets than their counterfactual. Farmers who do not adapt obtain less yield and have less household assets than their counterfactual. These findings have important implications for policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the determinants and impacts of mobile money (MM) usage on maize productivity and poverty likelihood (i.e., the probability of a household falling below the international poverty line at USD 1.9 per capita per day) in the Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The analysis was conducted using the endogenous switching regression (ESR) model on data from a random sample of 1310 households selected from seven districts in the region. Results of the ESR estimation show that MM usage is strongly and positively associated with the education level of the household head, asset ownership, credit access, input access, and social networks. MM usage is also significantly associated with increased maize productivity and a reduced poverty likelihood. Farmers who chose to use MM services increased their maize productivity by about 124 kg/acre and reduced their poverty likelihood by nearly 25 percentage points, as measured by the progress out of poverty index. These findings call for a targeted approach to reaching and supporting MM usage among households with constrained access to formal financial services to increase maize productivity and reduce poverty likelihood.

The enduring existence of pollution presents a substantial danger to human health, natural systems, and social welfare. Human activities mostly generate greenhouse gas emissions, namely carbon dioxide, which negatively impacts the environment. This study used annual datasets to examine the association between maize crop production, maize yield, fertilizer consumption, agricultural land use, and environmental quality in China. In order to identify the positive and negative shocks with the assessment of short- and long-run dynamics, the study used an asymmetric Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) approach. A Robust Least Squares method was also used to locate the parameters nexus in order to assess the series' robustness. Results from the long-run interaction indicate that the maize crop production and agricultural land use has a positive impact on CO 2 emissions with probability values of (0.000), (0.000), and (0.001), (0.780), respectively, via both positive and negative interruptions. Additionally, maize yield exposed a detrimental effect on environmental quality. Results of the robust least squares analysis showed that maize crop production, fertilizer consumption, and agricultural land use had a positive influence on environmental quality, with probability values of (0.000), (0.004), and (0.949), respectively. However, there is an unfavourable relationship between variable maize yields and CO 2 emissions. China should play a significant role in seeking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and adopt the beneficial policies necessary to ensure the environment's long-term sustainability, since these emissions are now a rising issue around the world., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced the work presented in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

The aim of this study was to understand the impact of fertilizer use on maize yields in Ghana based on a survey among 1,363 farmers. Farmers were grouped into four typologies using Principal Component Analysis and stepwise regression to analyze the effects of fertilizer and other factors on yield and nutrient use efficiency (NUE). A partial factor productivity of 9.8–12.1 kg grain/kg fertilizer and an agronomic efficiency of 1.2–3.7 kg grain/kg N were found among the typologies. While use of NPK with sulfur and magnesium, are necessary for yield increase, the low NUE may hamper agricultural intensification. A targeted learning pathway for the farmers with most suitable characteristics for attaining highest maize productivity could serve as an example for less well performing farmers. Policies and programs in Ghana, such as Planting for Food and Jobs program that promote fertilizer application, must be redesigned to include measures that increase NUE.

Combined nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization is a good management strategy to reduce N loss and increase the efficiency of N fertilizers to achieve high grain yields and quality. Field trials for 2 yrs. (2018–2019) were conducted to evaluate the comparative advantage of conventional urea (150 N kg ha−1) compared to urea+ ammonium sulfate (150 N kg ha−1), urea+ calcium sulfate (150 N kg ha−1), and urea cocrystals (CaSO4.4urea) (150 N kg ha−1) when applied as nitrogen fertilizers to the maize. The statistics show a significant treatments effect on developed corn cobs, fresh and dry cob yields and grain yield, with 1000 grains with better results in 2019 than in 2018. The fertilization treatments affected grain yields significantly for 2018 and 2019, respectively. Urea+ ammonium sulfate and urea cocrystal provided a significant increase in grain yields by 10.5% and 7.50%, respectively, compared to urea in 2018, w1hereas, in 2019, urea cocrystal supplied the grain yields with a significant increase of 23.07% compared to urea, followed by urea + calcium sulfate which provided a 10.46% increase compared to urea. The study highlights that using urea-sulfur fertilizers enhanced the release of mineral nitrogen in the soil, improved the grain’s N uptake by the plant and increased maize grain yields.

This study examines the impact of gender differences on maize productivity in Dawuro Zone, southern Ethiopia. Our study addressed the limitations of the previous studies in two ways. First, the study separately assessed gender differences in productivity between de facto female-headed households and de jure female-headed households and revealed that female-headed households are not homogenous. Second, the study separately examined the impacts of the covariates on male-headed households and female-headed households using an exogenous switching treatment effect model. We find the existence of gender differences in maize productivity between male-headed households and female-headed households. The maize productivity of male-headed households was overall 44.3% higher than that of female-headed households. However, if female-headed households received the same return on their resources as male-headed households, their productivity would increase by 42.3%. This suggests agricultural policy should target female-headed households to help reduce the productivity gap between male-headed households and female-headed households. Finally, the distributions of the gender differentials between male-headed households and female-headed households are more pronounced at mid-levels of productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas maize is a primary staple food in Kenya, production volumes have not kept pace with local demand and consumption over time. This has constrained the achievement of the Kenyan government’s stated objective of food access, diversity, and nutritional status. Using secondary data from FAOSTAT from 1963 to 2016 and applying the error correction version of the autoregressive distributed lag model, we estimate Kenya’s maize subsector’s price supply and demand responsiveness. We find that maize supply responds significantly to producer price, the area under maize cultivation, and fertilizer use both in the short and long run. However, the supply elasticity of maize with respect to producer price is inelastic, suggesting that maize supply does not respond well to price incentives. On the demand side, we find that maize demand significantly responds to the production and price of substitutes both in the short and long run. The findings suggest that support price is a necessary but not sufficient condition for improving maize productivity, food security, and income for maize consumers and producers. Therefore, there is a need for enhanced efficient and effective use of the land resource through productivity-enhancing inputs, considering that land expansion is a limited option.

Maize (Zea mays L.) productivity is very low mainly on account of the status of soil fertility in Ethiopia. Integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers for maize production has not been investigated in the study area Bench Shako zone, southwestern Ethiopia. A field experiment was planned to evaluate the effect of combined application of NPS fertilizer and farmyard manure on the yield of maize. The experiment consisted of four rates of NPS fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150 kg ha-1) and four rates of farmyard manure (0, 6, 12, and 18 t ha-1). The maximum grain yield (4890 kg ha-1) was recorded from the treatment that received 150 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer + 12 t ha-1 farmyard manure whereas, the minimum grain yield (2541 kg ha-1) was obtained from the control treatment. Partial budget analysis revealed that the combined application of 150 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer with 12 t ha-1 farmyard manure fetched the maximum net return of 59,414 Ethiopian Birr ha-1, hence this combination of fertilizers is recommended for maize production in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas maize is a primary staple food in Kenya, production volumes have not kept pace with local demand and consumption over time. This has constrained the achievement of the Kenyan government's stated objective of food access, diversity, and nutritional status. Using secondary data from FAOSTAT from 1963 to 2016 and applying the error correction version of the autoregressive distributed lag model, we estimate Kenya's maize subsector's price supply and demand responsiveness. We find that maize supply responds significantly to producer price, the area under maize cultivation, and fertilizer use both in the short and long run. However, the supply elasticity of maize with respect to producer price is inelastic, suggesting that maize supply does not respond well to price incentives. On the demand side, we find that maize demand significantly responds to the production and price of substitutes both in the short and long run. The findings suggest that support price is a necessary but not sufficient condition for improving maize productivity, food security, and income for maize consumers and producers. Therefore, there is a need for enhanced efficient and effective use of the land resource through productivity-enhancing inputs, considering that land expansion is a limited option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An improved fallow experiment was established in 2013 to examine the contribution of shrub legume species, Tephrosia vogelii and Cajanus cajan, in improving the productivity of a degraded tropical soil and crop yields compared with traditional fallow. The study was conducted on five farmers' fields in southwestern Ethiopia laid out in randomized complete block design with farmers as replicates. After 2 years, the amount of aboveground biomass produced was 5–8 t ha−1 for Tephrosia and 3–5 t ha−1 for Cajanus. Maize grain yield was 80% higher for Tephrosia and 41% for Cajanus compared with the traditional fallow. The legume species significantly increased soil pH, organic carbon and total nitrogen levels compared with the natural fallow but there was no significant effect for available phosphorus. The magnitude of fallow benefit from Tephrosia in terms of yield advantage and nitrogen availability could be related to its high biomass production capacity compared to Cajanus. Fallowing with Tephrosia has the potential for improving productivity of degraded tropical soils. Farmers' responses to the improved fallows were in general positive and their preference was Tephrosia fallow. Farmers can therefore use Tephrosia to enhance soil fertility by increasing N-levels, soil pH and organic matter of the soil. However, phosphate fertilizer is required as basal application to enhance N-fixation by legumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two field experiments were carried out at private farm at El-quntra Shark, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, during two successive seasons of summer 2018 and 2019 to study the effect of soil amendments (biochar, compost and biofertilizer) with or without different rates of nitrogen mineral fertilizer on the fertility of study soil and maize productivity. In both seasons, each experiment was carried out in split plot design with three replicates. The obtained results indicated that the soil pH and EC (dSm-1 ) tended to decrease with increasing nitrogen mineral combined with compost and bio-fertilizer than biochar. The high of mean values of available N, P and K in soil was 44.04, 5.93 and 177.00 mg/kg soil for soil treated by compost together with nitrogen mineral fertilizer. Application of soil amendments had positive significant effect for Fe and Zn, while was not significant for Mn content in soil. The effect of biochar, compost and bio-fertilizer combined with different rates of nitrogen mineral fertilizer on plant height (cm), weight of 100 grains (g), weight of stover (ton/fed), weight of ears (ton/fed) and weight of grains yield (ton/fed) were increased with increasing nitrogen mineral application rate except plants treated with bio-fertilizer. The effect of soil amendments application significantly increased N, P and K concentrations in stover and grains. The interaction between soil amendments and different rates of nitrogen mineral fertilizer showed insignificant affect on the amount of Fe, Mn and Zn in stover and grains of maize. The application of soil amendments improved the growth characters and grain yield of maize and also the chemical and physical properties of soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overuse of phosphorus (P) fertilizer in maize production in China is causing severe environmental pollution and cropping issues, requiring an integrative P fertilizer strategy that improves P use efficiency (PUE) and sustainable production. This meta-analysis on P fertilizer use for maize cropping in China used 786 paired observations to quantify the effects of P fertilizer management (P fertilizer variety, P application rate, application method) and different soil properties (pH, available P, organic matter) on grain yield, PUE, and the environmental cost. The mean maize grain yield of 8.86 t ha 1 with a PUE of 97.2 kg kg 1 and an environmental cost of 1.51 $ kg 1. There was a linear plus plateau relationship between yield and P application rate under different soil available P and growing regions. No significant differences in yield increase occurred between P fertilizer type or P application rate, except for triple superphosphate and P application rate > 26 kg P ha 1. Significant yield increases with P fertilizer application occurred on soil with pH< 7, 10–20 mg kg-1 soil available P, or > 30 g kg-1 organic matter content. Adopting optimized P fertilizer management in different regions not only enhanced maize yield by 23.3 % and PUE by 39.2 %, but also effectively reduced the P application rate by 12.4–34.1 % and the environmental cost by 24.3 %. Consequently, prioritizing suitable P fertilizer recommendation strategy will significantly benefit the pursuit of sustainable maize production in China and similar regions. [Display omitted] • Maize yield increased with P application rate in a linear plus plateau way. • Soil pH, Olsen-P and organic matter had impacts on yield increases by P application. • Average partial productivity of P fertilizer (PFPP) in China's maize was 97.2 kg kg 1. • For each 10 kg ha-1 increase in P fertilizer, the environmental cost increased by 0.24 $ kg 1. • Rational P strategy increased yield and PUE, and reduced environmental cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]