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BACKGROUND: Nitrogen is a key factor affecting the quality of rice. Studying the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on the taste, physicochemical properties, and starch structure of Indica rice with different amylose contents is of great significance for scientifically fertilizing and cultivating high‐quality rice varieties for consumption. RESULTS: The results indicate that increasing nitrogen fertilizer application reduces the amylose content and increases the protein content, resulting in a decrease in taste quality. Simultaneously, it reduces the intergranular porosity of starch particles, improving the appearance and milling quality of rice. Compared to the N1 treatment (nitrogen fertilizer application rate of 90 kg ha−1), the taste of low‐amylose rice (Yixiangyou 2115) and high‐amylose rice (Byou 268) decreased by 14.24% and 19.79%, respectively, under N4 treatment (nitrogen fertilizer application rate of 270 kg ha−1). The effect of nitrogen fertilizer on low‐amylose rice is mainly reflected in increased rice hardness, enthalpy value, and setback viscosity, resulting in a decline in taste. The effect of nitrogen fertilizer on high‐amylose rice is mainly reflected in a decrease in peak viscosity, an increase in gelatinization temperature, and crystallinity under high nitrogen levels. CONCLUSION: Increasing nitrogen fertilizer application can improve the appearance and milling quality of rice, but it also leads to an increase in protein content, hardness, gelatinization enthalpy, decrease in breakdown value, and a decline in palatability. In practical production, different production measures should be taken according to different production goals. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The root system plays a crucial role in water and nutrient absorption, making it a significant factor affected by nitrogen (N) availability in the soil. However, the intricate dynamics and distribution patterns of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) root density and N nutrient under varying N supplies in Southern Xinjiang, China, have not been thoroughly understood. A two-year experiment (2021 and 2022) was conducted to determine the effects of five N rates (0, 150, 225, 300, and 450 kg N ha−1) on the root system, shoot growth, N uptake and distribution, and cotton yield. Compared to the N0 treatment (0 kg N ha−1), the application of N fertilizer at a rate of 300 kg N ha−1 resulted in consistent and higher seed cotton yields of 5875 kg ha−1 and 6815 kg ha−1 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. This N fertilization also led to a significant improvement in dry matter weight and N uptake by 32.4% and 53.7%, respectively. Furthermore, applying N fertilizer at a rate of 225 kg N ha−1 significantly increased root length density (RLD), root surface density (RSD), and root volume density (RVD) by 49.6–113.3%, 29.1–95.1%, and 42.2–64.4%, respectively, compared to the treatment without N fertilization (0 kg N ha−1). Notably, the roots in the 0–20 cm soil layers exhibited a stronger response to N fertilization compared to the roots distributed in the 20–40 cm soil layers. The root morphology parameters (RLD, RSD, and RVD) at specific soil depths (0–10 cm in the seedling stage, 10–25 cm in the bud stage, and 20–40 cm in the peak boll stage) were significantly associated with N uptake and seed cotton yield. Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer supply within the range of 225–300 kg N ha−1 can enhance root foraging, thereby promoting the interaction between roots and shoots and ultimately improving cotton production in arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ecology & Rural Environment is the property of Journal of Ecology & Rural Environment Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although herbicides are essential for global agriculture and controlling weeds, they impact soil microbial communities and CO2 emissions. However, the effects of herbicides, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertilisation on CO2 emissions under different environmental conditions are poorly understood. This review explores how various agricultural practices and inputs affect CO2 emissions and addresses the impact of pest-management strategies, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertiliser usage on CO2 emissions using multiple databases. Key findings indicate that both increased and decreased tendencies in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were observed, depending on the herbicide type, dose, soil properties, and application methods. Several studies reported a positive correlation between CO2 emissions and increased agricultural production. Combining herbicides with other methods effectively controls emissions with minimal chemical inputs. Conservation practices like no-tillage were more effective than conventional tillage in mitigating carbon emissions. Integrated pest management, conservation tillage, and nitrogen fertiliser rate optimisation were shown to reduce herbicide use and soil greenhouse gas emissions. Fertilisers are similarly important; depending on the dosage, they may support yield or harm the soil. Fertiliser benefits are contingent on appropriate management practices for specific soil and field conditions. This review highlights the significance of adaptable management strategies that consider local environmental conditions and can guide future studies and inform policies to promote sustainable agriculture practices worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foxtail millet is an important cereal crop in the North China Plain. However, excessive nitrogen fertilizer application over the years has led to declining yield and soil quality. This study investigated nutrient management strategies for foxtail millet based on crop yield levels and soil nutrient availability. In a field where targeted fertilization was conducted over six seasons, nitrogen fertilization effects and the dynamics of soil-available nitrogen were monitored continuously for two consecutive years (2022–2023) across five different foxtail millet varieties with varying yield levels. The study aimed to determine the optimal nitrogen application rate for achieving a high yield of foxtail millet, the minimum soil nitrate threshold required to maintain soil fertility, and the effective nitrogen application rate range for sustaining soil-available nitrate levels. Results showed that fertilization significantly affected dry matter weight during flowering, while variety affected dry matter weight at maturity. The average nitrogen application rate for achieving high yield across all five millet varieties was 141.3 kg·ha−1. Specifically, the average nitrogen application rate of nitrogen-efficient varieties achieving high yield (5607.32–5637.19 kg·ha−1) was 151.5 kg·ha−1, while the average nitrogen application rate of nitrogen-inefficient varieties achieving high yield (4749.77–4847.74 kg·ha−1) was 134.5 kg·ha−1. Soil NH4+-N and NO3−-N content increased when nitrogen application rate exceeded 360 kg·ha−1, posing environmental risks. To achieve high yield, soil nitrate levels would be maintained at an average of 17.23 mg·kg−1 (before sowing) and 9.75 mg·kg−1 (at maturity). A relationship between soil nitrate and nitrogen application rate was established: y = 867.5 − 50z (where y represents the optimal nitrogen application rate for high yield (kg·ha−1), and z represents soil NO3−-N content in the 0–20 cm layer before sowing, ranging from 10.0 to 17.35 mg·kg−1), which provided a practical method for nitrogen fertilization to achieve high yield of foxtail millet. In this study, the fertilization strategy was optimized according to soil nutrient level and yield targets, and the nitrogen application rate was controlled within 360 kg·ha−1 based on the soil nitrate nitrogen content, which will be instructive for reducing fertilizer use, maximizing fertilizer efficiency, and increasing yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding wheat cultivars with high nitrogen use efficiency is crucial for sustainable agriculture. In this study, 130 durum wheat accessions from 53 countries were cultivated under two nitrogen fertilization levels to investigate variations in agronomic traits and identify accessions suitable for low-nitrogen conditions. Under no nitrogen fertilization, SPAD value (-99.2), flag leaf length (−15.8 mm), grain area (−0.52 mm² ), grain length (−0.27 mm), thousand-grain weight (+5.2 g), and grain protein content (−4.2%) showed significant differences compared to that under standard nitrogen fertilization. Among these traits, the SPAD value exhibited a strong positive correlation with protein content in the absence of nitrogen fertilization, suggesting its potential as an indicator for selecting germplasm with superior nitrogen use efficiency. Hierarchical cluster analysis, based on the differences in the six traits under the two nitrogen fertilization levels, classified the 130 durum wheat accessions into three groups (Groups 1, 2, and 3). Accessions in Group 2 exhibited superior adaptability under no nitrogen fertilization compared with those in the other two groups. We identified seven accessions in Group 2 that exhibited minimal decreases in SPAD values and protein content under no nitrogen fertilization for use in wheat breeding programs aimed at developing cultivars with high nitrogen use efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is the backbone of modern agriculture, helping to feed ~50% of the world's population. However, the current industrial production, distribution, and use of nitrogen fertilizers are built on an unsustainable foundation of fossil resources, and are energy-intensive, environmentally polluting, and inefficient in their usage. With the rapidly declining cost of renewable electricity, such as solar and wind, it is time to develop and implement the decentralized production and application of nitrogen fertilizer with nonthermal plasma technologies. Such locally sourced production at the farm site, using only air and water as feedstock, circumvents the need for the extensive capital investment and infrastructure required for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer production and storage, as well as the complex and costly distribution networks. It will be adaptive to the intermittency of the solar/wind electricity supply, leave no carbon footprint, and also have the advantage of being easily switched on/off, immediately responding to weather changes and local conditions, such as soil, climate, crops, and farming business models, for precision agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion (Allium cepa) is a major field vegetable in South Korea and has been produced for a long time along with cabbage, radish, garlic, and dried peppers. However, as field vegetables, including onions, have recently been imported at low prices, the profitability of onion production in South Korea is beginning to be at risk. In order to maximize farmers' profits through onion production, this study develops onion yield prediction models via an ensemble learning-based framework involving linear regression, polynomial regression, support vector regression, decision tree, ridge regression, and lasso regression. The use of nitrogen fertilizers is considered an independent variable in the development of the yield prediction model. This is because the use of nitrogen fertilizers accounts for the highest production cost (13.47%) after labor cost (41.21%) and seed cost (17.42%), and it also directly affects onions yields. For the model development, five research datasets on changes in onion yield according to changes in the use of existing nitrogen fertilizers were used. In addition, a non-linear optimization model was devised using onion yield prediction models for the profit maximization of onion production. As a result, the developed non-linear optimization model using polynomial regression enables an increase in profits from onion production by 67.28%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences is the property of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods is the property of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Long-term excessive use of fertilizers and intensive cultivation not only decreases soil organic carbon (SOC) and productivity, but also increases greenhouse gas emissions, which is detrimental to sustainable agricultural development. The purpose of this paper is to identify organic amendments suitable for winter wheat growth in the North China Plain by studying the effects of organic amendments on the economic benefits, carbon emissions, and carbon sequestration for winter wheat fields and to provide a theoretical basis for the wide application of organic amendments in agricultural fields. The two nitrogen rates were N0 (0 kg ha−1) and N240 (240 kg ha−1), and the four organic amendments were straw, manure, mushroom residue (M R), and biochar. The results showed that, compared to N0, N240 significantly increased the yield by 244.1–318.4% and the organic carbon storage by 16.7–30.5%, respectively, but increased the carbon emissions by 29.3–45.5%. In addition, soil carbon stocks increased with all three types of organic amendments compared to the straw amendment, with the biochar treatment being the largest, increasing carbon storage by 13.3–33.6%. In terms of yield and economic benefits, compared to the straw amendment, the manure and biochar amendments increased winter wheat yields by 0.0–1.5% and 4.0–13.3%, respectively, and M R slightly decreased wheat yield; only the economic benefit of the M R amendment was greater than that of the straw amendment, with an increase in economic benefit of 1.3% and 8.2% in the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 seasons, respectively. Furthermore, according to the net ecosystem productivity (NEP), N0 was the source of CO2, while N240 was a sink of CO2. The TOPSIS results showed that N240 with a mushroom residue amendment could be recommended for increasing soil carbon stocks and economic benefits for winter wheat in the NCP and similar regions. Low-cost M R can increase farmer motivation and improve soil organic carbon, making a big step forward in the spread of organic materials on farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop technology to efficiently utilize digestate from methane fermentation in agricultural production, the application of digestate from methane fermentation for supplying nutrients in sweet potato cultivation was investigated in sandy soil. Different strengths of diluted digestate with water were applied to sweet potato plants as water and nutrient supplies to determine the appropriate strength of digestate from methane fermentation for sweet potato production in sandy soil. The growth of sweet potato cultivated with diluted digestate was also compared with that of sweet potato cultivated with a commercial chemical nutrient solution. The growth rate of the tuberous roots with the strength of 1/20 of the digestate was greatest among the treatments with different digestate strengths (1/80–1/2) and commercial nutrient solutions (1/4–1). Consequently, we proposed a sweet potato production system using a bottom irrigation method with digestate from methane fermentation, which will be applicable in semiarid regions. In conclusion, the results of this study can be effectively used in a regional agricultural system combined with a methane fermentation system and can contribute to increasing food production as well as the establishment of a resource recycling society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The root system plays a crucial role in water and nutrient absorption, making it a significant factor affected by nitrogen (N) availability in the soil. However, the intricate dynamics and distribution patterns of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) root density and N nutrient under varying N supplies in Southern Xinjiang, China, have not been thoroughly understood. A two-year experiment (2021 and 2022) was conducted to determine the effects of five N rates (0, 150, 225, 300, and 450 kg N ha−1) on the root system, shoot growth, N uptake and distribution, and cotton yield. Compared to the N0 treatment (0 kg N ha−1), the application of N fertilizer at a rate of 300 kg N ha−1 resulted in consistent and higher seed cotton yields of 5875 kg ha−1 and 6815 kg ha−1 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. This N fertilization also led to a significant improvement in dry matter weight and N uptake by 32.4% and 53.7%, respectively. Furthermore, applying N fertilizer at a rate of 225 kg N ha−1 significantly increased root length density (RLD), root surface density (RSD), and root volume density (RVD) by 49.6–113.3%, 29.1–95.1%, and 42.2–64.4%, respectively, compared to the treatment without N fertilization (0 kg N ha−1). Notably, the roots in the 0–20 cm soil layers exhibited a stronger response to N fertilization compared to the roots distributed in the 20–40 cm soil layers. The root morphology parameters (RLD, RSD, and RVD) at specific soil depths (0–10 cm in the seedling stage, 10–25 cm in the bud stage, and 20–40 cm in the peak boll stage) were significantly associated with N uptake and seed cotton yield. Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer supply within the range of 225–300 kg N ha−1 can enhance root foraging, thereby promoting the interaction between roots and shoots and ultimately improving cotton production in arid areas.

Nitrogen management plays a crucial regulatory role in ensuring rice yield and improving eating quality. In recent years, the significant increase in rice yield has largely relied on the excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers. However, the overuse of nitrogen in rice cultivation has raised widespread concerns due to its contribution to environmental pollution, increased production costs, and risks to human health. At the same time, consumer attention has increasingly shifted towards the eating quality of rice. Therefore, the challenge of improving eating quality while maintaining rice yield has become a key focus of research in this field. This paper reviewed the current domestic and international research on optimizing nitrogen management for rice, with a particular focus on rice yield, starch and protein characteristics, and eating quality. It also analyzed the practical issues associated with nitrogen management in rice production and discussed the prospects of nitrogen management in rice cultivation. This study provided valuable insights for future nitrogen management in rice production, aiming to achieve both high yield and enhanced eating quality.

Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is the backbone of modern agriculture, helping to feed ~50% of the world’s population. However, the current industrial production, distribution, and use of nitrogen fertilizers are built on an unsustainable foundation of fossil resources, and are energy-intensive, environmentally polluting, and inefficient in their usage. With the rapidly declining cost of renewable electricity, such as solar and wind, it is time to develop and implement the decentralized production and application of nitrogen fertilizer with nonthermal plasma technologies. Such locally sourced production at the farm site, using only air and water as feedstock, circumvents the need for the extensive capital investment and infrastructure required for synthetic nitrogen fertilizer production and storage, as well as the complex and costly distribution networks. It will be adaptive to the intermittency of the solar/wind electricity supply, leave no carbon footprint, and also have the advantage of being easily switched on/off, immediately responding to weather changes and local conditions, such as soil, climate, crops, and farming business models, for precision agriculture.

Abstract Background Nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for increasing photosynthesis and crop yields. The study aims to evaluate the photosynthetic regulation and yield formation mechanisms of different nodulating peanut varieties with N fertilizer application. Method The present work explored the effect of N fertilizer application rates (N0, N45, N105, and N165) on the photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, dry matter, N accumulation, and yield of four peanut varieties. Results The results showed that N application increased the photosynthetic capacity, dry matter, N accumulation, and yield of peanuts. The measurement of chlorophyll a fluorescence revealed that the K-phase, J-phase, and I-phase from the OJIP curve decreased under N105 treatment compared with N0, and WOI, ET0/CSM, RE0/CSM, ET0/RC, RE0/RC, φPo, φEo, φRo, and Ψ0 increased, whereas VJ, VI, WK, ABS/RC, TR0/RC, DI0/RC, and φDo decreased. Meanwhile, the photosystem activity and electron transfer efficiency of nodulating peanut varieties decreased with an increase in N (N165). However, the photosynthetic capacity and yield of the non-nodulating peanut variety, which highly depended on N fertilizer, increased with an increase in N. Conclusion Optimized N application (N105) increased the activity of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center, improved the electron and energy transfer performance in the photosynthetic electron transport chain, and reduced the energy dissipation of leaves in nodulating peanut varieties, which is conducive to improving the yield. Nevertheless, high N (N165) had a positive effect on the photosystem and yield of non-nodulating peanut. The results provide highly valuable guidance for optimizing peanut N management and cultivation measures.

To develop technology to efficiently utilize digestate from methane fermentation in agricultural production, the application of digestate from methane fermentation for supplying nutrients in sweet potato cultivation was investigated in sandy soil. Different strengths of diluted digestate with water were applied to sweet potato plants as water and nutrient supplies to determine the appropriate strength of digestate from methane fermentation for sweet potato production in sandy soil. The growth of sweet potato cultivated with diluted digestate was also compared with that of sweet potato cultivated with a commercial chemical nutrient solution. The growth rate of the tuberous roots with the strength of 1/20 of the digestate was greatest among the treatments with different digestate strengths (1/80–1/2) and commercial nutrient solutions (1/4–1). Consequently, we proposed a sweet potato production system using a bottom irrigation method with digestate from methane fermentation, which will be applicable in semiarid regions. In conclusion, the results of this study can be effectively used in a regional agricultural system combined with a methane fermentation system and can contribute to increasing food production as well as the establishment of a resource recycling society.

The excessive use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers has led to farmland degradation and reduced crop yields. To address this drawback, reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer and Bacillus sp. NTLG2-20 inoculant are the optimal cultivation method. The impact of different N rates (0, 20, and 40 kg ha-1) combined with the Bacillus sp. NTLG2-20 inoculant on soil chemical properties, growth, development, and peanut yield was designed in the field in Phuoc Hung commune, An Phu district from May to August 2023. The field experiment was designed with 6 treatments and 4 replications. The research results showed that different N rates adequately augmented soil chemical traits such as pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic matter (SOM), total N, available phosphorous (AP), and exchangeable potassium (EK). Furthermore, different N fertilizers rates combined with Bacillus sp. NTLG2-20 inoculant adequately augmented plant height, number of leaves, total chlorophyll, nodulous number and weight per groundnut plant. Reducing N fertilizer application by 50% (20 kg N ha-1) was the optimal N reduction rate when combined with the Bacillus sp. NTLG2-20, which resulted in 17.6% higher peanut yield compared to no N application and no difference compared to 100% of recommended N application (P

Background: Nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for increasing photosynthesis and crop yields. The study aims to evaluate the photosynthetic regulation and yield formation mechanisms of different nodulating peanut varieties with N fertilizer application. Method: The present work explored the effect of N fertilizer application rates (N0, N45, N105, and N165) on the photosynthetic characteristics, chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics, dry matter, N accumulation, and yield of four peanut varieties. Results: The results showed that N application increased the photosynthetic capacity, dry matter, N accumulation, and yield of peanuts. The measurement of chlorophyll a fluorescence revealed that the K-phase, J-phase, and I-phase from the OJIP curve decreased under N105 treatment compared with N0, and WOI, ET0/CSM, RE0/CSM, ET0/RC, RE0/RC, φPo, φEo, φRo, and Ψ0 increased, whereas VJ, VI, WK, ABS/RC, TR0/RC, DI0/RC, and φDo decreased. Meanwhile, the photosystem activity and electron transfer efficiency of nodulating peanut varieties decreased with an increase in N (N165). However, the photosynthetic capacity and yield of the non-nodulating peanut variety, which highly depended on N fertilizer, increased with an increase in N. Conclusion: Optimized N application (N105) increased the activity of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center, improved the electron and energy transfer performance in the photosynthetic electron transport chain, and reduced the energy dissipation of leaves in nodulating peanut varieties, which is conducive to improving the yield. Nevertheless, high N (N165) had a positive effect on the photosystem and yield of non-nodulating peanut. The results provide highly valuable guidance for optimizing peanut N management and cultivation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different sowing methods on the growth, gas exchange and yield traits of dryland winter wheat. Furthermore, the effect of N input rates was also evaluated on soil water consumption. The seeds of winter wheat were sown using wide space sowing (WS), furrow sowing (FS), stereoscopic sowing (SS), and drill sowing (DS). The results indicated that the different sowing methods significantly affected the yield and grain quality. Increase in grain yield was 25, 17, and 11% respectively under WS, FS, and AS as compared to DS. The water consumption in the 0–200 cm soil layer from sowing to jointing was highest under WS which mainly in deep soil layers. The photosynthetic traits and leaf area index were highest under WS followed by FS. The plant height was highest under DS. The water consumption index and grain yield were higher at 210–240 kg/ha than other N rates. The difference between sowing method was significant on 1000-grain mass, Spike number, Grain number per spike, leaf area index (LAI), promote the transpiration of flag leaves, intercellular CO2, yield were the highest under WSS compared to others sowing methods. The yield, and three factors were the highest in N240 kg/ha, and enhances Photosynthetic Characteristics of flag leaves, the spike number, and yield had significant difference compared with other N application rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article recovers and analyzes the sophisticated corporate response to environmentalist concerns already in the 1960s about the radical disruption of the nitrogen cycle that governs life on the planet caused by intensified application of chemical fertilizers. In 1971, ecologist Barry Commoner petitioned the Illinois Pollution Control Board to curtail the use of nitrogen fertilizer. This was the first-ever effort to use new state environmental protections to mandate limits on intensive agricultural practices. After holding ten public forums, the board ruled against restrictions. This decision marked a critical inflection point in the intertwined histories of US environmental activism, agribusiness, and the chemical technologization of food production at just the moment when nitrogen fertilizer was going global. This article aims to restore Commoner's long-forgotten campaign against the nitrogen fertilizer industry to its rightful place in postwar US environmental history. It additionally details how that industry had preemptively used a Malthusian logic of resource scarcity to make a nearly unassailable case for itself as a savior of humankind from the threat of global hunger. The article examines this early exemplar of "greenwashing" and reconstructs an untold story in the history of nitrogen capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing concerns about global warming, it is crucial to adopt agronomic practices that enhance rice yields from paddy fields while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for sustainable agriculture. An optimal nitrogen (N) fertilization rate and planting density are vital to ensure high rice yields, minimize GHG emissions, and understand emission behavior for better field management. We hypothesized that optimizing N application rates and planting density to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in rice cultivation would reduce resource losses and GHG emissions. To test this hypothesis, we implemented five treatments with a rice straw return cultural system: two planting densities (16 hills m−2 (traditional density, D1) and 20 hills m−2 (25% higher density, D2)) and three N application rates (no N fertilizer (N0), 180 kg N ha−1 (N1), and 144 kg N ha−1 (N2)). The control treatment (CK) was traditional planting density with no N fertilizer. The four new cropping modes were N1D1, N1D2, N2D1, and N2D2. We investigated the effects of N application rates and planting density on rice grain yield, NUE, and GHG emissions in multiple rice-growing seasons. The N1D2 treatment exhibited the highest grain yield over the three years, with a value of 10,452 kg ha−1, representing an increase of 12.2% compared to CK. Moreover, N uptake in N1D2 was the highest, averaging 39.2% (p < 0.05) higher than CK, and 8.5%, 3.5%, and 2.8% (p < 0.05) higher than N1D1, N2D1 and N2D2, respectively. N2D2 exhibited the highest NUE, with a value of 58.99 kg kg−1, surpassing all other treatments over the three years. GHG emissions, global warming potential (GWP), and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) in N2D2 were lower than in N1D1, N1D2, and N2D1. Additionally, reducing N application (comparing N1D1 to N2D1) and increasing plant density (comparing N1D1 to N1D2) improved N agronomic efficiency (NAE) and N partial productivity (PFPN). The negative correlation between the NAE and PFPN with GWP and GHG emissions further supports the potential for optimized N management and denser planting density to reduce environmental impact. These findings have important implications for sustainable rice cultivation practices in Southwest China and similar agroecosystems, emphasizing the need for integrated nutrient management strategies to achieve food security and climate change mitigation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canadian nitrogen (N) fertilizer use has more than doubled since 1990 (1.2 to 2.9 MtN by 2021). Consequently, a better understanding of this trend is needed. A comprehensive set of recommended N rates (RNRs) that agreed with the fertilizer sales data from 1996 and 2001 was compared with the Fertilizer Use Survey (FUS). The FUS was conducted from 2014 to 2021, with 2017 being the most representative year for these data. Using non-parametric statistics, confidence intervals were derived from the histograms used to present the FUS data. N application rates from the RNR for canola, spring and Duram wheat, and oats in the west were all below their respective FUS confidence intervals, whereas N application rates for grain corn showed almost no difference in N use between the RNR and FUS. Crop-specific N application rates interpolated from the RNR and FUS were integrated over their respective crop areas and plotted against national fertilizer sales records from 1990 to 2021. The rapid increase in N use between 2001 and 2017 (0.89 MtN), 90% of it (0.80 MtN) in Western Canada, was primarily due to the increased application rates per crop, rather than crop area changes. The RNR-FUS interpolations were a good approximation of N sales records and could improve farm GHG emissions modelling. The economically important crops in Western Canada should be the main focus for N-related GHG reduction measures, but production losses need to be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses challenges to maize production and productivity in eastern Ethiopia. Impact assessment using climate predictions is the prime step to design adaptation strategies. Crop Environment Resource Synthesis (CERES)-Maize model in DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) was calibrated using GenCalc software. The model was used to simulate change in maize yield in the baseline (1988–2017) and future climate periods (2030s and 2050s) under (Representative Concentration Pathways) RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios using 17 CMIP5 (Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase Five) GCMs (Global Circulation Models). During calibration and evaluation of the model excellent agreement of measured and simulated anthesis, and days to physiological maturity for all the cultivars with normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) of less than 10% and R2 value of 0.99 was obtained. The seasonal leaf area index (LAI) and top weight progressions were also predicted well by the model with d-index of 0.96 and 0.99, respectively. Excellent (nRMSE < 10) to good (nRMSE 10–20) predictions were also obtained for grain yield and tops weight. The average annual temperature would increase by (1.90 ± 0.36) oC, (2.45 ± 0.53) oC and rainfall would increase (8 ± 5) %, (12 ± 8) % under RCP 4.5 in 2030s and 2050s, respectively across GCMs compared to baseline in the study area. As a result in 2030s yield reduction, – 10.6% to – 15.4% and – 7.4% to – 9.3% in 2050s of maize cultivar was projected across GCMs. In 2030s and 2050s under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 long maturing cultivars (BH661) on 15th May planting with 130.5 kg N ha–1 application predicted the highest maize grain yield.Highlights: Climate change poses challenges to maize production and productivity. Adaptation strategies such as cultivars, planting dates, and nitrogen fertilizer rates were assessed. Under RCP4.5 and 8.5 in 2030s the highest maize grain yield predicted by planting late maturing (BH661) cultivar on 15 May with 130.5 kg ha–1 nitrogen fertilizer application. In 2050s planting late maturing (Raare-1) cultivar with 87 kg ha–1 nitrogen fertilizer application under RCP4.5 and, Planting late maturing (BH661) cultivar with 130.5 kg ha–1 nitrogen fertilizer application under RCP8.5 predicted to give higher yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates and contrasts the concurrent application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and diverse forms of iron (Fe) fertilizer on the physiological growth and components of wine grape berries. The objective is to provide both theoretical insights and practical support to enhance berry quality and optimize wine fermentation processes. Eight treatments were established encompassing two main treatments (without urea and with urea application) and four sub-treatments (ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, EDTA-Fe, and ferric citrate). Results indicate that the synergistic application of N fertilizer and chelated Fe fertilizer significantly improves the photosynthetic characteristics of grape leaves, leading to a remarkable enhancement in leaf chlorophyll content (13.7–83.9%). Moreover, the combined application of N and Fe fertilizers significantly boosts berry tannin levels (11.2–21.5%), anthocyanins (2.8–117%), and total phenols (1.9–41.2%). Additionally, there is a notable increase in the relative abundance of amino acids and flavonoids, contributing to an augmented yield (3.9–36.1%). Correlation analysis suggests that the synergistic application of N and Fe improves berry quality by augmenting N and Fe content in the leaves, promoting photosynthesis, improving water-use efficiency, and increasing leaf chlorophyll content. Overall, the comprehensive score of the principal component analysis reveals that the synergistic application of N fertilizer and chelated Fe fertilizer has the most significant effect, leading to substantial improvements in the quality and yield of the berries. These findings provide critical theoretical support for future fertilizer strategies aimed at enhancing the quality and nutritional value of berries and wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is a critical factor in achieving high rice yields, but it can also contribute to increased CH4 emissions from rice paddies. Determining how to utilize N fertilizer to effectively balance the contradiction between methane (CH4) emissions and rice yield remains an urgent need in the face of unstoppable climate change. Materials and methods: In this study, the response of CH4 fluxes in rice paddies to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration (e[CO2]) and reduced N application were investigated. The rice biomass and yield, CH4 fluxes, soil properties, and methanogenic characteristics were observed in control (CK) (ambient CO2 concentration + application of 250 kg N ha−1 urea), C+ (e[CO2] by 200 ppm + 250 kg N ha−1 urea), N− (ambient CO2 concentration + 150 kg N ha−1 urea), and C+N− (e[CO2] by 200 ppm + 150 kg N ha−1 urea) treatments. Results and discussion: The results revealed that the C+ and C+N− treatments significantly increased the CH4 emissions/yield by 20.0% and 18.8%, respectively, while the N− treatment significantly suppressed the CH4 emissions/yield by 13.3% compared to CK. The N− treatment weakened the promotion effect of C+ on the rice total biomass, the soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and invertase activity, and the CH4 emissions/yield. Moreover, the C+N− treatment significantly reduced the soil DOC concentration and the abundance of the mcrA gene in the grain-filling stage compared to C+. Conclusions: Overall, under climate change conditions, N reduction can mitigate CH4 fluxes from rice paddies by affecting rice growth, soil methanogenic characteristics, and the C substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: This study was performed to investigate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer levels and pre-planting of cover crops on some vegetative traits and yield of rice plants. Material and Methods: This experiment was conducted over 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, at the research farm of Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. The experimental design employed a three-replicated split-plot arrangement within a randomized complete block design. The main plots involved five nitrogen consumption levels (0, 120, 240, 320, and 400 kg ha-1 ). The sub-plots included four types of pre-planted cover crops (no cover crop, canola, bersim clover, and rye). Results: Based on the findings, employing berseem clover as a cover crop in pre-sowing resulted in a significantly more favorable rice yield than others. Nitrogen fertilizer at rates of 320- 400 kg ha-1 led to enhanced vegetative traits, yield, and various yield components, including leaf area index and tiller number, ultimately resulting in increased overall yield. Results revealed that planting bersim clover cover crop before planting rice, along with 320 kg ha-1 of urea fertilizer, leads to 41.5% higher yield compared to no fertilizer. Conclusion: Bersim clover stood out among the pre-planting cover crops, significantly enhancing many rice traits. Additionally, no significant difference was observed between urea fertilizer levels of 320 and 400 kg ha-1 in several measured traits. Thus, the integrated treatment of bersim clover cover crop and 320 kg ha-1 of urea fertilizer is recommended before planting rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut is not only an important economic crop but also considered to be as a kind of functional food. However, the presence of calycosin, a bioactive isoflavonoid, in peanuts is still unknown. In this study, calycosin was firstly identified in leaves, needles and pods of four peanut cultivars examined including Yuanza 9102 (P1), Kainong 176 (P2), Zhuhua 2 (P3) and Yuhua 23 (P4). Moreover, the effects of three nitrogen fertilization levels (N0: 0 kg/ha, N1: 75 kg/ha, N2: 150 kg/ha) on calycosin accumulation in leaves, needles and pods of four different peanut cultivars at DAF30, DAF60 and DAF90 were investigated. The results showed that calycosin content varied from 0.87 to 718.83 μg/g FW in peanut and the relatively higher calycosin content was found in leaves, followed by needles and pods. Furthermore, calycosin contents in leaves of all four peanut cultivars at DAF60 were higher than that at DAF30 and DAF90, respectively. Calycosin accumulation in needles and pods at DAF90 was more than that at DAF30 and DAF60. In addition, the optimal combination for the highest calycosin yields in the leaves, needles and pods were P1 under N1 (75 kg/ha) at DAF60, P2 under N2 (150 kg/ha) at DAF60 and P2 under N1 at DAF90, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation industry occupies a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Assessing greenhouse gas emissions from the cultivation industry is pivotal for mitigating emissions and promoting sustainable cultivation. Utilizing greenhouse gas emission calculation methods recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other methods, this work evaluated annual emissions and the emission structure of major crops from 2005 to 2021 in the Chengdu Plain, a significant agricultural region in Southwest China. We identified nitrogen fertilizer as the primary contributing factor to high emissions from cultivation production. Subsequently, we analyzed the trend and utilization of nitrogen fertilizer, which proposes essential strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the cultivation industry in the Chengdu Plain exhibited a growth, fluctuation, and eventual decline trend from 2005 to 2021. The emissions increased from 5,148,900 t in 2005 to 6,289,700 t in 2009, representing a 22.16% increase, and subsequently decreased to 5,109,900 t in 2021, marking a 23.31% decrease. Nitrogen fertilizer application emerges as the primary source of GHG emissions, constituting approximately half of the total, with nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing contributing significantly as well, collectively amounting to about 70%. We also found that the proportion of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to cash crop cultivation has gradually increased over the last decade. Among these crops, vegetables exhibit the highest emissions, comprising nearly half of the total emissions from 2019 onwards. However, the nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency of cash crops is less than 30%, with higher nitrogen surplus, ammonia volatilization, and nitrogen leaching per unit area, and the total amount is higher than that of grain crops. Among cash crops, vegetables exhibit the highest amount of nitrogen surplus, ammonia volatilization, and nitrogen leaching, constituting nearly half of the total amount in the study area since 2019. Our findings significantly affect sustainable and low-carbon cultivation industry development in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) content affects aboveground maize growth and nutrient absorption by altering the belowground rhizospheric ecosystem, impacting both yield and quality. However, the mechanisms through which different N supply methods (chemical and biological N supplies) regulate the belowground rhizospheric ecosystem to enhance maize yield remain unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a field experiment in northeast China, comprising three treatments: maize monocropping without N fertilizer application (MM), maize/alfalfa intercropping without N fertilizer application (BNF), and maize monocropping with N fertilizer application (CNS). The MM treatment represents the control, while the BNF treatment represents the biological N supply form, and CNS treatment represents the chemical N supply form. In the autumn of 2019, samples of maize and rhizospheric soil were collected to assess parameters including yield, rhizospheric soil characteristics, and microbial indicators. Both BNF and MM significantly increased maize yield and different yield components compared with MM, with no statistically significant difference in total yield between BNF and CNS. Furthermore, BNF significantly improved N by 12.61% and available N (AN) by 13.20% compared with MM. Furthermore, BNF treatment also significantly increased the Shannon index by 1.90%, while the CNS treatment significantly increased the Chao1 index by 28.1% and ACE index by 29.49%, with no significant difference between CNS and BNF. However, CNS had a more pronounced impact on structure of the rhizosphere soil bacterial community compared to BNF, inducing more significant fluctuations within the microbial network (modularity index and negative cohesion index). Regarding N transformation pathways predicted by bacterial functions, BNF significantly increased the N fixation pathway, while CNS significantly increased assimilatory nitrate reduction. In CNS, AN, NO3‐N, NH4‐N, assimilatory nitrate reduction, and community structure contributed significantly to maize yield, whereas in BNF, N fixation, community structure, community stability, NO3‐N, and NH4‐N played significant roles in enhancing maize yield. While CNS and BNF can achieve comparable maize yields in practical agricultural production, they have significantly different impacts on the belowground rhizosphere ecosystem, leading to different mechanisms of yield enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elymus sibiricus plays a crucial role in ecological protection and animal husbandry. However, after many years of growth, the biomass of E. sibiricus decreases, and the plants degrade. Moreover, there is no good solution to the problem of degradation of Elymus sibiricus; the addition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers is the primary measure of cultivation management to improve yield, so it is crucial to find the appropriate level of fertilization. This study performed a two-factor split-plot experiment, including four levels of N (0, 45, 60, and 75 kg·hm−2) and four levels of P (0, 60, 75, and 90 kg·hm−2), to investigate the effect of N and P fertilizers on yield, yield components, and photosynthesis characteristics of E. sibiricus. The results showed that the forage yield in 2017 was higher than in 2018. The forage yield in 2017 was highest at N75P0 with a value of 29,926 kg·hm−2, and in 2018 it was highest at N45P0 and N75P0 with a value of 12,266 kg·hm−2 and 12,233 kg·hm−2, respectively, which demonstrates the large impact of year effects on the forage yield. All traits increased with the increase in N and P fertilizer application, but with excess fertilizer application, the photosynthesis was limited, leading to a slowdown in growth and a decrease in yield. In addition, under adequate N fertilization, the role of P fertilization was not significant (p > 0.05). N, P, and N × P can significantly (p < 0.05) affect the yield traits and forage yield of E. sibiricus. According to the PCA, it is clear that N fertilizer has the largest effect, and the growth capacity of degraded E. sibiricus grassland can be restored by adding 75 kg·hm−2 of nitrogen fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed siliques easily shatter after ripening, resulting in a significant amount of grain loss, which delimits the development of rapeseed machine harvest. However, the effect of nitrogen (N) and density interaction on the characteristics of rape siliques and shattering resistance index is still vague. During the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 growing seasons, we selected the Jiayou No. 5 rapeseed variety and set three N application levels (N1: 90 kg ha−1, N2: 180 kg ha−1, N3: 270 kg ha−1) and two density treatments (M1: 150,000 plants ha−1, M2: 300,000 plants ha−1) to research the effects of N and density interaction on morphological indexes, physiological indexes, shatter resistance index and yield of direct-seeding rapeseed siliques. The silique shatter resistance index, silique's length, weight, moisture content, silique shell's weight, thickness, lignin content, cellulose content and phenylalaninase (PAL) activity all increased first and then decreased with the increase in the N application rate; the N2 treatment increased by 18.38% and 26.92%, respectively, compared to the N1 and N3 treatments; 3.65%, 2.48%; 6.70%, 3.58%; 20.46%, 18.33%; 5.97%, 5.96%; 8.82%, 9.60%; 9.12%, 19.90%; 43.85%, 69%; 2.10%, 11.04%. Compared with the M1 treatment, the silique shatter resistance index, silique's length, weight, moisture content, silique shell's weight, thickness, lignin content, cellulose content and PAL activity were lower under M2 treatment. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the silique's length, water content, silique shell's weight, thickness, lignin content, cellulose content and PAL activity were significantly positively correlated with the silique shatter resistance index. Therefore, this study shows that N2M1 treatment can carry off synergy between silique shatter resistance and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal combination of the nitrogen fertilizer application and planting density with reference to the silage maize yield and quality remains unclear. We hypothesized that increasing both would increase yields following the law of diminishing returns. Yayu26, a silage maize cultivar, was used in a split-plot experiment to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer and planting density on growth, nutrient characteristics, and chlorophyll fluorescence. The main plots were assigned to three planting densities: 60,000 (A1), 75,000 (A2), and 90,000 (A3) plants hm−2, and the subplots were assigned to four nitrogen fertilizer rates: 0 (B1), 120 (B2), 240 (B3), and 360 (B4) kg hm−2. The results showed that increasing the nitrogen application rate and planting density both enhanced silage maize yield. Nitrogen accumulation and agronomic use efficiency peaked at a planting density of 75,000 hm−2. Structural equation modeling showed that the nitrogen application rate and planting density affected nitrogen accumulation and nutrient properties by influencing chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and nitrogen agronomic efficiency, ultimately resulting in a positive effect on the yield. The A3 × B2 treatments exhibited higher nitrogen accumulation, potentially compensating for any deficiencies in the dry-matter yield. Therefore, the A3 × B2 treatment was evaluated as the optimal treatment to achieve sustainable and economically feasible silage maize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to understand the influence of nitrogen accumulation, fungal endophyte, yield, nitrogen use efficiency, and grain nutritional quality parameters on the yield of quinoa in some areas of China. The endophytic microbial community in plants plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and health, especially in quinoa plants under different nitrogen fertilizer levels. The results from the present study indicated that appropriate nitrogen application significantly enhanced the nitrogen accumulation and yield of quinoa grains during maturity, increasing by 34.54–42.18% and 14.59–30.71%, respectively. Concurrently, protein content, amylose, total starch, ash, and fat content also increased, with respective growth rates of 1.15–18.18%, 30.74–42.53%, 6.40–12.40%, 1.94–21.94%, and 5.32–22.22%. Our constructed interaction network of bacterial and fungal communities revealed that bacteria outnumbered fungi significantly, and most of them exhibited synergistic interactions. The moderate increase in N150 was beneficial for increasing quinoa yield, achieving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of over 20%. The N210 was increased, and both the yield and NUE significantly decreased. This study provides novel insights into the impact of nitrogen fertilizer on quinoa growth and microbial communities, which are crucial for achieving agricultural sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first step to achieving ecological sustainability and intensification in agricultural systems is to have a comprehensive agroecological analysis of agricultural systems. This research analyzed the agroecological ecosystem of potato cultivation in the Torbat-e Heydariyeh Region of Iran over fifteen years (2001-2016). Based on the results, potato yield increased by 0.28 t ha-1 yr-1. The average potential yield of potato was calculated by the FAO method to be 64 t.ha-1. Also, the potential yield did not increase significantly during the study period. The average yield gap of potato was calculated to be 32.44 t ha-1. Also, with increasing yield, the yield gap showed a decreasing trend. The ecosystems experienced a steady rise in intensification, and the stability decreased. It was observed that although nitrogen fertilizer application was increased, its efficiency dropped from 110 kg tuber per kg of nitrogen fertilizer to 70 kg. Due to the decreasing trend of NUpE (Nitrogen uptake efficiency) and NUE (Nitrogen use efficiency) during the studied years, the NUE gap was the main factor in increasing nitrogen consumption, increasing intensification, and reducing stability in the studied systems. Therefore, changing the management method to increase the efficiency of nitrogen consumption can be suggested as the first step for moving towards ecological intensification and improving the sustainability of potato production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forage maize, with its rich nutrition and high palatability, is an important crop in the develop‐ ment of animal husbandry. With the rapid devel‐ opment of animal husbandry in our country and the continuous advancement of the policy of "changing crop to forage", Chinese forage maize industry has developed rapidly, and the yield and quality have greatly improved. However, the plant‐ ing area of forage maize is limited, and most vari‐ eties are traditional. How to improve the yield and quality of forage maize with limited resources is an urgent problem to be solved in forage maize industry. At present, many in-depth studies have been carried out on the cultivation measures of forage maize. In this paper, the current status of forage maize and the research on its high yield and quality cultivation in recent years are reviewed, including the ef‐ fects of cultivation measures on the yield and quality of forage maize, such as variety selection, planting mode, planting density, nitrogen fertilizer application and harvest time. It also covers the research related to the use of forage maize in cultivating animals. The aim of the paper is to provide important reference for the quality production of forage maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This experiment aimed to investigate the yield and quality of high erucic acid rape under different nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer interactions, in order to identify nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application treatments that were suitable for stable yield and quality improvement of high erucic acid rape varieties. [Methods] This experiment using high erucic acid rape‘Mianyou 309'as the material, set up 4 nitrogen fertilizer levels (N0:0 kg·hm-2, N1:60 kg·hm-2, N2:120 kg·hm-2, N3:180 kg·hm-2) and 4 phosphorus fertilizer levels (P0:0 kg·hm-2, P1:45 kg·hm-2, P2:90 kg·hm-2, P3:120 kg·hm-2), totaling 16 treatments. This experiment was conducted to compare the effects of different nitrogen and phosphorus interactions on the yield and quality of high erucic acid rape. [Results] The application amount of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer affected the number of pods, seeds per pod and thousand seed weight per plant, thereby affecting the yield of rape. The yield reached its maximum value under N3P2 treatment in 2020 and 2021, with a maximum value of 2 848.7 kg·hm-2 in 2020, an increase of 206.5% compared with the minimum value of 929.4 kg·hm-2. The maximum value in 2021 was 2 908.3 kg·hm-2, which was 213.6% higher than the minimum value of 927.4 kg·hm-2. Under N3P2 treatment, the measured yield of rape oil in 2020 and 2021 reached the maximum of 1 144.0 and 1 353.1 kg·hm-2, and the maximum erucic acid yield was 582.5 and 685.8 kg·hm-2, respectively. Nitrogen fertilizer significantly affected the oil content of high erucic acid rape, with the highest oil content (41%-42%) under N2 conditions for two years. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers significantly affected the content of erucic acid, reaching the maximum value under N2P2 treatment for two years, with a maximum value of 55.0%. [Conclusions] Reasonable application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers could significantly improve the yield and quality of rape, achieving the goal of increasing yield and income.‘Mianyou 309', as a rape processed with erucic acid, could achieve higher yield and better quality by applying nitrogen 180 kg·hm-2 and phosphorus 90 kg·hm-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principled utilization of treated wastewater can reduce the pollution load on the environment. Because on the one hand, treated wastewater can be a suitable fertilizer substitute, and on the other hand, using treated wastewater in irrigation prevents the discharge of polluted surface water into water sources. In the south of Tehran province, polluted surface water is used for irrigation in the agricultural sector, and this has led to environmental problems. To solve this problem, it has been decided to implement a plan to build surface water treatment plants and an irrigation and drainage network to transfer treated wastewater to farms. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the economic and environmental effects of this project in the region. A hydro‐economic model has been used to achieve this goal. According to the results, in the case of the application of environmental constraints in the optimization model, the cultivation area and the farmers' profit will be reduced by about 5% and 36%, respectively, compared with the noncompliance of environmental constraints. However, this decline in profit can be compensated by adopting solutions such as improving the irrigation system, the application of treated wastewater, or using the fertilizer potential of water sources in the agricultural sector. Practitioner Points: In the optimal economic‐environmental situation, farmers' profit is reduced compared with the optimal economic situation.In the case of implementing the treated wastewater application, the farmers' profit will increase despite environmental constraints.In the optimal economic‐environmental situation, fewer lands are cultivated with diverse crops than in optimal economic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of different nitrogen (N) application levels on seed endophytes and grain nutritional quality are not yet clear. The impact of four N application levels on endophytes and amino acid accumulation in purple rice seeds was examined using 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing technology. This study integrates 16S rRNA, ITS amplicon sequencing technology and amino acid‐targeted detection to explore the effects of four different nitrogen application levels (0 kg hm−2, Y1N0; 180 kg hm−2, Y1N1; 270 kg hm−2, Y1N2; 360 kg hm−2, Y1N3) on the accumulation of endophytic bacteria, fungi and amino acid content in purple rice seeds and their interaction mechanisms. The findings indicated an increase in the contents of most amino acids with increasing N application. The dominant bacterial species in the community were mainly from the phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota, while the dominant fungal species were from the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. There was a significant difference in the richness of endophytic fungal communities between Y1N0 and Y1N2. Y1N1 showed significant differences in Mucoromycota compared to Y1N3. The quantity of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the bacterial and fungal community co‐occurrence network increased with increasing N fertilizer, showing strong correlations with Sporidiobolus, Chaetomium, Humicola, Botryotrichum, Ophiosphaeria and Dioszegia for most amino acids. These findings indicate that a high amount of N fertilizer greatly increases amino acid contents in purple rice seeds and improves the diversity and stability of endophytic fungal populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the formation mechanism of starch structure and the relationships between the appearance quality and starch structure of soft rice under different nitrogen levels. We comprehensively investigated the physiological aspects, starch structure variations, and appearance quality of soft rice in response to different nitrogen applications. The results showed that under the moderate nitrogen application (270 N), the soft rice exhibited the highest AGPase activity, the highest large‐starch granule content, and the lowest chalkiness. Under the highest nitrogen application (360 N), the soft rice exhibited the highest GBSS and DBE activity and the lowest SBE activity, the highest content of long‐branched amylopectin, the lowest relative crystallinity, the fewest ordered structures, the most amorphous structures, the largest semi‐crystalline lamellar thicknesses, and the highest transparency of chalk‐free rice. In conclusion, moderate nitrogen fertilization (270 N) improved the AGPase activity, which leaded to fuller starch granules and more compact endosperm in soft rice. Thus, the grain chalkiness of soft rice decreased. Continuous nitrogen application (0‐360 N) constantly increased the GBSS and DBE activity and reduced the SBE activity in soft rice, leading a lower content of short‐branched amylopectin and a higher content of long‐branched amylopectin in soft rice. Thus, the relative crystallinity and ordered structures of soft rice were reduced. These structures improved the transparency phenotype of soft rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agronomica Sinica is the property of Crop Science Society of China and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) released from different fertilizers to soil solution is a factor that affects soil fertility and plant growth. To evaluate the impacts of amending soil with organic, chemical and bio-fertilizers solely or in combinations for uprising N, P available contents in soil and increasing the growth of black cumin (Nigella sativa L) plants. The consequences of these additives on soil chemical properties were a matter of concern herein. To attain this aim, incubation and a pot experiment was conducting at 50% level of adding rabbit manure and ureaform together or both separately, control without fertilization and bio-fertilizer single in a randomized block design which considering six equations (Zero-order, first-order equation, second-order equation, Pseudo-second-order, power function, and parabolic diffusion model) were used to describe variations among released N and P with incubation time. The results demonstrated that using chemical, organic, and bio-fertilizer resulted in considerable decrease in soil pH and increases in organic matter (SOM) and nutrients availability (N and P) by time progress for all treatments. Compared to other equations, the pseudo-second models provided a better description of the kinetics of changes in released N and P contents with time, with R² ranging from 0.99 to 1.00. The results show that the application of 50% Rabbit manure + 50% Ureaform + Bio-fertilizer (RUBF) significantly enhanced parameters of black cumin plants such as shoot dry weight, plant height, and stem diameter, chlorophyll a, b, and carotenoids ratio, dry weight capsules, number of capsules, and seed weight/plant. Our study is useful when using rabbit manure, ureaform and bio-fertilizers. That can be improving soil chemical properties, supplying available nutrients, the release kinetics and the factors related to the release of nutrients from these fertilizers are essential in planning strategies of nutrient management, additionally, boosted the growth, plants quality, yield and photosynthetic pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences is the property of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Green mustard is a type of vegetable with commercial value and bright prospects due to its delicious taste, easy availability, and uncomplicated cultivation. Mustard greens are rich in nutrients, for instance, every 100 grams of mustard greens contain 2.3 grams of protein, 0.3 grams of fat, 4.0 grams of carbohydrates, 220.0 mg of calcium, 38.0 mg of phosphorus, 2.9 mg of iron, 1940 mg of vitamin A, 0.09 mg of vitamin B, and 102 mg of vitamin C, as well as 92 grams of water. The high demand for green mustard has triggered production development to meet consumer needs. Increasing production requires attention to cultivation techniques, including the use of a combination of growing media and nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen is crucial for plant vegetative growth, and the use of a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers can enhance nitrogen uptake by plants. This research was conducted in March-April at the Agricultural Greenhouse, Brawijaya University. The growing media used included a mixture of soil, rice husk charcoal, and cow manure with various ratios. The research results indicate that the treatment using a 1:1:1 mixed growing media (soil, rice husk charcoal, cow manure) and the application of 75 kg N/ha (urea) + 75 kg N/ha (ZA) provided the best results in terms of plant height, leaf area, fresh weight, and consumption weight. However, treatments with a 0:2:1 mixture and various doses of nitrogen fertilizer (150 kg N/ha urea, 150 kg N/ha ZA, 75 kg N/ha urea + 75 kg N/ha ZA, 112.5 kg N/ha urea + 37.5 kg N/ha ZA) resulted in lower growth and yield of green mustard. This is likely due to the lack of nutrients in the growing media mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the combined application of water-retaining agents and nitrogen fertilizers on soil physicochemical properties, bacterial communities, and root growth under winter wheat planting mode in the Guanzhong area of Shaanxi Province. Based on the positioning experiment of dry farming in the loessal soil area of Shaanxi Province, four treatments were set up by using the tillage method of subsoiling + rotary tillage and straw returning: only fertilization (U), only water retention agent sodium polyacrylate (C3H3NaO2)n (S), combined use of water-retaining agent sodium polyacrylate (C3H3NaO2)n and fertilizer (US), and control group CK (no treatment). The ultra-high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes of soil bacteria was performed by the Illumina Hiseq platform, and the effects of different tillage measures on soil bacterial diversity and community structure were analyzed. In addition, the effects of these tillage measures on soil physicochemical properties and winter wheat root length density at booting and flowering stages were evaluated. The results indicated that the combination of the water-retaining agent and fertilizer markedly enhanced the contents of ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium in the 0~20 cm soil layer, significantly increased the soil moisture content, and promoted the deep growth of roots. The root length density was 4.70 times higher than that of the control group at the booting stage. In addition, the combined application alleviated the decrease in soil microbial diversity caused by individual fertilization, especially significantly increasing the abundance of Gemmatimonadetes, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes in the 0~10 cm soil layer. This study reveals the potential of the combined use of water retention agents and fertilizers to optimize the soil environment and enhance winter wheat yield, which provides a scientific basis for improving local agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psyllids feed exclusively on plant sap, which is an unbalanced diet for herbivores due to its low nitrogen content. Therefore, the plant-psyllid-natural enemy interactions can be strongly shaped by the bottom-up forces of N fertilization. Pear psylla Cacopsylla chinensis is a notorious pest in East Asian countries, inflicting devastating damage to pear trees and fruits. However, the bottom-up effects of nitrogen fertilizer on C. chinensis and the mechanisms remain unexplored. Here, we evaluated the performance of C. chinensis larvae over the N application range of 0–1500 mg/kg. The feeding activity and body weight of C. chinensis increased and the developmental duration of C. chinensis decreased significantly when N application increased. Our results indicated that nitrogen application enhanced psyllid fitness on host plant. By analyzing pear leaf metabolites, we found that only ferulic acid increased with the increase of nitrogen fertilizer concentration among phenolics assessed. Exogenously application of ferulic acid accelerated the development of psyllid nymphs. We also found that the concentration of both essential and non-essential amino acids increased significantly when N supply increased, which provided C. chinensis with increased nutrients for their development. The expression levels of several C. chinensis genes in the amino acids synthesis pathway decreased significantly after nitrogen application, indicating that C. chinensis can adjust its amino acid synthesis levels based on its diet. We demonstrated that the enhanced fitness of psyllids under nitrogen supply stems from altered host chemical traits and nutritional quality. The manipulation of nitrogen fertilization has a high potential for use in psyllid IPM programs by reducing psyllid performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) (WCR) is often double cropped with maize for silage (Zea mays L.) to increase farm forage supply and profit. Spring nitrogen (N) fertilization to WCR could influence its production and quality at different harvesting times. Therefore, two on‐farm trials were conducted in the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 growing seasons to evaluate the effect of harvesting time (late‐March to end‐of‐April considering the growth stage) and spring N fertilization (0, 23, 47, and 71 kg N ha−1) on WCR morphology, forage yield, nutrient removal, quality, and farm profit. Only two N treatments (0 and 47 kg N ha−1) were evaluated for each harvesting time in trial 1. A quadratic model best explained an increase in WCR dry matter (DM) yield in response to growing degree days (GDD) accumulation (R2 = 0.81). An increase in GDD linearly decreased WCR relative forage quality (RFQ). Benchmarking RFQ at 150 for dairy milk production indicates WCR should be harvested at a GDD of 543, at which WCR plant height was 31.8 cm and DM yield was 0.77 Mg ha−1. This resulted in loss of profit in both study years compared to later harvesting dates at higher GDDs. Benchmarking RFQ at 125 for heifer production indicated that harvest should occur at a GDD of 668, at which the WCR was 71 cm tall, and its DM yield was 2.25 Mg ha−1. Nitrogen balances were negative at the N0 treatment (0 kg N ha−1), indicating a need for some N to maximize WCR yield. We found that a rate between 21 and 47 kg N ha−1 maximizes yields reflecting slightly positive balances, in which the highest profits occur. Our results suggest that the harvesting time can be predicted by GDD and should be adjusted for RFQ. We conclude that less than 47 kg N ha−1 N fertilizer is required for WCR production in soils with manure history and high soil organic matter (>30 g kg−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study was conducted in order to estimate the yield gap of faba bean in the main production areas of this plant in Golestan province, including Gorgan, Ali Abadkatol and Aq Qola cities, and to identify the factors that cause it and to determine the contribution of each of them. Methods: Based on this, the information related to the production management of 445 faba bean farms in Gorgan, Aliabadkatol and Aqqola regions in 1398-1399 and 1399-1400 was collected and the yield gap was estimated using the comparative performance analysis (CPA) method. Results: The average, maximum, and gap yield of faba bean seeds were 2742, 4000, and 1258 kg per hectare, respectively. Additionally, based on the results obtained, the most important reasons for the yield gap and the contribution of each of them in creating the yield gap were: planting date 21%, pests 15 percent, the amount of pure nitrogen (N) 14 percent, the number of disc times 14 percent, the amount of seed used 12 percent, diseases 12 percent, waterlogging 5 percent, weeds 3 percent, non-use of working row 2 percent and improper planting depth 1 percent. Conclusion: In general, by optimizing the management of faba bean production and eliminating the mentioned factors of yield gap, it is possible to increase the yield of faba bean in the regions of Gorgan, Ali Abadkatol and Aq Qala of Golestan province by 46 percent (equal to 1258 kg per hectare) compared to the current amount increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]