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A field experiment was conducted at the agriculture farm, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Birbhum, West Bengal, India during kharif (rainy) seasons (June-September) of 2016 and 2017 to study effect of zinc application on growth, yield and nutrient uptake of rice. The experiment was laid out in split plot design replicated thrice, consisting two main plot treatments i.e. crop establishment methods (CEMs) and seven sub-plot treatments (levels of zinc and methods of application). Two CEMs were direct seeded rice (DSR) and transplanted puddled rice (TPR) and seven levels of zinc and methods of application were namely control (Zn0), Seed coating of Zn @ 1250 mg kg-1 (Zn1), Seed coating of Zn @ 2500 mg kg-1 (Zn-2), Seed coating of Zn @ 3750 mg kg-1 (Zn3), two foliar sprays @ 1050 mg kg-1 (Zn4), three foliar spray @ 1050 mg kg-1 (Zn5), 2500 mg kg-1 seed coating+2-foliar spray @ 1050 mg kg-1 (Zn6). In respect of yield attribute and yield, Zn6 resulted significantly highest number of Panicle m-2 as well as number of filled grains panicle-1. Zn3 though recorded 5.7% more grain yield than Zn6 but later Zn6 resulted highest zinc concentration and uptake. Zn1 recorded highest zinc use indices. Zn1 resulted much highest Zn use efficiency than foliar application and combined application of seed coating and foliar spray. Correlation between Zn levels and Zn concentration in both grain and straw of rice was highly positive; very highly positive correlation was recorded with the Zn levels and Zn uptake by both grain and straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), as a typical representative of oasis agriculture in Northwest China, produced 2.41 million tons of grain, with a total planting area of 14.15 million hectares. Cotton, corn, and wheat accounted for 61.14%, 8.25%, and 7.98% of the total planting area respectively. The systematic evaluation of nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiency in regional farmland and analysis of nutrient management issues have become important topics for sustainable agricultural development. Therefore, this paper focuses on the agricultural production system in the XPCC, aiming to elucidate the characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient flow in farmland and calculate the surplus and efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, the Spearman correlation analysis method was used to explore the synergistic relationship between nutrient management and production levels, economic benefits, and environmental benefits. A comparative country analysis was carried out. The results showed that: 1) From 2000 to 2020, farmland nitrogen input and output in the XPCC both showed an initial increase followed by a stabilization trend. In 2020, farmland nitrogen input and output were 4.58×108 kg and 2.49×108 kg respectively. Chemical fertilizer was the main source of nitrogen input, accounting for 87.37% of total nitrogen input. Straw, grains, and ammonia volatilization were the major pathways for nitrogen output, accounting for 42.89%, 24.63%, and 20.16% of total nitrogen output respectively. Farmland phosphorus input exhibited an initial increase followed by a stabilization trend, while phosphorus output showed a continuous increase trend. Farmland phosphorus input and output were 1.35×108 kg and 0.68×108 kg respectively. Chemical fertilizer accounted for 94.1% of total phosphorus input. Grains and straw were the primary pathways for phosphorus output, accounting for 70.43% and 28.31% of total phosphorus output respectively. The farmland nitrogen surplus showed a fluctuating increase trend from 2000 to 2020, increasing from 91.90 kg/hm² in 2000 to 147.54 kg/hm² in 2020, representing a 61% increase. The phosphorus surplus exhibited an initial increase followed by a decreasing trend, rising from 26.57 kg/hm² in 2000 to 61.26 kg/hm² in 2015 and then declining to 47.61 kg/hm² in 2020. The relatively high farmland nitrogen and phosphorus surpluses in the XPCC posed a high risk of environmental pollution. Farmland nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiency from 2000 to 2020 showed stable fluctuations, ranging from 34.33% to 44.05% for nitrogen and from 39.25% to 49.54% for phosphorus. Nitrogen and phosphorus utilization efficiency were relatively low, indicating room for improvement. 2) There was a trade-off effect between farmland nutrient utilization and production levels, economic benefits and environmental benefits in the XPCC, while there was a synergistic effect between production levels and economic benefits. The high yield of agricultural mechanization production in the XPCC was at the expense of nutrient loss and environmental pollution. 3) The nutrient utilization level in developed countries was relatively high, which synergistically promoted the production levels and economic benefits without sacrificing environmental benefits. However, the nutrient utilization in Central Asian countries and the XPCC presented a trade-off effect with the production levels and economic benefits. In conclusion, two recommendations were proposed for farmland nutrient management. Firstly, based on the farms, clear reward and punishment systems should be established, nutrient accounting and management were initiated from high-standard farmland, and promoted smart agricultural technology to control fertilizer and water. The science and technology backyard could be employed to lead and demonstrate nutrient management, facilitating technology dissemination and application. Secondly, regional crop and livestock structure and layout should be optimized, sufficient equipment was provided for manure fermentation and fertilizer application, production mechanization, and the use of chemical fertilizers reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous factors, such as the soil's low organic content and the inaccessibility of phosphorus nutrients in acidic soil conditions, restrict the growth of crops and the health of the soil. In the 21st century, crop production and soil health need attention for food security in order to enhance soil fertility and vigorous crop production. The objective of the study was to investigate how biodynamic farming affects on soil health and plant biomass production as phosphorus can react with aluminum and iron in acidic soil to generate insoluble compounds that are unavailable to plants. Phosphorus availability in acidic soil might be a problem and less available to plant roots as a result of the precipitation. By lowering the solubility of aluminum and iron in acidic soils, nano-black carbon increases the availability of phosphorus to plants. Experimental findings revealed that grain phytate concentration and fertilizer use-efficiency were significantly improved with agronomic interventions. The highest GPC and TPU were noted with nano-black carbon tretament. However, SPU was increased with muck compost application. The maximum GPC, SPU, and TPU were recorded at 100 kg P ha−1. Maximum GPC, SPU, and TPU were recorded with Trichoderma achlamydosporum than Pseudomonas. Highest FUE was recorded with 75 kg-P-ha−1. AE and PFPp altered with treatments and highest AE and PFP were noted with nano-black carbon. Conclusively, PAE, PFPp, and FUE were higher with integration of nano-black carbon+achlamydosporum along with inorganic P (75 kg per hac) can improve soil health and nutrients status along with yield and productivity on a sustainable basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reservoir immigrants have made significant contributions to the national economic construction, and proper resettlement and support for reservoir immigrants are the keys to social harmony and stability. In order to objectively, accurately, and scientifically evaluate the efficiency of the use of post resettlement funds for reservoir immigrants in Ningxia from 2019 to 2021, a three-stage DEA model is used to analyze and study the efficiency of post resettlement funds in 14 typical districts and counties of Ningxia. The SFA method is used to eliminate the impact of environmental factors and random interference on the efficiency of fund use. The analysis results indicate that: 1 It is reasonable for this paper to use the three-stage DEA model to evaluate the efficiency of the use of post resettlement funds for reservoirs in Ningxia. 2 After removing the influence of environmental factors and random interference, the utilization efficiency of the support fund in the third stage increased by 55.1%, 87.8%, and 32.4% compared with the first stage, respectively, which improves the accuracy of the evaluation of the utilization efficiency of the support fund and can provide a reference for the development of subsequent projects. 3 Among the three environmental factors studied in this article, improving education level has gradually become an effective way to improve the efficiency of using support funds. 4 Through DEA Malmquist dynamic analysis, the total factor production efficiency of six districts and counties, including ZN County, PL County, and LT District, is relatively low. The main factors are low efficiency in fund management and improper scale allocation. Based on the analytic results, we will continuously improve the quality of life of immigrants by strengthening management, optimizing project scale and types, implementing classified policies, and providing precise support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid waste (LW) discharged during bioethanol production needs treatment. In this study, LW was applied to corn, and its effects on corn growth, yield, and nitrogen (N) content, as well as on soil chemical properties, were evaluated. Five treatments were applied during corn cultivation: no fertilizer (NF), chemical fertilizer (CF), LW at a standard application rate (LW1.0), LW at 1.7 times the rate of LW1.0 (LW1.7), and split application of LW1.7 (S-LW1.7) in six replications. The amount of N applied was 30 kg 10a−1 for CF and LW1.0, and 51 kg 10a−1 for LW1.7 and S-LW1.7. N was applied separately three times in CF, LW1.0, and LW1.7 and six times in S-LW1.7. A higher corn yield, corn ear weight, and number of leaves was observed in LW treatments than in CF. N content of the corn plant top was higher in S-LW1.7 than in LW1.7; N availability was 56.9% and 40.5% higher, respectively, indicating that split application improved N availability. Soil total N content increased significantly in LW treatments, and soil total carbon content tended to increase in S-LW1.7. Therefore, application of LW could increase corn yield and soil fertility, and its effect could be enhanced by split application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to improve the utilizations of water and nutrient is a research hotspot of sloping farmland in semi-arid and rain-fed areas. In this study, the spatial changes of soil moisture, nutrients, and roots under different tillage modes, as well as the efficient utilization mechanism of soil moisture and nutrients from rain-fed maize on three mulching treatments (no surface covering, ridge film and straw mulch and ridge film mulch) and two slope treatments (5° slope and 10° slope) of sloping farmlands were studied at the Nationally Agricultural Environment Fuxin Observation and Experiment Station in China through a micro-zone simulation and a long-term positioning experiment. The results indicated that ridge film mulch and furrow seeding significantly improve the water use efficiency and partial factor productivity of the plants in sloping farmlands, with the highest increases being 51.33% and 45.05%. By analyzing the coordinated relationship between water, nutrients, and roots, it was found that ridge film furrow seeding technology can significantly affect the spatial distribution of water, nutrients, and roots in different soil layers, and improves the effective coefficient of soil water and nutrients. The effective coefficient of ridge film and straw treatment was 2.53, while the average value of the effective coefficient of ridge film treatment was 1.39. Further analysis found that the degree of consistency between the root system, water, and nutrient barycenter was highly correlated with the effective coefficients of water and nutrients. Visual radar map analysis revealed that root development limits the improvement availability of the efficient use of water and nutrients in the soil. Promoting root development indicators and root spatial distribution through ridge film coverage was an effective way to improve the efficient use of maize water and nutrients. The ridge film mulching promoted the root development index and root spatial distribution, thus improving the efficient use of water and nutrients in maize. Overall, the ranking of the regulation effect was as follows: ridge film and straw mulch > ridge film mulch > no mulch, and 5° slope > 10° slope. This research provided a theoretical basis for the enhancement of use efficiency in water and nutrients in sloping farmlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Soil Sciences & Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Based on FAO data, the paper presents trends in nitrogen (N) input and output in Poland. As N input ( N inp), nitrogen from mineral fertilisers, manure application, biological fixation, and deposition was included. The N outputs ( N out) include the N contained in crop harvest (main products and by-products). The trend analyses were carried out for the period before (1961–1989) and after (1990–2018) the changes in the political and economic systems. Additionally, trends in the nitrogen use efficiency ( NUE) and nitrogen surpluses ( N S) are presented for these periods. In both compared periods, the mean values of N budget indicators in Poland were (kg N∙ha –1 UAA): N inp 120 and 125, N out 61 and 84, N S 60 and 41 and NUE 53 and 67%, respectively. The estimated Y max, which represents the N out value reached at saturating N fertilisation, reached the values of 127 and 263 kg N∙ha –1 UAA in these periods. The difference in these values suggests a significant impact of agronomy improvement on N out in the recent period. The trends of nitrogen within 16 regions in period 2002–2019, based on national data, resulted in a significant variation in N indicators. The values found were in the following ranges (kg N∙ha –1 UAA): N inp 78–167; N out 62–99; N S 15–83 and Y max 139–317. The NUE ranged from 50–81%. The obtained results indicate that in Poland and its regions there is still a need to improve of the nitrogen efficiency.

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower 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.)

Appropriate foliar application of zinc (Zn) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) is important for the proper growth and yield of tomato. However, the effects of foliar application of Zn and ZnO-NPs were not well-studied on tomato production. A pot experiment was conducted at glasshouse (8D) conditions under the Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to evaluate the effectiveness of Zn and ZnO-NPs on growth, yield, nutrient uptake, and fruit quality of tomatoes and to compare between the Zn nutrient and ZnO-NPs. Treatment combinations were 14 viz. T1 = 0 (control), T2 = 1500 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T3 = 2000 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T4 = 2500 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T5 = 75 ppm ZnO nanoparticle, T6 = 100 ppm ZnO nanoparticle, and T7 = 125 ppm ZnO nanoparticle along with two tomato varieties. The experimental design was a split plot with four replications. Results indicated that foliar application of 100 ppm ZnO-NPs performed best in terms of growth parameters, physiological traits, yield attributes, yield, and quality traits of tomatoes. The same treatment (100 ppm ZnO-NPs) contributed to attain the highest nutrient uptake. Recovery use efficiency of Zn was highest with foliar application of 75 ppm ZnO-NPs. The highest yield increment (200%) over control was from foliar sprayed with 100 ppm ZnO-NPs. Comparing the two varieties, MARDI Tomato-3 (MT3) showed better than MARDI Tomato-1 (MT1). As is appears from the results, foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles was more efficient than conventional zinc fertilizer. Therefore, the foliar sprayed with 100 ppm ZnO-NPs can be suggested to improve quantity and quality of tomato in glasshouse soil conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth is highly dependent on the timely and throughout season availability of essential nutrients. Next to nitrogen, phosphorus (P) is a very important essential element required in large quantities for normal plant growth and development. Need based nutrient application approach by following 4R nutrient stewardship (right rate, right time, right place, right source) will ensure higher yield, nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, and increase the farm income without causing much damage to the environment. Though usage of phosphorus in rice is quite high, 4R stewardship based research on this nutrient is very scarce; though scattered research on different aspects of P application is available. Hence, an attempt was made in this paper to compile and consolidate most of the available research results from the Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR) and also by other researchers on various aspects of P fertilisation in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is required for paddy cultivation, but nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in paddy farming is low (20–40%). Much of the unutilized N potentially degrades the quality of soil, water, and air and disintegrates the functions of different ecosystems. It is a great challenge to increase NUE and sustain rice production to meet the food demand of the growing population. This review attempted to find out promising N management practices that might increase NUE while reducing the trade-off between rice production and environmental pollution. We collected and collated information on N management practices and associated barriers. A set of existing soil, crop, and fertilizer management strategies can be suggested for increasing NUE, which, however, might not be capable to halve N waste by 2030 as stated in the “Colombo Declaration” by the United Nations Environment Program. Therefore, more efficient N management tools are yet to be developed through research and extension. Awareness-raising campaign among farmers is a must against their misunderstanding that higher N fertilizer provides higher yields. The findings might help policymakers to formulate suitable policies regarding eco-friendly N management strategies for wetland paddy cultivation and ensure better utilization of costly N fertilizer.

Based on FAO data, the paper presents trends in nitrogen (N) input and output in Poland. As N input (Ninp), nitrogen from mineral fertilisers, manure application, biological fixation, and deposition was included. The N outputs (Nout) include the N contained in crop harvest (main products and by-products). The trend analyses were carried out for the period before (1961-1989) and after (1990-2018) the changes in the political and economic systems. Additionally, trends in the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and nitrogen surpluses (NS) are presented for these periods. In both compared periods, the mean values of N budget indicators in Poland were (kg N∙ha-1 UAA): Ninp 120 and 125, Nout 61 and 84, NS 60 and 41 and NUE 53 and 67%, respectively. The estimated Ymax, which represents the Nout value reached at saturating N fertilisation, reached the values of 127 and 263 kg N∙ha-1 UAA in these periods. The difference in these values suggests a significant impact of agronomy improvement on Nout in the recent period. The trends of nitrogen within 16 regions in period 2002-2019, based on national data, resulted in a significant variation in N indicators. The values found were in the following ranges (kg N∙ha-1 UAA): Ninp 78-167; Nout 62-99; NS 15-83 and Ymax 139-317. The NUE ranged from 50-81%. The obtained results indicate that in Poland and its regions there is still a need to improve of the nitrogen efficiency. [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.)

The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of organomineral fertilizers, which have become widespread in recent years. For this purpose, a pot experiment under greenhouse conditions was carried out to show the effect of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) applied together or separately with an organic fertilizer (OF) originating from the biogas plant on the growth and the nutrient uptake of the model plant wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Adana-99). Two different fertilizer application methods (incorporating and placement) were mimicked, and the efficacy of biogas plant-derived organic fertilizers was determined. The results of the study show that the OF applied with the plant nutrients positively affected plant growth and nutrient uptake. According to the correlation analysis, significant correlations were found between the OF application and the shoot dry weights of the plants and their P uptake. The fertilizer application 5 cm below the seedbed caused the most effective results. The correlative relationships detected in plants where the OF and N, P, and K were applied together disappeared when plant nutrients were mixed to the entire pot, and OF was used 5-10 cm or 5 cm below the seedbed. The results showed that biogas facility-based OF applications, together with the plant nutrients in the form of an organomineral fertilizer, can increase the nutrient use efficiency of plants by improving their uptake, especially that of P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The worldwide agricultural enterprise is facing immense pressure to intensify to feed the world’s increasing population while the resources are dwindling. Fertilizers which are deemed as indispensable inputs for food, fodder, and fuel production now also represent the dark side of the intensive food production system. With most crop production systems focused on increasing the quantity of produce, indiscriminate use of fertilizers has created havoc for the environment and damaged the fiber of the biogeosphere. Deteriorated nutritional quality of food and contribution to impaired ecosystem services are the major limiting factors in the further growth of the fertilizer sector. Nanotechnology in agriculture has come up as a better and seemingly sustainable solution to meet production targets as well as maintaining the environmental quality by use of less quantity of raw materials and active ingredients, increased nutrient use-efficiency by plants, and decreased environmental losses of nutrients. However, the use of nanofertilizers has so far been limited largely to controlled environments of laboratories, greenhouses, and institutional research experiments; production and availability on large scale are still lagging yet catching up fast. Despite perceivable advantages, the use of nanofertilizers is many times debated for adoption at a large scale. The scenario is gradually changing, worldwide, towards the use of nanofertilizers, especially macronutrients like nitrogen (e.g. market release of nano-urea to replace conventional urea in South Asia), to arrest environmental degradation and uphold vital ecosystem services which are in critical condition. This review offers a discussion on the purpose with which the nanofertilizers took shape, the benefits which can be achieved, and the challenges which nanofertilizers face for further development and real-world use, substantiated with the significant pieces of scientific evidence available so far. Graphical Abstract

How to improve the utilizations of water and nutrient is a research hotspot of sloping farmland in semi-arid and rain-fed areas. In this study, the spatial changes of soil moisture, nutrients, and roots under different tillage modes, as well as the efficient utilization mechanism of soil moisture and nutrients from rain-fed maize on three mulching treatments (no surface covering, ridge film and straw mulch and ridge film mulch) and two slope treatments (5° slope and 10° slope) of sloping farmlands were studied at the Nationally Agricultural Environment Fuxin Observation and Experiment Station in China through a micro-zone simulation and a long-term positioning experiment. The results indicated that ridge film mulch and furrow seeding significantly improve the water use efficiency and partial factor productivity of the plants in sloping farmlands, with the highest increases being 51.33% and 45.05%. By analyzing the coordinated relationship between water, nutrients, and roots, it was found that ridge film furrow seeding technology can significantly affect the spatial distribution of water, nutrients, and roots in different soil layers, and improves the effective coefficient of soil water and nutrients. The effective coefficient of ridge film and straw treatment was 2.53, while the average value of the effective coefficient of ridge film treatment was 1.39. Further analysis found that the degree of consistency between the root system, water, and nutrient barycenter was highly correlated with the effective coefficients of water and nutrients. Visual radar map analysis revealed that root development limits the improvement availability of the efficient use of water and nutrients in the soil. Promoting root development indicators and root spatial distribution through ridge film coverage was an effective way to improve the efficient use of maize water and nutrients. The ridge film mulching promoted the root development index and root spatial distribution, thus improving the efficient use of water and nutrients in maize. Overall, the ranking of the regulation effect was as follows: ridge film and straw mulch > ridge film mulch > no mulch, and 5° slope > 10° slope. This research provided a theoretical basis for the enhancement of use efficiency in water and nutrients in sloping farmlands.

The yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is low due to incorrect or use of no magnesium (Mg). An experiment was conducted from October to March 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 to determine the effective dose of Mg to improve yield and quality, and assess nutrient uptake and use efficiency of tomato. Treatments were magnesium at 0 (control), 4, 8, 12, or 16 kg·ha−1. Application of 12 kg·ha−1 Mg produced the most fruit per plant (41.1), heaviest fruit (74.3 g), and greatest fruit yield (69.7 t∙ha−1). Vitamin C content in fruit was best (39.6 mg/100 g) with application of 12 kg·ha−1 Mg. The same treatment had the highest β-carotene (26.1 µg·g−1), improved fruit firmness (1.06 kilogram-force), and had better protein content (18.8%) in mature tomato fruit. Uptake of nutrients was best with 12 kg·ha−1 Mg. Recovery use efficiency of Mg was highest with 8 kg·ha−1 Mg. The best gross margin (48.6%) and benefit-cost ratio (3.11) was with 12 kg·ha−1 Mg. Application of 12 kg·ha−1 Mg appears to improve the quantity, quality, and economics of tomatoes. Regression analysis indicated application of Mg @ 11.3 kg·ha−1 could be optimum to improve the yield of tomatoes under controlled field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Menoufia Journal of Agricultural Economic & Social Science is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

Background: Crop production in the arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) is constrained by erratic rainfall and poor soil fertility. Therefore, climate smart agriculture mechanisms such as in-situ rainwater harvesting technologies and recommended fertilizer rates would be vital for ensuring food security. Objective: To evaluate selected in-situ water harvesting technologies and fertilizer rates on soil water content and yield of maize and beans at KALRO Katumani Research Center in Machakos County, Kenya during the 2019 and 2020 short and long rain seasons, respectively. Methodology: The experiment was established in a randomized complete block design with a split-split plot arrangement, replicated three times, with in-situ water harvesting technologies comprising of zai pits, ngolo pits, contour furrows and conventional tillage, as the main plots, whereas the split plots were varying rates of fertilizer inputs: Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), goat manure and control. The split-split plots comprised of maize and beans cropping systems. Soil moisture content was assessed at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after emergence, whilst nutrient uptake, use efficiency and crop yields at physiological maturity. Data was subjected to analysis of variance. Results: Soil moisture, maize and beans yields, nutrient uptake and use efficiency were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased by in-situ water harvesting technologies and fertilizer inputs. Highest soil moisture content was recorded under zai and ngolo pits and lowest in conventional tillage treatments. Ngolo pits recorded higher maize and beans grain yield. Application of DAP fertilizer increased maize and beans grain yield compared to control. Intercropping maize and beans increased grain yield significantly (p ≤ 0.05) compared to sole maize and sole beans. Implications. There is need for promoting a combination of in-situ rainwater harvesting technologies especially ngolo and zai pits with application of DAP+ manure in semi-arid areas where water is scarce coupled with poor soil fertility. Conclusion: Ngolo and zai pits increased soil water retention capacity while application of DAP fertilizer led to increased crop yield and the study therefore recommends their adoption within the study area and extrapolation to areas of similar conditions.

A study was carried out to evaluate the influence of deficit levels of irrigation and fertigation on accumulation of dry matter and uptake of major nutrients in bell pepper as well as to understand water and fertilizer use efficiencies of the crop under a polyhouse. A two-factor randomized block design was employed with irrigation regimes at 40% (I1), 60% (I2) and 80% (I3) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) being the first factor and with the second factor being fertigation levels with 50% (F1), 75% (F2) and 100% (F3) recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (150:150:150 kg/ha NPK)] along with a control treatment comprising water replenishment with 100% ETc through drip and 100% RDF using conventional fertilizers as soil application. Significantly higher uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as total dry matter accumulation was recorded under I2 and F2 and their resultant interaction combinations. The performance of the crop under farmer's practice treatment was poor in all respects, making it unsuitable for adoption in greenhouse crop cultivation. Water and fertilizer use efficiencies were higher with a decreased amount of applications as the combination of deficit levels of water (I2) and fertilizer (F2) was found superior in recorded parameters resulting in a higher fruit yield, which further helped in reducing the cost of the production as well as decreasing the pollution of the growing environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of the behavior of the coffee tree regarding the combination of nutrients in the soil is important, once it allows to verify the interaction between them, allowing to improve the use efficiency of nutrients by the plants. The objective of this study was to verify the effect of combined doses of N and P on the content of nutrients, dry matter and nutritional efficiency of conilon coffee seedlings in a controlled environment. The assay was carried out in a completely randomized design, with 13 fertilization levels combined with N and P, initially based on the recommendation for studies in a controlled environment, with a sample space of 29.28 to 170.71 mg/dm³ N and 43.93 to 256.06 mg/dm³ P, with three replications. At 150 days of cultivation, the nutritional contents of leaf tissues were measured, as well as dry matter production, content of nutrients in root, shoot and total dry matter; mathematical expressions related to absorption, translocation and use efficiency were applied to study nutritional efficiency. The combination with different levels of N and P in fertilization interferes with the nutrition of Coffea canephora seedlings; the combinations 60.71-43.93 mg/dm³ and 158.92-150.00mg/dm³ of N and P are an alternative for use in the cultivation of conilon coffee, since these combinations enabled a more efficient use of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Car stands idle in the parking lot for most of its “life”. Natural solution is to change the form of ownership – one car must serve as many people as possible. Solution to the problem is achieved by the emergence of non-existing technologies. Digital technologies allow us to take a slightly different look at the situation and make possible approaches that have not previously been possible to implement. This study is aimed at the application of different concepts of car use to improve vehicle use efficiency.Car sharing is the use of the same car by different people. First attempts to implement car sharing were made as early as 1948 in Zurich. However, the concept did not go further. First implementation of car sharing projects occurred only in the 1970s. A new era in car sharing was opened in the 2000s. Success of car sharing was facilitated by high level of urbanization and low incomes, in which buying and maintaining a personal car can be difficult. Car sharing becomes an integral part of the city network. Ride sharing is guaranteed to reduce traffic, help offload roads during rush hours and reduce the harmful environmental impact of car emissions. Ride sourcing in today ‘s world is one of the most recognizable and common forms of mobility. How quickly and successfully digital technologies will be introduced, when using various concepts of car use, the speed of the emergence of truly unmanned vehicles on the street and road network of cities, the presence of a competent information policy, that popularizes the departure from traditional ways of owning a car, and most importantly, increasing public confidence, that after the mass rejection of personal cars, the cost of using services will not increase significantly, defines the role of various forms of car use in the future transport system of the world’s cities.

Copyright of Journal of Agro-Environment Science is the property of Journal of Agro-Environment Science Editorial Board 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.)

Appropriate foliar application of zinc (Zn) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) is important for the proper growth and yield of tomato. However, the effects of foliar application of Zn and ZnO-NPs were not well-studied on tomato production. A pot experiment was conducted at glasshouse (8D) conditions under the Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to evaluate the effectiveness of Zn and ZnO-NPs on growth, yield, nutrient uptake, and fruit quality of tomatoes and to compare between the Zn nutrient and ZnO-NPs. Treatment combinations were 14 viz. T1 = 0 (control), T2 = 1500 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T3 = 2000 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T4 = 2500 ppm (mg/L) Zn nutrient, T5 = 75 ppm ZnO nanoparticle, T6 = 100 ppm ZnO nanoparticle, and T7 = 125 ppm ZnO nanoparticle along with two tomato varieties. The experimental design was a split plot with four replications. Results indicated that foliar application of 100 ppm ZnO-NPs performed best in terms of growth parameters, physiological traits, yield attributes, yield, and quality traits of tomatoes. The same treatment (100 ppm ZnO-NPs) contributed to attain the highest nutrient uptake. Recovery use efficiency of Zn was highest with foliar application of 75 ppm ZnO-NPs. The highest yield increment (200%) over control was from foliar sprayed with 100 ppm ZnO-NPs. Comparing the two varieties, MARDI Tomato-3 (MT3) showed better than MARDI Tomato-1 (MT1). As is appears from the results, foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles was more efficient than conventional zinc fertilizer. Therefore, the foliar sprayed with 100 ppm ZnO-NPs can be suggested to improve quantity and quality of tomato in glasshouse soil conditions.

Eucalyptus accumulates large amounts of nutrients in its biomass and, in order to maintain high productivities, high doses of fertilizers are applied, mainly potassium. Adequate fertilization management requires information on nutrient contents in the various plant organs. This study aimed to use the boundary-line (BL) method to determine curves of nutrient accumulation in eucalyptus shoots. For this, a database containing information on yield and nutrient contents in the various plant organs was used. Scatter plots relating nutrient content in the areal part to trunk volume were constructed. In these graphs, points of the upper and lower edges of the cloud of points were selected, BLs were established and equations to quantify nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) accumulation were obtained. Subsequently, the K content obtained in boundary plants was correlated with those of the other nutrients in the same plants. The relationship between nutrient content and trunk volume allowed establishing the maximum and minimum accumulations for the same volume produced. Plants with highest K accumulation had 4.6, 2.07 and 2.0 less accumulation of N, P and Mg, respectively, than those with lowest K accumulation, for the same trunk volume. At the end, it is concluded that plants with higher K accumulation showed reduction in the absorption of N, P and Mg and lower efficiency in the use of K, P, Ca and Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is essential for life and for efficient crop production, but global P use with limited recycling is inefficient in several sectors, including agronomy. Unfortunately, plant physiologists, agronomists, farmers and end users employ different measures for P use efficiency (PUE), which often masks their values at different scales. The term P use effectiveness, which also considers energetic and sustainability measures in addition to P balances, is also a valuable concept. Major physiological and genetic factors for plant P uptake and utilization have been identified, but there has been limited success in genetically improving PUE of modern crop cultivars. In maize, studies on root architectural and morphological traits appear promising. Rhizosphere processes assist in mobilizing and capturing sparingly soluble phosphate from rock phosphate. Combinations of phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms with ammonium-based nitrogen fertilizer, as well as strategies of fertilizer placement near the roots of target crops, can moderately enhance PUE. The desired concentration of P in the products differs, depending on the final use of the crop products as feed, food or for energy conversion, which should be considered during crop production.

The nutrient use efficiency of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (PR) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) (WC) cultivars can affect the grass-legume compatibility of different cultivar combinations, thus impacting the sustainability of animal production systems, especially on marginal soils. The objective of this work was to evaluate N, P, and K absorption efficiency (NAE, PAE, and KAE) and use efficiency (NUE, PUE, and KUE). This study included two experiments with the same full factorial treatment structure (4 PR cultivars x 3 WC cultivars) in a randomized complete block design under field conditions and a completely randomized pot design. The field cutting experiment was carried out on sites with two contrasting soil depths and the pot experiment was conducted under shade conditions. Results showed nonsignificant (P > 0.05) factor interactions for DM yield and both nutrient absorption and use efficiency. The NAE and PAE of PR 'Extreme' and 'Bealey' were higher under field conditions than pot conditions. In the field experiment, NAE of WC 'Will' (2.33 kg DM ha-1)/mg N kg-1)) tended to be similar (P < 0.05) to other cultivars in deep soil, but was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than 'Ladino' and 'Bounty' in shallow soil (0.70 kg DM ha-1)/mg kg-1). The evaluation of NUE and PUE under field conditions and KUE under pot conditions showed that PR 'Bealey' and WC 'Ladino' reached higher values. In conclusion, results showed a cultivar effect on nutrient use efficiency in PR/WC mixtures, which had an impact on PRWC compatibility, mainly due to the higher absorption efficiency of PR 'Bealey' and WC 'Will', both of which exhibited the highest degree of compatibility for total DM yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous nitrogen (N) deposition has raised concerns that temperate forest ecosystems shift from N limitation to progressing phosphorus (P) limitation under global change. According to the multiple resource limitation theory, this will not only influence P economy, but also reduce N uptake and use efficiencies of trees such that growth is equally limited by N and P. We used different global change scenarios including summer drought to test the prediction of this hypothesis for the N economy of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) saplings. Our study demonstrates that the N uptake efficiency (NUptakeE) of beech adjusts to soil N availability and stabilizes leaf and fine root N concentrations. By contrast, both efficiencies of N use were curtailed by increasing P limitation under elevated soil N. The photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) was serially reduced with decreasing soil P availability and increasing foliar N:P ratios, while the N use efficiency (NUE) decreased with increasing fine root N:P ratios. Soil drought induced relative P deficiency alike and reduced NUptakeE, PNUE, and NUE independent from the soil N:P ratios. We conclude that not only N deposition but also increasing summer droughts might affect N:P ratios, thereby inducing P imbalances and affecting the N economy of European beech saplings under global change.

Dairy goats may rely heavily on body fat and protein reserves in early lactation. Therefore, we aimed to determine the energy requirement and estimate the efficiency of utilization the nutrients of tissues mobilized in the first 8 weeks of lactation for milk production using the comparative slaughter technique. The average initial body mass of 51 multiparous goats was 57.19 ± 8.38 kg and a body condition score of 3.0 ± 0.5. Three goats were slaughtered at the beginning of the experiment to serve as baseline animals to estimate initial empty BW and initial body composition. We used a complete randomized design in which the factor was the day of lactation for slaughtering (the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th, 42nd, 49th and 56th day), with six repeats, totalling 48 goats. No fasting before slaughtering. All animals received a single experimental diet. The efficiency of transferring energy from body reserves to milk was estimated using a multiple linear regression equation yielding a value of 0.76. The total energy stored in the empty body decreased over the eight lactation weeks, from 726.47 ± 26.19 to 316.18 ± 49.21 MJ, a 56.47% reduction, mainly because of a reduction in the energy from internal fat of 3.96 ± 1.98 MJ/day. In conclusion, the net energy required for maintenance is 60 ± 30 kJ/BW0.75 per day, and the net energy required for lactation decreases 70 ± 30 kJ/day during the first eight lactation weeks.

Two split trials with four replications were conducted at the Bangar El- Sukar region, Burg El- Arab, Alex. Governorate, Egypt during 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons to study the effect of two nitrogen sources fertilizers (ammonium sulphate 20.6% and urea 46%) with three rates (80, 100 and 120 Kg N/ fed.) on growth, yield components and quality characters and nitrogen use efficiency of sugarbeet grow on a clay loam soil. Results showed that significant differences were reported between sources of nitrogen fertilizer in the most plant growth characters, yield components, quality parameters and impurity parameters as well as nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in the two seasons. Beet plants fertilized with ammonium sulphate as compared with urea significantly exceeded root and top fresh weight, root length, root diameter, leaf area index and total dry matter accumulation per plant as growth parameters, roots, top, gross sugar and white sugar as yield components, percentage of gross sugar, white sugar, quality index as quality parameters and NUE for yields of roots, gross sugar, white sugar and loss sugar in both seasons, and chlorophyll “a” in first season only. On contrary, also, ammonium sulphate significantly decreased concentrations of K, Na, α- amino- N as impurities and loss sugar% as compared with urea in both seasons. Application of different rates of nitrogen fertilizer in the two seasons, significantly affected all tested traits, except loss sugar yield and quality index in the first season only. Application of 120 Kg N/fed. rate recorded the highest values of all tested plant characters, photosynthetic contents, yield components, quality parameters and NUE for gross sugar and white sugar yields. In addition, the same nitrogen rate produced the lowest values for all impurity parameters measured (K, Na, α- amino- N and AC), loss sugar percent, NUE for roots and loss sugar yields in the both seasons. The interaction between sources and rates of nitrogen fertilizer were significant effect on root length and fresh weight/ plant in first season only, root diameter, chlorophyll “b”, gross sugar yield/ fed., all quality parameters and NUE for loss sugar yield in the second season only. However, in the two seasons, roots, top and white sugar yields/ fed. and all impurities as well as NUE for roots, gross sugar and white sugar yields were significantly affected by the interaction between sources and rates of nitrogen fertilizer. In general, application ammonium sulphate fertilizer at the rate of 120 Kg N/ fed. was recommended because it recorded the highest root characterse, chlorophyll "b", most yield components and quality traits as well as NUE for gross sugar and white sugar yields, and the lowest loss sugar yield, loss sugar%, NUE for roots yield and all impurities traits. [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.)

Forest structure and dynamics vary across the Amazon Basin in an east-west gradient coincident with variations in soil fertility and geology. This has resulted in the hypothesis that soil fertility may play an important role in explaining Basin-wide variations in forest biomass, growth and stem turnover rates. Soil samples were collected in a total of 59 different forest plots across the Amazon Basin and analysed for exchangeable cations, carbon, nitrogen and pH, with several phosphorus fractions of likely different plant availability also quantified. Physical properties were additionally examined and an index of soil physical quality developed. Bivariate relationships of soil and climatic properties with above-ground wood productivity, stand-level tree turnover rates, above-ground wood biomass and wood density were first examined with multivariate regression models then applied. Both forms of analysis were undertaken with and without considerations regarding the underlying spatial structure of the dataset. Despite the presence of autocorrelated spatial structures complicating many analyses, forest structure and dynamics were found to be strongly and quantitatively related to edaphic as well as climatic conditions. Basin-wide differences in stand-level turnover rates are mostly influenced by soil physical properties with variations in rates of coarse wood production mostly related to soil phosphorus status. Total soil P was a better predictor of wood production rates than any of the fractionated organic- or inorganic-P pools. This suggests that it is not only the immediately available P forms, but probably the entire soil phosphorus pool that is interacting with forest growth on longer timescales. A role for soil potassium in modulating Amazon forest dynamics through its effects on stand-level wood density was also detected. Taking this into account, otherwise enigmatic variations in stand-level biomass across the Basin were then accounted for through the interacting effects of soil physical and chemical properties with climate. A hypothesis of self-maintaining forest dynamic feedback mechanisms initiated by edaphic conditions is proposed. It is further suggested that this is a major factor determining endogenous disturbance levels, species composition, and forest productivity across the Amazon Basin.

This study assessed the feasibility of struvite formation as a sustainable alternative for increasing the availability of phosphorus by applying a coated fertilizer. Diammonium phosphate fertilizer granules were coated with sepiolite-chitosan nanocomposites (SCF) to increase the use efficiency of phosphate fertilizer. The phosphorus uses efficiency of SCFs was studied under greenhouse conditions using Zea mays (maize) as the test plant and an efficiency improvement were observed. The phosphorus uptake as the result of available phosphorus increased, when fertilizing with the coated phosphate fertilizers. Suspensions of different-coated fertilizer treatments were prepared in 3 pH levels (6,7,8) and the chemical speciation was assessed by Visual MINTEQ 3.1. Precipitation and dissolution reactions were considered as the struvite formation mechanism. Also, the formation of struvite in a calcareous soil was evaluated in three incubation periods by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The XRD patterns showed the peaks of struvite, while the peak of sepiolite decreased gradually with increasing incubation time that could be explained by the transformation of this mineral to amorphous fibrous silica. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses also showed diffusion of phosphorus into the coating region, probably forming metastable magnesium phosphate that can facilitate the movement of P aside from the fertilizer granule toward the soil matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the use efficiency of fertilizer and to reduce the rate of nitrogen release, a coated urea was prepared using clay-polymer nanocomposites (CPU). Sepiolite and chitosan were used to form nanocomposites with different clay mineral/polymer ratios. The nanocomposites and CPUs were characterized using several techniques including Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area measurement. The FTIR examination revealed functional groups related to chitosan that interacted with sepiolite. The nitrogen release of CPUs was examined in the sand column showing that 75% of nitrogen content of CPU samples released in about 25 d, much longer than that of urea (3 d) and the rate of release of nitrogen was reduced by increasing the proportion of sepiolite in the clay/polymer nanocomposites. The release mechanism of CPUs was evaluated and the results showed the mechanism was not Fickian diffusion but anomalous diffusion. The nutrient use efficiency of CPUs was studied under greenhouse conditions using Zea mays (corn) as the test plant and a significant efficiency improvement was observed. The results showed that the CPUs with slow-release properties could be considered as efficient N fertilizers in agricultural and horticultural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted at Kulumsa, South East Ethiopia, using four levels of nitrogen (N) (0, 50,100 and 150 kg N ha−1) and four levels of phosphorus (P) (0, 35, 70 and 105 kg P2O5 ha−1) fertilizers arranged in 4 × 4 factorial arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. The available P was increased after harvest due to the application of N and P fertilizer at the rates of 100 or 150 kg N ha−1 and 70 or 105 kg P2O5 ha−1. More specifically, nutrients concentration and nutrient uptake were significantly (p <.01) varied among treatment combinations and nutrient use efficiency was declined by increasing N and P after optimum rates. The higher physiological efficiency of N (53.47 kg kg−1) and P (580.41 kg kg−1) and the highest apparent recovery of N (19.62%) and P (2.47%) was recorded from application of 50 kg N ha−1 and P at 70 kg P2O5 ha−1 and the highest agronomic efficiency of N (10.78 kg kg−1) and P (15.25 kg kg−1) was recorded from N at the rate of 50 kg N ha−1 and P at 35 kg P2O5 ha−1, respectively. The combination of N at 100 kg N ha−1 and P at 70 kg P2O5 ha−1 was promising combination that generated highest net benefit 488,878.5 ETB (Ethiopian birr) ha−1 with the highest marginal rate of return (36638%) and gave the highest seed yield (1858.82 kg ha−1) with yield increment of about 57.72% over the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop uptake and neglecting to apply phosphate (P) fertilizer are important reasons for P deficit in the agro-ecosystem. Recycled manure from within the system was adopted to evaluate the effects of mineral fertilizer combined with or without manure on crop yield, P budget, and P use efficiency in a continuous 20-year field trial. The experiment contained eight treatments: no fertilizer, manure (M), N fertilizer (N), N fertilizer with manure (N + M), N and P fertilizers (NP), NP fertilizers with manure (NP + M), N, P, and K fertilizers (NPK), and NPK fertilizers with manure (NPK + M). The yield and P uptake of soybean and maize increased with the sequential supplement of N, P, and K fertilizers. Application of recycled manure not only increased the yield and P uptake of crops but also reduced the inter-annual fluctuations in soybean yield. Although application of mineral P fertilizer was the main method to preserve P budget surplus and increase soil available P, recycled manure could be a positive supplement. The proportion of residual fertilizer P converted to soil available P under NP, NP + M, NPK, and NPK + M treatments was 9%, 7%, 3%, and 8%, respectively over a 20-year period. Moreover, P use efficiency in NP and NPK treatments gradually increased first and then stabilized at around 20%, but the value was obviously lower than that from manure. The results clearly demonstrated that integrated application of mineral NPK fertilizers and recycled manure was a useful method to improve crop yield and soil P fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complemented croplands are a crucial component of cropland resources and play a significant role in ensuring national food security. In recent decades, to counter the loss of prime farmland caused by urban construction, the Chinese government introduced a requisition–compensation balance policy, leading to the substantial expansion of new croplands. Therefore, there is an urgent need to determine whether these complemented croplands can be effectively used. Taking Southwest China as a case study, we used high-precision long-term land-use data from 1990 to 2020 to reveal the dynamics of complemented cropland utilization, evaluate the efficiency of complemented cropland utilization from the perspective of abandoned farmland, and identify the factors driving complemented cropland use efficiency based on more than 13 million land parcels. The results showed that: (1) From 1990 to 2020, complemented cropland amounted to approximately 1170.07 × 104 hm2, accounting for 32.67% of the total arable land area in 1990. The potential grain production capacity of these complemented croplands was significantly lower than that of base croplands. (2) The abandonment of complemented croplands was more serious than that of base croplands, and 47.03% of the complemented croplands experienced abandonment at least once during the study period, and the average efficiency of the complemented croplands was 75.61%. (3) The labor population ratio, elevation, and land parcel size played pivotal roles in influencing the complemented cropland utilization efficiency; however, there was substantial variation among the different provinces. Labor replacement, overcoming farming difficulties brought by mountainous terrain, and improving farmers' income are the keys to alleviating cropland abandonment in mountainous areas and improving cropland utilization efficiency. This study provides novel insights into the efficiency assessment and exploration of the mechanisms driving complemented croplands and can provide references for cropland management. [Display omitted] • A novel perspective for the evaluation of cropland use efficiency was developed. • Complemented cropland abandonment was more serious than that of base cropland. • Average use efficiency of complemented cropland was 75.61% in Southwest China. • Labor force ratio, elevation, and land parcel size were the primary driving factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed and compared the difference in the efficiency of construction land use and its influencing factors in the Wuhan metropolitan area between 1996-2007 and 2007-2013. The results were as follows: (1) The construction land-use efficiency of the Wuhan metropolitan area increased from the previous stage (1996-2007) to the latter stage (2007-2013). After 2007, the average technical efficiency increased by 0.032 and the effective proportion reach of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) increased by 9.49%. The average pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency both increased by 0.02, while their effective proportion increased by 1.85% and 4.1%, respectively. (2) Technological progress significantly contributed to increasing the Malmquist index, while the impact of the scale efficiency and pure efficiency was not relatively obvious. Comparing the two phases of the efficiency fluctuations, the total factor productivity (TFP) changed from 0.935 during 1996-2007 to 1.259 during 2007-2013. From the point of view of the spatial differentiation, the efficiency in most districts from 1996-2007 had different degrees of regression, however, the efficiency improved for all other regions except for the Xiaogan area, where it declined slightly. (3) The Wuhan metropolitan area established in 2007 has had a significant positive effect on the efficiency of construction land use, the difference-in-difference based on propensity score matching (PSM-DID) estimated results indicate that the efficiency increased by 0.07. The process of regional economic integration is accelerating and the scale benefits are gradually formed, which is of positive significance to the optimization of construction land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As a country with a high level of metal consumption, China must urgently formulate effective policies to improve its metal use efficiency. This article identifies the key sectors with the highest metal consumption intensity (MCI) and investigates the effect of the (pure) technical and final demand coefficients on the MCI of key sectors using a combined input-output and sensitivity analysis. The results show that the average MCI of key industries increased from 7.37 tonnes per ten thousand yuan to 32.13 tonnes per ten thousand yuan during the period from 2002 to 2012, and the manufacturing and processing of the metals sector (n14) revealed the greatest MCI. Moreover, the elasticity of the MCI in terms of the (pure) technical and final demand coefficients of key sectors also increased rapidly from 2002 to 2012, and the number of corresponding transactions leading to the increase in key sectoral MCI significantly increased. In terms of the elasticity of the technical coefficients, their sensitivity exceeded that of the pure technical coefficients in most cases due to the influence of the demand structure, and direct transactions between sectors had important impacts on the MCI in most key industries. Meanwhile, almost all the sectors exerted direct or indirect effects on the MCI of the mining of metal ores industry (n4). In addition, the manufacturing of general and special purpose machinery (n16), manufacturing of electrical machinery and apparatus (n18) and construction (n22) exerted influences on most sectors. Concerning the final demand coefficient elasticity, the gross fixed capital formation of most sectors induced the greatest elasticity in the corresponding sectors, and the greatest elasticity of all the sectors was related to the gross fixed capital formation of n22. Highlights • Sensitivity analysis based on input-output model is proposed to investigate the drivers of MCI in China. • The MCI of key industries increases rapidly during 2002–2012. • Direct transactions between sectors have an important impact on the MCI. • The largest elasticity of all sectors is related to the gross fixed capital formation of construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]