Yield Gap Analysis of Wheat in Rice-wheat Rotation Regions of Anhui Province,China

The present study was planned to analyze the yield gap of wheat and its production constraints in order to explore the approaches for narrowing the yield gap of wheat in different wheat-rice rotation regions of Anhui Province. The production status and limiting factors of wheat in three rice-wheat rotation regions which are named Region Ⅰ,Region Ⅱ and Region Ⅲ were surveyed by using participatory rural appraisal method. The personnel,who were engaged in wheat production in rice-wheat rotation regions of Anhui Province,mainly ageing from 41 to 60,accounted for 79% of the total personnel in the regions. There were significant differences in yield of wheat which was planted after rice in Anhui. The yield was ranging from 8 907. 00 to 2 700. 00 kg/ha from north to south with an average of 4 978. 5 kg/ha,and the rank of overall average yields at province level was Region Ⅰ( 5 685. 60 kg/ha) > Region Ⅱ( 5 600. 10 kg/ha) > Region Ⅲ( 3 048. 60 kg/ha). The average yield gap of wheat in wheat-rice rotation regions at province level was up to 2 637. 00 kg/ha,and the extreme yield gaps per hectare in the same region were 2 778. 00 kg( Region Ⅰ),2 502. 00 kg( Region Ⅱ) and 1 575. 00 kg( Region Ⅲ) respectively. The objective constraints were Fusarium head blight and pre-harvest sprouting;the subjective constraints were variety selection and layout,poor sowing quality and low seedling quality;social constraints were high cost,low market price and poor efficiency;and ecological constraints were poor soil texture,soil infertility and poor water-and-fertilizer retention. The yield gap of wheat in rice-wheat rotation regions can be effectively reduced by improving yield potential of low-and-medium-yielding fields. Selecting appropriate wheat varieties and layout,constructing disease forecast system,improving agricultural machinery and social service organizations of plant protection,and strengthening scientific training as well as technological training of new agricultural operators and agricultural machinery technicians are the core means to narrowing the yield gap of wheat in rice-wheat rotation regions at province scale.

Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Rice-Wheat Rotation as Affected by Crop Residue Incorporation and Temperature

Field measurements were made from June 2001 to May 2002 to evaluate the effect of crop residue application and temperature on CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions within an entire rice-wheat rotation season. Rapeseed cake and wheat straw were incorporated into the soil at a rate of 2.25 t hm(-2) when the rice crop was transplanted in June 2001. Compared with the control, the incorporation of rapeseed cake enhanced the emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O in the rice-growing season by 12.3%, 252.3%, and 17.5%, respectively, while no further effect was held on the emissions of CO2 and N2O in the following wheat-growing season. The incorporation of wheat straw enhanced the emissions of CO2 and CH4 by 7.1% and 249.6%, respectively, but reduced the N2O emission by 18.8% in the rice-growing season. Significant reductions of 17.8% for the CO2 and of 12.9% for the N2O emission were observed in the following wheat-growing season. A positive correlation existed between the emissions of N2O and CO2 (R-2 = 0.445, n = 73,p < 0.001) from the rice-growing season when N2O was emitted. A trade-off relationship between the emissions of CH4 and N2O was found in the rice-growing season. The CH4 emission was significantly correlated with the CO2 emission for the period from rice transplantation to field drainage, but not for the entire rice-growing season. In addition, air temperature was found to regulate the CO2 emissions from the non-waterlogged period over the entire rice-wheat rotation season and the N2O emissions from the nonwaterlogged period of the rice-growing season, which can be quantitatively described by an exponential function. The temperature coefficient (Q(10)) was then evaluated to be 2.3+/-0.2 for the CO2 emission and 3.9+/-0.4 for the N2O emission, respectively.

A Field Study on Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization Modes on Nutrient Uptake,Crop Yield and Soil Biological Properties in Rice-Wheat Rotation System

Rational application of nitrogen （N） fertilizers is an important measure to raise N fertilizer recovery rate and reduce N loss.A two-year field experiment of rice-wheat rotation was employed to study the effects of N fertilization modes including a N fertilizer reduction and an organic manure replacement on crop yield,nutrient uptake,soil enzyme activity,and number of microbes as well as diversity of microbes.The result showed that 20% reduction of traditional N fertilizer dose of local farmers did not significantly change crop yield,N uptake,soil enzyme activity,and the number of microbes （bacteria,actinomycetes,and fungi）.On the basis of 20% reduction of N fertilizer,50% replacement of N fertilizer by organic manure increased the activity of sucrose,protease,urease,and phosphatase by 46-62,27-89,33-46,and 35-74%,respectively,and the number of microbes,i.e.,bacteria,actinomycetes,and fungi by 36-150,11-153,and 43-56%,respectively.Further,organic fertilizer replacement had a Shannon＇s diversity index （H） of 2.18,which was higher than that of other modes of single N fertilizer application.The results suggested that reducing N fertilizer by 20% and applying organic manure in the experimental areas could effectively lower the production costs and significantly improve soil fertility and biological properties.

Responses of Wheat Production, Quality, and Soil Profile Properties to Biochar Applied at Different Seasons in a Rice-Wheat Rotation

In the rice-wheat rotation system,biochar(BC)can be applied at the initiation of the rice or wheat season.Here,we compared the effects of BC that were applied at two different crop seasons on wheat production,quality,and soil profile properties in a rice-wheat rotation system with nitrogen(N)fertilizer applied at 280 kg/ha rate.Results showed that both wheat grain production and N recovery use efficiency were influenced by BC applied at two crop seasons.Biochar application did not affect the total non-essential amino-acid,but when applied during wheat season,BC significantly(p<0.05)increased total essential amino acid in grain by 12.3%,particularly for the valine(+48.2%),methionine(+43.8%),and isoleucine(+10.3%).We found that BC significantly(p<0.05)decreased the pH of soil at 0–6 cm and 20–30 cm by 0.14–0.18 and 0.05–0.08 units,respectively.The NH4+-N content of the whole observed soil profile were reduced by BC application,however,the effect of BC on NO3–-N content varied with the application season and profile depth.Interestingly,BC applied at wheat and rice season significantly(p<0.05)improved topsoil N contents by 48.4%and 19.7%,respectively.In addition,data suggested that BC applied during wheat season performed better in enhancing soil available phosphorus,potassium,and organic matter contents.In conclusion,we suggest that the optimum application time of BC for enhancing crop production and quality(take amino-acid content for example)and improving soil fertility is at the initiation of the wheat season.

Seasonal and Interannual Variations of Carbon Exchange over a Rice–Wheat Rotation System on the North China Plain

Rice-wheat （R-W） rotation systems are ubiquitous in South and East Asia, and play an important role in modulating the carbon cycle and climate. Long-term, continuous flux measurements help in better understanding the seasonal and interannual variation of the carbon budget over R-W rotation systems. In this study, measurements of CO2 fluxes and meteorological variables over an R-W rotation system on the North China Plain from 2007 to 2010 were analyzed. To analyze the abiotic factors regulating Net Ecosystem Exchange （NEE）, NEE was partitioned into gross primary production （GPP） and ecosystem respiration. Nighttime NEE or ecosystem respiration was controlled primarily by soil temperature, while daytime NEE was mainly determined by photosythetically active radiation （PAR）. The responses of nighttime NEE to soil temperature and daytime NEE to light were closely associated with crop development and photosynthetic activity, respectively. Moreover, the interannual variation in GPP and NEE mainly depended on precipitation and PAR. Overall, NEE was negative on the annual scale and the rotation system behaved as a carbon sink of 982 g C m 2 per year over the three years. The winter wheat field took up more CO2 than the rice paddy during the longer growing season, while the daily NEE for wheat and rice were -2.35 and -3.96 g C m-2, respectively. After the grain harvest was subtracted from the NEE, the winter wheat field became a moderately strong carbon sink of 251-334 g C m-2 per season, whereas the rice paddy switched to a weak carbon sink of 107-132 per season.

Effects of mulches on water use in a winter wheat/summer maize rotation system in Loess Plateau, China

Limited water resources often result in reduced crop yield and low water productivity（WP）. In northwestern China, crop production is generally dependent on precipitation. Therefore, a variety of agricultural rainwater harvesting（ARH） techniques have been used for conserving soil moisture, ameliorating soil environment, increasing crop yield, and improving water use efficiency. A two-year（2013–2015） field experiment was conducted under a typical sub-humid drought-prone climate in Yangling（108°24′E, 34°20′N; 521 m a.s.l.）, Shaanxi Province, China, to explore the effects of mulching（same for summer maize and winter wheat） on soil moisture, soil temperature, crop water consumption, and crop yield with a winter wheat/summer maize rotation. Crops were planted in a ridge-furrow pattern and the treatments consisted of a transparent film mulch over the ridges（M1）, a crop straw mulch in the furrows（M2）, a transparent film mulch over the ridges and a crop straw mulch in the furrows（M3）, a black film mulch over the ridges and a crop straw mulch in the furrows（M4）, and a control with no mulch（CK）. Results showed that M4 was the best treatment for improving soil water storage and content, and decreasing crop water consumption during the summer maize and winter wheat rotation. In both maize and wheat seasons, M1 had a higher soil temperature than M2 and CK, and M3 had a higher soil temperature than M4. In the maize seasons, M4 had the highest yield, WP, and precipitation productivity（PP）, with the average values for these parameters increasing by 30.9%, 39.0%, and 31.0%, respectively, compared to those in CK. In the wheat seasons, however, M3 had the highest yield, WP, and PP, with the average values for these parameters being 23.7%, 26.7%, and 23.8% higher, respectively, than those in CK. Annual yield（maize and wheat yields combined） and WP did not differ significantly between M3 and M4. These results suggested that M3 and M4 may thus be the optimal ARH practices for the production of winter wheat and summer maize, respectively, in arid and semi-arid areas.

Assessment of CH_(4) flux and its influencing drivers in the rice-wheat agroecosystem of the Huai River Basin,China

To understand the CH_(4) flux variations and their climatic drivers in the rice-wheat agroecosystem in the Huai River Basin of China,the CH_(4) flux was observed by using open-path eddy covariance at a typical rice-wheat rotation system in Anhui Province,China from November 2019 to October 2021.The variations and their drivers were then analyzed with the Akaike information criterion method.CH_(4) flux showed distinct diurnal variations with single peaks during 9:00-13:00 local time.The highest peak was 2.15μg m^(-2)s^(-1)which occurred at 11:00 in the vegetative growth stage in the rice growing season(RGS).CH_(4) flux also showed significant seasonal variations.The average CH_(4)flux in the vegetative growth stage in the RGS(193.8±74.2 mg m^(-2)d^(-1))was the highest among all growth stages.The annual total CH_(4) flux in the non-rice growing season(3.2 g m^(-2))was relatively small compared to that in the RGS(23.9 g m^(-2)).CH_(4) flux increased significantly with increase in air temperature,soil temperature,and soil water content in both the RGS and the non-RGS,while it decreased significantly with increase in vapor pressure deficit in the RGS.This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the CH_(4) flux and its drivers in the rice-wheat rotation agroecosystem in the Huai River Basin of China.In addition,our findings will be helpful for the validation and adjustment of the CH_(4) models in this region.

A Process-based Model of N_2O Emission from a Rice-Winter Wheat Rotation Agro-Ecosystem:Structure,Validation and Sensitivity

In order to numerically simulate daily nitrous oxide （N2O） emission from a rice-winter wheat rotation cropping system, a process-based site model was developed （referred to as IAP-N-GAS） to track the movement and transformation of several forms of nitrogen in the agro-eeosystem, which is affected by climate, soil, crop growth and management practices. The simulation of daily N2O fluxes, along with key daily environmental variables, was validated with three-year observations conducted in East China. The validation demonstrated that the model simulated well daily solar radiation, soil temperature and moisture, and also captured the dynamics and magnitude of accumulated rice aboveground biomass and mineral nitrogen in the soil. The simulated daily N2O emissions over all three years investigated were generally in good agreement with field observations. Particularly well simulated were the peak N2O emissions induced by fertilizations, rainfall events or mid-season drainages. The model simulation also represented closely the inter-annuM variation in N2O emission. These validations imply that the model has the capability to capture the general characteristics of N2O emission from a typical rice-wheat rotation agro-ecosystem. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the simulated N2O emission is most sensitive to the fertilizer application rate and the soil organic matter content, but it is much less sensitive to variations in soil pH and texture, temperature, precipitation and crop residue incorporation rate under local conditions.

Several Cotton Rotation and Intercropping Systems in Cotton Planting Area of Eastern Henan Province

In recent years,the area dedicated to cotton cultivation in eastern Henan Province has experienced a continuous decline.Developing efficient multi-cropping systems for cotton and increasing the multiple cropping index represent effective strategies to stabilize the cotton planting area and enhance the income of cotton farmers.This paper presents an overview of intercropping systems and the benefits associated with cotton rotation and intercropping practices.Specifically,it discusses the"early maturing cotton-wheat"rotation system,the"cotton-watermelon"intercropping system,the"cotton-Dutch bean"intercropping system,and the"early maturing cotton-peanut-garlic"intercropping system.

Estimating daily actual evapotranspiration of a rice–wheat rotation system in typical farmland in the Huai River Basin using a two-step model and two one-step models

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of three models for estimating daily evapotranspiration(ET) by employing flux observation data from three years(2007, 2008 and 2009) during the growing seasons of winter wheat and rice crops cultivated in a farmland ecosystem(Shouxian County) located in the Huai River Basin(HRB), China. The first model is a two-step model(PM-Kc);the other two are one-step models(e.g., Rana-Katerji(R-K) and advection-aridity(AA)). The results showed that the energy closure degrees of eddy covariance(EC) data during winter wheat and rice-growing seasons were reasonable in the HRB, with values ranging from 0.84 to 0.91 and R2 of approximately 0.80. Daily ET of winter wheat showed a slow decreasing trend followed by a rapid increase, while that of rice presented a decreasing trend after an increase. After calibrating the crop coefficient(Kc), the PM–Kc model performed better than the model using the Kc recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organization(FAO). The calibrated key parameters of the R-K model and AA model showed better universality. After calibration, the simulation performance of the PM-Kc model was satisfactory. Both the R-K model and AA model underestimated the daily ET of winter wheat and rice. Compared with that of the R-K model, the simulation result of the AA model was better, especially in the simulation of daily ET of rice. Overall, this research highlighted the consistency of the PM-Kc model to estimate the water demand for rice and wheat crops in the HRB and in similar climatic regions in the world.

Long-Term Impacts of Cover Crops, Chicken Litter, and Crop Rotations on Soil Health in No-Till Systems

Identification of management practices that can improve soil health is critical to improving the sustainability of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term effects of continuous soybean, corn-soybean, and soybean-cotton rotations with chicken litter and cover crops (hairy vetch, wheat, fallow) on soil health parameters, including nutrient accumulation and soil organic matter dynamics under a split plot design. The depth intervals of soil sampling were 0 - 15, 15 - 30, 30 - 60, and 60 - 90 cm. Chicken litter resulted in 62.1% and 32.8% higher water extractable organic soil N content than fallow and wheat, respectively, in the surface 0 - 15 cm of soil only. However, there was no significant difference in 1-day Solvita respiration, water extractable organic C, C/N ratio, health score, moisture, earthworm, organic matter, pH, or CEC of soil among fallow, hairy vetch, chicken litter, and wheat regardless of soil depth. Unexpectedly, annual application of chicken litter at 4.4 Mg ha−1 as an N source or growing a winter-season cover crop such as hairy vetch or wheat for continuous 16 years did not significantly increase soil organic matter or water extractable organic soil C. Annual application of chicken litter at 4.4 metric tons (Mg) ha–1 for 16 years increased soil nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) contents by 92%, 400%, 134%, 20%, 43%, 206%, and 430% in 0 - 15 cm depth compared with their initial soil values, respectively, extracted with Haney H3A-2 (2 g L–1 lithium citrate + 0.6 g L–1 citric acid + 0.4 g L–1 malic acid + 0.4 g L–1 oxalic acid) solution. The increases enhanced soil supply of these nutrients to following crops, but also increased the risks of losing them to the environment. Hairy vetch caused higher H3A extracted soil manganese (Mn) content than fallow and chicken litter in 0 - 60 cm. There was no significant difference in 1-day Solvita respiration, water extractable organic C and N, health score, moisture, organic matter, pH, CEC, or population of earthworm of soil among continuous soybean, corn-soybean, and soybean-cotton in any soil depth. Another major finding of this study was that continuous soybean exerted no adverse effect on soil health relative to the commonly used corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean and soybean-cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) rotations under no-tillage after 16 years. To mitigate the risks of nutrient runoff and leaching from long-term chicken litter application, we recommend reducing litter application rates and integrating cover crops into crop rotations to enhance nutrient cycling and reduce environmental impacts.

A Meta-analysis of No-tillage Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Wheat-based Rotation Cropping Agroecosystem in China

Globally,agricultural soils are considered as one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions.No-tillage(NT),one of the most admired ways of climate-smart agriculture,has been deemed to have co-benefit to mitigation of GHG emissions and sustainability for crop yield,however,the effect of NT on GHG emissions is controversial.This study analyzed the overall effects of NT on GHG emissions,as well as the moderators that significantly influenced the overall effects,of the wheat-based rotation cropping systems in China through meta-analysis.The results showed that the overall effect size of NT on methane(CH4)uptake,nitrous oxide(N2O)emission,and global warming potential(GWP)was 0.70(95%Confidence Interval(CI):0.21–1.19),-0.27(95%CI:-0.72–0.18),and-0.39(95%CI:-1.01–0.23),respectively.In temperate climate zones with alkaline soils,the nitrogen application rate of 120–240 kg/ha,NT could significantly reduce GHG emissions and GWP.However,the mitigation effect will be weakened along with NT duration,except for proper straw addition.Overall,NT has the potential to reduce GHG emissions from wheat-based rotation systems in China,but it is necessary to implement NT depending on local conditions,soil characteristics,and field management.

Experiences and Research Perspectives on Sustainable Development of Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in the Chengdu Plain, China

The rice and wheat cropping pattern is one of the main cropping systems in the world. A large number of research results showed that successive cropping of rice and wheat resulted in a series of problems such as hindering nutrition absorption, gradual degeneration of soil fertility, decline of soil organic matter, and increased incidence of diseases and pests. In China, especially in the Chengdu plain where rice-wheat cropping system is practiced, productivity and soil fertility was enhanced and sustained. This paper reviews the relevant data and experiences on rice-wheat cropping in the Chengdu Plain from 1977 to 2006. The principal sustainable strategies used for rice-wheat cropping systems in Chengdu Plain included： 1） creating a favorable environment and viable rotations; 2） balanced fertilization for maintenance of sustainable soil productivity; 3） improvement of crop management for higher efficiency; and 4） use the newest cultivars and cultivation techniques to upgrade the production level. Future research is also discussed in the paper as： 1） the constant topic： a highly productive and efficient rice-wheat cropping system for sustainable growth; 2） the future trend： simplified cultivation techniques for the rice-wheat cropping system; 3） the foundation： basic research for continuous innovation needed for intensive cropping. It is concluded that in the rice-wheat cropping system, a scientific and reasonable tillage/cultivation method can not only avoid the degradation of soil productivity, but also maintain sustainable growth in the long run.

Cereal-forage crop rotations and irrigation treatment effect on water use efficiency and crops sustainability in Mediterranean environment

Agricultural systems based on crop rotations favour sustainability of cultivation and productivity of the crops. Wheat-forage crops rotations (annual winter binary mixture and perennial alfalfa meadow) combined with irrigation are the agronomical techniques able to better exploit the weather resources in Mediterranean environments. The experiment aimed to study the effect of 18 years of combined effect of irrigation and continuous durum wheat and wheat-forage rotations on productivities of crops and organic matter of topsoil. The experiments were established through 1991-2008 under rainfed and irrigated treatments and emphasized on the effect of irrigation and continuous wheat and wheat-forage crop rotations on water use efficiency and sustainability of organic matter. The effect of irrigation increased 49.1% and 66.9% the dry matter of mixture and meadow, respectively. Continuous wheat rotation reduced seed yield, stability of production, crude protein characteristics of kernel and soil organic matter. The yearly gain in wheat after forage crops was 0.04 t (ha·yr)-1 under rainfed and 0.07 t (ha·yr)-1 under irrigation treatments. The crude protein and soil organic matter of wheat rotations, compared to those of continuous wheat under rainfed and irrigated was increase in term of point percentage by 0.8 and 0.5 in crude protein and 5.1 and 4.4 in organic matter, respectively. The rotations of mixture and meadow under both irrigated treatments increased the point of percentage of organic matter over continuous wheat (9.3.and 8.5 in mixture and 12.5 and 9.5 meadow under rainfed and irrigation, respectively). Irrigation reduce the impact of weather on crop growing reducing water use efficiency (mean over rotations) for dry mater production (15.5 in meadow and 17.5 in mixture [L water (kg·dry·matter)-1 ]) and wheat seed yield. The effect of agronomic advantages achieved by forage crops in topsoil expire its effect after three years of continuous wheat rotation.

Effect of No Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Wheat Grain Yield Variability: A Review

Conservation Agriculture(CA)covers more than 205 million hectares in the world.This made it possible to face and mitigate the challenges of climate change,reducing soil erosion and providing multiple ecosystem services.The first elementary factor influenced is the yield evaluation.It has a direct effect on farmers’choices for sustainable production.The present article records a review focused on wheat yield average positive change compared between conventional tillage(CT)and no tillage(NT)systems.The international database collected showed that NT is adaptable everywhere.The results of wheat yield differentiation showed the influence of crop rotation depending on stations located in different climatic zones.In more than 40 years of research,specialists have succeeded in demonstrating the importance of crop productivity like wheat.The whole integrates also experimentations where the initiation starts more than ten years.

Environmental Effects of Returning Rice and Wheat Straw to Fields

Based on advances in returning rice and wheat straw to fields at home and abroad, environmental physical, chemical and ecological effects of returning rice and wheat straw to fields were analyzed. The results show that returning straw to fields can enhance soil porosity, reduce soil bulk density, and increase the ca- pacity of soil to preserve water, fertilizer and temperature. Besides, it can improve the content of organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil, of which the increase of potassium content is the most obvious. Meanwhile, it can provide energy and nutrients for microorganisms in soil and change the activity of soil enzymes, of which it affects invertase most greatly and enhances the activity of ure- ase but has no effect on neutral phosphatase. In addition, it can enhance the total quantity of microorganisms in soil obviously, and the increase correlates positively with the quantity of straw returning to fields. Finally, returning straw to fields can promote the sustainable development of agriculture.

Composition of Wheat Rhizosphere Antagonistic Bacteria and Wheat Sharp Eyespot as Affected by Rice Straw Mulching

To assess the effect of rice straw mulching on changes of antagonistic bacteria and the incidence of wheat sharp eyespot, a multi-year field study was performed to compare unmulched plots and the plots mulched with rice straw for two or three years. Bacterial and fungal populations were evaluated in the cultures prepared from the wheat rhizosphere and bulk soils. Rice straw mulching increased the number of pseudomonas colony forming units in wheat rhizosphere and bulk soils. The proportion of total bacteria that were fluorescent pseudomonads was higher in mulched than in unmulched soil. Bacterial isolates antagonistic to Rhizoctonia cerealis were identified using an inhibition zone test. A series of these isolates were typed by partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Pseudomonads had higher antagonistic activity against R. cerealis than other species, and more than 80% of rhizosphere fluorescent pseudomonads were antagonistic to R. eerealis. The disease indices were lower in the mulched plots than in the unmulched control. These results suggest that rice straw mulching in a rice-wheat rotation increases the number of fluorescent pseudomonads. Additionally, these fluorescent pseudomonads may contribute to the control of wheat sharp eyespot.

Field experimental study on optimal design of the rotary strip-till tools applied in rice-wheat rotation cropping system

The rice-wheat rotation system plays a significant role in Asian agriculture.The introduction of strip-tillage into the rice-wheat system for wheat planting offers a way to use conservation tillage practices to improve the seedbed quality,retain residue between rows and reduce energy input.A field experiment was conducted using an in-situ test rig.Three types of blade(bent C,straight and hoe)were evaluated in four tool configurations at four rotary speeds(180 r/min,280 r/min,380 r/min and 510 r/min)in a paddy soil.Furrow shape parameters,tillage-induced soil structures and energy consumption were assessed.Results showed that the straight blade configuration failed to create a continuous furrow at either 180 r/min or 510 r/min.The bent C blade configuration produced a uniform furrow profile but its furrow backfill was poor and unsuitable for seeding.The hoe blade configuration cut a continuous furrow and better tillage-induced soil structure,but it produced a much wider and non-uniform furrow shape.The mixed blade configuration(central hoe blades with two straight blades aside)provided a uniform furrow with good backfill and fine tilth by utilizing both the cutting effect of straight blades on the furrow boundaries and tensile fracturing of the furrow soil by the hoe blades.The torque of the mixed blade configuration was comparable with the bent C blade but was less than the hoe blades.Hence,a mixed blade configuration was recommended for rotary strip-tillage seeding using in rice-wheat system.

Increasing the appropriate seedling density for higher yield in dry direct-seeded rice sown by a multifunctional seeder after wheatstraw return

Dry direct-seeded rice(DDR) sown using a multifunctional seeder that performs synchronous rotary tillage and sowing has received increased attention because it is highly efficient,relatively cheap,and environmentally friendly.However,this method of rice production may produce lower yields in a rice–wheat rotation system because of its poor seedling establishment.To address this problem,we performed field experiments to determine the rice yield at five seedling density levels(B1,B2,B3,B4,and B5=100,190,280,370,and 460 seedlings m-2,respectively) and clarify the physiological basis of yield formation.We selected a representative high-quality rice variety and a multifunctional seeder that used in a typical rice–wheat rotation area in 2016 and 2018.The proportion of main stem panicle increased with increasing seedling density.There was a parabolic relationship between yield and seedling density,and the maximum yield(9.34-9.47 t ha-1) was obtained under B3.The maximum yield was associated with a higher total spikelet number m-2 and greater biomass accumulation from heading to maturity.The higher total spikelet number m-2 under B3 was attributed to an increase in panicle number m-2 compared with B1 and B2.Although the panicle numbers also increased under B4 and B5,these increases were insufficient to compensate for the reduced spikelet numbers per panicle.Lower biomass,smaller leaf area,and lower N uptake per plant from the stem elongation stage to the heading stage were partially responsible for the smaller panicle size at higher seedling density levels such as B5.The higher biomass accumulation under B3 was ascribed to the increases in the photosynthetic rate of the top three leaves m-2 of land,crop growth rate,net assimilation rate,and leaf area index.Furthermore,the B3 rice population was marked by a higher grain–leaf ratio,as well as a lower export ratio and transport ratio of biomass per stem-sheath.A quadratic function predicted that 260-290 seedlings m-2 is the optimum seedling density for achieving maximum yield.Together,these results suggested that appropriately increasing the seedling density,and thereby increasing the proportion of panicles formed by the main stem,is an effective approach for obtaining a higher yield in DDR sown using a multifunctional seeder in a rice–wheat rotation system.

Using the DSSAT model to simulate wheat yield and soil organic carbon under a wheat-maize cropping system in the North China Plain

Crop modelling can facilitate researchers＇ ability to understand and interpret experimental results, and to diagnose yield gaps. In this paper, the Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer 4.6 （DSSAT） model together with the CENTURT soil model were employed to investigate the effect of low nitrogen （N） input on wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） yield, grain N concentration and soil organic carbon （SOC） in a long-term experiment （19 years） under a wheat-maize （Zea mays L.） rotation at Changping, Beijing, China. There were two treatments including NO （no N application） and N150 （150 kg N ha-1） before wheat and maize planting, with phosphorus （P） and potassium （K） basal fertilizers applied as 75 kg P205 ha-1 and 37.5 kg K^O ha-~, respectively. The DSSAT-CENTURY model was able to satisfactorily simulate measured wheat grain yield and grain N concentration at NO, but could not simulate these parameters at N150, or SOC in either N treatment, Model simulation and field measurement showed that N application （N150） increased wheat yield compared to no N application （NO）. The results indicated that inorganic fertilizer application at the rates used did not maintain crop yield and SOC levels. It is suggested that if the DSSAT is calibrated carefully, it can be a useful tool for assessing and predicting wheat yield, grain N concentration, and SOC trends under wheat-maize cropping systems.