The microbial community,nutrient supply and crop yields differ along a potassium fertilizer gradient under wheat-maize double-cropping systems

Soil microorganisms play critical roles in ecosystem function.However,the relative impact of the potassium(K)fertilizer gradient on the microbial community in wheat-maize double-cropping systems remains unclear.In this long-term field experiment(2008-2019),we researched bacterial and fungal diversity,composition,and community assemblage in the soil along a K fertilizer gradient in the wheat season(K0,no K fertilizer;K1,45 kg ha^(-1) K_(2)O;K_(2),90 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O;K3,135 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O)and in the maize season(K0,no K fertilizer;K_(1),150 kg ha^(-1) K_(2)O;K_(2),300 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O;K_(3),450 kg ha^(-1)K_(2)O)using bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal internally transcribed spacer(ITS)data.We observed that environmental variables,such as mean annual soil temperature(MAT)and precipitation,available K,ammonium,nitrate,and organic matter,impacted the soil bacterial and fungal communities,and their impacts varied with fertilizer treatments and crop species.Furthermore,the relative abundance of bacteria involved in soil nutrient transformation(phylum Actinobacteria and class Alphaproteobacteria)in the wheat season was significantly increased compared to the maize season,and the optimal K fertilizer dosage(K2 treatment)boosted the relative bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation(genus Lactobacillus)and soil denitrification(phylum Proteobacteria)bacteria in the wheat season.The abundance of the soil bacterial community promoting root growth and nutrient absorption(genus Herbaspirillum)in the maize season was improved compared to the wheat season,and the K2 treatment enhanced the bacterial abundance of soil nutrient transformation(genus MND1)and soil nitrogen cycling(genus Nitrospira)genera in the maize season.The results indicated that the bacterial and fungal communities in the double-cropping system exhibited variable sensitivities and assembly mechanisms along a K fertilizer gradient,and microhabitats explained the largest amount of the variation in crop yields,and improved wheat?maize yields by 11.2-22.6 and 9.2-23.8%with K addition,respectively.These modes are shaped contemporaneously by the different meteorological factors and soil nutrient changes in the K fertilizer gradients.

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.

Evaluation of Harvest Aid Chemicals for the Cotton-Winter Wheat Double Cropping System

Timing of harvest is critical for mechanical picking in cotton production, especially in those regions with double cropping system. Appropriate and safe harvest aids will improve timing and facilitate harvest of cotton in the double cropping system. Three defoliants （dimethipin, thidiazuron, and thidiazuron-diuron） and one boll opener （ethephon） were included in this research. They were evaluated for their effects on defoliation, boll opening, seedcotton yield, seed quality, and fiber quality of field grown cotton when used alone or as a mixture in 2009 and 2010. Defoliation and/or boll opening were increased by all three defoliants and ethephon, especially by mixtures of a defoliant and ethephon. First harvest of seedcotton was significantly increased with defoliant-ethephon mixtures. No significant adverse effects were observed on boll weight, lint percentage, seed quality, and fiber properties. It was estimated that tank mixes of ethephon and one of the three defoliants can improve the adjusted gross revenue. Boll opening can be used as an alternative indicator for the adjusted gross revenue, because, it was linearly and positively correlated with the relative adjusted gross revenue and convenient in measurements. Wheat seedling growth was not affected by thidiazuron, whereas its seedling emergence, root dry weight, relative water content, and electrolyte leakage were adversely affected by dimethipin and thidiazuron- diuron when concentration was above 340 and 100 g （a.i.） ha-1, respectively. 90% defoliation and 80% boll opening were observed with the high rate of thidiazuron-ethephon mixture, but no adverse effects on winter wheat. The results suggested that tank mixes of ethephon with thidiazuron can be used effectively and safely in the cotton-winter wheat double cropping system to improve yield without adverse effects on seed quality and fiber quality.

Effect of Continuous Application of Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer in Various Types of Soil in Dong-Ting Lake Region under Double Rice Cropping System

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the effects of continuous application of controlled release nitrogen fertilizer under double rice cropping system. [Method] By modeling three types of paddy soils in Dong-Ting Lake area, four treatments as no fertilizer （CK）, urea, controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （CRNF） and 70% controlled release nitrogen fertilizer （70% CRNF） were designed in the micro-plot trials from 2005 to 2008. [Result] The rice yield in treatment CRNF at N 150 kg/hm2 was increased by 10.3%, 8.0% and 2.4% compared with treatment of urea, in alluvial sandy loamy paddy soil （ALS）, purple calcareous clayey paddy soil （PCS）, and reddish yellow loamy paddy soil （RYS）, respectively; and the yield in treatment of 70% CRNF was increased by 6.1%, 2.6% and -0.8%, respectively. The ranking order of nitrogen uptake amount by plant in early rice and late rice was CRNF 70% CRNF urea CK in all three types of soil. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in above three types of soil was 60.7%, 59.6% and 56.3%, increased by 23.8%, 19.4% and 16.3% compared with that in treatment of urea, respectively. Nitrogen utilization efficiency of CRNF in early rice was increased year by year, and was higher than that of 70% CRNF during the whole experiment stage, while that in late rice was increased first and then decreased from the 3rd year. [Conclusion] Continuous application CRNF could alleviate the decreasing of soil nitrogen fertility and organic carbon especially in ALS, increase rice yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency in double-rice cropping system.

Cultivation system influenced the critical period for weed control in cotton field

Background The critical period of weed control(CPWC) refers to the period of time during the crop growth cycle when weeds must be controlled to prevent yield losses.Ultra-narrow row(UNR) is a method of planting of cotton in rows that are 25 cm or less apart.Amongst cultural techniques for weed control,the use of narrow row spacing is considered to be a most promising approach that can effectively suppress weed growth and provide greater yields in cotton.This cultivation system can shorten the length of the critical weed-crop interference duration and results in greater yield.The current research aimed to determination of critical time of weed control in cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.) under conventional and ultra-narrow row spacing conditions.Field experiments were arranged as factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications.Factors were cultivation system(conventional(50 cm row spacing) and ultra narrow row(25 cm row spacing and weed treatment including 30,45,60,and 75 days weeding after emergence during the growing season(weed free),and 30,45,60,and 75 without weeding(weed infested) in the growing season along with weedy and weed-free from sowing to harvesting.A four-parameter loglogistic model was fit to the two sets of relating relative crop yield to data obtained from increasing durations of weed interference and lengths of weed-free period.Results In both years and cultivation systems,the relative yield of cotton decreased with the increasing duration of weed-interference but increased with the increasing duration of weed-free period.Ultra-narrow row cultivation delayed the beginning of the CPWC in cotton.Under ultra-narrow row condition,the CPWC ranged from 21 to 99 days after germination in 2021 and 23 to 91 days in 2022 based on the 5% acceptable yield loss.Under conventional cultivation CPWC ranged from 17 to 102 days after emergence in 2021 and 18 to 95 days after emergence in 2022.Conclusions Under both conventional and Ultra-narrow row conditions,weed interference reduces seed yield.Under ultra-narrow row condition,weed interference until 21.1–23.5 days after cotton emergence and under conventional condition,weed interference until 16.9–18.5 days after cotton emergence had not significant reduction on cotton yield.

Exploring the Potential of Cowpea-Wheat Double Cropping in the Semi-Arid Region of the Southern United States Using the DSSAT Crop Model

Information is limited on the potential of double-cropping cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the semiarid region of the southern United States. Using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop model and weather data of 80 years, we assessed the possibility of cowpea-wheat double-cropping in this region for grain purpose as affected by planting date and N application rate. Results showed that the possibility of double-cropping varied from 0% to 65%, depending on the cropping system. The possibility was less with systems comprising earlier planting dates of wheat and later planting dates of cowpea. Results indicated that cowpea-wheat double-cropping could be beneficial only when no N was applied, with wheat planted on October 15 or later. At zero N, the double-crops of cowpea planted on July 15 and wheat planted on November 30 were the most beneficial of all the 72 double-cropping systems studied. With a delay in planting cowpea, the percentage of beneficial double-cropping systems decreased. At N rates other than zero, fallow-wheat monocropping systems were more beneficial than cowpea-wheat double-cropping systems, and the benefit was greater at a higher N rate. At 100 kg N ha-1, the monocrop of wheat planted on October 15 was the most beneficial of all the 94 systems studied. Results further showed that fallow-wheat yields increased almost linearly with an increase in N rate from 0 to 100 kg∙ha-1. Fallow-wheat grain yields were quadratically associated with planting dates. With an increase in N rate, wheat yields reached the peak with an earlier planting date. Wheat yields produced under monocropping systems were greater than those produced under double-cropping systems for any cowpea planting date. Cowpea yields produced under monocropping systems were greater than those produced under any double-cropping system. The relationship between cowpea grain yields and planting dates was quadratic, with July 1 planting date associated with the maximum yields.

Plant Ideotype at Heading for Super High-Yielding Rice in Double-Cropping System in South China

The newly released super high-yielding hybrid rice combinations, Yueza 122, Fengyou 428, Peiza 67, and the super high-yielding conventional cultivars, Guangchao 3 and Shengtai 1, were grown in both early and late seasons. The morphological characters of each population were investigated at the heading stage, and the data were analyzed by using ANOVY and other statistic methods. The plant ideal morphological characters at the heading stage were established as follows： 1 ） for the early-season cropping, 90-105 cm plant height; 11-12 tillers per plant; 35-40 em length and 2.1-2.2 cm width of flag leaf; 46-50 cm length and 1.8-2.1 cm width of the second leaf from the top （L2）; 59-64 cm length and 1.4-1.9 cm width of the third leaf from the top （L3）; 7°-14°, 18° and 200-33° for the ideal leaf angles of the flag leaf, L2 and L3, respectively; 2） for the late-season cropping, 90-100 cm plant height; 9-15 tillers per plant; 30-41 cm length and 1.8-2.0 cm width of flag leaf; 53-61 cm length and 1.3-1.8 cm width of L2; 52-58 cm length and 1.2-1.5 cm width of L3; 9°-19°, 15°-37° and 16°-49° for the ideal leaf angles of the flag leaf, L2 and L3, respectively. The main physiological characteristics of these varieties were also analyzed.

Integration of Growing Milk Vetch in Winter and Reducing Nitrogen Fertilizer Application Can Improve Rice Yield in Double-Rice Cropping System

To study whether integrative fertilization [growing milk vetch in winter and reducing the dose of chemical nitrogen(N) fertilizer] can improve rice yield, and to reveal the underlying regulatory mechanisms for integrative fertilization, a three-year field trial including two treatments, milk vetch-rice-rice(MRR) and winter fallow-rice-rice(FRR), was conducted in 2010, 2011 and 2012.Our results demonstrated that the MRR treatment could significantly improve rice yield compared with the FRR treatment, especially when the application ratio of milk vetch and chemical fertilizer was 1:2.MRR treatment increased the effective panicle number and the spikelet number per panicle.In addition, a higher tillering number, leaf area index, photosynthetic-potential and photosynthetic-potential to grain ratio were observed in MRR treatment, which could provide enough dry matter for yield formation.Moreover, in MRR treatment, we discovered a higher transportation ratio and transformation ratio of dry matter in culm and leaves, and a stronger total sink capacity and spikelet-root bleeding intensity at the heading stage and 15 d after heading.Furthermore, the MRR treatment showed higher total N, phosphorus and potassium uptakes than FRR treatment, which was associated with the higher root dry weight in each soil layers.These results suggest that growing milk vetch in winter can improve rice yield under less chemical N fertilizer application, which is due to the improvement of soil nutrient status and the increased of rice root growth and development.

Substitution of chemical fertilizer by Chinese milk vetch improves the sustainability of yield and accumulation of soil organic carbon in a double-rice cropping system

The double-rice cropping system is a very important intensive cropping system for food security in China. There have been few studies of the sustainability of yield and accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in the double-rice cropping system following a partial substitution of chemical fertilizer by Chinese milk vetch (Mv). We conducted a 10-year (2008–2017) field experiment in Nan County, South-Central China, to examine the double-rice productivity and SOC accumulation in a paddy soil in response to different fertilization levels and Mv application (22.5 Mg ha^–1). Fertilizer and Mv were applied both individually and in combination (sole chemical fertilizers, Mv plus 100, 80, 60, 40, and 0% of the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers, labeled as F100, MF100, MF80, MF60, MF40, and MF0, respectively). It was found that the grain yields of double-rice crop in treatments receiving Mv were reduced when the dose of chemical fertilizer was reduced, while the change in SOC stock displayed a double peak curve. The MF100 produced the highest double-rice yield and SOC stock, with the value higher by 13.5 and 26.8% than that in the F100. However, the grain yields increased in the MF80 (by 8.4% compared to the F100), while the SOC stock only increased by 8.4%. Analogous to the change of grain yield, the sustainable yield index (SYI) of double rice were improved significantly in the MF100 and MF80 compared to the F100, while there was a slight increase in the MF60 and MF40. After a certain amount of Mv input (22.5 Mg ha^–1), the carbon sequestration rate was affected by the nutrient input due to the stimulation of microbial biomass. Compared with the MF0, the MF100 and MF40 resulted in a dramatically higher carbon sequestration rate (with the value higher by 71.6 and 70.1%), whereas the MF80 induced a lower carbon sequestration rate with the value lower by 70.1% compared to the MF0. Based on the above results we suggested that Mv could partially replace chemical fertilizers (e.g., 40–60%) to improve or maintain the productivity and sustainability of the double-rice cropping system in South-Central China.

Soil Carbon Stocks Evolution in Organic Cotton-Based Cropping Systems in Southern and Northern Sudanese Agro-Ecological Zones of Burkina Faso

Variation of soil carbon stock in the cropping systems is an important indicator of their sustainability.The present study was conducted in 2015 and 2018 in seven organic cotton production areas distributed over the Southern and Northern Sudan agro-ecological zones in Burkina Faso.Soil samples were collected in 2015 as baseline and in 2018,after three years of cropping seasons,to determine the variations in carbon stocks in plots under organic farming systems.Surveys were also conducted to understand the fertilization practices implemented by producers during the same period.The results revealed that the recommended fertilization packages were not respected due to low production capacity and under using of organic manure.After three years of cropping in 2018,the deficit of organic restitution has led to a high decline of the soil carbon stocks.This decline was more severe in the 0-10 cm depth in some soils where the decrease in carbon stocks ranged from-4.6 t/ha to-5.5 t/ha.The correlation between soil types and their carbon stocks in the 0-10 cm soil layer was found to be significant(p<0.05)in the Northern Sudan agro-ecological zone with adjusted R2=74%and 54%in 2015 and 2018,respectively,and adjusted R2=56%(2015)and 44%(2018)in the Southern Sudan agro-ecological zone.After three years of organic cotton-based farming,a decrease in the correlation between soil types and their carbon content was observed in the majority of cases.These results show that the process of carbon storage in soil is more influenced by agricultural practices and agro-ecological conditions than by the soil type.

Analysis of Optimized NPK Formulation and Topdressing on Increasing Yield in Double Cropping Rice of Hunan

The effect of different formula of NPK and twice topdressings on rice growth in typical double cropping rice area, which located at Kaihui, Ganshan, Matang and Xinqiang towns, were studied on field experiment in order to select the formula of compound fertilizer and top dressing mode for double cropping of rice production in Hunan. The results showed that the optimized formulated fertilizer treatment, which increased the proportion of phosphorus and potassium and reduced its nitrogen fertilizer by 7.5 kg/hm2 can ensure early rice stable. Fpr example, the yield of late rice increased by 187.5-378.0 kg/hm2 compared with the conventional complex fertilizer （N-PO5-K2O formula of 20-10-10 for early rice and 26-10-13 for late rice）. The N-P2O5-K2O formula 18-14-16 of optimized formulated fertilizer which was suitable for early rice production, and the other N-P2O5-K2O formula 18- 9-16 was suitable for late rice production. The rice yields for top-dressing at tiller- ing stage and booting stage can increased by 187.5-382.5 and 258.0-415.5 kg/hm2 for eady and late rice and the nitrogen use efficiency advanced 10.9-24.2 percent- age points （31.5%-51.1%） for eady rice and 8.3-13.4 percentage points （36.2%- 64.9%） for late dce compared with the top-dressing at tillering stage.

Effect of Different Seedling Age on the Growth and Yield of Double Cropping of Late Rice

The study aims to solve the problems of late transplanting rice with differ- ent seedling ages at the lower reaches of Yangtze River. We selected six varieties of different thermal and photo-response characteristics as the test material to study the effect of different seedling ages on growth and yield of rice. The results showed that growing period of thermal-response rice was delayed by long seedling age, but less affected by the impact of photo-response rice; the yield of later thermal-re- sponse varieties with 25 days and 30 days seedling ages was significantly reduced. In contrast, the yield of early thermal-response varieties and later photo-response varieties were significantly reduced with 30 days seedling age. The optimal trans- planting seedling age was 15 days of thermal-response rice, while photo-response rice was 20 days. The thermal-response rice should be selected as early maturing varieties, while the photo-response rice could be selected as late maturing varieties for high yield.

Curbing the Climate Disruption

The Cameroonian economy is mainly based on the agricultural sector and is heavily dependent on the exports of cash crops such as cocoa,coffee,banana,cotton and sugarcane.This also applies to other countries in its geographical region,such as Chad and the Central African Republic,which derive a large part of their foreign exchange from the exports of livestock,cotton and tobacco.However,the productivity of these crops is currently threatened by a number of environmental factors.

Study and Application of "Three High and One Ensuring" Cultivation Mode of Double Cropping Rice

A set of "three high and one ensuring" cultivation mode of double cropping rice, the core of which was high panicle bearing tiller rate, high seed setting rate, high grain plumpness and ensuring high quality, was explored through many years of research. In this study, the effect of "three high and one ensuring" cultivation mode of double cropping rice was compared and investigated by field experiment and multiple location demonstration. The field experiment indicated that "three high and one ensuring" cultivation mode promoted the vegetative growth during early stage, inhibited the formation of ineffective tillers, promoted the growth of effective tillers and the formation of panicles, improved the panicle bearing tiller rate, increased the total number of spikelets, enhanced the seed setting rate and grain plumpness, increased the grain yield by 12.22%-19.73% at highly significant level, and improved the rice quality. Furthermore, the field demonstration also verified the results of field experiment.

Spatial Pattern of Cotton Yield Variability and Its Response to Climate Change in Cotton Belt of Pakistan

Cotton is a revenue source for cotton-producing countries;as the second-largest crop in Pakistan,it significantly contributes to its economy.Over the past few decades,cotton productivity has become unstable in Pakistan,and climate change is one of the main factors that impact cotton yield.Due to climate change,it becomes very important to understand the change trend and its impact on cotton yield at the regional level.Here,we investigate the relationship of standardized cotton yield variability with the variability of climate factors using a 15-yr moving window.The piecewise regression was fitted to obtain the trend-shifting point of climate factors.The results show that precipitation has experienced an overall decreasing trend of–0.64 mm/yr during the study period,with opposing trends of–1.39 mm/yr and 1.52 mm/yr before and after the trend-shifting point,respectively.We found that cotton yield variability increased at a rate of 0.17%/yr,and this trend was highly correlated with the variability of climate factors.The multiple regression analysis explains that climate variability is a dominant factor and controlled 81%of the cotton production in the study area from 1990 to 2019,while it controlled 73%of the production from 1990 to 2002 and 84%from 2002 to 2019.These findings reveal that climate factors affact the distinct spatial pattern of changes in cotton yield variability at the tehsil level.

Root distribution and influencing factors of dry-sowing and wet-growing cotton plants under different water conditions

To study the effect of soil water and salt environment factors on the root growth of cotton under different moisture control,three different emergence water volumes(60,105,and 150 m^(3)/hm^(2)),two different frequencies(high frequency and low frequency)and one double film cover winter irrigation control treatment(CK:2250 m^(3)/hm^(2))were set up to analyze the spatial distribution patterns of soil water and salt environment and root density in dry sown and wet emerged cotton fields under diffe-rent moisture control conditions.The results show that the soil water content and water infiltration range gradually become larger with the increase of seedling water quantity,and the larger the seedling water quantity,the higher the soil water content.With the same seedling water quantity,the soil water content of the high-frequency(HF)treatment becomes obviously larger.The soil conductivity of each treatment tends to decrease gradually with the increase of seedling water and drip frequency,among which the distribution of soil conductivity of S6 treatment is closest to that of CK.With the increase in soil depth,the soil conductivity tends to increase first and then decrease.Compared with the low-frequency(LF)treatment,the high-frequency treatment shows a significantly deeper soil salt accumulation layer.The root length density(RLD)of cotton gradually increases with the amount of seedling water and the frequency of dripping.The soil layer of root distribution gradually deepens with the amount of seedling water in the vertical direction,and the RLD value in the horizontal direction is significantly greater in the mulched area than that in the bare area between films.This research can serve as a solid scientific foundation for the use of dry sowing and wet emergence techniques in cotton fields in southern Xinjiang.

Cold Damage Risk Assessment of Double Cropping Rice in Hunan, China

Combined with remote sensing data and meteorological data, cold damage risk was assessed for planting area of double cropping rice （DCR） in Hunan Province, China. A new methodology of cold damage risk assessment was built that apply to grid and have clear hazard-affected body. Each station cold damage annual frequency and average annual intensity of cold damage was calculated by using 1951-2010 station daily mean temperature and simple cold damage identification index. On this basis, average annual cold damage risk index was obtained by their product. The spatial analysis models of cold damage risk index about double-season early rice （DSER） and double-season later rice （DSLR） were established respectively by the relation of average annual cold damage risk index and its geographic factors. Critical threshold of level of average annual cold damage risk index for DSER and DSLR were respectively divided by the correlative equation of cold damage annual frequency and average annual intensity of cold damage. 2001-2010 planting area of DCR, acquired by time series analysis of MOD09AI 8-d composite land surface reflectance product, was as target of assessment. The results show average annual intensity of cold damage is exponential function of cold damage annual frequency, average annual cold damage risk index is directly proportional to cold damage cumulant and cold damage annual frequency, and is inversely proportional to happen times of cold damage and the square of statistical time sequence length. Cold damage risk of DSER is higher than DSLR in Hunan Province. In the 10-yr stacking map, DCR planting in low risk area accounted for 11.92% of total extraction area, in moderate risk area accounted for 69.62%, in high risk area accounted for 18.46%. According to the cold damage risk assessment result, DCR production can be guided to reduce cold damage losses.

The Possible Effect of Climate Warming on Northern Limits of Cropping System and Crop Yield in China

Significantly increasing temperature since the 1980s in China has become a consensus under the background of global climate change and how climate change affects agriculture or even cropping systems has attracted more and more attention from Chinese government and scientists. In this study, the possible effects of climate warming on the national northern limits of cropping systems, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation in China from 1981 to 2007 were analyzed. Also, the possible change of crop yield caused by planting limits displacement during the periods 1950s-1981 and 1981-2007 was compared and discussed. The recognized calculation methods of agricultural climatic indices were employed. According to the indices of climatic regionalization for cropping systems, the national northern limits of cropping systems, winter wheat and double rice, and the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation during two periods, including the 1950s-1980 and 1981-2007, were drawn with ArcGIS software. Compared with the situation during the 1950s- 1980, the northern limits of double cropping system during 1981-2007 showed significant spatial displacement in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, and Liaoning provinces and Beijing municipality, China. The northern limits of triple cropping system showed the maximum spatial displacement in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang provinces, China. Without considering variety change and social economic factors, the per unit area grain yield of main planting patterns would increase about 54-106% if single cropping system was replaced by double cropping system, which turned out to be 27- 58% if double cropping system was replaced by triple cropping system. In Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia autonomous regions, China, the northern limits of winter wheat during 1981-2007 moved northward and expanded westward in different degrees, compared with those during the 1950s-1980. Taking Hebei Province as an example, the northern limits of winter wheat moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would averagely increase about 25% in the change region if the spring wheat was replaced by winter wheat. In Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, China, the planting northern limits of double rice moved northward, and the per unit area grain yield would increase in different degrees only from the perspective of heat resource. The stable- yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward in most regions, which was caused by the decrease of local precipitation in recent years. During the past 50 yr, climate warming made the national northern limits of cropping systems move northward in different degrees, the northern limits of winter wheat and double rice both moved northward, and the cropping system change would cause the increase of per unit area grain yield in the change region. However, the stable-yield northern limits of rainfed winter wheat-summer maize rotation moved southeastward due to the decrease of precipitation.

Phosphorus losses via surface runoff in rice-wheat cropping systems as impacted by rainfall regimes and fertilizer applications

Phosphorus（P） losses from agricultural soils contribute to eutrophication of surface waters. This field plot study investigated effects of rainfall regimes and P applications on P loss by surface runoff from rice（Oryza sativa L.） and wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） cropping systems in Lake Taihu region, China. The study was conducted on two types of paddy soils（Hydromorphic at Anzhen site, Wuxi City, and Degleyed at Xinzhuang site, Changshu City, Jiangsu Province） with different P status, and it covered 3 years with low, high and normal rainfall regimes. Four rates of mineral P fertilizer, i.e., no P（control）, 30 kg P ha^（–1） for rice and 20 kg P ha^（–1） for wheat（P_（30＋20））, 75 plus 40（P_（75＋40））, and 150 plus 80（P_（150＋80））, were applied as treatments. Runoff water from individual plots and runoff events was recorded and analyzed for total P and dissolved reactive P concentrations. Losses of total P and dissolved reactive P significantly increased with rainfall depth and P rates（P〈0.0001）. Annual total P losses ranged from 0.36–0.92 kg ha^–1 in control to 1.13–4.67 kg ha^–1 in P150＋80 at Anzhen, and correspondingly from 0.36–0.48 kg h^–1 to 1.26–1.88 kg ha^–1 at Xinzhuang, with 16–49% of total P as dissolved reactive P. In particular, large amounts of P were lost during heavy rainfall events that occurred shortly after P applications at Anzhen. On average of all P treatments, rice growing season constituted 37–86% of annual total P loss at Anzhen and 28–44% of that at Xinzhuang. In both crop seasons, P concentrations peaked in the first runoff events and decreased with time. During rice growing season, runoff P concentrations positively correlated（P〈0.0001） with P concentrations in field ponding water that was intentionally enclosed by construction of field bund. The relative high P loss during wheat growing season at Xinzhuang was due to high soil P status. In conclusion, P should be applied at rates balancing crop removal（20–30 kg P ha^–1 in this study） and at time excluding heavy rains. Moreover, irrigation and drainage water should be appropriately managed to reduce runoff P losses from rice-wheat cropping systems.

Assessment of Long-Term Compost Application on Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties, as Well as Fertility, of Soil in a Field Subjected to Double Cropping

The aim of this article was to assess the influence of long-term application of compost on the physical, chemical, and biological properties, as well as the fertility, of soil in a field subjected to double cropping (paddy rice and barley), mainly by integrating previous studies of the effects of compost and manure on soil qualities. Continuous compost application, especially at a high level (30 Mg·ha-1·y-1), into the double cropping soils increased the activities of organic C-, N-, and P-decomposing enzymes and the contents of organic C, total N, and microbial biomass N, as well as the cation exchange capacity, thereby contributing to the enhancement of soil fertility. Also, the compost application increased the degree of water-stable soil macroaggregation (>0.25 mm), which was correlated significantly (r > 0.950, p < 0.05) with the contents of hydrolyzable carbohydrates (with negative charge) and active Al (with positive charge), and resulted in the modification of soil physical properties. Furthermore, the application increased the amount of soil organic matter, including humic acid with a low degree of darkening and fulvic acid, and contributed to C sequestration and storage. Physical fractionation of soil indicated that about 60% of soil organic C was distributed in the silt-sized (2 - 20 μm) aggregate and clay-sized (<2 μm) aggregate fractions, while about 30% existed in the decayed plant fractions (53 - 2000 μm). The results obtained unambiguously indicate that long-term application of compost can improve soil qualities in the field subjected to double cropping, depending on the amount applied.