Integration of Agronomic Practices for Sustainable Crop Production—2nd Edition

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Innovative Cropping Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2024 | Viewed by 3439

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: agronomy; yield potential; water-saving irrigation; resource-use efficiency; nutrient resource management; sustainable production
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Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: maize; high yield; high efficiency; environmental effects; physiological and ecological mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Interests: high yield; high efficiency; root; stress; sustainable production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable agricultural production and food security are universal issues of public concern all over the world. The integration and optimization of crop management practices to increase crop productivity are a future development goal of agriculture, and these practices will result in the production of substantially more food on limited land to sustain and meet the needs of the expanding world population. Crop growth, yield formation, farmland ecology and resource utilization are significantly affected by agronomic practices. Hence, the integration and optimization agronomic practices can promote crop yields and sustainable crop production.

This Special Issue, entitled “Integration of Agronomic Practices for Sustainable Crop Production”, aims to collect studies on yield formation and the physiological ecology responses of crops to crop management practices. This includes issues in the management of planting density, water, fertilizer, sowing date, mulching, soil conservation, conservation tillage, etc. Therefore, we welcome quality, highly interdisciplinary studies from disparate research fields. Original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Dr. Guoqiang Zhang
Dr. Peng Hou
Dr. Rongfa Li
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • agronomy
  • crop
  • yield
  • quality
  • planting density
  • water-saving irrigation
  • fertilization management
  • integration of water and fertilizer
  • resource utilization efficiency
  • conservation tillage
  • soil management
  • environmental stresses
  • greenhouse gas emissions

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4042 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Nitrogen Input Increased Yield and Efficiency in Maize-Soybean Strip Intercropping System
by Yuwen Liang, Qiannan Liu, Jinghan Zeng, Fei Xiong, Jian Guo, Guanghao Li and Dalei Lu
Agronomy 2024, 14(11), 2472; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14112472 - 23 Oct 2024
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Abstract
Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizer combination is a crucial measure to maximize yield and production efficiency in a maize-soybean strip intercropping system (MSSI). In this field experiment, six maize/soybean N input combinations (0 kg ha−1, F0; 255/30 kg ha−1, F1; [...] Read more.
Optimizing nitrogen (N) fertilizer combination is a crucial measure to maximize yield and production efficiency in a maize-soybean strip intercropping system (MSSI). In this field experiment, six maize/soybean N input combinations (0 kg ha−1, F0; 255/30 kg ha−1, F1; 255/45 kg ha−1, F2; 255/60 kg ha−1, F3; 210/45 kg ha−1, F4; 300/45 kg ha−1, F5) were set in 2022 and 2023. The results indicated that optimizing N combination (maize/soybean, 255/45 kg ha−1) could synergistically increase yield and economic benefits. Path analysis results showed that the grain numbers in maize and soybean emerged as the most critical yield-affecting factors. Compared with F0, F5 showed the highest grain yield during the 2-year experiment, and the net return increased by 86.1% (F1), 133.3% (F2), 87.4% (F3), 104.7% (F4), and 128.3% (F5), respectively. Optimizing N input under F2 and F5 notably enhanced the leaf area index (LAI) of maize at the milk stage (R3) and soybean at the full pod stage (R4). Additionally, optimization of N distribution in maize stems at the tassel stage (VT) and soybean leaves at the initial flowering stage (R1) facilitated increased dry matter and N accumulation at the maturity stage, resulting in final land equivalent ratios (LER) of 1.44 and 1.55, respectively. Our results provide a more valuable field N combination for summer maize planting areas (sandy soil areas) in Huang-Huai-Hai and southern China, thus promoting the wider application of MSSI. Full article
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14 pages, 3398 KiB  
Article
Maize/Peanut Intercropping Affects Legume Nodulation in Semi-Arid Conditions
by Chen Feng, Guijuan Du, Yue Zhang, Liangshan Feng, Lili Zhang, Qi Wang, Wuyan Xiang, Wei Bai, Qian Cai, Tianran Sun, Zhanxiang Sun and Lizhen Zhang
Agronomy 2024, 14(5), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14050951 - 1 May 2024
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Abstract
Maize/peanut intercropping is practiced widely to increase land productivity and considered a sustainable way for using and saving resources through peanut’s complementary N source via biological N2 fixation. Our study aims to understand how maize/peanut intercropping affects the nodulation of peanuts under [...] Read more.
Maize/peanut intercropping is practiced widely to increase land productivity and considered a sustainable way for using and saving resources through peanut’s complementary N source via biological N2 fixation. Our study aims to understand how maize/peanut intercropping affects the nodulation of peanuts under water-limiting conditions and different nitrogen inputs. A two-year micro-plot experiment in 2015–2016 and a two-year field experiment in 2017–2018 were conducted to quantify nodulation in maize/peanut intercropping and sole peanut cropping under four N fertilization rates (N-free, low, medium, and high N) in rain-fed water-limited conditions. In the micro-plot experiment, intercropped peanuts increased nodule biomass compared to sole peanuts. The nodule number of intercropped peanuts was 51.6% (p = 0.001) higher than that of sole cropped peanuts, while nodule weights did not differ at high N fertilization rates and were lower in the no-N fertilization control. However, the results were different in the field experiment. Both the nodule number and single weight of the sole cropped peanut were 48.7% (p = 0.020) and 58.9% (p = 0.014) higher than that of the intercropped peanut. The ratio of the nodule weight to aboveground dry matter at the beginning peg in the dry year of 2017 was lower in intercropping than sole cropping, especially at low N fertilization rates. The potential increase in nodulation found in a well-controlled micro-plot environment might be limited by strong water and light competitions in field conditions. The results could contribute to the understanding of interspecific interactions in cereal/legume intercropping. Full article
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15 pages, 2321 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Maize Yield and Resource Efficiency Using Surface Drip Fertilization in Huang-Huai-Hai: Impact of Increased Planting Density and Reduced Nitrogen Application Rate
by Liqian Wu, Guoqiang Zhang, Zhenhua Yan, Shang Gao, Honggen Xu, Jiaqiang Zhou, Dianjun Li, Yi Liu, Ruizhi Xie, Bo Ming, Jun Xue, Peng Hou, Shaokun Li and Keru Wang
Agronomy 2024, 14(5), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14050944 - 30 Apr 2024
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Abstract
Improving crop yield and resource utilization efficiency is essential for agricultural productivity. In the Huang-Huai-Hai maize region of China, optimizing planting density, nitrogen (N) application, and fertilization methods are key strategies for enhancing maize yield and N use efficiency. However, traditional approaches have [...] Read more.
Improving crop yield and resource utilization efficiency is essential for agricultural productivity. In the Huang-Huai-Hai maize region of China, optimizing planting density, nitrogen (N) application, and fertilization methods are key strategies for enhancing maize yield and N use efficiency. However, traditional approaches have often hindered these improvements. To address this issue, we conducted a study in Baoding, Hebei, from 2022 to 2023, focusing on planting density, the N application rate, and the fertilization method on grain yield, N use efficiency, water use efficiency (WUE), and economic benefits. The trial involved two planting densities: 6.0 × 104 plants ha−1 (D1, typical local density) and 9.0 × 104 plants ha−1 (D2). Five N application rates were tested: 0 (N0), 120 kg ha−1 (N1), 180 kg ha−1 (N2), 240 kg ha−1 (N3), and 300 kg ha−1 (N4). The control treatment (D1N4) utilized the local planting density and traditional fertilization methods. Our findings revealed a positive correlation between the maize yield and N application rate, with the maximum yields (13.78–13.88 t ha−1), high WUE (24.42–29.85 kg m−3), agronomic efficiency of N (AEN) (18.11–19.00 kg kg−1), and economic benefits (2.44 × 104–2.47 × 104 CNY ha−1) observed with D2N3 and surface drip fertilization. This was significantly higher than the yield and resource efficiency of traditional fertilization methods and saved fertilizer and production costs. Therefore, adopting surface drip fertilization, adjusting planting density, and optimizing N application rates proved effective in enhancing maize yield and resource utilization efficiency in the Huang-Huai-Hai maize region. Full article
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