Physicochemical and nutritional profiles of wild adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi Linn) accessions by GC, FTIR, and spectrophotometer.

Purpose of current study was to determine physicochemical, triglyceride composition, and functional groups of wild adlay accessions (brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple) to find out its scope as cereal crop. Triglycerides, minerals and functional groups were determined through Gas chromatography, spectrophotometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer respectively. Results revealed variation among bulk densities, specific densities, percent empty spaces, and corresponding grain counts per 10 g of sample are useful in distinguishing brown, black, yellow, grey, green, off white, and purple wild adlay accessions. Specific density and grain count per 10 g sample was significantly related. No statistical relationship exists among the pronounced physical characteristics. Brown adlay expressed the highest protein, fat, and fiber contents 15.82%, 4.76% and 2.37% respectively. Protein, fat, ash, and fiber percent contents were found comparable to cultivated adlay. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed macro elements including phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and sodium in the range 0.3% - 2.2% and micro elements boron, iron, copper, zinc, and manganese in the range 1.6 mg/kg - 20.8 mg/kg. Gas chromatography showed polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) constitute the primary fraction (39% ± 7.2) of wild adlay triglycerides. Linoleic and palmitic acids were present as prominent fatty acids, 43.5% ±1.4 and 26.3% ±1.4 respectively. Infra-red frequencies distinguished functional groups in narrow band and fingerprint region of protein in association with out of plane region leading to structural differences among adlay accessions. Comparison of major distinguishing vibrational frequencies among different flours indicated black adlay containing highest functional groups appeared promising for varietal development.

Exogenous application of ascorbic acid improves physiological and productive traits of Nigella sativa.

For thousands of years, plants have been utilized for medicinal purposes. For its naturally existing antibacterial properties, Nigella sativa is one of the most researched herbs. A study was conducted during rabi 2020-21 at The University of Haripur in order to evaluate the potential of ascorbic acid as plant growth enhancer. Two concentrations of ascorbic acid i-e 350 µm and 400 µm were sprayed along with control and water only spray on Nigella sativa crop. The study was arranged in RCBD two factor factorial arrangement. Factor A: ascorbic acid concentrations along with control and water spray, factor B: Growth stages (Stage1 = 40 days after sowing, Stage 2 = 80 DAS, Stage 3 = 120 DAS, Stage 4 = 40 + 80 DAS, Stage 5 = 40 + 120 DAS, Stage 6 = 80 + 120 DAS, Stage 7 = 40 + 80 + 120 DAS). Crop was sown in first week of November. Results reviled that chlorophyll b content, fixed oil content, 1000 seed weight, grain yield, Photosynthetic rate (µ mole m-2s-1), Transpiration rate (mmole m-2s-1), photosynthetic water use efficiency, Internal CO2 concentration (Ci) of leaf tissue and Stomatal conductance (mmole m-2s-1) were significantly affected by ascorbic acid concentrations and stage of application. Crop growth rate increased by 19.88% and 17.29%, chlorophyll b by 12.3% and 11.2%, fixed oil by 11.7% and 9%, grain yield by 10.29% and 9.8%, harvest index by 4% and 5.7% photosynthetic rate by 33%, 20% and stomatal conductance by 24.24% and 24.25 with application of ascorbic acid @ 350 µm, over control and water spray respectively. On the basis of these results it is concluded that application of ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 µm, followed by ascorbic acid at the rate of 400 µm significantly improves black cumin (Nigella sativa) yield and production. Hence it is recommended to apply ascorbic acid at the rate of 350 µm at 40 + 80+120 days after sowing of Nigella sativa crop for obtaining maximum results.

Improvement of pasture biomass modelling using high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning.

Robust quantification of vegetative biomass using satellite imagery using one or more forms of machine learning (ML) has hitherto been hindered by the extent and quality of training data. Here, we showcase how ML predictive demonstrably improves when additional training data is used. We collated field datasets of pasture biomass obtained via destructive sampling, 'C-Dax' reflective measurements and rising plate meters (RPM) from ten livestock farms across four States in Australia. Remotely sensed data from the Sentinel-2 constellation was used to retrieve aboveground biomass using a novel machine learning paradigm hereafter termed "SPECTRA-FOR" (Spectral Pasture Estimation using Combined Techniques of Random-forest Algorithm for Features Optimisation and Retrieval). Using this framework, we show that the low temporal resolution of Sentinel-2 in high latitude regions with persistent cloud cover leads to extensive gaps between cloud-free images, hindering model performance and, thus, contemporaneous ability to forecast real-time pasture biomass. By leveraging the spectral consistency between Sentinel-2 and Planet Lab SuperDove to overcome this limitation, we used ten spectral bands of Sentinel-2, four bands of Sentinel-2 as a proxy for pre-2022 SuperDove (referred to as synthetic SuperDove or SSD), and the actual SuperDove (ASD), given that SuperDove imagery has a higher resolution and more frequent passage compared with Sentinel-2. Using their respective bands as input features to SPECRA-FOR, model performance for the ten bands of Sentinel-2 were R2 = 0.87, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 439 kg DM/ha and mean absolute error (MAE) of 255 kg DM/ha, while that for SSD increased to an R2 of 0.92, RMSE of 346 kg DM/ha and MAE = 208 kg DM/ha. The study revealed the importance of robust data mining, imagery harmonisation and model validation for accurate real-time modelling of pasture biomass with ML.

Crop sensitivity to waterlogging mediated by soil temperature and growth stage.

Waterlogging constrains crop yields in many regions around the world. Despite this, key drivers of crop sensitivity to waterlogging have received little attention. Here, we compare the ability of the SWAGMAN Destiny and CERES models in simulating soil aeration index, a variable contemporaneously used to compute three distinct waterlogging indices, denoted hereafter as WI Destiny, WIASD1, and WIASD2. We then account for effects of crop growth stage and soil temperature on waterlogging impact by introducing waterlogging severity indices, WI Growth, which accommodates growth stage tolerance, and WI Plus, which accounts for both soil temperature and growth stage. We evaluate these indices using data collected in pot experiments with genotypes "Yang mai 11" and "Zheng mai 7698" that were exposed to both single and double waterlogging events. We found that WI Plus exhibited the highest correlation with yield (-0.82 to -0.86) suggesting that waterlogging indices which integrate effects of temperature and growth stage may improve projections of yield penalty elicited by waterlogging. Importantly, WI Plus not only allows insight into physiological determinants, but also lends itself to remote computation through satellite imagery. As such, this index holds promise in scalable monitoring and forecasting of crop waterlogging.

Grazing management for soil carbon in Australia: A review.

The livestock industry accounts for a considerable proportion of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, and in response, the Australian red meat industry has committed to an aspirational target of net-zero emissions by 2030. Increasing soil carbon storage in grazing lands has been identified as one method to help achieve this, while also potentially improving production and provision of other ecosystem services. This review examined the effects of grazing management on soil carbon and factors that drive soil carbon sequestration in Australia. A systematic literature search and meta-analysis was used to compare effects of stocking intensity (stocking rate or utilisation) and stocking method (i.e, continuous, rotational or seasonal grazing systems) on soil organic carbon, pasture herbage mass, plant growth and ground cover. Impacts on below ground biomass, soil nitrogen and soil structure are also discussed. Overall, no significant impact of stocking intensity or method on soil carbon sequestration in Australia was found, although lower stocking intensity and incorporating periods of rest into grazing systems (rotational grazing) had positive effects on herbage mass and ground cover compared with higher stocking intensity or continuous grazing. Minimal impact of grazing management on pasture growth rate and below-ground biomass has been reported in Australia. However, these factors improved with grazing intensity or rotational grazing in some circumstances. While there is a lack of evidence in Australia that grazing management directly increases soil carbon, this meta-analysis indicated that grazing management practices have potential to benefit the drivers of soil carbon sequestration by increasing above and below-ground plant production, maintaining a higher residual biomass, and promoting productive perennial pasture species. Specific recommendations for future research and management are provided in the paper.

Optimizing Grain Yield and Radiation Use Efficiency through Synergistic Applications of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizers in Super Hybrid Rice.

The remarkable yield performance of super hybrid rice has played a crucial role in ensuring global food security. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the contribution of radiation use efficiency (RUE) to hybrid rice yields under different nitrogen and potassium treatments. In this three-year field experiment, we aimed to evaluate the impact of two hybrid rice varieties (Y-liangyou 900: YLY900 and Quanyouhuazhan: QYHZ) under varying nitrogen regimes (N90: 90 kg N ha-1, N120: 120 kg N ha-1, N180: 180 kg N ha-1) and potassium regimes (K120: 120 kg K2O ha-1, K160: 160 kg K2O ha-1, K210: 210 kg K2O ha-1) on grain yield and its physiological determinants, including RUE, intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), aboveground biomass production, and harvest index (HI). Our results revealed that both rice varieties exhibited significantly higher yields when coupled with nitrogen and potassium fertilization. Compared to the N90 × K120 treatment, the N120 × K160 and N180 × K210 combinations resulted in substantial increases in grain yield (12.0% and 21.1%, respectively) and RUE (11.9% and 21.4%, respectively). The YLY900 variety showed notable yield improvement due to enhanced aboveground biomass production resulting from increased IPAR and RUE. In contrast, the QYHZ variety's aboveground biomass accumulation was primarily influenced by RUE rather than IPAR, resulting in higher RUE and grain yields of 9.2% and 5.3%, respectively, compared to YLY900. Importantly, fertilization led to significant increases in yield, biomass, and RUE, while HI remained relatively constant. Both varieties demonstrated a positive relationship between grain yield and IPAR and RUE. Multiple regression analysis indicated that increasing RUE was the primary driver of yield improvement in hybrid rice varieties. By promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing fertilizer management, elevating nitrogen and potassium levels from a low base would synergistically enhance rice yield and RUE, emphasizing the critical importance of RUE in hybrid rice productivity compared to HI.

Eco-physiology and environmental impacts of newly developed rice genotypes for improved yield and nitrogen use efficiency coordinately.

Significant advancements have been made in understanding the genetic regulation of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and identifying crucial NUE genes in rice. However, the development of rice genotypes that simultaneously exhibit high yield and NUE has lagged behind these theoretical advancements. The grain yield, NUE, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of newly-bred rice genotypes under reduced nitrogen application remain largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, field experiments were conducted, involving 80 indica (14 to 19 rice genotypes each year in Wuxue, Hubei) and 12 japonica (8 to 12 rice genotypes each year in Yangzhou, Jiangsu). Yield, NUE, agronomy, and soil parameters were assessed, and climate data were recorded. The experiments aimed to assess genotypic variations in yield and NUE among these genotypes and to investigate the eco-physiological basis and environmental impacts of coordinating high yield and high NUE. The results showed significant variations in yield and NUE among the genotypes, with 47 genotypes classified as moderate-high yield with high NUE (MHY_HNUE). These genotypes demonstrated the higher yields and NUE levels, with 9.6 t ha-1, 54.4 kg kg-1, 108.1 kg kg-1, and 64 % for yield, NUE for grain and biomass production, and N harvest index, respectively. Nitrogen uptake and tissue concentration were key drivers of the relationship between yield and NUE, particularly N uptake at heading and N concentrations in both straw and grain at maturity. Increase in pre-anthesis temperature consistently lowered yield and NUE. Genotypes within the MHY_HNUE group exhibited higher methane emissions but lower nitrous oxide emissions compared to those in the low to middle yield and NUE group, resulting in a 12.8 % reduction in the yield-scaled greenhouse gas balance. In conclusion, prioritizing crop breeding efforts on yield and resource use efficiency, as well as developing genotypes resilient to high temperatures with lower GHGs, can mitigate planetary warming.

Modulation of salt stress through application of citrate capped silver nanoparticles and indole acetic acid in maize.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of indole acetic acid (IAA) and Citrate Capped Silver Nanoparticles (Cit-AgNPs) on various attributes of maize under induced salinity stress. Seeds of the said variety were collected from Cereal Crop Research Institute (CCRI) Pirsabaq, Nowshera, sterilized and sown in earthen pots filled with 2 kg silt and soil (1:2) in triplicates in the green house of the Botany Department, University of Peshawar. Nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential thermal analysis (DTA). Results of SEM revealed spherical morphology of Cit-AgNPs while EDX showed various elemental composition. TGA showed dominant weight loss up to 300 °C while the DTA showed major exothermic peaks at 420 °C. High Salinity concentration (80 mM) imposed significant detrimental impacts by reducing the agronomic attributes, photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes and antioxidant enzymes, which was remarkably ameliorated by the foliar application of Cit-AgNPs and IAA. Agronomic attributes including leaf, root and shoot fresh and dry weight was improved by 52-74%, 43-69% and 36-79% in individual as well as combined treatments of IAA and NPs. Photosynthetic pigments were amplified by 35-63%, total osmolytes were augmented by 39-68% and antioxidant enzymes including SOD and POD were boosted by 42-57% and 37-62% respectively, in combined as well as individual application. Conclusively, Cit-AgNPs are considered as salt mitigating entities that enhance the tolerance level of crop plants along with IAA, which may be beneficial for the plants growing in saline stressed environment.

Silver lining to a climate crisis in multiple prospects for alleviating crop waterlogging under future climates.

Extreme weather events threaten food security, yet global assessments of impacts caused by crop waterlogging are rare. Here we first develop a paradigm that distils common stress patterns across environments, genotypes and climate horizons. Second, we embed improved process-based understanding into a farming systems model to discern changes in global crop waterlogging under future climates. Third, we develop avenues for adapting cropping systems to waterlogging contextualised by environment. We find that yield penalties caused by waterlogging increase from 3-11% historically to 10-20% by 2080, with penalties reflecting a trade-off between the duration of waterlogging and the timing of waterlogging relative to crop stage. We document greater potential for waterlogging-tolerant genotypes in environments with longer temperate growing seasons (e.g., UK, France, Russia, China), compared with environments with higher annualised ratios of evapotranspiration to precipitation (e.g., Australia). Under future climates, altering sowing time and adoption of waterlogging-tolerant genotypes reduces yield penalties by 18%, while earlier sowing of winter genotypes alleviates waterlogging by 8%. We highlight the serendipitous outcome wherein waterlogging stress patterns under present conditions are likely to be similar to those in the future, suggesting that adaptations for future climates could be designed using stress patterns realised today.

Biostimulants alleviate water deficit stress and enhance essential oil productivity: a case study with savory.

Water deficit stress exposure frequently constrains plant and agri-food production globally. Biostimulants (BSs) can be considered a new tool in mitigating water deficit stress. This study aimed to understand how BSs influence water deficit stress perceived by savory plants (Satureja hortensis L.), an important herb used for nutritional and herbal purposes in the Middle East. Three BS treatments, including bio-fertilizers, humic acid and foliar application of amino acid (AA), were implemented. Each treatment was applied to savory plants using three irrigation regimes (low, moderate and severe water deficit stress FC100, FC75 and FC50, respectively). Foliar application of AA increased dry matter yield, essential oil (EO) content and EO yield by 22%, 31% and 57%, respectively. The greatest EO yields resulted from the moderate (FC75) and severe water deficit stress (FC50) treatments treated with AA. Primary EO constituents included carvacrol (39-43%), gamma-terpinene (27-37%), alpha-terpinene (4-7%) and p-cymene (2-5%). Foliar application of AA enhanced carvacrol, gamma-terpinene, alpha-terpinene and p-cymene content by 6%, 19%, 46% and 18%, respectively. Physiological characteristics were increased with increasing water shortage and application of AA. Moreover, the maximum activities of superoxide dismutase (3.17 unit mg-1 min-1), peroxidase (2.60 unit mg-1 min-1) and catalase (3.08 unit mg-1 min-1) were obtained from plants subjected to severe water deficit stress (FC50) and treated with AA. We conclude that foliar application of AA under water deficit stress conditions would improve EO quantity and quality in savory.

Cropland carbon stocks driven by soil characteristics, rainfall and elevation.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) can influence atmospheric CO2 concentration and then the extent to which the climate emergency is mitigated globally. It follows the elucidation of the driving factors of cropland SOC stocks, which is fundamental to reducing soil carbon loss and promoting soil carbon sequestration. Here, we examined the influence of 16 environmental variables on SOC stocks and sequestration based on three machine learning soil mapping methods, i.e. multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBOOST), with 2875 observed soil samples from cropland topsoil across Hunan Province, China in 2010. We employed a structural equation model (SEM) to extricate the driving mechanisms of environmental variables on SOC stocks at the regional scale. Our results show that XGBOOST had the most reliable performance in predicting SOC stocks, explaining 66 % of the total SOC stock variation. Croplands with high SOC stocks were distributed in low-altitude and water-sufficient areas. The partial dependence of SOC on precipitation showed a trend of increasing and then slowly decreasing. In addition, the grid-based SEM results clearly presented the direct and indirect routes of environmental variables' impacts on cropland SOC stocks. Soil properties regulated by elevation, were the most influential natural factor on SOC stocks. Precipitation and elevation drove SOC stocks through direct and indirect effects respectively. Our SEM combined with machine learning approach can provide an effective explanation of the driving mechanism for SOC accumulation. We expect our proposed modelling approach can be applied to other regions and offer new insights, as a reference for mitigating cropland soil carbon loss under climate emergency conditions.

Whole farm planning raises profit despite burgeoning climate crisis.

The climate crisis challenges farmer livelihoods as increasingly frequent extreme weather events impact the quantum and consistency of crop production. Here, we develop a novel paradigm to raise whole farm profit by optimising manifold variables that drive the profitability of irrigated grain farms. We build then invoke a new decision support tool-WaterCan Profit-to optimise crop type and areas that collectively maximise farm profit. We showcase four regions across a climate gradient in the Australian cropping zone. The principles developed can be applied to cropping regions or production systems anywhere in the world. We show that the number of profitable crop types fell from 35 to 10 under future climates, reflecting the interplay between commodity price, yield, crop water requirements and variable costs. Effects of climate change on profit were not related to long-term rainfall, with future climates depressing profit by 11-23% relative to historical climates. Impacts of future climates were closely related to crop type and maturity duration; indeed, many crop types that were traditionally profitable under historical climates were no longer profitable in future. We demonstrate that strategic whole farm planning of crop types and areas can yield significant economic benefits. We suggest that future work on drought adaptation consider genetic selection criteria more diverse than phenology and yield alone. Crop types with (1) higher value per unit grain weight, (2) lower water requirements and (3) higher water-use efficiency are more likely to ensure the sustainability and prosperity of irrigated grain production systems under future climates.

Rice Paddies Reduce Subsequent Yields of Wheat Due to Physical and Chemical Soil Constraints.

Yields of wheat crops that succeed rice paddy crops are generally low. To date, it has been unclear whether such low yields were due to rice paddies altering soil physical or mineral characteristics, or both. To investigate this quandary, we conducted field experiments in the Jianghan Plain to analyze differences in the spatial distribution of wheat roots between rice-wheat rotation (RW) and dryland-wheat rotations (DW) using a range of nitrogen treatments. Dryland wheat crops were preceded by either dryland soybean or corn in the prior summer. Biomass of wheat crops in RW systems was significantly lower than that of DW for all N fertilizer treatments, although optimal nitrogen management resulted in comparable wheat yields in both DW and RW. Soil saturated water capacity and non-capillary porosity were higher in DW than RW, whereas soil bulk density was higher in RW. Soil available nitrogen and organic matter were higher in DW than RW irrespective of N application, while soil available P and K were higher under RW both at anthesis and post-harvest stages. At anthesis, root length percentage (RLP) was more concentrated in surface layers (0-20 cm) in RW, whereas at 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm, RLP was higher in DW than RW for all N treatments. At maturity, RLP were ranked 0-20 > 20-40 > 40-60 cm under both cropping systems irrespective of N fertilization. Root length percentage and soil chemical properties at 0-20 cm were positively correlated (r = 0.79 at anthesis, r = 0.68 at post-harvest) with soil available P, while available N (r = -0.59) and soil organic matter (r = -0.39) were negatively correlated with RLP at anthesis. Nitrogen applied at 180 kg ha-1 in three unform amounts of 60 kg N ha-1 at sowing, wintering and jointing resulted in higher yields than other treatments for both cropping systems. Overall, our results suggest that flooding of rice paddies increased bulk density and reduced available nitrogen, inhibiting the growth and yield of subsequent wheat crops relative to rainfed corn or soybean crops.

Evaluating the resistance mechanism of Atriplex leucoclada (Orache) to salt and water stress; A potential crop for biosaline agriculture.

The development of food and forage crops that flourish under saline conditions may be a prospective avenue for mitigating the impacts of climate change, both allowing biomass production under conditions of water-deficit and potentially expanding land-use to hitherto non-arable zones. Here, we examine responses of the native halophytic shrub Atriplex leucoclada to salt and drought stress using a factorial design, with four levels of salinity and four drought intensities under the arid conditions. A. leucoclada plants exhibited morphological and physiological adaptation to salt and water stress which had little effect on survival or growth. Under low salinity stress, water stress decreased the root length of A. leucoclada; in contrast, under highly saline conditions root length increased. Plant tissue total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content decreased with increasing water stress under low salinity. As salt stress increased, detrimental effects of water deficit diminished. We found that both salt and water stress had increased Na+ and Cl- uptake, with both stresses having an additive and beneficial role in increasing ABA and proline content. We conclude that A. leucoclada accumulates high salt concentrations in its cellular vacuoles as a salinity resistance mechanism; this salt accumulation then becomes conducive to mitigation of water stress. Application of these mechanisms to other crops may improve tolerance and producitivity under salt and water stress, potentially improving food security.

Soybean Crops Penalize Subsequent Wheat Yield During Drought in the North China Plain.

Contemporary wisdom suggests that inclusion of legumes into crop rotations benefit subsequent cereal crop yields. To investigate whether this maxim was generically scalable, we contrast summer soybean-winter wheat (SW) with summer maize-winter wheat (MW) rotation systems in an extensive field campaign in the North China Plain (NCP). We identify heretofore unseen interactions between crop rotation, synthetic N fertilizer application, and stored soil water. In the year with typical rainfall, inclusion of soybean within rotation had no effect on wheat ear number and yield, while N fertilization penalized wheat yields by 6-8%, mainly due to lower dry matter accumulation after anthesis. In contrast, in dry years prior crops of soybean reduced the rate and number of effective ears in wheat by 5-27 and 14-17%, respectively, leading to 7-23% reduction in wheat yield. Although N fertilization increased the stem number before anthesis in dry years, there was no corresponding increase in ear number and yield of wheat in such years, indicating compensating reduction in yield components. We also showed that N fertilization increased wheat yield in MW rather than SW as the former better facilitated higher dry matter accumulation after flowering in dry years. Taken together, our results suggest that soybean inclusion reduced soil available water for subsequent wheat growth, causing yield penalty of subsequent wheat under drought conditions. We call for more research into factors influencing crop soil water, including initial state, crop water requirement, and seasonal climate forecasts, when considering legumes into rotation systems. Graphical AbstractResponse of wheat population and yield to soybean inclusion under limited-irrigation.

Comparative efficacy of phosphorous supplements with phosphate solubilizing bacteria for optimizing wheat yield in calcareous soils.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is the main hurdle in achieving sustainable crop production ps especially in calcareous soils. Using bio-fertilizers like phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) could be a useful approach for sustainable P management as they improve P availability in soil via dissolution, desorption and mineralization reactions. In addition, application of organic amendments with PSB could further ameliorate soil conditions for sustainable management of immobilized nutrients in calcarious soils. Therefore, we performed pot experiment to study the role of PSB in nullifying antagonistic effects of liming (4.78, 10, 15 and 20%) on P availability from poultry manure (PM), farm yard manure (FYM), single super phosphate (SSP) and rock phosphate (RP) in alkaline soils. PSB inoculation improved wheat growth, P availability and stimulated soil acidification over control regardless of P sources and lime levels. Soil calcification adversely affected plant growth, P nutrition, induced soil salinity and alkalinity, however, PSB and manures application potentially nullified such harmful effects over mentioned traits. Individually, organic sources were superior than mineral sources however, the performance of mineral fertilizers with PSB was at par to sole application of manures. Furthermore, application of RP with PSB proved as effective as sole SSP. Therefore, using PSB as bio-fertilizer has huge potential for improving P availability in calcareous soils.

iTRAQ Proteomic Analysis of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes Differing in Waterlogging Tolerance.

Transient and chronic waterlogging constrains crop production in many regions of the world. Here, we invoke a novel iTRAQ-based proteomic strategy to elicit protein synthesis and regulation responses to waterlogging in tolerant (XM 55) and sensitive genotypes (YM 158). Of the 7,710 proteins identified, 16 were distinct between the two genotypes under waterlogging, partially defining a proteomic basis for waterlogging tolerance (and sensitivity). We found that 11 proteins were up-regulated and 5 proteins were down-regulated; the former included an Fe-S cluster assembly factor, heat shock cognate 70, GTP-binding protein SAR1A-like and CBS domain-containing protein. Down-regulated proteins contained photosystem II reaction center protein H, carotenoid 9, 10 (9', 10')-cleavage dioxygenase-like, psbP-like protein 1 and mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor. We showed that nine proteins responded to waterlogging with non-cultivar specificity: these included 3-isopropylmalate dehydratase large subunit, solanesyl-diphosphate synthase 2, DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase 3, and 3 predicted or uncharacterized proteins. Sixteen of the 28 selected proteins showed consistent expression patterns between mRNA and protein levels. We conclude that waterlogging stress may redirect protein synthesis, reduce chlorophyll synthesis and enzyme abundance involved in photorespiration, thus influencing synthesis of other metabolic enzymes. Collectively, these factors accelerate the accumulation of harmful metabolites in leaves in waterlogging-susceptible genotypes. The differentially expressed proteins enumerated here could be used as biological markers for enhancing waterlogging tolerance as part of future crop breeding programs.

Biochar Optimizes Wheat Quality, Yield, and Nitrogen Acquisition in Low Fertile Calcareous Soil Treated With Organic and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizers.

Crop quality and nutrient uptake are considerably influenced by fertilizers inputs and their application rate. Biochar (BC) improves nitrogen uptake and crop productivity. However, its interaction with synthetic and organic fertilizers in calcareous soil is not fully recognized. Therefore, we inspected the role of biochar (0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha-1) in improving N uptake and quality of wheat in a calcareous soil under integrated N management (90, 120, and 150 kg N ha-1) applied each from urea, farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure (PM) along with control) in 2 years field experiments. Application of 20 t BC along with 150 kg N ha-1 as poultry manure considerably improved wheat grain protein content (14.57%), grain (62.9%), straw (28.7%), and biological (38.4%) yield, grain, straw, and total N concentration by 14.6, 19.2, and 15.6% and their uptake by 84.6, 48.8, and 72.1%, respectively, over absolute control when averaged across the years. However, their impact was more pronounced in the 2nd year (2016-2017) after application compared to the 1st year (2015-2016). Therefore, for immediate crop benefits, it is recommended to use 20 t BC ha-1 once in 50 years for enhancing the nitrogen use efficiency of fertilizers and crop yield.

Shifting Rice Cropping Systems Mitigates Ecological Footprints and Enhances Grain Yield in Central China.

Intensive cereal production has brought about increasingly serious environmental threats, including global warming, environmental acidification, and water shortage. As an important grain producer in the world, the rice cultivation system in central China has undergone excessive changes in the past few decades. However, few articles focused on the environmental impacts of these shifts from the perspective of ecological footprints. In this study, a 2-year field trial was carried out in Hubei province, China, to gain insight into carbon footprint (CF), nitrogen footprint (NF), and water footprint (WF) performance. The three treatments were, namely, double-rice system (DR), ratoon rice system (RR), and rice-wheat system (RW). Results demonstrated that RR significantly increased the grain yield by 10.22-15.09% compared with DR, while there was no significant difference in the grain yield between RW and DR in 2018-2019. All of the calculation results by three footprint approaches followed the order: RR < RW < DR; meanwhile, RR was always significantly lower than DR. Methane and NH3 field emissions were the hotspots of CF and NF, respectively. Blue WF accounts for 40.90-42.71% of DR, which was significantly higher than that of RR and RW, primarily because DR needs a lot of irrigation water in both seasons. The gray WF of RW was higher than those of DR and RR, mainly due to the higher application rate of N fertilizer. In conclusion, RR possesses the characteristics of low agricultural inputs and high grain yield and can reduce CF, NF, and WF, considering the future conditions of rural societal developments and rapid demographic changes; we highlighted that the RR could be a cleaner and sustainable approach to grain production.