Pursuing sustainable productivity with millions of smallholder farmers.

Sustainably feeding a growing population is a grand challenge, and one that is particularly difficult in regions that are dominated by smallholder farming. Despite local successes, mobilizing vast smallholder communities with science- and evidence-based management practices to simultaneously address production and pollution problems has been infeasible. Here we report the outcome of concerted efforts in engaging millions of Chinese smallholder farmers to adopt enhanced management practices for greater yield and environmental performance. First, we conducted field trials across China's major agroecological zones to develop locally applicable recommendations using a comprehensive decision-support program. Engaging farmers to adopt those recommendations involved the collaboration of a core network of 1,152 researchers with numerous extension agents and agribusiness personnel. From 2005 to 2015, about 20.9 million farmers in 452 counties adopted enhanced management practices in fields with a total of 37.7 million cumulative hectares over the years. Average yields (maize, rice and wheat) increased by 10.8-11.5%, generating a net grain output of 33 million tonnes (Mt). At the same time, application of nitrogen decreased by 14.7-18.1%, saving 1.2 Mt of nitrogen fertilizers. The increased grain output and decreased nitrogen fertilizer use were equivalent to US$12.2 billion. Estimated reactive nitrogen losses averaged 4.5-4.7 kg nitrogen per Megagram (Mg) with the intervention compared to 6.0-6.4 kg nitrogen per Mg without. Greenhouse gas emissions were 328 kg, 812 kg and 434 kg CO2 equivalent per Mg of maize, rice and wheat produced, respectively, compared to 422 kg, 941 kg and 549 kg CO2 equivalent per Mg without the intervention. On the basis of a large-scale survey (8.6 million farmer participants) and scenario analyses, we further demonstrate the potential impacts of implementing the enhanced management practices on China's food security and sustainability outlook.

Improving the sustainability of the wheat supply chain through multi-stakeholder engagement.

Feeding the world's growing population, while producing economic benefits with limited environmental effects, is a major challenge faced by global food supply chains. This is especially apparent when the production stage is predominated by smallholders as they each face varying economic and environmental demands, making it difficult to mobilize them on the ground. This study investigated how the environmental and economic sustainability of wheat supply chains could be improved by analyzing the performance of all stakeholders, especially the smallholders. Results showed that 77% of GHG emissions came from wheat cultivation, and less than 8% of the total economic benefits were recouped during this stage. In contrast, smallholders in the Science and Technology Backyards, reduced their GHG emissions by 16.4% and improved their economic benefits by 1.3- fold. Furthermore, a 2.6-fold increase in profit (1808 USD) with GHG emission reduction was achieved simultaneously by integrating all individual stages as a whole. This study found that the sustainability of the wheat supply chain was mainly affected by wheat cultivation. It also demonstrated the potential efficacy of empowering smallholders and integration of all individual stages as a whole to improve the sustainability of food supply chains.

Grain production versus resource and environmental costs: towards increasing sustainability of nutrient use in China.

Over the past five decades, Chinese grain production has increased 4-fold, from 110 Mt in 1961 to 557 Mt in 2014, with less than 9% of the world's arable land feeding 22% of the world's population, indicating a substantial contribution to global food security. However, compared with developed economies, such as the USA and the European Union, more than half of the increased crop production in China can be attributed to a rapid increase in the consumption of chemicals, particularly fertilizers. Excessive fertilization has caused low nutrient use efficiency and high environmental costs in grain production. We analysed the key requirements underpinning increased sustainability of crop production in China, as follows: (i) enhance nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses by fertilizing roots not soil to maximize root/rhizosphere efficiency with innovative root zone nutrient management; (ii) improve crop productivity and resource use efficiency by matching the best agronomic management practices with crop improvement; and (iii) promote technology transfer of the root zone nutrient management to achieve the target of high yields and high efficiency with low environmental risks on a broad scale. Coordinating grain production and environmental protection by increasing the sustainability of nutrient use will be a key step in achieving sustainable crop production in Chinese agriculture.

Enhancing maize phosphorus uptake with optimal blends of high and low-concentration phosphorus fertilizers.

High-concentration phosphorus (P) fertilizers are crucial for crop growth. However, fertilizers with lower P concentrations, such as calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP) and single super phosphate (SSP), can also serve as efficient P sources, especially when blended with high-concentration P fertilizers like diammonium phosphate (DAP) or monoammonium phosphate (MAP). In this study, we conducted a 48-day pot experiment to explore how blending low-P fertilizers could optimize maize P utilization, using CMP to replace DAP in acidic soil, and SSP to replace MAP in alkaline soil, with five SSP+MAP and CMP+DAP mixtures tested. Key metrics such as shoot and root biomass, shoot P uptake, root length, and soil P bioavailability were measured. We found that maize biomass and P uptake with 100% DAP were comparable to those with 50% CMP and 50% DAP in acidic soil. Similar results were observed for 100% MAP compared to 50% SSP and 50% DAP in alkaline soil. Root biomass and length were largest with 100% MAP in acidic soil and at 100% DAP in alkaline soil, with no significant differences at 50% SSP or CMP substitutions for MAP and DAP, respectively. Furthermore, 50% SSP or CMP substitutions for MAP and DAP increased the content and proportion of the labile inorganic P (Pi) pool (H2O-Pi and NaHCO3-Pi), had a direct and positive effect on Olsen-P. Our findings reveal that 1:1 blends of SSP and MAP in acidic soil, and CMP and DAP in alkaline soil, effectively meet maize's P requirements without relying solely on high-concentration P fertilizers. This indicates that strategic blending of fertilizers can optimize P use, which is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Complementary effects of phosphorus supply and planting density on maize growth and phosphorus use efficiency.

Phosphorus (P) supply and planting density regulate plant growth by altering root morphological traits and soil P dynamics. However, the compensatory effects of P supply and planting density on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and P use efficiency remain unknown. In this study, we conducted pot experiments of approximately 60 days to determine the effect of P supply, i.e., no P (CK), single superphosphate (SSP), and monoammonium phosphate (MAP), and different planting densities (low: two plants per pot; and high: four plants per pot) on maize growth. A similar shoot biomass accumulation was observed at high planting density under CK treatment (91.5 g plot-1) and low planting density under SSP treatment (94.3 g plot-1), with similar trends in P uptake, root morphological traits, and arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization. There was no significant difference in shoot biomass between high planting density under SSP (107.3 g plot-1) and low planting density under MAP (105.2 g plot-1); the corresponding P uptake, root growth, and P fraction in the soil showed the same trend. These results suggest that improved P supply could compensate for the limitations of low planting density by regulating the interaction between root morphological traits and soil P dynamics. Furthermore, under the same P supply, the limitations of low planting density could be compensated for by substituting MAP for SSP. Our results indicate that maize growth and P use efficiency could be improved by harnessing the compensatory effects of P supply and planting density to alter root plasticity and soil P dynamics.

Using knowledge-based management for sustainable phosphorus use in China.

Sustainable phosphorus (P) management presents challenges in crop production and environmental protection; the current understanding of chemical P-fertilizer manufacturing, rock phosphate (RP) mining, P loss within supply chains, and strategies to mitigate loss is incomplete because of a fragmented understanding of P in the crop production supply chain. Therefore, we develop a knowledge-based management theoretical framework to analyze P supply chains to explore ways to mitigate China's P crisis. This framework connects upstream P industries and crop production, addressing knowledge gaps and stakeholder involvement. We demonstrate the potential to improve P use efficiency in the supply chain, thereby mitigating the P crisis using optimized P management. Our results showed that P footprint and grain production demand for RP can be reduced without yield penalty using a crop-demand-oriented P supply chain management that integrates P use in crop production, P-fertilizer manufacturing, and RP mining. Food security and P-related environment sustainability can be achieved by sharing responsibility and knowledge among stakeholders.

Synergies in sustainable phosphorus use and greenhouse gas emissions mitigation in China: Perspectives from the entire supply chain from fertilizer production to agricultural use.

Synergies to achieve high phosphorus (P) use efficiency (PUE) and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are critical for developing strategies aimed toward agricultural green development. However, the potential effects of such synergies in the entire P supply chain through optimizing P management in crop production are poorly understood. In this study, a partial life cycle of a GHG emissions model was developed to quantify the P-related GHG emissions in the entire P supply chain in China. Our results showed that 16.3 kg CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) was produced from the entire P supply chain per unit of P used for grain agriculture (maize, rice, and wheat). P-related GHG emissions in China increased more than five-fold from 1980 (7.2 Tg CO2-eq) to 2018 (44.9 Tg CO2-eq). GHG emissions were found to be strongly associated with the intensity of grain production in China, and they varied considerably across production regions owing to the differences in the P fertilizer production efficiency. Mineral P fertilizer use in crop production was the primary source of P-related GHG emissions. The results suggest that sustainable P management by matching mineral P fertilizer rates and fertilizer types with crop needs can mitigate GHG emissions by 10.8-27.7 Tg (24.0-65.1%). Moreover, this can improve PUE and reduce mineral P input by 0.7-1.4 Tg (24.0-46.0%). These findings highlight that potential synergies between high PUE and low P-related GHG emissions can be achieved via sustainable P management, thereby enhancing green agricultural development in China and other regions worldwide.

Toward the sustainable use of mineral phosphorus fertilizers for crop production in China: From primary resource demand to final agricultural use.

Sustainable phosphorus (P) management is crucial to both food security and environmental conservation. The optimization of P input from mineral fertilizers has been advocated as an effective approach to improve P use efficiency. However, strategies for maximizing P use efficiency by linking soil-crop systems and fertilizer types with the P flow, from a whole P supply chain perspective, are lacking. In this study, a meta-analysis and substance flow analysis (SFA) were employed to evaluate the effects of different mineral P fertilizer types on crop yield and P flow from rock phosphate (RP) exploitation to P use in China. Compared to single superphosphate (SSP), triple superphosphate (TSP), and calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP), a significantly higher yield was obtained when diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP) were used 2005 onwards. However, P loss, from RP extraction to application, was 24% higher for DAP and MAP than for SSP, TSP, and CMP. DAP and MAP use led to a 6% larger P footprint than SSP, TSP, and CMP use. The P use efficiency could be improved by 22%, 36%, and 40% in wheat, maize, and rice production, respectively, by integrating the soil-crop system with mineral P fertilizer types, while P loss and P footprint could be reduced by 13% and 17%, respectively. These results indicate that P use efficiency can be significantly improved by integrating mineral P fertilizer types with soil-crop systems, providing an effective approach for RP exploitation to improve P use efficiency and alleviate the overexploitation of RP.

Optimizing wheat production and reducing environmental impacts through scientist-farmer engagement: Lessons from the North China Plain.

Producing high economic benefits and high grain yields with limited environmental impacts is crucial for feeding the world's growing population. Yet it remains challenging to improve the performance of one objective without creating unintended consequences for other objectives. This is especially difficult for smallholders navigating a diverse array of environmental and personal demands. This study demonstrates how combining participatory research through the Science and Technology Backyards (STB) approach with Pareto-based ranking modeling can increase smallholder production while also reducing environmental impact. Through an intensive farmer survey in a 1 × 1 km grid in Quzhou County, we demonstrate that farmers engaged in STBs performed better according to multiple objectives (i.e., optimizing overall grain yield, benefit-cost ratio, and GHG emissions, without compromising any one of these objectives) than farmer's not engaged in STBs. Moreover, we used a Pareto optimization approach (OPT) to determine the optimal smallholder scenario. We found that under OPT, grain yield could reach 9.5 t/ha, with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.1, a 100% N recovery efficiency, and 7,395 kg CO2eq ha-1 GHG emissions. With OPT as a final goal, our research team worked with STB farmers to improve economic and environmental outcomes without compromising yield. Our findings demonstrate that no significant difference was obtained between farmers engaged in STBs and these under OPT. Compared with non-STB farmers, STB farmers' grain yield improved by 18%, benefit-cost ratio improved by 26% due to improved N recovery efficiency, and GHG emissions were reduced by 31%. These improvements demonstrate the power of scientist-farmer engagement for optimizing wheat production. Such engagement allows farmers to modify their agronomic practices to more closely match Pareto optimal conditions, thus improving environmental and economic benefits without compromising yield. Our results provide solid evidence of the potential for sustainable wheat production by combining modeling with participatory research.

Phosphorus-Use Efficiency Modified by Complementary Effects of P Supply Intensity With Limited Root Growth Space.

Space availability and the maintenance of adequate phosphorus (P) supply in the root zone are essential for achieving high yield and P-use efficiency in maize production by manipulating the root morphology and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi colonization. A major trade-off exists between root growth and AM colonization that is influenced by soil P supply intensity and space availability. However, how soil P manipulates the root morphological characteristics and AM colonization to compensate for the limitation of root-growth space induced by high-planting density is not clear. Therefore, pot experiments were conducted to investigate interactions between the root growth and AM fungi by optimizing soil P supply to compensate for limited root growth space induced by high-planting density. Similar shoot biomass and P uptake values were obtained in P200 (200 mg P kg-1 soil) under D = 40 (i.e., diameter of the pot is 40 cm) and P400 under D = 30, and similar values were obtained for root length, tap root length, root angle, lateral root density, and AM colonization. However, the improvement in P supply in the root zone, shoot biomass, and P uptake in P400 under D = 20 were lower than in P200 under D = 30, and there were no significant differences in the root parameters between P200 and P400 under D = 20; similarly, the root growth and AM colonization exhibited similar trends. These results suggest that optimizing P supply in the root zone to regulate the interaction between root morphological traits and AM colonization can compensate for limited root-growth space. Although P supply in the root zone increased after the root-growth space was compressed, it could not meet the P demand of maize; thus, to achieve the most efficient use of P under intensive high-density maize production, it is necessary to optimally coordinate root growth space and P supply in the root zone.

Effects of grass growing on soil fertility and productivity of orchards in China: A metaanalysis.

Planting grasses in orchards is important to maintain soil basic fertility, improve the soil ecological environment, and promote sustainable growth of fruit. However, the quantitative effects of grasses on nutrient content of orchard soil in China is unclear, as well as the mechanisms associated with higher fruit yield and quality in orchards. This meta-analysis included 62 literature published between 1990 and 2020 to quantify effects of soil depth, planting years of raw grasses, and raw grasses to the physical and chemical properties and fruit yield and quality of orchards, as well as to explore the impacts of grasses on the sustainable production of Chinese orchards. Between 1990 and 2020, compared with the non-grass orchards, the content of soil organic matter, alkali nitrogen and available phosphorus in orchard with grasses increased by 18%, 11%, and 27% respectively, and the soil bulk density was reduced by 20%. Orchard grass increased soil temperature by 23% when the temperature was below 10 ℃, and reduced soil temperature by about 8% when the temperature was above 10 ℃. Compared with annual grasses, perennial grasses (natural or artificial) significantly improved soil properties, fruit yield and quality. These findings indicated that long-term grass planting in orchards had far-reaching significance on sustainable production.

Model-based analysis of phosphorus flows in the food chain at county level in China and options for reducing the losses towards green development.

Insight in the phosphorus (P) flows and P balances in the food chain is largely unknown at county scale in China, being the most appropriate spatial unit for nutrient management advice. Here, we examined changes in P flows in the food chain in a typical agricultural county (Quzhou) during 1980-2017, using substance flow analyses. Our results show that external P inputs to the county by feed import and fertilizer were 7 times greater in 2017 than in 1980, resulting in a 7-fold increase in P losses to the environment in the last 3 decades, with the biggest source being animal production. Phosphorus use efficiency decreased from 51% to 30% in crop production (PUEc) and from 32% to 11% in the whole food chain (PUEf), but increased from 4% to 7% in animal production (PUEa). A strong reduction in P inputs and thus increase in PUE can be achieved by balanced P fertilization, which is appropriate for Quzhou considering a current average adequate soil P status. Fertilizer P use can be reduced from 7276 tons yr-1 to 1765 tons yr-1 to equal P removal by crops. This change would increase P use efficiency for crops from 30% to 86% but it has a negligible effect on P losses to landfills and water bodies. Increasing the recycling of manure P from the current 43%-95% would reduce fertilizer P use by 17% and reduce P losses by 47%. A combination of reduced fertilizer P use and increased recycling of manure P would save fertilizer P by 93%, reduce P accumulation by 100% and P loss by 49%. The results indicate that increasing manure-recycling and decreasing fertilizer-application are key to achieving sustainable P use in the food chain, which can be achieved through coupling crop-livestock systems and crop-based nutrient management.