The winter wheat–summer maize double cropping system caused overexploitation of groundwater in the North China Plain; it is unsustainable and threatens food security and the overall wellbeing of humankind in the region. Finding water-saving cropping systems without compromising food security is a more likely solution. In this study, six alternative cropping systems’ water conservation and food supply capacity were compared simultaneously. A combined water footprint method was applied to analyze the cropping systems’ water consumption. The winter wheat–summer maize system had the largest water consumption (16,585 m3/ha on average), followed by the potato/spring maize, spinach–spring maize, rye–spring maize, vetch–spring maize, pea/spring maize, soybean||spring maize and mono-spring maize cropping systems. For the groundwater, the spinach–spring maize, pea/spring maize, soybean||spring maize systems showed a higher degree of synchronization between crop growth period and rainfall, which could reduce use of groundwater by 36.8%, 54.4% and 57.6%, respectively. For food supply capacity, the values for spinach–spring maize, pea/spring maize, soybean||spring maize systems were 73.0%, 60.8% and 48.4% of winter wheat–summer maize, respectively, but they showed a better feeding efficiency than the winter wheat–summer maize system. On the whole, spinach–spring maize may be a good option to prevent further decline in groundwater level and to ensure food security in a sustainable way.

中文翻译：

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以玉米为基础的种植系统会在不影响华北平原粮食安全的情况下减少用水量吗？

冬小麦夏玉米双熟制造成华北平原地下水超采；它是不可持续的，威胁着该地区的粮食安全和人类的整体福祉。在不影响粮食安全的情况下寻找节水的种植系统是一个更有可能的解决方案。在这项研究中，同时比较了六种替代种植系统的节水和粮食供应能力。应用组合水足迹方法来分析种植系统的耗水量。冬小麦-夏玉米系统耗水量最大（平均 16,585 m3/ha），其次是马铃薯/春玉米、菠菜-春玉米、黑麦-春玉米、野豌豆-春玉米、豌豆/春玉米、大豆||春玉米和单春玉米种植系统。对于地下水，菠菜-春玉米、豌豆/春玉米、大豆||春玉米系统在作物生长期和降雨之间表现出更高程度的同步，可以分别减少36.8%、54.4%和57.6%的地下水使用。在粮食供应能力方面，菠菜-春玉米、豌豆/春玉米、大豆||春玉米系统的值分别为冬小麦-夏玉米的 73.0%、60.8% 和 48.4%，但它们的饲养效率高于冬小麦-夏玉米系统。总体而言，菠菜春玉米可能是防止地下水位进一步下降和以可持续方式确保粮食安全的不错选择。分别。在粮食供应能力方面，菠菜-春玉米、豌豆/春玉米、大豆||春玉米系统的值分别为冬小麦-夏玉米的 73.0%、60.8% 和 48.4%，但它们的饲养效率高于冬小麦-夏玉米系统。总体而言，菠菜春玉米可能是防止地下水位进一步下降和以可持续方式确保粮食安全的不错选择。分别。在粮食供应能力方面，菠菜-春玉米、豌豆/春玉米、大豆||春玉米系统的值分别为冬小麦-夏玉米的 73.0%、60.8% 和 48.4%，但它们的饲养效率高于冬小麦-夏玉米系统。总体而言，菠菜春玉米可能是防止地下水位进一步下降和以可持续方式确保粮食安全的不错选择。