The important causes for lack of improvement in production and low chickpea yields are inappropriate crop management, variety-based un-optimized planting density, variety not suitable for machine harvest and losses during harvesting operations. In this study, we hypothesized that increased planting density can compensate for the yield reduction in tall chickpea genotypes by accomodating more plants

Narrowing the yield gaps is one of the major concerns in developing countries. Closing yield gap to obtain attainable yield is a viable option for providing information regarding the reason of yield loss. Hence, accurate estimation of the yield gap has many practical applications for enhancing production of crops. This research was conducted for assessing the yield gap of rice-grown fields using boundary-line

Cotton-sunflower cropping system is a unique oilseed-based rotation. The real problem is overlapping sunflower-maturity with cotton-sowing. Investigations aim to tackle cotton-late-sowing through sowing-time-adjustment and cultivar-selection at cropping-system-level. Cotton (May 10th to June 24th) and sunflower (December 20th to February 03rd) sowing-dates were maintained biweekly. Maturity-time based

Evaluating the effects of nitrogen (N) on photosynthesis characteristics and photoassimilate partitioning via vascular bundles (VB) under water-saving irrigation is crucial to maximum grain yield of environment-friendly wheat production in the North China Plain (NCP). Field experiments were conducted with four N application rates 0 (N0), 180 (N180), 240 (N240), and 300 (N300) kg N ha−1 under 70% and

Salinity prompts heavy metals accumulation and adversely affects nutrient contents in soil and plants, thereby reducing crop yields. The assessment of domestic sewage sludge (SS) under saline conditions to boost crop productivity has become crucial. A field trial was conducted for two consecutive years (2017–2019) with three irrigation levels [canal water (0.35 dS m−1), I1; 8 dS m−1, I2; and 10 dS

The current noticeable climate change that has a significant impact on the environment and agricultural systems has become a serious concern for human society. Followed by the industrial activities of the global community and increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, these changes are still considered as a threat to food safety and the environment. Changes in minimum and maximum

Yield growth stagnation in grain crops has been reported worldwide over recent decades. To understand this recent crop yield trend and its causes in China, we conducted an analysis of maize (Zea mays L.) in the North China Plain (NCP) as a case study. First, we analyzed the change characteristics of maize yield for the whole region during 1998–2015, then identified trend patterns at county level via

Cropland forms the material basis for human survival and is an important determinant of national food security. Cropland net primary productivity, which is the basis of food production and an important indicator of cropland productivity, reflects the production capacity of crops under natural conditions. However, currently, only limited knowledge was available on the relationship among cropland area

Process-based crop growth models have become indispensable tools for investigating the effects of genetic, management, and environmental factors on crop productivity. One source of uncertainty in crop model predictions is model parameterization, i.e. estimating the values of model input parameters, which is carried out very differently by crop modellers. One simple (SSM-iCrop) and one detailed (APSIM)

The common bean grown under straw of intercropped plants improves the cropping environment in no-tillage systems. In addition, nutrient supply from straw could reduce the use of topdressing nitrogen in common bean. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate under no-tillage system the effect of straw type and topdressing nitrogen doses in the irrigated common bean productive and qualitative attributes

The responses of wheat yield to large-scale atmospheric circulation indices (LACI) were explored in Henan province, north China. With using the annual series of climate-driven yield index (CDYI) extracted from winter wheat yield collected in 17 cites and the monthly series of 15 types of LACI during 1988–2017, the main findings were as follows: (1) this province could be divided into four sub-regions

Promiscuous soybeans are grain legumes that nodulate with diverse strains of indigenous Bradyrhizobium and play a significant role in biological nitrogen fixation through symbiosis. However, experiments on the potential use of promiscuous soybean varieties have recorded very low nodulation and poor nitrogen fixation probably due to ineffective native Bradyrhizobium isolates. Experiments were designed

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different irrigation strategies, planting methods and various nitrogen application rates on water and solutes transport under the root zone. Furthermore, Hydrus-1D model was used to simulate the drainage water and soil nutrient (N, K) leaching by the drainage water in the experimental treatments. Results indicated that variable alternate

Soil information is a vital input for crop models applications in various large area studies including climate change impact and food security. One of the global soil databases that provide full information for crop models is HC27 of IFPRI. The quality of the database has not been assessed for crop modeling so far. A tested crop simulation model (SSM-iCrop2) was used for this purpose that needs soil

Climate warming is impacting the phenology, growth and productivity of diverse cropping systems at local, regional and global levels. Long-term observed chickpea-mungbean system (CMS) phenological changes were used for the determination of the relationship between crop practices, climate warming and phenology for the making strategies for CMS to minimize negative climate change impacts. Observed thermal

The availability of water and nitrogen (N) to maize during its flowering stage affects the growth of individual kernels. The present study reports the variability of maize kernel dry weight under different levels of water and N applications. Two consecutive-year experiments were conducted during 2009 and during 2010 to study the interaction between three irrigation regimes and five N application rates

Climate models indicate that increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG), mainly CO2, will alter climate by increasing temperatures and changing rainfall patterns. Considering that potato crop stands out as the most important non-grain crop in the world, it is imperative to understand how climate change will impact this crop and how it will affect global food security. In this sense

Sugar beet is an important economic crop in Northwest China. In this area, efficient use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has become crucial due to decreased profits associated with both under- and oversupply relative to sugar beet requirements. Thus, fast and non-destruction diagnostic tools for estimating plant N status have an important role in reducing N inputs while maintaining sugar beet yield and

Pulses are smart crops both for humans and the cropping system as they provide protein, minerals, vitamins, and fiber for human diet and nitrogen to the soil and contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity. Pulses, also called grain legumes, contribute about 33% of the global dietary protein requirement of the human population. In Pakistan, the production of pulses is far less than the requirement

The wheat production variability is not well-understood in hilly region, especially in loess-derived soils of Golestan province in Iran with a sub-humid climate. Topography can greatly influence the production of agricultural crops by affecting soil quality. A study area located in Golestan province was selected in order to assess the spatial variability of wheat production and to develop regression

Water scarcity is the major limiting factor to crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Better understanding the response of crops to the time and intensity of water stress at different growth stages is helpful to optimize irrigation scheduling under water limited conditions. A 4-year (2013–2016) field experiment was conducted at Yangling on the Loess Plateau, to quantify the effects of timing

Maize can be sown in spring and fall seasons in Pakistan under maize–maize cropping system. Due to seasonal variability in meteorological parameters, optimization of planting time for maize hybrids is vital to harvest improved productivity in maize-maize system. This study was designed to explore the effect of diverse sowing dates on phenology, growing degree days (GDDs), photo-thermal-units (PTUs)

The release of environmental pollutants, which partly emanates from the application of chemical inputs, is a major global concern. Attempt to determine the methods to reduce environmental risk of rice cultivation are required. Selecting the best cover crop in rice rotation is necessary. The novelty of this research versus current knowledge is that life cycle assessment (LCA) has not been applied to

The regional differences for responses of winter oilseed rape yield to climate changes was not reported in China, and the statistical climate–yield relationships at the provincial scale in south China should be a valuable attempt. With using provincial data of climate variables and oilseed rape yields during 1978–2016, the main findings were as follows: (1) based on 14 provincial climate-induced yield

Hidden hunger is emerging as a major challenge for agricultural scientists because world population is increasing and food production is augmenting. Metals deficiencies (micronutrient malnutrition), especially Zn and Fe, are affecting over half of global population because they are depending cereal crops mainly wheat rice and maize for their daily diet. There are various possible techniques to overcome

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) yield is affected by climate, soil and management. The main approach used in Brazil defines the suitable area for growth considering soil and climate data, without considering the capacity of local management in reducing yield-limiting factors. Thus, the aim of this study is to characterize homogenous areas using sugarcane actual yield, climate, total plant-available

An increase in the area under soybean and other legume crops in Europe is one of the assumptions of the European Soya Declaration. A study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of cropping system and tillage system on yield, some quality characteristics of soybean seeds and economic evaluation. Therefore, this paper is of interdisciplinary nature. On average over a four-year study period, the soybean

The occurrence of diseases in rice, mainly rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae), is the main cause of yield reduction, and it has been controlled with the abusive use of fungicides in the conventional production system. To produce rice in an agroecological system, some measures, such as biological control, facilitates the transition from one system to another. The biological agent C24G classified as Cladosporium

The reduction of the yield gap is one of the strategies implemented for the improvement of food security. In this research, the yield gap of wheat in the west of Golestan province, Iran, was estimated using a two-step methodology. In the first step, the potential yield was evaluated using the SSM-iCrop2 model and in the following, the yield gap was determined by the difference between the actual yield

One of the most important forage crops in Iran is Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Cultivar selection is important for alfalfa hay production. This research was carried out in 2017 and 2018 to assess the effects of harvest time and cultivar on growth, physiological traits and yield of alfalfa in saline condition. These field experiments were carried out at the Research Farm of East-Azarbaijan Agricultural

Multipurpose intercropping, as a way of agricultural intensification, would contribute to solving the food and feed shortage problems facing the developing countries. In Northern Egypt, a 2-year field study was conducted to investigate the forage potential, in terms of productivity and quality, of thinned sunflower and soybean intercrops, that were subjected to three nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates (70

Quinoa is gaining importance globally owing to its nutritional quality and its adaptability under variety of conditions. However, limited information is available on the impact of planting techniques on growth, morphology, and yield and biomass accumulation under irrigation conditions. To the date, no ideal planting technique (sowing method) has been reported for the flat irrigated land for better

To establish the optimal fertilization rate to maintain high wheat yield and low environmental risk in the North China Plain, a two-year field experiment (2016–2018) was conducted with six combinations of two N rates (N0; N1: 240 kg ha−1) and three P rates (P0; P1: 150 kg ha−1; P2: 240 kg ha−1) to investigate the effects of these regimes on wheat grain yield, N assimilatory enzyme activity (nitrate

Because water resources for irrigation are limited worldwide, it is essential to embrace proper water-saving practices. Field studies were laid out as a factorial split experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications in 2015 and 2016 to determine the effect of wheat straw mulch (0 and 7.5 tons ha−1) under different irrigation treatments (100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% of the required

Climate change has had a considerable impact on potato production in Agro-Pastoral Ecotone (APE) in North China over the past several decades and it will continue to influence the growth of potato. Thus, understanding the impact of climate change on potato production is critical for future food security in this region. In this study, the calibrated APSIM-Potato model was used to assess the impact of

Limited arable land area and deteriorating soil health in smallholder farmers’ fields of subtropical regions in China have led to an urgent demand for sustainable production practices with greater land productivity and nutrients use efficiency. A group of field experiments at three locations (Yaan, Lezhi and Renshou) in two consecutive years of 2012–2013 were conducted to study crop production and

Wheat sowing often gets delayed and the crop faces terminal heat stress, which is severely impacting the crop productivity. Synthetic osmolytes maintain structural integrity of cell membrane and protect oxidative damage of cells under stress conditions. Hence, foliar application of these compounds is likely to alleviate the negative effects of high temperature on crop plants. However, field response

Rational fertilizer management is crucial in the efficient use of resources that are basically non-renewable and that can have a great environmental impact when used without scientific basis. The availability of scientifically sound decision-making tools for rational fertilization is scarce. We have developed a Windows program to calculate the required seasonal N, P and K rates, and the most cost-effective

Maize is sown during spring and autumn seasons in Pakistan; however, studies on inter-seasonal variability on maize productivity, agronomic and nitrogen use efficiencies (NUEs) are limited. Therefore optimization of nitrogen (N) rate and hybrids selection for each season is critical to harvest better yield in maize–maize cropping system. Two independent field experiments were conducted to optimize

Sustainable crop production in sub-tropical countries is severely affected by the unscientific application of fertilizers. The SPAD based N management of the rice–wheat sequence was investigated in eastern India. Topdressing of 25 kg N ha−1 was applied at SPAD 36 and 40 (S36 and S40) for rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), respectively, reduced the N requirement by an average of

In view of the expected increase in drought periods, researchers and breeders are searching for forage grasses that are more tolerant to drought stress. This study wanted to examine the physiological and biochemical reactions of nine forage grass varieties belonging to Festuca, Lolium and Festulolium under mild drought stress conditions in a semi-controlled field experiment. A mild drought stress treatment

Plant species may be subject to Allee effect if individuals experience a reduction in fitness when population biomass is small. The instances of Allee effect are fewer in number for plants than the animals and the consequences are not substantially explored for the field crops. Here Allee effects on three winter crops, viz. Barley (Hordeum vulgare Sensulato), Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori

Farmers face increased risks and vulnerability to the effects of climate change and land degradation on crop production due to the lack of information and impact assessment. This is especially true in the Khorezm, an irrigated agricultural region near the Aral Sea Basin (Uzbekistan) which represents eight million of irrigated land in Central Asia. Water scarcity requires research and introduction of

Water productivity (WP) is becoming a key issue in understanding the relationship between water availability and rainfed sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) yields in agricultural systems across sub–Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to determine water productivity of three sorghum genotypes under different environmental conditions. Three sorghum genotypes, a hybrid (PAN8816), a commercial

Critical nitrogen (Nc) dilution curve and its extended N nutrient index (NNI) in previous study was only be applied to wheat for N status diagnosis. This research improved this model and further established the N topdressing model which can be quantify the N topdressing rate when NNI < 1. To facilitate the estimate of the Nc concentration, the determination of basal stem tissue sap nitrate (Nit) concentration

Safflower oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids that is important for health. Drought stress can severely decrease the productivity and oil quality of safflower. Thus, in order to study the effect of hydropriming and melatonin-seed-priming on fatty acid composition and yield of Safflower under water deficit conditions a field experiment was carried out as split-factorial in a randomized complete

To evaluate the yield potential of 96 ecotypes including 48 proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) and 48 foxtail millet ecotypes (Setaria italica) along with four check cultivars under well-watered and water stress conditions, a field experiment was carried out in the Agricultural Research Institute, Meybod, Yazd, Iran, during 2013–2014 using an incomplete block design with two replications. Based on the

Because of human dependence on sustainable food production, it is needed to adopt agricultural production to climate change, and their consequences on associated socioeconomic issues. Crop modelling potentially can contribute to global food and nutrition security. Therefore, in this context DSSAT (decision support system for agro-technology transfer) was validated for predicting growth and yield of

India is one of the largest landmasses under crop cultivation with staple consumption of food security crops. Post green revolution (since 1967), there has been a steady March towards self-sustainability in food production. Though the general trends speak of an increase in crop yields, the detailed study on decade wise trends and fast approaching state of stagnation in crop yields is largely missing

Water deficits reduce plant growth. Moisture stress affects the development of plant organs, which in turn can have very profound effects on plant growth. Initiation and differentiation of vegetative and reproductive organs, as well as cell division and cell enlargement, are very sensitive to water stress. The size of the vegetative organs in part determines the yield of grain crops, and therefore

Organic agriculture can contribute to maintain the long-term sustainability of the agroecosystems, preserve and improve soil quality and guarantee good quality food products. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different organic fertilizers and a biostimulant on crop performance and soil properties. The research was performed in an experimental farm in Southern Italy and covered

Water deficit is the most limiting factor for seed yield of crop species in the arid and semi-arid regions. Due to increasing limitation of fresh water resources and importance of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) as a significant oilseed crop in Iran, it is necessary to evaluate physiological responses of drought tolerance and its association with seed yield of this crop in water stress condition

Regulating plant density is an important practice to improve winter wheat productivity under limited irrigation in North China Plain. Field experiments were carried out over two seasons (2014–15 and 2015–16) under three plant densities (Dh: 480–570, Dm: 360–390, Dl: 240–270 104 plants hm−2) and three irrigation levels (W0: no irrigation; W1: irrigated 80.0 mm only at the jointing stage, which also

Maize yield prediction is of extreme importance for both identifying those locations with high potential for this crop and determining the yield gaps of the crop where it is currently produced. The most feasible way to estimate crop yields is with the use of crop simulation models, since well calibrated and evaluated. Even though, these estimations have uncertainties once the crop models are not complete

To incorporate canopy vertical structure in a process-based model over a temperate meadow, a multilayered model estimated canopy carbon flux (Fc) and water flux (LE) was applied by comparing with eddy covariance measurements in Inner Mongolia, China. Simulations of diurnal, seasonal CO2 and H2O fluxes and model sensitivity to parameters and variables were analyzed. The results showed that the model

Despite tropical grasses being the main feed source for major part of ruminant livestock, information about nutritional quality changes under climate changes scenario are still scarce. The novelty of this work was to determine the effects of season and elevated CO2 under field conditions upon biomass production and nutritional value of Brachiaria decumbens during 2 years. The Free-Air Carbon Dioxide

Both transplanting and direct-sowing are the dominated methods for establishing winter oilseed rape in China. It is important to understand crop performances and responses to nutrient deficiency between transplanted oilseed rape (TOR) and direct sown oilseed rape (DOR). We estimated the effects of establishment methods (transplanting and direct-sowing) and nutrient deficiency (N, P, and K) on rapeseed

Rapid non-destructive estimation of the plant nitrogen (N) status is needed for the precise management of N in small-scale farms. Our objectives were to describe the responses of the soil–plant analyses development (SPAD) measurements to the plant N status of winter wheat, and to evaluate whether the SPAD index is more precise than SPAD readings in estimating the plant N status. During 2009–2011, a

Stability of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids has been major research topics. So far, more emphasis has been placed on the per area grain yield variation, rather than on the plant-to-plant variability within the crop stand, i.e. intra-crop variation. The acquired intra-crop variation of different hybrids was recorded across five environments via the coefficient of variation (CV) of plant-to-plant variability