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10.3390/resources14060087
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Carbon, Water, and Light Use Efficiency Under Conservation Practice on Sloped Arable Land

by
Gergana Kuncheva
1,
Atanas Z. Atanasov
2,*,
Milena Kercheva
1,
Margaritka Filipova
3,
Plamena D. Nikolova
2,
Petar Nikolov
1,
Valentin Vlăduț
4 and
Veselin Dochev
5
1
Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection “Nikola Poushkarov”, Agricultural Academy, 1331 Sofia, Bulgaria
2
Department of Agricultural Machinery, Agrarian and Industrial Faculty, University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”, 7017 Ruse, Bulgaria
3
Department of Heat, Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering, Agrarian and Industrial Faculty, University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”, 7017 Ruse, Bulgaria
4
National Research—Development Institute for Machines and Installations Designed to Agriculture and Food Industry, 013813 Bucharest, Romania
5
Department of Plant Protection, Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen, 9700 Shumen, Bulgaria
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Resources 2025, 14(6), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14060087
Submission received: 21 March 2025 / Revised: 16 May 2025 / Accepted: 21 May 2025 / Published: 23 May 2025
Versions Notes

Abstract

Agroecosystems play a key role in the global carbon cycle, with CO2 exchange driven by photosynthesis and respiration. Indicators such as gross primary productivity (GPP), net primary productivity (NPP), and carbon, water, and light use efficiency (CUE, WUE, LUE) are essential for assessing resource use in agricultural systems. Conventional tillage depletes carbon, water, and nutrients, negatively impacting the environment, while conservation practices aim to improve soil health and biodiversity. This study evaluated the effects of a cover crop in a wheat–maize rotation on sloped arable land prone to water erosion. The experiment involved minimum contour tillage combined with cover cropping, and its impact on carbon balance components and resource use efficiency was assessed. The results demonstrated that the inclusion of a cover crop significantly improved GPP and NPP. Water and light use efficiency also increased, particularly in 2022 and 2023, which were characterized by summer drought. However, carbon use efficiency remained unchanged over the study period. These findings highlight the potential of conservation practices, such as cover cropping and reduced tillage, to enhance productivity and resource efficiency in sloped agricultural landscapes under water stress conditions.
Keywords: water erosion; gross primary productivity; net primary productivity; carbon use efficiency; water use efficiency; light use efficiency water erosion; gross primary productivity; net primary productivity; carbon use efficiency; water use efficiency; light use efficiency

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Kuncheva, G.; Atanasov, A.Z.; Kercheva, M.; Filipova, M.; Nikolova, P.D.; Nikolov, P.; Vlăduț, V.; Dochev, V. Carbon, Water, and Light Use Efficiency Under Conservation Practice on Sloped Arable Land. Resources 2025, 14, 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14060087

AMA Style

Kuncheva G, Atanasov AZ, Kercheva M, Filipova M, Nikolova PD, Nikolov P, Vlăduț V, Dochev V. Carbon, Water, and Light Use Efficiency Under Conservation Practice on Sloped Arable Land. Resources. 2025; 14(6):87. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14060087

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kuncheva, Gergana, Atanas Z. Atanasov, Milena Kercheva, Margaritka Filipova, Plamena D. Nikolova, Petar Nikolov, Valentin Vlăduț, and Veselin Dochev. 2025. "Carbon, Water, and Light Use Efficiency Under Conservation Practice on Sloped Arable Land" Resources 14, no. 6: 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14060087

APA Style

Kuncheva, G., Atanasov, A. Z., Kercheva, M., Filipova, M., Nikolova, P. D., Nikolov, P., Vlăduț, V., & Dochev, V. (2025). Carbon, Water, and Light Use Efficiency Under Conservation Practice on Sloped Arable Land. Resources, 14(6), 87. https://doi.org/10.3390/resources14060087

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