Effects of Soil Tillage and Fertilizer Management on Production of Cereal Crops: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2027 | Viewed by 861

Editors


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Guest Editor

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
College of Agriculture, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
Interests: wheat yield; agricultural cultivation; soil nutrition; soil ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the production of cereal crops, intensive tillage increases the mineralization of organic carbon in the soil, leading to a decrease in soil quality. In addition, the application of high levels of chemical fertilizers to enhance yield results in a large amount of nutrient loss, due to volatilization, immobilization, denitrification, and leaching, and increases greenhouse gas emissions from farmland, posing a grave threat to both the ecological environment and sustainable production on farmland. Therefore, to ensure high-quality farmland and promote sustainable cereal crop production, it is crucial to adopt reasonable tillage techniques and fertilization models to minimize nutrient loss.

This Special Issue aims to highlight all the progress and perspectives on the research of soil tillage and fertilizer management on cereal crop production globally. This Issue will cover the latest research findings on all relevant topics, including but not limited to the following: conservation agriculture, soil tillage, fertilization mode, crop yield, agricultural product quality, resource utilization efficiency, soil fertility and health, soil nutrient supply and circulation, sustainability of soil fertilization, greenhouse gas emissions, ecological and economic benefits, and life-cycle assessment. On-site experiments and meta-analyses are especially encouraged. Original research papers, communications, and review articles are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Juan Han
Guest Editor

Dr. Shiju Liu
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • conservation agriculture
  • soil tillage
  • fertilization mode
  • crop yield
  • agricultural product quality
  • resource utilization efficiency
  • soil fertility and health
  • soil nutrient supply and circulation
  • sustainability of soil fertilization
  • greenhouse gas emissions

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 6113 KB  
Article
Optimal Nitrogen Application Rate and Planting Density Achieve High Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency via Synergistic Source–Sink Coordination in Winter Wheat
by Zhuangzhuang Wang, Shiju Liu, Yongxin Zhang, Xinyuan Zhang, Lixue Yuan, Ruxue Chen, Guangle Zhang, Jianzhao Duan, Wei Feng, Tiancai Guo, Tongchao Wang and Yonghua Wang
Agronomy 2026, 16(12), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16121151 - 12 Jun 2026
Viewed by 293
Abstract
Optimizing the interaction between planting density and nitrogen (N) application rate is critical for simultaneously improving grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains poorly understood in the fluvo-aquic soil region [...] Read more.
Optimizing the interaction between planting density and nitrogen (N) application rate is critical for simultaneously improving grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains poorly understood in the fluvo-aquic soil region of the southern Huang–Huai–Hai Plain. This study aimed to elucidate the physiological mechanism by which planting density and nitrogen application interactively regulate source–sink coordination to achieve synergistic high grain yield and high NUE, and to screen the optimal local cultivation combination for winter wheat in southeastern Henan. A two-year consecutive field experiment was conducted from 2018 to 2020 in Shangshui, Henan, using a split-plot design. Three planting densities (D1: 225 × 104 plants ha−1; D2: 375 × 104 plants ha−1; D3: 525 × 104 plants ha−1) and five N rates (N0: 0; N1: 180; N2: 240; N3: 300; N4: 360 kg N ha−1) were established. Results demonstrated that planting density, N rate, and their interaction significantly regulated grain yield, NUE, and dry matter and N allocation, with consistent trends across both years. Increasing density enhanced total biomass and N accumulation, but dry matter and N partitioning to grains declined when density exceeded 375 × 104 plants ha−1. Grain yield exhibited a quadratic response to N rate; the optimal N rate for maximum yield decreased from 296.33 kg ha−1 at low density (D1) to 237.50–245.38 kg ha−1 at medium and high densities. The combination of 240 kg N ha−1 and 375 × 104 plants ha−1 (D2N2) produced the highest average grain yield (8875.35 kg ha−1), with simultaneous improvements in spike number and kernels per spike as well as superior dry matter and N partitioning to grains. This combination also maintained high nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE) and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE). Correlation analysis revealed that grain yield and NUE were significantly positively correlated with dry matter accumulation, N accumulation, and their partitioning proportions to grains. Overall, D2N2 achieved simultaneous high yield and high NUE by coordinately optimizing dry matter and N partitioning to grains. We therefore recommend reducing N fertilizer to approximately 240 kg ha−1 combined with a moderate planting density of 375 × 104 plants ha−1 as the preferred strategy for sustainable and intensive winter wheat production in the fluvo-aquic soil region of southeastern Henan and adjacent areas. Full article
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