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Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and...
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Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2025) | Viewed by 5815

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Fengxin Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Center for Agricultural Water Research in China, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: field crops; regulating plant growth; soil water; soil temperature; soil aeration; soil fertility; soil salinity; heat and humidity in crop canopy
Prof. Dr. Haijun Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Interests: efficient water use in agriculture; irrigation and drainage; microclimate in cropland
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to global population growth, frequent extreme weather events, and water scarcity, enhancing crop growth, yield and quality has become an increasingly challenging task. At the regional scale, issues such as how to efficiently utilize agricultural water resources (surface and groundwater, brackish water, recycled water, precipitation, etc.), how to adjust planting structure to adapt to such limited agricultural water resources and how to recycle agricultural waste (such as aquaculture wastewater and crop residues) have always been research concerns. At the field scale, issues such as how to regulate the water, fertility, air, heat, and salt status of soil through surface mulching, tillage, cultivation, fertilization, and irrigation, improve the microclimate of farmland, optimize plant density and structure, fully utilize light and heat resources, minimize hazards such as drought stress, waterlogging, insufficient fertility, poor aeration, freezing damage, high temperature stress, salt stress, etc., and create suitable environmental conditions for crop growth are current hot research topics. This Special Issue of Plants will highlight the Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality. The research and exchange of these issues are not only conducive to promoting interdisciplinary integration and development, but also to integrating comprehensive management measures to address the aforementioned challenges.

Prof. Dr. Fengxin Wang
Prof. Dr. Haijun Liu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • regulation of soil water
  • fertility
  • aeration
  • temperature
  • salinity
  • microclimate in crop land
  • management practices
  • regional scale
  • farmland scale
  • efficient use of agricultural water resources
  • field crop
  • growth, yield and quality

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3290 KiB  
Article
Maize Cultivation in Sun Mushroom Post-Harvest Areas: Yield, Soil Chemical Properties, and Economic Viability
by Lucas da Silva Alves, Matheus Rodrigo Iossi, Cinthia Elen Cardoso Caitano, Wagner Gonçalves Vieira Júnior, Pedro Afonso Gomes Teixeira, Reges Heinrichs, Arturo Pardo-Giménez and Diego Cunha Zied
Plants 2025, 14(7), 1097; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14071097 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
Cultivating crops in post-harvest areas of sun mushrooms presents an innovative alternative to reduce reliance on mineral fertilizers. Advances in crop cultivation in these areas could make this a sustainable solution for enhancing food security. We evaluated maize cultivation in a sun mushroom [...] Read more.
Cultivating crops in post-harvest areas of sun mushrooms presents an innovative alternative to reduce reliance on mineral fertilizers. Advances in crop cultivation in these areas could make this a sustainable solution for enhancing food security. We evaluated maize cultivation in a sun mushroom post-harvest area, focusing on soil and leaf macronutrient composition, yield factors, and economic benefits. Four management practices were tested: a post-harvest area without mineral fertilization (SMS); a post-harvest area with fertilization at sowing (SMS + S); a post-harvest area with fertilization at sowing and topdressing (SMS + S + TD); and a control area with standard mineral fertilization. The SMS treatment maintained adequate soil pH and electrical conductivity, and in the first crop, increased soil P, Ca, and Mg levels by 5%, 140%, and 23%, respectively, without significantly affecting yield compared to the control. However, nutrient absorption faced challenges due to a nutritional imbalance of Ca/Mg. In the second crop, SMS + S + TD was crucial for higher yields (up to 6500 kg ha−1) and showed similarity to the control in a Nearest Neighbor Analysis, particularly in leaf N content. Regarding the economic benefits, SMS reduced mineral fertilization in the first crop, increasing the net benefit by up to 380%, while in the second crop, topdressing became indispensable for the SMS area, with SMS + S + TD generating the greatest net benefit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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10 pages, 1119 KiB  
Communication
Impact of Water Management on Growth and Pigment Composition of Cauliflower and Broccoli
by Fatemeh Izadpanah, Navid Abbasi, Forouzande Soltani and Susanne Baldermann
Plants 2025, 14(5), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050725 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 526
Abstract
Global climate change minimizes fresh water resources used in agriculture worldwide. It causes drought stress, which has adverse effects on plants. To ensure food security, crops and vegetables capable of tolerating shortages of water over the growth period are needed. This study aimed [...] Read more.
Global climate change minimizes fresh water resources used in agriculture worldwide. It causes drought stress, which has adverse effects on plants. To ensure food security, crops and vegetables capable of tolerating shortages of water over the growth period are needed. This study aimed to elucidate the morphological and biochemical responses of three colored cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) cultivars (Clapton, Trevi, and Di Sicilia Violetto) and one broccoli cultivar (Brassica oleracea var. italica var. Magic) to different irrigation treatments (85–100%, 65–80%, 45–60%, and 25–40% field capacity). Assessment of growth parameters revealed no significant difference among all the treatments for root fresh weight, leaf area, and floret size. Major water shortages reduced the floret and stem fresh weight of the Clapton cultivar. Additionally, under severe drought stress, only the Di Sicilia Violetto cultivar had a decrease in plant height, but no impact on the number of leaves was observed. The measurement of pigment contents in the leaves showed no significant difference in carotenoids in all the cultivars; just the chlorophyll contents decreased with moderate stress in the Di Sicilia Violetto cultivar. This research demonstrates that cauliflower and broccoli are likely drought-tolerant vegetables and common irrigation regimes may be reviewed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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17 pages, 3031 KiB  
Article
Oil Yield and Bioactive Compounds of Moringa oleifera Trees Grown Under Saline Conditions
by Hala M. Bayomy, Eman S. Alamri, Basmah M. Alharbi, Seham E. Almasoudi, Nawal A. Ozaybi, Ghena M. Mohammed, Esmail A. Genaidy and Amira K. G. Atteya
Plants 2025, 14(4), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14040509 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 762
Abstract
Moringa oleifera is a tree with various applications. Desertification and salinity are major constraints to crop productivity worldwide, especially in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is essential that plants alleviate and adapt to salt stress. Many physiological, pharmacological, and molecular strategies are employed by [...] Read more.
Moringa oleifera is a tree with various applications. Desertification and salinity are major constraints to crop productivity worldwide, especially in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it is essential that plants alleviate and adapt to salt stress. Many physiological, pharmacological, and molecular strategies are employed by plants to lessen the effects of salinity stress. In this work, plants were grown under different salinity levels and treated with a foliar spray of seaweed extract to evaluate the fixed oil using GC/MS analysis, free proline and total soluble proteins using colorimetric methods, total phenolic content using Folin–Ciocalteu phenol reagent, total flavonoids using a spectrophotometric method, and antioxidant activity using the DPPH method. The study has shown that applying seaweed extract to plants grown under different salinity conditions improves seed oil yield, proline levels, soluble proteins, phenolic content, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. As salinity increases, the oil yield decreases, but the levels of proline, phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity rise. Seaweed extract application also reduces protein breakdown and boosts osmoprotectants. Salt stress decreases unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid and increases saturated fatty acids like stearic acid. Overall, seaweed extract helps mitigate the adverse effects of salinity, enhancing oil yield and stress resistance in moringa trees. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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18 pages, 2778 KiB  
Article
Effects of Intercropping and Mowing Frequency on Biological Nitrogen Fixation Capacity, Nutritive Value, and Yield in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Vernal)
by Yao Wang, Jinsong Zhang, Chunxia He, Ping Meng, Jie Wang, Jun Gao and Pan Xue
Plants 2025, 14(2), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14020240 - 16 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 729
Abstract
Intercropping with legume forages is recognized as an effective strategy for enhancing nitrogen levels in agroforestry, while mowing may influence nitrogen fixation capacity and yield. This study investigated the rooting, nitrogen fixation, nutritive value, and yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under [...] Read more.
Intercropping with legume forages is recognized as an effective strategy for enhancing nitrogen levels in agroforestry, while mowing may influence nitrogen fixation capacity and yield. This study investigated the rooting, nitrogen fixation, nutritive value, and yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) under intercropping and varying mowing frequencies (CK, 2, and 3) from 2021 to 2023, using walnut (Juglans regia L.) and alfalfa as experimental subjects. The results indicated that intercropping suppressed root growth, whereas increased mowing frequency stimulated root development in the topsoil (0–20 cm). Specifically, the average root length density, root surface area, and root volume from the twice- and thrice-mowed treatments increased by 18.26, 17.45, and 4.15%, respectively, in comparison to the control. The δ15N values of the intercropped alfalfa were significantly lower than those of the monocropped alfalfa (p < 0.05), with the δ15N values of the mowing-thrice treatment increasing by an average of 38.61% compared to the control. Intercropping suppressed alfalfa yield but did not affect the total nitrogen content in the leaves or the nutritive value, and all mowing treatments resulted in land equivalent ratios (LERs) greater than 1. Furthermore, increased mowing frequency enhanced both the nutritive value and yield of alfalfa. Our study suggests that intercropping with walnut can improve biological nitrogen fixation in alfalfa, and that adopting a mowing-thrice regime can optimize yield and nutritive value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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15 pages, 2940 KiB  
Article
Effect of Subsoiling on the Nutritional Quality of Grains of Maize Hybrids of Different Eras
by Liqing Wang, Xiaofang Yu, Julin Gao, Daling Ma, Tong He and Shuping Hu
Plants 2024, 13(14), 1900; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13141900 - 10 Jul 2024
Viewed by 964
Abstract
To achieve high maize (Zea mays L.) yields and quality grain, it is necessary to develop stress-resistant cultivars and related cultivation practices, aiming to maximize efficiency. Thus, our objectives were (i) to investigate the impact of tillage practices and maize hybrids (which [...] Read more.
To achieve high maize (Zea mays L.) yields and quality grain, it is necessary to develop stress-resistant cultivars and related cultivation practices, aiming to maximize efficiency. Thus, our objectives were (i) to investigate the impact of tillage practices and maize hybrids (which have improved over time) on yield and its components, and (ii) to characterize the response pattern of maize hybrid grain nutrient quality components to subsoiling. To achieve this, we conducted field trials with five maize hybrids from different eras under two tillage practices: rotary tillage and subsoiling. We compared grain yield, nutritional quality, and other indicators across different tillage conditions from the 1970s to the 2010s. The main results of this study are as follows: under rotary tillage conditions, the 2010s hybrid (DH618) significantly increased yields (9.37–55.89%) compared to hybrids from the 1970s–2000s. After subsoiling, the physiologically mature grains of all hybrids exhibited minimal changes in crude protein and fat content, while there was a significant reduction in the total soluble sugar content of the grains. After subsoiling, there was a substantial 8.14 to 12.79 percent increase in total starch accumulation in the grain for all hybrids during the period of 47–75 days post-anthesis. Furthermore, during the period of 47–75 days after anthesis, the consumption of grain crude protein significantly contributed to the accumulation of total starch in the grains. Ultimately, subsoiling significantly increased the yield of each hybrid and enhanced the total grain starch content at physiological maturity of all hybrids, with the 2010s hybrid (DH618) performing exceptionally well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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24 pages, 4744 KiB  
Article
Effects of Nitrogen Application at Different Levels by a Sprinkler Fertigation System on Crop Growth and Nitrogen-Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat in the North China Plain
by Keke Wang, Haijun Liu and Zhuangzhuang Gao
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1714; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121714 - 20 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1705
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for crop growth; therefore, N deficit can greatly limit crop growth and production. In the North China Plain (NCP), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main food crops, and its yield has increased [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for crop growth; therefore, N deficit can greatly limit crop growth and production. In the North China Plain (NCP), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main food crops, and its yield has increased from approximately 4000 kg ha−1 to 6000 kg ha−1 in the last two decades. Determining the proper N application rates at different growth stages and in all seasons is very important for the sustainable and high production of wheat in the NCP. A field experiment with five N application rates (250, 200, 150, 100, and 40 kgN·ha−1, designated as N250, N200, N150, N100, and N40, respectively) was conducted during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 winter wheat seasons to investigate the effects of the N application rate on water- and fertilizer-utilization efficiency and on the crop growth and yield of winter wheat under sprinkler fertigation conditions. The results showed that in the N application range of 40–200 kg ha−1, crop yield and water- and fertilizer-use efficiencies increased as the N application rate increased; however, further increases in the N application rate (from N200 to N250) did not have additional benefits. The N uptake after regreening of winter wheat linearly increased with crop growth. Considering the wheat yield and N-use efficiency, the recommended optimal N application rate was 200 kg ha−1, and the best topdressing strategy was equal amounts of N applied at the regreening, jointing, and grain-filling stages. The results of this study will be useful for optimizing field N management to achieve high wheat yield production in the NCP and in regions with similar climatic and soil environment conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Management Practices on Field Crop Growth, Yield, and Quality)
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