Search Results (316)

Balancing food production, ecosystem service value, and agricultural irrigation water consumption is a major challenge for sustainable agricultural development in China. However, quantitative evidence at the national scale remains limited on whether crop planting structure optimization derived from models can effectively achieve coordination among these three objectives. Existing studies mainly focus on individual crops or localized regions and rarely integrate the spatiotemporal evolution, influencing factors, and multi-objective optimization of major staple crops within a unified framework. This study developed a progressive framework integrating spatiotemporal evolution analysis, influencing factor identification, and planting structure optimization for wheat, rice, and maize. Spatial autocorrelation analysis, center-of-gravity shift analysis, and pixel-based image differencing were applied to reveal crop evolution patterns across China from 2000 to 2025. A five-dimensional indicator system comprising 17 quantitative indicators was developed through multiple experiments using four large language models, and the Random Forest algorithm was employed to identify key influencing factors and their relative importance. Based on these factors, optimization constraints were constructed, and a multi-objective fuzzy linear programming model combined with the NSGA-II algorithm was used to determine optimal crop area allocation across 28 provincial-level regions. The three staple crops exhibited a significant pattern of northward shift, eastward expansion, and southern contraction. Precipitation and market accessibility were common core influencing factors, ranking among the top five factors in all nine Random Forest models. Crop-specific factors, including soil available phosphorus for rice, accumulated active temperature for wheat, and soil pH for maize, explained differences in spatial responses among crops and provided a scientific basis for optimization modeling and coordinated improvement of food production, ecosystem service value, and irrigation water consumption. The optimized scheme increased total grain output by 3.6%, improved ecosystem service value by 11.0%, and reduced irrigation water consumption by 45.7% compared with the actual planting structure, all 28 provinces achieved improvement or stability in the three indicators simultaneously. Based on optimized crop allocation patterns, national planting structures were summarized into regional models, including a rice–maize dual-core system in Northeast China, wheat–maize rotation in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, rice-dominated systems in the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin and South China, water-efficient dryland farming in Northwest China, and a diversified balanced system in Southwest China. These findings provide a quantitative reference for optimizing China’s staple crop planting structure. Full article

Agrarian cultural landscapes depend not only on the symbolic value of place but also on the viability of the producers who sustain landscape-bearing practices. This study asks which indigenous rice value-chain pathway is most supportable in the near term under current production, post-harvest, market, and coordination conditions, and what this implies for conservation planning. Using the Pak Phanang Basin, Thailand, as an area-based case, the study integrates evidence from 52 indigenous rice-farming households in four subdistricts, farmer meetings and focus group discussions, value-chain actors, relevant agencies, spatial and documentary sources, and a consumer survey used as supplementary demand-side evidence. Seven value-chain pathways were compared qualitatively using six criteria: downstream demand or final use, quality requirements, post-harvest burden, investment needs, coordination burden, and producer readiness. The findings show that farmer participation remains concentrated in low-risk channels, especially household consumption and mill sales. Paddy rice for game fowl and native chicken feed emerged as the most territorially supportable near-term pathway because it showed the strongest practical fit among identifiable downstream buyers and final-use clarity, moderate quality requirements, manageable post-harvest and investment burdens, coordination requirements, and producer readiness. Its feasibility, however, depends on reducing post-harvest bottlenecks, improving aggregation, managing quality, and coordinating with downstream buyers. The study concludes that feasible value-chain upgrading should be planned as conservation-enabling support for custodian viability, rather than as a simple shift toward higher-value markets. Full article

Rice production in coastal tidal floodplains is severely constrained by periodic tidal submergence, making modern semi-dwarf varieties unsuitable. While local landrace cultivars are widely grown for their adaptability, their adaptation mechanisms and response to nitrogen management under tidal ecosystems remain poorly understood. This two-year on-farm study (aman seasons, 2021 and 2022) evaluated landrace rice cultivars against a modern check (BR23) under different nitrogen-management practices: urea super-granule deep placement and prilled urea application. Landraces adapted better to tidal submergence than BR23, exhibiting greater plant height, culm strength, biomass, and nutrient accumulation. Cultivar effects explained most of the variation in grain yield (38–40%), followed by nitrogen management (18–21%). Deep placement of urea super-granule significantly enhanced growth, yield, and nutrient uptake compared to prilled urea. Shorna showed the highest grain nitrogen uptake (48.23 kg ha⁻¹), agronomic efficiency (20.81 kg grain kg⁻¹ nitrogen), and partial factor productivity (71.91 kg grain kg⁻¹ nitrogen). Bhushiara achieved the highest grain harvest index (0.54) and nutrient harvest indices, indicating efficient nutrient partitioning to grains. During grain-filling, nitrogen and phosphorus efficiently remobilized to the grains, while potassium remained mostly in the straw. Ultimately, pairing resilient landraces like Shorna, Bhushiara, Dudmona, and Lalmota with optimized nitrogen management, specifically urea super-granule application, substantially improves productivity, nutrient efficiency, and climate resilience. This study provides some of the first comprehensive evidence on how genotype-specific adaptation and deep-placed nitrogen interact to support sustainable rice production in Bangladesh’s coastal floodplains. Full article

This study evaluates the environmental sustainability of conventional and organic rice production systems in Nakorn Nayok province, Thailand, focusing on the Khao Dawk Mali 105 variety. Limited studies have evaluated comparative production systems, alternative water management scenarios, and uncertainty in rice life cycle assessment (LCA) under tropical smallholder conditions. A cradle-to-farm gate LCA was conducted under water-sowing continuous flooding (WSF), with 1 kg paddy rice as the functional unit and the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint (H) method. The results showed that organic systems under flooding exhibit higher global warming potential (GWP) than conventional systems, primarily due to methane emissions, which contributed over 83% of the total GWP. The relatively high GWP values compared with previous studies are associated with continuous flooding conditions, methodological assumptions based on IPCC default emission factors, and lower yield in the studied systems. Uncertainty analysis suggests that organic WSF had higher environmental impacts in 8 out of 18 midpoint categories, while sensitivity analysis highlights the importance of water management. Alternative practices, including dry-sowing delayed flooding (DSF) and saturated soil (ST), can reduce the GWP by 39–57% and water consumption by 8–18%, highlighting the importance of water management as an effective strategy for improving environmental sustainability in rice production systems. Sensitivity and multivariate analyses suggest that resource use and water management are key drivers of environmental impacts. Overall, the findings demonstrate that water management and yield are key factors influencing environmental performance in rice production systems and provide insight for improving sustainability under tropical agricultural conditions. Full article

Integrated rice–fish farming is increasingly promoted as a sustainable aquaculture model, yet its effects on flesh quality and gut microbial assembly in Pelteobagrus fulvidraco remain insufficiently understood. Here, we compared pond-cultured (PP) and rice-field-cultured (PR) individuals using growth measurements, muscle amino acid and fatty acid profiling, untargeted LC-MS/MS metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Body weight and length did not differ significantly between groups, whereas PP fish showed greater body width and height. PR fish contained higher levels of Ser, Val, Ile and total essential amino acids, together with amino acid and energy-related metabolites. In contrast, PP fish showed higher concentrations of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, total fatty acids and lipid-associated metabolites. The gut microbiota also differed markedly between culture systems. PP fish exhibited higher α-diversity and enrichment of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Pseudomonas and Ralstonia, whereas PR fish were characterized by Verrucomicrobiota, Fusobacteriota, Akkermansia and Cetobacterium. Predicted functions suggested enhanced carbohydrate and energy metabolism in PR fish and stronger environmental-response-related functions in PP fish. These findings indicate that pond and rice-field culture promote distinct quality-forming pathways in yellow catfish, providing a basis for optimizing rice–yellow catfish co-culture toward quality-oriented production. Full article

Potato is the third most important food crop in the world after maize and rice. Its importance stems from its contribution to food security in most parts of the world. Although the crop is widely cultivated globally, it faces numerous biotic and abiotic challenges, among which plant-parasitic nematodes pose a significant threat. The objective of the study is to map the nematode species affecting potato crops while drawing links with their pervasiveness and outlining effective control strategies. The article selection process followed the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 41 articles were selected for the review from an initial 944 records retrieved from the Web of Science, Scopus, CAB Abstract, and reference list based on their relevance to the study criteria. The findings indicate that G. pallida, G. rostochiensis, M. incognita and M. javanica were the most reported nematodes globally. Chemical and biological control remain the most widely used management strategies, while incorporating resistant cultivars, abiotic inducers, organic fertilizers, and crop rotation offers greater potential to enhance the sustainability and resilience of farming systems. A significant global research gap persists in nematode surveillance and diagnostic surveys of potato-growing regions. Full article

Rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation is highly relevant for global food security, yet germination may be conditioned by the presence of the rice hull. Using hulled or dehulled rice seeds can affect germination because the hull acts as both a physical barrier and a source of inhibitory compounds. While dehulling may speed germination by improving water and gas exchange and removing allelochemicals, it also increases vulnerability to damage and pathogens. Specific seed treatments can help mitigate these challenges. This study investigated the effects of mechanical dehulling and seed soaking with different elicitors, including hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), Hammada scoparia extracts, and ferrous sulfate, on Vialone Nano rice seed emergence and early vigor. Key findings revealed that dehulled seeds presented better emergence compared to hulled seeds, likely due to the removal of physical barriers and improved water uptake. However, hulled seeds were more responsive to the treatments, showing marked improvements in emergence speed and seedling vigor. The results demonstrate that while dehulling provides a natural advantage, seed treatments with elicitors effectively bridges the performance gap for hulled seeds. These strategies may offer sustainable approaches to improve crop establishment and overall productivity in the local rice farming systems. Full article

Land use planning in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China must be sustainable, taking into account food security, water use, GHG emissions, and economic returns. Current crop suitability mapping and single-objective optimization studies tend to analyze crop occurrence, crop structure, and spatial allocation independently, which is of little value in spatial planning. In this study, a three-stage integrated approach is proposed, involving deep learning crop occurrence mapping, multi-objective crop structure optimization, and suitability-guided spatial allocation. During Stage I, a lightweight U-Net semantic segmentation model, BlackSoilCropNet, is developed to provide per-pixel occurrence probabilities of rice, maize, soybean, and other types of crops based on Sentinel-2 time series and auxiliary environmental predictors. In stage II, NSGA II will optimize the area structure of the crops and reduce water consumption and GHG emissions with the maximum profit under the constraints of the cropland, water, and production. Selected Pareto optimal solutions are transformed to crop allocation maps and transition hotspot outputs in Stage III. The framework resulted in three viable planning options. The economic priority scenario resulted in the highest profit (USD 27.9 billion), with higher water consumption and emissions. The environmental-priority scenario resulted in a reduction in water use to 118.2 × 10⁹ m³ and emissions to 50.9 MtCO₂e, but at the cost of lower production and profits. There was a balance between economic stability and an improved environment in the balanced scenario. The framework provides a reproducible, geospatial decision support approach for sustainable farming planning and black soil conservation overall. Full article

Aquaculture solid waste (ASW) from intensive farming poses significant environmental challenges, yet its potential as a composting feedstock remains insufficiently evaluated. This study systematically assessed the feasibility of aerobic composting for ASW valorization through integrated feedstock characterization, composting process monitoring, microbial community analysis, and pot experiment validation. ASW collected from intensive aquaculture facilities was characterized by high phosphorus (mean TP: 6.80 mg/g), potassium (TK generally >10 mg/g), and iron (mean Fe: 49,112 mg/kg) content but low organic matter (17.60%) and total nitrogen (0.72%). Composted with rice straw powder, meat and bone meal, and mineral amendments, ASW was successfully converted into mature compost, with the thermophilic phase (>50 °C) lasting only 4 days and the seed germination index exceeding the 80% safety threshold within 15 days. The composting process exhibited an organic matter degradation rate of approximately 20.82%, along with low electrical conductivity and stable pH in the final product. Microbial community analysis revealed that ASW addition significantly altered bacterial and fungal community structure, enriching functional taxa associated with organic matter decomposition and nutrient transformation. Pot experiments conducted under equal nutrient input conditions demonstrated that the ASW-derived compost supported satisfactory crop growth, with the fresh weight of Fast-growing Cabbage reaching 106.95 g per plant. The compost also improved soil properties, including reduced electrical conductivity (72.8% lower than urea), increased soil organic matter (17.8% increase over original soil), and enhanced available phosphorus (93.0% increase over original soil). These results indicate that aerobic composting is a technically viable pathway for converting ASW into a qualified organic fertilizer, providing a preliminary scientific basis for future waste management strategy for the sustainable development of the aquaculture industry. Full article

Under the dual pressures of ensuring food security and advancing the green transformation of agriculture, effectively guiding farmers toward pesticide reduction has become a core issue in China’s sustainable agricultural development. As a new form of agricultural socialized service, agricultural production trusteeship offers a potential solution to the challenge of farmers’ excessive pesticide input through specialized services. Based on the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method, this study employs micro-level survey data from 978 rice-growing farmers in Sichuan Province, China, to empirically examine the impact of agricultural production trusteeship on farmers’ pesticide reduction. The findings are as follows: (1) Agricultural production trusteeship significantly promotes pesticide reduction among farmers. (2) The moderating effect results of land endowments indicate that both cultivation scale and land fragmentation exert a negative moderating effect on the relationship between agricultural production trusteeship and farmers’ pesticide reduction. (3) The heterogeneity results reveal that, from the perspective of trusteeship mode selection, full-process trusteeship is more effective in promoting farmers’ pesticide reduction. From the perspective of farmer differentiation, the pesticide-reducing effect of agricultural production trusteeship is more pronounced among non-farm-dominated farmers and middle and new generation farmers. Accordingly, this study proposes that agricultural production trusteeship may serve as a promising policy pathway for pesticide reduction initiatives, and that differentiated promotion strategies and incentive mechanisms are recommended to be implemented based on farmer types and land endowments. Full article

Freshwater snails, specifically those belonging to the genus Bellamya, are increasingly recognized as important components of sustainable aquaculture and aquatic ecosystem management. This review synthesizes current knowledge on their ecological roles, aquaculture practices, utilization, and associated risks to evaluate their potential as a multifunctional resource. Available evidence shows that Bellamya species function as bioindicators of environmental change and contribute to water purification through grazing, nutrient cycling, and interactions with aquatic plants. In aquaculture, diverse production systems, including rice–snail co-culture and pond-based farming, have been developed, demonstrating high resource-use efficiency and economic value. In addition to their nutritional importance as a protein source, freshwater snails provide opportunities for value-added products in food, biomaterials, and health-related applications. However, challenges remain, including parasite transmission, the bioaccumulation of environmental pollutants, genetic resource degradation, and ecological carrying capacity constraints under intensive farming. Future development depends on advances in breeding, nutrition, and intelligent farming technologies, as well as improved environmental monitoring and regulatory frameworks. Overall, freshwater snail aquaculture represents a promising pathway for integrating food production with ecosystem restoration, but its sustainable expansion requires coordinated efforts in research, management, and industry development. Full article

As a novel agricultural management model, agricultural production trusteeship provides an innovative and sustainable solution for safeguarding food security. Based on survey data from 1035 rice-growing farmers in Sichuan Province, this study employs an OLS model and a moderating effect model to analyze the impact of agricultural production trusteeship on food security from the two dimensions of grain quantity security and grain quality and safety. The findings are as follows: (1) Agricultural production trusteeship significantly enhances farmers’ grain yield and reduces chemical inputs, indicating that it can effectively safeguard both grain quantity security and grain quality and safety; (2) The moderating effects of farmers’ factor allocation reveal that cultivation scale weakens the safeguarding effect of agricultural production trusteeship on food security, while off-farm migration strengthens it. Therefore, it is recommended that agricultural production trusteeship be vigorously promoted as an important lever to enhance the comprehensive national grain production capacity, and that targeted policies be implemented based on farmers’ factor allocation to safeguard food security. Full article

Against the backdrop of increasingly severe agricultural labor aging (ALA), the aging process not only threatens food security but also poses challenges to green and sustainable agricultural development. Existing studies have paid insufficient attention to how ALA simultaneously affects grain production efficiency (GPE) and grain eco-efficiency (GEE), and there is a particular lack of systematic investigation into the moderating roles of different crop types and social networks. To address this gap, this study utilizes survey data from 1056 farm households across five major grain-producing provinces in China and employs Tobit regression models to empirically examine the dual effects of ALA on GPE and GEE, while also revealing the moderating mechanisms of formal and informal dual-layer social networks. The main findings are as follows: (1) ALA generally inhibits both GPE and GEE across different grain crops, with a more prevalent negative impact on GEE. (2) The impact of ALA on the two types of efficiency exhibits crop-specific nonlinear characteristics: a positive U-shaped relationship for maize, an inverted U-shaped relationship for rice, and no significant nonlinear relationship for wheat. (3) Social networks play significant linear and nonlinear moderating roles in mitigating the negative effects of ALA, though their effects vary depending on network type, crop system, and efficiency dimension. Based on these findings, it is recommended to implement differentiated intervention strategies tailored to crop characteristics and aging stages, build a multi-tiered social network support system, and strengthen the research, extension, and service support for green technologies targeting middle-aged and older farmers, thereby synergistically enhancing grain production capacity and ecological sustainability. Full article

This study investigates the environmental and energy performance of rice straw-based energy pathways in Egypt, combining life cycle assessment (LCA) with supply chain optimization to improve system efficiency. The analysis covers thirteen governorates producing over 4.45 million tons of rice straw annually. It examines the whole supply chain from paddy farming, straw collection, and transport to electricity generation and ash disposal. Total energy consumption was 11,287 TJ, dominated by farming (5673 TJ) and transport (5490 TJ). Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were estimated at 12,007.5 million kg CO₂-eq, with significant contributions from farming (5158 million), combustion (3630 million), and natural gas use (3039 million). Gross electricity output was 5525 GWh, yielding a net of 4973 GWh, equivalent to 1116.5 kWh per ton of straw. Scenario analysis highlighted that the optimized multi-hub system, prioritizing Cluster 1 in the Nile Delta, which contributes over 92% of straw production and 4607 GWh of net electricity, achieved a reduction of more than 25% in transport distances and an 18% decrease in diesel consumption and related emissions. Sensitivity analysis further indicated that delivered electricity and GHG intensity are more sensitive to conversion efficiency and transmission and distribution losses than to moderate changes in transport assumptions. In addition to environmental improvements, the optimized scenario indicates potential social co-benefits, including rural employment generation, additional income opportunities for farmers, and improved air quality associated with reduced open-field burning. These outcomes are presented as indicative qualitative insights. Findings confirm rice straw as a strategic, scalable, and sustainable energy resource aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Full article

The excessive use of inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizers in rice production poses significant environmental and economic challenges, particularly in intensive farming systems such as those in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Herbaspirillum seropedicae (H. seropedicae), an endophytic N-fixing bacterium, to enhance soil fertility, improve rice growth, and maintain yield while reducing N fertilizer inputs in Dai Thom 8 rice under field conditions. A randomized complete block design with five treatments, including different nitrogen reduction levels combined with bacterial inoculation, was employed. The results showed that treatments integrating H. seropedicae significantly improved soil properties, including soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and available nutrients, compared to the control. Growth parameters such as plant height, tiller density, and chlorophyll content were also enhanced, particularly in treatments with bacterial inoculation. Yield components, including grain number and filled grains per panicle, were significantly increased, leading to higher grain yield. The highest yield was observed in T5 (5.72 t ha⁻¹), while T3 and T4 achieved comparable yields with reduced N inputs. Additionally, grain quality analysis revealed increased protein content without negatively affecting starch composition. These findings highlight the potential of H. seropedicae as a biofertilizer to improve N use efficiency and reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers. The study provides strong evidence for integrating microbial inoculants into sustainable rice production systems. Among the treatments, T3 (50% N reduction combined with bacterial inoculation) is recommended as the optimal strategy due to its balance between high yield and reduced input costs, contributing to environmentally friendly and economically viable agriculture. Full article