Low soil nitrogen (low N) threatens maize production in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). We examined the mode of gene action conditioning grain yield of intermediate maturing inbreds and evaluated lines in hybrid combinations for high yield, stability and tolerance to low N. Thirty-two sets of inbreds were crossed to three elite testers (87036, 1368 and 9071) to generate 96 F1 hybrids. The testcrosses plus four hybrid checks were evaluated under low (30 kg/ha) and high (90 kg/ha) N environments at three locations for 2 years in Ghana. Significant general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were detected for grain yield and most measured traits across test environments, indicating that both additive and non-additive gene action governed the inheritance of the traits. GCA effects were greater than SCA effects, indicating that most traits were controlled predominantly by additive gene action and that inbreds with positive significant GCA effects for grain yield and other traits would contribute favourable alleles to progenies across environments. Hybrid CZL 0001 × 9071 possessed high GY, increased EPP, desirable EHT and PLHT and was the highest yielding under each of two research conditions. Significant genetic correlations were observed between GY and PLHT, EPP, EHT, CA and PA implying that improvement of these traits would lead to significant gains in grain yield under low-N conditions. Hybrids CLWN 247 × 9071, ZM523B-29-2-1-1-B*6 × 9071, TZD II 68 × 1368 and P43SCRq Fs100-1-1-8 × 9071 were high-yielding, stable and low-N tolerant and should be tested on-farm and commercialized.

Global warming will directly influence agricultural production and present new challenges for food security in semiarid regions of China. A warming experiment was conducted in Guyuan, China using infrared ray radiators to study the impact of warming on crop growth, yield and quality of a potato–broad bean–winter wheat crop rotation system. Warming significantly affected the crop photosynthesis rates of the potato–broad bean–winter wheat rotation system. In the podding stage of broad bean and the heading, blooming and booting stages of winter wheat, the photosynthesis rate was significantly decreased when the temperature increased by 0.5–2.0°C. The growing period of the potato–broad bean–winter wheat rotation system was shortened by 20–40 days per 3-year-period, and the fallow period was prolonged by 4–13 days per 3-year-period. The water use efficiency of the potato–broad bean–winter wheat rotation decreased by 8.6% when the temperature increased by 1.02.0°C. The yield of the potato–broad bean–winter wheat rotation increased by 6.1–7.7% when the temperature increased by 0.5–1.0°C. However, yield decreased 12.9–13.4% when temperature increased by 1.0–2.0°C. Potato protein significantly decreased by 9.3–17.6% and the winter wheat fat significantly decreased by 6.7% when the temperature increased by 0.5–2.0°C. The results indicate that global warming could seriously affect the crop growth, yield and water use of the potato–broad bean–winter wheat rotation in semiarid regions of China.

During the past decade, the interest in using crop models for research, education, extension, outreach and in the private sector has rapidly increased. The iCROPM 2020 Symposium entitled ‘Crop Modeling for the Future’, held in February 2020, therefore, provided a great opportunity for over 400 scientists from 50 different countries to exchange information on crop model development, evaluation with experimental data and implementation. A key outcome was the understanding that crop models simulate the dynamics of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. Thus, the models can be used for a quantitative and multi-criteria assessment of cropping system functioning, agronomic performance and environmental impact. This should result in more practical applications that can provide actionable information for stakeholders.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is capable of adapting to multiple environments and tolerating abiotic stresses including saline, drought and frost stress conditions. However, the introduction of quinoa into new environments has disclosed adaptation challenges. The principle factor affecting crop pollination is heat stress at flowering, which leads to sterile plants. To investigate the effect of high temperatures during the sensitive phenological phases, flowering and seed germination, a Danish-bred cultivar (cv. Titicaca) was grown in climatic chambers. Selection of the cv. Titicaca was based on the fact that it is the most extensively used cultivar in the Sahel and Middle East and North African region. The results of this research demonstrated that temperatures exceeding 38 °C hindered seed germination and pollination, and therefore, seed yield at harvest. At 38 °C, seed yield losses were 30%, whilst seed germination percentage declined below 50%. In addition, the results of the present research were compared with field observations from Burkina Faso in order to determine the spatiotemporal suitability of this crop with respect to temperature stress. Although many other abiotic stresses need to be considered when defining crop calendars (e.g. heavy precipitation in July and August), this research proposes the following growing periods to avoid heat-stress conditions at flowering: Sahel (July–September and November–February), Soudano–Sahel (June–February) and Soudanian zone (all year round).

While climate change mainly applies to global warming and subsequent drought periods, freezing periods also are changing and may trigger genetic adaptation. However, there are few prospective, experimental demonstrations. This paper investigates how effectively genetic frost-resistant variants can respond differently to frost periods, especially in farmers’ fields where various other selection pressures occur. An experiment using Avena fatua variants was set up in the field over 8 years of winter crop rotation. The frequency of each variant identified by their leaf isozymes was estimated every year. Six years were necessary to observe a weak trend towards an increased frequency of the frost-resistant phenotype, while the other variants had apparent erratic behaviour. Selection of the frost-resistant variant was challenged by irregular low temperature selection pressure, differential dormancy, germination and seed production, and possibly herbicide sensitivity that mitigated the expression of the selection response. This experiment shows how plant polymorphism and farmers’ practices that superimpose habitat unpredictability diversify possible responses to selection pressures and delay adaptation. However, if climate change brings both higher mean temperatures and extreme values, changes of apparent plant phenology could happen for weeds species displaying the appropriate genetic variability within the time-frame of farmers’ career, thus necessitating correlative adaptation of farming practices.

Agroforestry systems can play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change given their capacity to increase tree diversity and to store more carbon than conventional farming. This study aims at assessing carbon stocks and the use of shade trees in different coffee growing systems in the Northeast Peruvian Amazon. Carbon stocks in trees were estimated by field-based measurements and allometric equations. Carbon stocks in dead wood, litter and soil (upper 60 cm) were determined using field sampling and laboratory analysis. The diversity analysis drew on the Shannon–Weiner diversity index, and focus groups were used to obtain information about the local use of shade trees. The total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded coffee system was 189 t C/ha, while the Inga-shaded and unshaded systems totalled 146 and 113 t C/ha, respectively. The soil compartment contributed the largest carbon stock in the coffee growing systems and contained 67, 82 and 96% of the total carbon stock in the polyculture-shaded, Inga-shaded and unshaded coffee systems, respectively. The Shannon–Weiner index and tree species richness values were highest for the polyculture-shaded coffee system, with a total of 18 tree species identified as important sources of fodder, food, wood, firewood and medicine. Therefore, coffee agroforestry systems play a significant role in carbon storage, while promoting conservation of useful trees in agricultural landscapes in the Peruvian Amazon.

Nitrogen is an important element for the growth of flue-cured tobacco and is closely related to its yield and quality. In order to pursue higher economic benefits, excessive fertilizer is generally applied in flue-cured tobacco production, which is unfavourable for the sustainable development of flue-cured tobacco production and for the environment. In 2016 and 2017, experiments using different nitrogen fertilizer application rates in flue-cure tobacco were conducted in Yunnan province, and the changes in agronomic, economic and chemical indices as well as in residual soil nitrogen were compared. Linear and quadratic models were used to compare the response of tobacco to nitrogen fertilizer. With increasing nitrogen fertilizer rate, the proportions of superior to medium tobacco and the average price of flue-cured tobacco leaves initially increased and then decreased, while fresh weight, dry weight and the proportion of inferior tobacco showed the opposite trend. Total sugar and reducing sugar contents decreased with increasing nitrogen fertilizer rates, while total nitrogen and nicotine contents increased. Sensory evaluation scores had the highest value when 90 kg N/ha and 120 kg N/ha were applied. Soil nitrate contents increased as nitrogen fertilizer rate increased. The quadratic model was suitable for the response of cultivar K326 to nitrogen and 90 kg N/ha could meet the needs of cultivar K326.

Crop production is at the core of a ‘perfect storm’ encompassing the grand challenges of achieving food and nutrition security for all, in the face of climate change, while avoiding further conversion of natural habitats for agriculture and loss of biodiversity. Here, we explore current trends in crop modelling related to these grand challenges by reflecting on research presented at the Second International Crop Modelling Symposium (iCropM2020). A keyword search in the book of abstracts of the symposium revealed a strong focus on ‘climate change’, ‘adaptation’ and ‘impact assessment’ and much less on ‘food security’ or ‘policy’. Most research focused on field-level investigations and far fewer on farm(ing) systems levels – the levels at which management decisions are made by farmers. Experimentation is key to development and testing of crop models, yet the term ‘simulation’ outweighed by far the terms ‘experiments’ and ‘trials’, and few contributions dealt with model improvement. Cereals are intensively researched, whereas roots, tubers and tropical perennials are under-researched. Little attention is paid to nutrient limitations apart from nitrogen or to pests and diseases. The aforementioned aspects represent opportunities for future research where crop models can help in devising hypotheses and driving new experimentation. We must also ensure that crop models are fit for their intended purposes, especially if they are to provide advice to policymakers. The latter, together with cross-scale and interdisciplinary efforts with direct engagement of stakeholders are needed to address the grand challenges faced by food and agricultural systems in the next century.

Understanding the mechanisms underlying net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) in mountain grasslands is important to quantify their relevance in the global carbon budget. However, complex interactions between environmental variables and vegetation on NEE remain unclear; and there is a lack of empirical data, especially from the high elevations and the Mediterranean region. A chamber-based survey of CO2 exchange measurements was carried out in two climatically contrasted grasslands (montane v. subalpine) of the Pyrenees; assessing the relative contribution of phenology and environmental variables on CO2 exchange at the seasonal scale, and the influence of plant functional type dominance (grasses, forbs and legumes) on the NEE light response. Results show that phenology plays a crucial role as a CO2 exchange driver, suggesting a differential behaviour of the vegetation community depending on the environment. The subalpine grassland had a more delayed phenology compared to the montane, being more temperature than water constrained. However, temperature increased net CO2 uptake at a higher rate in the subalpine than in the montane grassland. During the peak biomass, productivity (+74%) and net CO2 uptake (NEE +48%) were higher in the subalpine grassland than in the montane grassland. The delayed phenology at the subalpine grassland reduced vegetation's sensitivity to summer dryness, and CO2 exchange fluxes were less constrained by low soil water content. The NEE light response suggested that legume dominated plots had higher net CO2 uptake per unit of biomass than grasses. Detailed information on phenology and vegetation composition is essential to understand elevation and climatic differences in CO2 exchange.

A 2-year fertilization experiment was conducted to study the effect of different ratios of organic (pig) manure on wheat yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The four treatments were no nitrogen (N) (CK); 100% chemical fertilizer N (urea; T1); 70% chemical fertilizer N + 30% organic manure N (T2) and 50% chemical fertilizer N + 50% organic manure N (T3), with the same amount of applied nitrogen (120 kg/ha). The results showed the maximum grain yield (3049 kg/ha), crop nitrogen uptake (216 kg/ha), NUE (65.4%) and accumulated nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N in 0–200 cm, 142 kg/ha) were observed in the T1 among all treatments in the first year. However, the largest grain yield (5074 kg/ha), crop nitrogen uptake (244 kg/ha) and NUE (82.5%) were under T2 treatment in the second year. Furthermore, T2 had the maximum NO3−-N content in 0–100 cm layer (116 kg/ha), especially 0–40 cm layer, and the lowest NO3−-N content in 100–200 cm (58.8 kg/ha). However, 50% organic manure N in T3 increased apparent nitrogen loss by 39.0% compared to that in T2. Therefore, 30% organic manure N application was more conducive for enhancing wheat yield and NUE and promoting environmental safety after 1-year fertilization time.

Spreading of pruning waste over the soil surface may increase soil organic carbon, thus improving soil physical properties and serving as a source of nutrients and energy for microbial populations. The aim of this study was to test the effect of the environmental conditions and the biochemical composition of pruning waste from avocado, cherimoya, mango and gardens on their decomposition process in a Mediterranean subtropical climate. Bagged pruning and garden waste were placed on the ground at a distance of 1 m around the trunk of the three trees from each crop. The concentrations in C, N, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, other extracts and ash were determined at the beginning of the experiment (T0), after six (T6) and 24 (T24) months in the field. Initially, significant differences were detected for all types of waste, especially in lignin, hemicellulose, cellulose and other extracts. No significant differences were found in the N content and the C content in mango pruning waste was significantly lower than that in avocado. The greatest weight loss recorded at T24 (63.2%) was related to the lower content in lignin, cellulose and other extracts. Weight losses and C concentrations showed negative correlations with lignin content. Despite the intense decomposition of all the waste, between 55 and 36.8% of the original weights were recorded at the end of the experiment. Recalcitrant C could be the result of the lignin concentrating in the case of the garden waste applied to the different crops.

In recent years, banded leaf sheath blight in maize (Zea mays L.) has become an important disease that seriously affects quality and yield. This paper aims to evaluate the sensitivity of Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn to thifluzamide on maize, to clarify the effect of seed coating using a thifluzamide suspension agent on safety and physiological indicators and to determine the effectiveness of control of banded leaf sheath blight in the field. In this study, the thifluzamide sensitivity of 102 strains of R. solani in maize from Shandong was determined using the mycelial growth rate method; the average half-maximal effective concentration value (EC50) was 0.086 ± 0.004 μg/ml and displayed a unimodal frequency distribution, indicating that thifluzamide had strong inhibitory activity on the mycelial growth of R. solani in maize. In an indoor pot test, the root activities under 24 g a.i./100 kg seed were found to increase by 78.01%, compared with the control. Similarly, chlorophyll content increased most significantly at this dose, by 32.3%. Thifluzamide (FS) could significantly increase the per-plot yield. Among the examined dosages, 48 g a.i./100 kg seed had the most significant treatment effect, with the yield rate increasing by 15.7% and 14.1%, respectively, in 2017 and 2018 compared with the control. The field effectiveness against banded leaf sheath blight in maize was highest at the dosage of 48 g a.i./100 kg seed for a seed dressing with thifluzamide (FS). These results indicate that thifluzamide has enormous potential for controlling banded leaf sheath blight in maize.

The impact of climate change on agricultural productivity is difficult to assess. However, determining the possible effects of climate change is an absolute necessity for planning by decision-makers. The aim of the study was the evaluation of the CSM-CROPGRO-Sunflower model of DSSAT4.7 and the assessment of impact of climate change on sunflower yield under future climate projections. For this purpose, a 2-year sunflower field experiment was conducted under semi-arid conditions in the Konya province of Turkey. Rainfed and irrigated treatments were used for model analysis. For the assessment of impact of climate change, three global climate models and two representative concentration pathways, i.e. 4.5 and 8.5 were selected. The evaluation of the model showed that the model was able to simulate yield reasonably well, with normalized root mean square error of 1.3% for the irrigated treatment and 17.7% for the rainfed treatment, a d-index of 0.98 and a modelling efficiency of 0.93 for the overall model performance. For the climate change scenarios, the model predicted that yield will decrease in a range of 2.9–39.6% under rainfed conditions and will increase in a range of 7.4–38.5% under irrigated conditions. Results suggest that temperature increases due to climate change will cause a shortening of plant growth cycles. Projection results also confirmed that increasing temperatures due to climate change will cause an increase in sunflower water requirements in the future. Thus, the results reveal the necessity to apply adequate water management strategies for adaptation to climate change for sunflower production.

Polyhalite is a multi-nutrient mineral ore containing potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S). Historically, it has enjoyed minor use as a fertilizer, but the opening of a new mine in the UK will make larger quantities available. Therefore, an examination of the performance of crops fertilized with polyhalite, or selected commercial alternatives, was pertinent and is reported here.

Four field trials were carried out between 2013 and 2016 to investigate the response of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and forage maize (Zea mays L.) to different application rates of polyhalite, potassium chloride (muriate of potash, MOP) and potassium sulphate (sulphate of potash, SOP) fertilizers. Potassium and S nutrition were the focus of these trials as they limit field production more often than Mg and Ca.

Polyhalite was found to be an effective source of both K and S for crop production. In three out of four trials, application of polyhalite resulted in similar or greater K offtake compared with both MOP and SOP; MOP application resulted in greater K offtake in one trial. In three out of four trials, application of polyhalite resulted in similar or better S offtake compared with both MOP and SOP; SOP application resulted in greater S offtake in one trial. Polyhalite and MOP treatments produced similar total dry weight in all four trials, but were slightly inferior to SOP treatment.

Biodegradation of chlorpyrifos under the influence of fertilizer application and climate factors such as elevated CO2, temperature and moisture was studied. Soybean was grown in control, inorganic, organic and integrated (both inorganic and organic) fertilized fields. Rhizospheric soils collected during the vegetative growth phase were amended with chlorpyrifos (10 μg/g soil) and incubated under different climate factors. The climate factors were CO2 concentration (400, 800 ppm), temperature (25, 45°C) and moisture-holding capacity (60, 100%). Chlorpyrifos degradation rate varied from 0.28 to 0.65 μg/g soil/d. The abundance of 16S rRNA gene copies of eubacteria varied from 13 × 106 to 7 × 105/g soil. Actinomycetes-specific 16S rRNA gene copies were in the range of 62.5 × 105 to 18.5 × 103/g soil. Microbial abundance was high in organic amended soil and low in control soil irrespective of climate factors. Elevated CO2 and high temperature inhibited (P < 0.05) chlorpyrifos degradation rate and the abundance of 16S rRNA genes of eubacteria and actinomycetes. Chlorpyrifos degradation followed as: organic > integrated > inorganic > control. The degradation rate was positively correlated (P < 0.01) with the soil organic C, available N, water-stable aggregates and mean weight diameter of the soil aggregates of soil. Principal component analysis denoted temperature and fertilizer as the major components of variation. The study highlights that elevated CO2 and temperature affect chlorpyrifos biodegradation; however, the effect can be alleviated by the amendment of organic fertilizer.

Climbing cacti with edible fruits have been proposed as new dryland fruit crops because their high water-use efficiency reduces water requirement. One lineage of climbers in the cactus family, the Hylocereus group of Selenicereus, includes several species that produce edible fruits and is currently cultivated around the world. Fruits are known as pitahayas, pitayas or dragon fruit. Here, by means of ecological niche-based modelling and analytical hierarchical modelling, the optimal areas for cultivating the three main species of this group in Mesoamerica – Selenicereus costaricensis, Selenicereus ocamponis and Selenicereus undatus – are identified. Data on distribution, physiological requirement and host preferences are taken into account to carry out ecological modelling for current and future scenarios of climate and determine its impact on cultivation. Two MIROC climatic future models, one optimistic (ssp216) and a pessimistic (ssp585) were selected and 554 records from Mexico and Central America were gathered. For all three species, temperature and precipitation seasonality, and solar radiation were the most significant variables in the niche modelling. In addition, for S. undatus the most important hosts, three species of mesquite legume trees were significant to forecast suitable areas for planting. Large areas on the Pacific side from Sinaloa to Costa Rica were predicted as favourable for cultivating the studied three species. Future scenarios of climate change predicted increase of suitable areas for two species and in particular for S. undatus the increment was the largest. Therefore, dragon fruits are corroborated as promising fruits in view of climate change.