Explore the vast range of titles available.

Isoflavone reductase ( IFR ) is a key enzyme controlling isoflavone synthesis and widely involved in response to various stresses. In this study, the IFR genes in four Gossypium species and other 7 species were identified and analyzed in the whole genome, and the physicochemical properties, gene structures, cis -acting elements, chromosomal locations, collinearity relationships and expression patterns of IFR genes were systematically analyzed. 28, 28, 14 and 15 IFR genes were identified in Gossypium hirsutum , Gossypium barbadense , Gossypium arboreum and Gossypium raimondii , respectively, which were divided into five clades according to the evolutionary tree and gene structure. Collinear analysis showed that segmental duplication and whole genome duplication were the main driving forces in the process of evolution, and most genes underwent pure selection. Gene structure analysis showed that IFR gene family was relatively conserved. Cis -element analysis of promoter showed that most GhIFR genes contain cis -elements related to abiotic stresses and plant hormones. Analysis of GhIFR gene expression under different stresses showed that GhIFR genes were involved in the response to drought, salt, heat and cold stresses through corresponding network mechanisms, especially GhIFR9A . Phenotypic analysis after silencing GhIFR9A gene by VIGS was shown that GhIFR9A gene was involved in the response to salt stress. This study laid a foundation for the subsequent functional study of cotton IFR genes.

Soil rotational tillage is an effective measure to overcome the problems caused by long-term of a single tillage, but the effect of the interval time of rotational tillage practices is not very well understood. Therefore, we conducted a 3-year field study in a wheat-maize cropping system to evaluate the effects of rotary tillage (RT) in rotation with plowing tillage (PT) on soil properties in northern China. Four practices were designed as follows: 3 years of RT to a depth of 10-15 cm (3RT), 3 years of PT to a depth of 30-35 cm (3PT), 1 year of PT followed by 2 years of RT (PT+2RT), and 2 years of PT followed by 1 year of RT (2PT+RT). Within 20 cm of the surface soil, the 3RT treatment significantly increased the soil quality index (SQI) by 6.0%, 8.8% and 13.1%, respectively, relative to the PT+2RT, 2PT+RT and 3PT treatments. The improvement was closely related to the significant increase in the soil organic carbon (SOC) and available nutrients concentrations in the 0-20 cm depths and the improvement of soil invertase, urease, alkaline phosphatase and catalase activities in the topsoil (0-10 cm). However, the opposite effects were observed in the subsoil (20-40 cm). Compared with the 3RT treatment, the 3PT, 2PT+RT and PT+2RT treatments decreased soil bulk density, and significantly enhanced enzyme activities, resulting in an increase in SQI of 32.6%, 24.4% and 0.7%, respectively, especially in the 3PT and 2PT+RT treatments, the difference was significant. When averaged across to all soil depths, the SQI under the 3RT and 2PT+RT treatments was much higher than that under the other treatments. The yields of wheat and maize under the 2PT+RT treatment were 15.0% and 14.3% higher than those under the 3RT treatment, respectively. The 2PT+RT treatment was the most effective tillage practice. These results suggest that RT in rotation with PT could improve soil quality in the soil profile whilst enhancing crop yield after continuous RT, and the benefits were enhanced with an interval time of one year. Therefore, the 2PT+RT treatment could act as an effective method for both soil quality and crop yield improvement in a wheat-maize cropping system under straw incorporation conditions.

The goal of the present work was to evaluate the additive effects of biochar and chicken manure on maize growth in Pb-contaminated soils. In this study, we conducted a pot experiment to investigate how biochar in soil (20, 40 g·kg −1 ), chicken manure in soil (20, 40 g·kg −1 ), or a combination of biochar and chicken manure in soil (each at 20 g·kg −1 ) effect maize growth, Pb uptake, leaves’ antioxidant enzymatic activities, and soil enzyme activities under artificial conditions to simulate moderate soil pollution (800 Pb mg·kg −1 ). The results showed that all biochar and/or chicken manure treatments significantly ( P < 0.05) increased maize plant height, biomass, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity but decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. These results indicated that amending the soil with biochar and/or chicken manure could alleviate Pb’s phytotoxicity. The biochar and/or chicken manure treatments remarkably decreased the Pb concentration in maize roots, stems, leaves, bioconcentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and available Pb concentration in the soil. Amending the soil with chicken manure alone was more effective at increasing maize growth and antioxidant enzymatic activity; the biochar treatment alone was more effective at inducing soil alkalinization and contributing to Pb immobilization. The combined use of biochar and chicken manure had an additive effect and produced the largest increases in maize growth, leaves’ antioxidant enzymatic activity, and soil enzyme activity. Their combined use also led to the most significant decreases in maize tissues Pb and soil available Pb. These results suggest that a combination of biochar and chicken manure was more effective at reducing soil Pb bioavailability and uptake by maize tissues, and increasing maize growth. This combination increased plant height by 43.23% and dry weight by 69.63% compared to the control.

Altitude and ecological factors significantly influence plant growth and the accumulation of secondary metabolites. However, current research on the impact of altitude and ecological factors on the yield and medicinal quality of Artemisia argyi (A. argyi) is limited. This study established sampling sites in wild populations of A. argyi across seven altitude ranges on Funiu Mountain. We quantified the yield, output rate of moxa, and key medicinal ingredients. Additionally, we analyzed the response of yield and medicinal quality of wild A. argyi populations to various ecological factors at different altitudes. The results showed that wild populations of A. argyi exhibited higher yields and medicinal quality at altitudes below 500 m. Yield was positively correlated with higher soil total nitrogen (TN) content and lower soil total phosphorus (TP) content, while the improvements in medicinal quality were positively associated with higher population density and lower contents of both soil TN and TP. The variation in soil C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios across different altitudes was substantial, affecting soil mineralization and subsequently influencing the absorption of mineral elements by A. argyi . Notably, the phosphorus content in leaves and stems was negatively correlated with yield and medicinal quality, respectively. In contrast, the accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in leaves was positively correlated with yield. The differences in the primary medicinal ingredients between the leaves and stems of A. argyi were maximum at altitudes below 500 m. The contents of neochlorogenic acid and cryptochlorogenic acid in both leaves and stems showed a significant positive correlation. In the principal component analysis, the primary medicinal ingredients from the leaves contributed more significantly to the overall quality than those from stems. These results suggest that A. argyi is best suited for cultivation at altitudes below 500 m. Population density and the soil’s TN and TP contents play a crucial role in determining the yield and medicinal quality of A. argyi . Futhermore, the medicinal quality of A. argyi is more indicative of the main medicinal ingredients found in the leaves, while the stems also serve as a key organ for accumulating flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Both subsoiling tillage (ST) and ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting (RF) are widely implemented and play an important role in boosting wheat productivity. However, information about the effects of ST coupled with RF during the summer fallow season on wheat productivity and environmental issues remains limited. This study aims to explore the effects of ST coupled with RF on water harvesting, wheat productivity–yield traits, water and nutrient use efficiency and quality, and soil nitrate-N residue in dryland winter wheat–summer fallow rotation at the intersection of southern Loess Plateau and western Huang–Huai–Hai Plain in China in 2018–2022. Three tillage practices—deep plowing with straw turnover (PTST), subsoiling with straw mulching (STSM), and STSM coupled with RF (SRFSM)—are conducted during the summer fallow season. The results indicated that tillage practices during the summer fallow season significantly impacted wheat productivity and soil nitrate-N residue. Compared to PTST, STSM significantly enhanced rainfall fallow efficiency and water use efficiency by 7.0% and 14.2%, respectively, as well as N, P, and K uptake efficiency by 16.9%, 16.2%, and 15.3%, and thus increased grain yield by 14.3% and improved most parameters of protein components and processing quality, albeit with an increase in nitrate-N residue in the 0- to 300-cm soil depth by 12.5%. SRFSM, in turn, led to a further increase in water storage at sowing, resulting in an increase of water use efficiency by 6.8%, as well as N, P, and K uptake efficiency and K internal efficiency by 11.8%, 10.4%, 8.8%, and 4.7%, thereby significantly promoting grain yield by 10.2%, and improving the contents of all the protein components and enhancing the processing quality in grain, and simultaneously reducing the nitrate-N residue in the 0- to 300-cm soil layer by 16.1%, compared to STSM. In essence, this study posits that employing subsoiling coupled with ridge–furrow rainfall harvesting (SRFSM) during the summer fallow season is a promising strategy for enhancing wheat yield, efficiency, and quality, and simultaneously reducing soil nitrate-N residue within the dryland summer fallow–winter wheat rotation system.

The judicious management of water and nitrogen (N) is pivotal for augmenting crop productivity and N use efficiency, while also mitigating environmental concerns. With the advent of the High−Farmland Construction Program in China, one−off irrigation has become feasible for most dryland fields, presenting a novel opportunity to explore the synergistic strategies of water and N management. This study delves into the impact of one−off alternate furrow irrigation (AFI) and topdressing N fertilizer (TN) on soil nitrate−N distribution, and N productivity—including plant N accumulation, translocation, and allocation, and grain yield, protein content, N use efficiency of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 2018−2019 and 2019−2020. Experimental treatments administered at the jointing stage comprised of two irrigation methods—every (EFI) and alternative (AFI) furrow irrigation at 75 mm, and two topdressing N rates—0 (NTN) and 60 (TN) kg N ha −1 . Additionally, a conventional local farmer practice featuring no irrigation and no topdressing N (NINTN) was served as control. Compared to NINTN, EFINTN substantially increased aboveground N accumulation, grain yield, and protein yield, albeit with a reduction in grain protein content by 8.1%−10.6%. AFI, in turn, led to higher nitrate−N accumulation in the 60−160 cm soil depth at booting and anthesis, but diminished levels at maturity, resulting in a significant surge in N accumulation from anthesis to maturity and its contribution to grain, N fertilizer partial factor productivity (PFPN), and N uptake efficiency (NUPE), thereby promoting grain yield by 9.9% and preserving grain protein content. Likewise, TN enhanced soil nitrate−N at key growth stages, reflected in marked improvements in N accumulation both from booting to anthesis and from anthesis to maturity, as well as in grain yield, protein content, and protein yield. The combination of AFI and TN (AFITN) yielded the highest grain yield, protein content, with PFPN, NUPE, and N internal efficiency outstripping those of EFINTN, but not AFINTN. In essence, one−off AFI coupled with TN at the jointing stage is a promising strategy for optimizing soil nitrate−N and enhancing wheat N productivity in dryland where one−off irrigation is assured.

Water deficiency and low water use efficiency severely constrain wheat yield in dryland regions. This study aimed to identify suitable tillage methods and straw management to improve dry matter production, grain yield, and water use efficiency of wheat in the dryland winter wheat–summer bean (hereafter referred to as wheat-soybean) double-cropping system. A long-term located field experiment (onset in October 2009) with two tillage methods—plowing (PT) and rotary tillage (RT)—and two straw management—no straw mulching (NS) and straw mulching (SM)—was conducted at a typical dryland in China. The wheat yield and yield component, dry matter accumulation and translocation characteristics, and water use efficiency were investigated from 2014 to 2018. Straw management significantly affected wheat yield and yield components, while tillage methods had no significant effect. Furthermore, the interaction of tillage methods and straw management significantly affected yield and yield components except for the spike number. RTSM significantly increased the spike number, grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, harvest index, and grain yield by 12.5%, 8.4%, 6.0%, 3.4%, and 13.4%, respectively, compared to PTNS. Likewise, RTSM significantly increased the aforementioned indicators by 14.8%, 10.1%, 7.5%, 3.6%, and 20.5%, compared to RTNS. Mechanistic analysis revealed that, compared to NS, SM not only significantly enhanced pre-anthesis and post-anthesis dry matter accumulation, and pre-anthesis dry matter tanslocation to grain, but also significantly improved pre-sowing water storage, water consumption during wheat growth, water use efficiency, and water-saving for produced per kg grain yield, with the greatest improvements obtained under RT than PT. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis confirmed RTSM’s yield superiority was mainly ascribed to straw-induced improvements in dry matter and water productivity. In a word, rotary tillage with straw mulching could be recommended as a suitable practice for high-yield wheat production in a dryland wheat-soybean double-cropping system.

Ridge and furrow planting is a prevalent drought-resistant cultivation technique in dryland regions. Notably, the effects of this technology on crop grain yield and quality in dryland maize–wheat double-cropping systems remain limited. This study utilized a long-term positioning experiment initiated in 2004, which included five treatments: a permanent ridge and furrow with a border ridge of 133 cm row space (PRFBR); a ridge and furrow created each year with a border ridge of 133 cm row space (EYRFBR); a permanent ridge with a normal ridge of 100 cm row space (PRFNR); a ridge and furrow created each year with a normal ridge of 100 cm row space (EYRFNR), and a conventional flat planting pattern according to the local farmer (CF). The crop grain yield in 2015–2021, as well as the protein and phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) content in maize and wheat grains, and the protein components in winter wheat grains in 2020–2021 were investigated. The results showed that, compared to CF, all four ridge and furrow planting patterns significantly enhanced crop yield in dry and normal years, and the effects varied depending on crop species, with increases of 45.3–97.8% for wheat and 11.0–33.8% increases annually in dry years; and 24.5–51.6% increases for maize and 12.2–37.5% increases annually in the normal years. EYRFBR treatment increased wheat grain P and K content by 24.3% and 13.7%, as well as increasing the total protein, albumin, gliadin, soluble protein, and storage protein content by 9.7%, 22.3%, 9.6%, 14.5%, and 5.6%, whereas PRFNR reduced the glutenin content and glutenin/gliadin ratio in winter wheat grains by 5.1% and 10.9%, respectively. The yield achieved with a permanent ridge and furrow (PRF) surpassed that achieved when the ridge and furrow was created anew each year (EYRF), yet the normal ridge width (NR) outperformed the border ridge width (BR). However, the P, K, protein, and protein component content in wheat grains under EYRF was superior to that under PRF. Comprehensive evaluations through principal component analysis (PCA) and TOPSIS analysis consistently demonstrated that the EYRFBR treatment delivered optimal performance in yield and quality for winter and annual, while PRFNR achieved superior yield for summer maize. Consequently, in dryland maize–wheat double-cropping systems, an EYRFBR planting pattern should be recommended for high-yield and high-quality wheat production; however, the PRFNR planting pattern is more suitable for summer maize production.

With the swift progression of the High-Standard Farmland Construction Program in China and worldwide, many dryland wheat fields can be irrigated once during the wheat growth stage (one-off irrigation). However, the combined strategies of one-off irrigation, tillage, and N management for augmenting wheat grain yield and quality are still undeveloped in drought regions. Two-site split–split field experiments were conducted to study the impacts of irrigation, tillage, and N management and their combined effects on grain yield; the contents of protein and protein components; processing quality; and the characteristics of N accumulation and translocation in wheat from a typical dryland wheat production area in China from 2020 to 2022. The irrigation practices (I0, zero irrigation and I1, one-off irrigation), tillage methods (RT, rotary tillage; PT, plowing; and SS, subsoiling) and N management (N0, N120, N180, and N240) were applied to the main plots, subplots and sub-subplots, respectively. The experimental sites, experimental years, irrigation practices, tillage methods, and N management methods and their interaction significantly affected the yield, quality, and plant N characteristics of wheat in most cases. Compared to zero irrigation, one-off irrigation significantly increased the plant N accumulation, enhancing grain yield by 33.7% while decreasing the contents of total protein, albumin, globulin, gliadin, and glutenin by 4.4%, 6.4%, 8.0%, 12.2%, and 10.0%, respectively. It also decreased the wet gluten content, stability time, sedimentation value, extensibility by 4.1%, 10.7%, 9.7%, and 5.5%, respectively, averaged across sites and years. Subsoiling simultaneously enhanced the aforementioned indicators compared to rotary tillage and plowing in most sites and years. With the increase in N rates, wheat yield firstly increased and then decreased under zero irrigation combined with rotary tillage, while it gradually increased when one-off irrigation was combined with subsoiling; however, the contents of total protein and protein components and the quality tended to increase firstly and then stabilize regardless of irrigation practices and tillage methods. The correlations of yield and quality indicators with plant N characteristics were negative when using distinct irrigation practices and tillage methods, while they were positive under varying N management. The decrease in wheat quality induced by one-off irrigation could be alleviated by optimizing N management. I1STN180 exhibited higher yield, plant N accumulation and translocation, and better quality in most cases; thus, all metrics of wheat quality were significantly increased, with a yield enhancement of 50.3% compared to I0RTN180. Therefore, one-off irrigation with subsoiling and an N rate of 180 kg ha−1 is an optimal strategy for high yield, high protein, and high quality in dryland wheat production systems where one-off irrigation is assured.

Benefiting from the high–farmland construction program in China, one–off irrigation can be guaranteed in most fields in semi–humid drought–prone areas in China. However, little information is available on water and nitrogen (N) management in wheat production under this condition. This study aimed to explore the effects of alternative furrow irrigation (AFI) and topdressing N fertilizer (TN) on wheat productivity under a no–till ridge–furrow planting system in semi–humid drought–prone areas. The experimental design was as follows: two furrow irrigation (FI) methods, namely, EFI (every furrow irrigation) and AFI (alternative furrow irrigation) with 75 mm at the jointing stage were set as the main treatments. Two topdressing N (TN) patterns, namely, NTN (0 kg ha−1 of N) and TN (60 kg ha−1 of N) along with irrigation were set as the secondary treatments. Moreover, a traditional planting practice with no irrigation and no topdressing N (NINTN) was set as control. In 2018–2020, a field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects on soil water, leaf chlorophyll relative content (SPAD) and net photosynthetic rate (Pn), aboveground dry matter assimilates, grain yield, water use efficiency (WUE) and economic benefit. We found that both FI methods and TN patterns significantly influenced soil water content. Compared with NINTN, the soil water content in each combination of the FI method and TN pattern was effectively improved at the booting and anthesis stages, leading to the significant increase in SPAD and Pn in leaves, post–anthesis dry matter accumulation (POA), grain yield, WUE and economic benefit of winter wheat. Compared with the EFI, averaged across years and TN patterns, the AFI technique increased the soil water storage at booting and anthesis stages and significantly improved the Pn at early milk (4.9%) and early dough (7.5%) stages, POA (40.6%) and its contribution to grain (CRPOA, 27.6%), the grain yield (10.2%), WUE (9.1%) and economic benefit (9.1%). In addition, compared with the NTN, the TN pattern significantly increased the water computation by wheat from booting to maturity, enhanced leaf Pn after anthesis and POA, and finally resulted in the increase in grain yield (14.7–21.9%) and WUE (9.6–21.1%). Thus, the greatest improvement in the leaf photosynthetic characteristics, aboveground dry matter assimilates, grain yield, WUE and economic benefit was achieved under AFITN treatment. Above all, it can be concluded that the AFITN with AFI of 75 mm and TN of 60 kg ha−1 at jointing was an alternative management strategy for optimizing yield formation and water use of winter wheat. This study provided new insights into improving wheat productivity in drought–prone areas where one–off irrigation can be guaranteed.