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A global zoning scheme is proposed to limit the environmental costs of road building while maximizing its benefits for human development, by discriminating among areas where road building would have high environmental costs but relatively low agricultural advantage, areas where strategic road improvements could promote agricultural production with relatively modest environmental costs, and ‘conflict areas’ where road building may have large agricultural benefits but also high environmental costs. The number and extent of roads will expand dramatically this century 1 . Globally, at least 25 million kilometres of new roads are anticipated by 2050; a 60% increase in the total length of roads over that in 2010. Nine-tenths of all road construction is expected to occur in developing nations 1 , including many regions that sustain exceptional biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. Roads penetrating into wilderness or frontier areas are a major proximate driver of habitat loss and fragmentation, wildfires, overhunting and other environmental degradation, often with irreversible impacts on ecosystems 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 . Unfortunately, much road proliferation is chaotic or poorly planned 3 , 4 , 6 , and the rate of expansion is so great that it often overwhelms the capacity of environmental planners and managers 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 . Here we present a global scheme for prioritizing road building. This large-scale zoning plan seeks to limit the environmental costs of road expansion while maximizing its benefits for human development, by helping to increase agricultural production, which is an urgent priority given that global food demand could double by mid-century 8 , 9 . Our analysis identifies areas with high environmental values where future road building should be avoided if possible, areas where strategic road improvements could promote agricultural development with relatively modest environmental costs, and ‘conflict areas’ where road building could have sizeable benefits for agriculture but with serious environmental damage. Our plan provides a template for proactively zoning and prioritizing roads during the most explosive era of road expansion in human history.

Low grain protein in hard red winter (HRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a serious challenge for rainfed wheat growers, particularly in years with elevated grain yield. Proper nitrogen (N) management with adequate N rate and application timing is critical for optimizing grain yield and protein content. This 2‐yr experiment evaluated the effects of different N rates and application timings (fall, spring, and split) on grain yield and protein of two HRW wheat cultivars. Field studies were conducted at four different sites across Nebraska under rainfed conditions in 2018/2019 (Year 1) and 2019/2020 (Year 2). A split‐plot randomized complete block design with wheat cultivars as the whole plots and factorial combinations of six N rates and three application timings as the subplots was used in four replications. Grain yield was associated positively and grain protein negatively with the water supply to demand ratio (WS/WD) in the season. Freeman cultivar yielded better in a year with higher WS/WD and a newly developed cultivar, Ruth, yielded better in a lower WS/WD year. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased grain yield in the site‐years with moderately higher WS/WD. There was an increase in grain protein with increasing N rates at all site‐years. Spring and split‐applied N resulted in better grain yield than fall application in the site‐year when there was a risk of N loss. This experiment suggested that an effective N management strategy for winter wheat should account for and be adaptable to weather variability to optimize grain yield and protein content. Core Ideas Grain yield was associated positively with the water supply to demand ratio in the season. There was no yield advantage to spring or split N application over fall except for 1 site‐year. Application of N increased winter wheat grain protein in both dry and wet years. In site‐years with low water supply and demand ratio, protein was inversely related to yield. Fertilizer N recovery efficiency decreased with an increase in applied N rates.

A hopeful vision of the future is a world in which both people and nature thrive, but there is little evidence to support the feasibility of such a vision. We used a global, spatially explicit, systems modeling approach to explore the possibility of meeting the demands of increased populations and economic growth in 2050 while simultaneously advancing multiple conservation goals. Our results demonstrate that if, instead of \"business as usual\" practices, the world changes how and where food and energy are produced, this could help to meet projected increases in food (54%) and energy (56%) demand while achieving habitat protection (>50% of natural habitat remains unconverted in most biomes globally; 17% area of each ecoregion protected in each country), reducing atmospheric greenhouse-gas emissions consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement (≤1.6°C warming by 2100), ending overfishing, and reducing water stress and particulate air pollution. Achieving this hopeful vision for people and nature is attainable with existing technology and consumption patterns. However, success will require major shifts in production methods and an ability to overcome substantial economic, social, and political challenges.

IntroductionProcess-based crop models such as the Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator Next Generation (APSIM-NG) can simulate crop growth, phenology, and yield under diverse environmental and management conditions, supporting climate-smart agriculture strategies aimed at improving productivity and resilience. However, accurate calibration and validation are required to ensure reliable predictions across cultivars and nitrogen (N) management scenarios.MethodsWe evaluated APSIM-NG performance for simulating winter wheat cultivar responses to N rate using field experiments conducted in Nebraska during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 growing seasons. Trials followed a randomized complete block design with two cultivars (LCS and WB), four N rates (0, 56, 112, and 168 kg N ha⁻¹), and three replications. Observations included phenology, grain yield, protein content, shoot biomass, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, soil nitrate and ammonium, soil moisture, and weather variables. Model calibration targeted cultivar-specific phenology, biomass, yield, and protein content. Validation was conducted using grain yield data from 29 site-year combinations across five Nebraska counties spanning six growing seasons (2017–2022). Model accuracy was evaluated using RMSE, RRMSE, and mean bias error.ResultsCalibration improved model performance, with well to moderate accuracy for phenology (RRMSE = 2.1–2.2%; RMSE = 3–5 days), grain yield (15–24%), protein content (8–11%), and grain N uptake (11–13%). APSIM-NG moderately captured cultivar differences in leaf N uptake, with RRMSE values of 27% for LCS and 33% for WB. Validation results showed good performance for grain yield in both cultivars (RRMSE = 14% for LCS and 19% for WB). Yield response to N was simulated well for LCS (RRMSE = 18% at the economic optimum N rate) and moderately for WB (32%).DiscussionOverall, APSIM-NG demonstrated well to moderate performance in simulating phenology, yield, and grain N dynamics across winter wheat cultivars. These results highlight the model’s utility for evaluating N management strategies and supporting climate-smart decision-making aimed at improving nitrogen use efficiency and adaptation to climate variability in wheat systems.

Management of winter annual weeds (WAWs) can affect soil N availability and corn (Zea mays L.) production under no‐till systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of delaying WAW herbicide applications on N availability and grain yield for no‐till corn following soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Field research was conducted in 2010 and 2011 at 14 sites with naturally‐occurring populations of WAWs in eastern Kansas. A factorial arrangement of three herbicide application dates (November–March, April, and May) and five N rates (0, 17, 34, 67, and 135 kg N ha–1) were used to evaluate the interaction between weed and N response. Corn plant population, soil nitrate‐N, early corn N uptake, chlorophyll meter (CM) readings at silking, and grain yield were measured. Analysis across site‐years, no significant interaction occurred between herbicide application date and N rate for variables measured. Delaying herbicide application until April significantly reduced early corn N uptake by 52 mg N plant–1, CM readings at silking by 3.4%, and grain yield by 0.48 Mg ha–1 across site‐years. Using the N fertilizer equivalence values (based on CM readings and grain yield), an estimated additional 16 to 17 kg N ha–1 was needed if herbicide application was delayed until April. Producers can increase corn N uptake and grain yield for rainfed no‐till corn following soybeans in eastern Kansas by applying herbicides on WAWs before April.

Nature 513, 229–232 (2014); doi:10.1038/nature13717 In this Letter, as a result of an inadvertent spreadsheet error, four values presented in Table 1 were slightly inflated. These relate to the proportions of Earth’s total land surface located within the ‘conserve’, ‘agriculture’, ‘conflict’ and ‘low-tension’ zones.

Winter annual weeds (WAW) could affect nitrogen supply for corn production. The objectives of first study were to determine the diversity and abundance of WAW and to evaluate the effect of delaying herbicide applications on nitrogen supply and no-till corn response. Research was conducted in 2010 and 2011 at 14 sites in eastern Kansas. A factorial arrangement of three herbicide application dates (Nov.-Mar., April, and May) and five N rates were used. The three most abundant WAW across sites were henbit, purslane speedwell, and horseweed. Delaying herbicide application until April significantly reduced early corn N uptake by 52 mg N plant-1, chlorophyll meter readings at silking by 3.4%, and grain yield by 0.48 Mg ha-1 across sites. An additional 16 to 17 kg N ha-1 was needed to maintain yield if herbicide application was delayed until April. Starter and foliar micronutrient fertilization can potentially increase corn and soybean yield. The objectives of the second study were to evaluate crop response from combinations of starter and foliar fertilizers that contain N-P-K mixtures with and without a blend of micronutrients at four sites for each crop under irrigated conditions. No early corn growth or yield increase was attributed to application of micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B) beyond what was achieved with N-P-K starter fertilization. There was an increase in soybean height (8 cm) and yield (293 kg ha-1) with starter fertilizer containing N-P-K plus micronutrients over the control. No increase in corn or soybean yield was obtained with foliar fertilization. The objective of the third study was to compare soil mobility and changes in soybean nutrient concentration in the leaf and seed from Mn and Zn sources (EDTA and oxysulfate) at two sites. Zinc sources were more mobile in the soil. Both Zn sources increased seed Zn concentration. Manganese oxysulfate increased seed Mn concentration. However, soybean trifoliolate leaf and seed Mn concentration decreased with soil-applied Na2EDTA and MnEDTA. This response was attributed to formation of FeEDTA and increased Fe supply that reduced root Mn absorption. Manganese EDTA is not recommended for soil application.

Energy storage is an integral part of modern society. A contemporary example is the lithium (Li)-ion battery, which enabled the launch of the personal electronics revolution in 1991 and the first commercial electric vehicles in 2010. Most recently, Li-ion batteries have expanded into the electricity grid to firm variable renewable generation, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of transmission and distribution. Important applications continue to emerge including decarbonization of heavy-duty vehicles, rail, maritime shipping, and aviation and the growth of renewable electricity and storage on the grid. This perspective compares energy storage needs and priorities in 2010 with those now and those emerging over the next few decades. The diversity of demands for energy storage requires a diversity of purpose-built batteries designed to meet disparate applications. Advances in the frontier of battery research to achieve transformative performance spanning energy and power density, capacity, charge/discharge times, cost, lifetime, and safety are highlighted, along with strategic research refinements made by the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR) and the broader community to accommodate the changing storage needs and priorities. Innovative experimental tools with higher spatial and temporal resolution, in situ and operando characterization, first-principles simulation, high throughput computation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence work collectively to reveal the origins of the electrochemical phenomena that enable new means of energy storage. This knowledge allows a constructionist approach to materials, chemistries, and architectures, where each atom or molecule plays a prescribed role in realizing batteries with unique performance profiles suitable for emergent demands.