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Straw returning plays an essential role in crop yields and the sustainable development of agriculture. However, the effects and mechanisms of nitrogen (N) fertilizer management on grain yield, quality and aroma substance 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) content under wheat straw returning are still unclear. In this field experiment, two japonica rice cultivars were used as materials, wheat straw non-returning (NS) and wheat straw full returning (WS) were designed coupled with two N application ratios, namely basal fertilizer: tiller fertilizer: panicle fertilizer =5:1:4 (local farmers’ fertilizer practice, LFP) and 7:1:2 (increasing basal fertilizer rate, IBF) under the total N application rate of 270 kg ha -1 . The effects of the four treatment combinations (NS-LFP, NS-IBF, WS-LFP, WS-IBF) on yield, cooking and eating quality, and 2-AP content in rice were investigated. The two-year (2020, 2021) results showed that: 1) WS-IBF significantly increased the number of panicles and grains per panicle, leading to the increase in grain yield by 6.67%–12.21%, when compared with NS-LFP, NS-IBF and WS-LFP. 2) WS-IBF enhanced the taste value, peak viscosity, breakdown value, the ratio of amylopectin to amylose, and the ratio of glutelin to prolamin while reducing the setback value and amylose content of rice flour. 3) Compared with NS, WS increased the activities of proline dehydrogenase and ornithine transaminase, the synthetic precursors of 2-AP, and finally increased 2-AP content in rice grains. WS-IBF slightly decreased 2-AP content, but there was no significant difference with WS-LFP. The above results indicated that adjusting the N regime and increasing basal N fertilizer rate under wheat straw returning is conducive to improving grain yield, cooking and eating quality, and 2-AP content in rice.

Dry direct-seeded rice sown by multifunctional seeders (MS-DDSR) has received increased attention for its high efficiency. Wheat straw returning is widely used as an important agricultural practice because it is the simplest and quickest approach to dispose of wheat straw and also improve soil quality. The study determined whether MS-DDSR after wheat straw returning could obtain a high yield and whether early nitrogen (N) application could compensate for the negative effects caused by returned wheat straw. Field experiments were performed in a split-plot design. Main plots were comprised without wheat straw returning (S0) and wheat straw returning (S1). Split plots consisted of three plots with early N application treatment: 65 (N1), 95 (N2), and 125 (N3) kg N ha−1 at 0 and 20 days after sowing. S1 reduced yield, N uptake, and biomass accumulation in MS-DDSR compared to S0 because S1 negatively affected the seedling roots growth, seedling establishment, and tillering capacity of MS-DDSR. The positive interaction between wheat straw returning and early N on yield, biomass accumulation, and N uptake was likely related to the positive interaction on spikelet number per panicle, total spikelet number, and biomass accumulation after the stem elongation stage. These findings demonstrate that wheat straw returning led to poor seedling establishment and yield loss for MS-DDSR, but these negative effects could be compensated for by an appropriate increase in early N application, based on the locally recommended N application protocols.

The rice–wheat rotation model of crop planting is widely used globally, and worldwide, straw returning is the main method of crop straw treatment. However, the straw return method commonly used in the modern rice–wheat rotation system has many adverse effects on the levels and improvement of soil fertility and crop yield, and there is no systematic theory of rice and wheat straw returning to use as a guide. In this paper, we concluded that: in the rice–wheat rotation system, returning 1,500–4,500 kg/ha of rice straw and 2,250–6,750 kg/ha of wheat straw to the field helps increase the organic carbon content and quality of the soil and promotes high annual yields; conventional mixing of straw into the field can increase the organic carbon content of the soil in a short time; long‐term use of concentrated ditch‐buried straw return has obvious advantages over other straw returning methods in increasing the accumulation of soil organic carbon; the combination of little or no tillage plus straw returning helps increase the content and quality of organic carbon in soil; and when the soil water content is 15%–22.5%, it is the most conducive to the accumulation of soil organic carbon. In addition, we also provide relevant suggestions for future research directions on straw returning via systematic analyses and thought processes. Little or no tillage plus straw returning helps increase the content and quality of soil organic carbon. Appropriate straw returning improves soil quality and annual yields in rice–wheat rotation system.

Purpose Straw incorporation is an important management practice in global agriculture. However, present straw returning usually focus on returning straw into the topsoil, while neglecting the amendment of subsoil. The study aims to investigate the effect of different straw returning strategies on soil quality and wheat productivity, and to develop recommendations regarding sustainable agriculture. Methods A 2-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of five straw returning strategies on the soil quality and wheat yield in a winter wheat-summer maize cropping system in the North China Plain. Soil quality is defined as an index approach, including soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. The five treatments were straw removal (SR), straw mulching (SM), straw incorporation into topsoil (SI), deep-ploughing straw incorporation (DP-SI) and deep-injected straw incorporation (DI-SI). Results Our results showed that straw returning improved soil quality across 0–40 cm depth relative to SR. The DP-SI and DI-SI a (above straw cluster) significantly increased topsoil quality by 20.5–26.2% and 13.6–19.0% compared with SI and SM. The DI-SI a also enhanced the subsoil quality, which was characterized by a significant increase in soil nutrients, compared to other straw returning strategies. The soil quality of 0–40 cm layer under DP-SI and DI-SI was significantly higher than that of other treatments. In addition, a positive correlation between soil quality and wheat yield was observed. Thus, the higher soil quality under DP-SI and DI-SI improved the average wheat yield by 9.6% and 10.7% compared with SI, respectively. Conclusion These results indicates that DI-SI may improve subsoil properties and wheat yields and is likely an effective measure for sustainable development of a wheat-maize rotation system.

Agriculture wastes returning to soil is one of common ways to reuse crop straws in China. The returned straws are expected to improve the fertility and structural stability of soil during the degradation of straw it selves. The in situ effect of different straw (wheat, rice, maize, rape, and broad bean) applications for soil aggregate stability and soil organic carbon (SOC) distribution were studied at both dry land soil and paddy soil in this study. Wet sieving procedures were used to separate soil aggregate sizes. Aggregate stability indicators including mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, mean weight of specific surface area, and the fractal dimension were used to evaluate soil aggregate stability after the incubation of straws returning. Meanwhile, the variation and distribution of SOC in different-sized aggregates were further studied. Results showed that the application of straws, especially rape straw at dry land soil and rice straw at paddy soil, increased the fractions of macro-aggregate (> 0.25 mm) and micro-aggregate (0.25–0.053 mm). Suggesting the nutrients released from straw degradation promotes the growing of soil aggregates directly and indirectly. The application of different straws increased the SOC content at both soils and the SOC mainly distributed at < 0.53 mm aggregates. However, the contribution of SOC in macro- and micro-aggregates increased. Straw-applied paddy soil have a higher total SOC content but lower SOC contents at > 0.25 and 0.25–0.053 mm aggregates with dry land soil. Rape straw in dry land and rice straw in paddy field could stabilize soil aggregates and increasing SOC contents best.

For the mechanized technical mode of total wheat straw returning to field, there are problems such as large vibration during the operation of the straw returning machine that, in turn, affect the effect of stubble breaking. This study took the Tongtian 1-JHY-220 straw returning machine as the research object to conduct field experiments, with wheat stubble height, forward velocity, and PTO speed as experimental parameters. And the vibration characteristics at different positions of the machine and the final stubble breaking rate were used as evaluation indicators. Combined with the orthogonal experiment and response surface analysis method, this article analyzes and discusses the influence of various parameters on vibration characteristics and operational effectiveness. The results show that PTO speed and wheat stubble height were the main factors affecting the vibration and operation quality of the straw returning machine. Low PTO speed and high stubble height can improve the stubble breaking rate of the straw returning machine and reduce its operation vibration. Furthermore, the multi-objective optimization results show that when the forward velocity in the range of 8.5–9 km/h, the PTO speed is 540 r/min, and the stubble height is in the range of 200–250 mm, the stubble breaking rate of the straw returning machine is greater than 86%. At this time, the total vibration of the straw returning machine and tractor rear axle is relatively small. This study can lay a foundation for further studying the impact of the vibration of the straw returning machine on the stubble breaking effect and provide a reference for the preparation of high-quality seedbed under conservation tillage.

Straw returning and livestock manure reuse are effective nature-based solutions (NBS) for nutrient cycling and sustainable crop production. However, it remains unclear how these agricultural practices affect phosphorus (P) transformation, movement, and the risk of loss in long-term crop production. The present study assessed the 30-year effects of the following five fertilizer treatments on rice yield, P transformation, movement, and loss in the soil profile: control (no fertilizer), NPK (chemical fertilizer), NPK + S (NPK with straw returning), NPK + M (NPK with manure), and NPK1.5 + S (1.5-folds NPK with straw returning). Compared with the NPK treatment, the NPK + S, NPK + M, and NPK1.5 + S treatments demonstrated no further increase in rice grain yield but significantly increased the seasonal soil P surplus by 3.3, 6.0, and 16.8 kg P ha −1 , respectively. Compared with NPK, the soil Olsen-P concentration in the 0–0.2 m soil layer increased by 24.5 and 89.7% respectively for NPK + S and NPK1.5 + S. The environmental soil P threshold for the rice–wheat rotation system in Purpli-Udic Cambisol is 49.9 mg kg −1 . The straw returning treatment (NPK + S and NPK1.5 + S) continually maintained a higher P index (9.5–13.5) in the 0–0.3 m soil layers. These results suggested that an integrative P strategy should be provided to manage soil P surplus and P environmental loss risk in the chemical combined with organic fertilizers of rice–wheat rotation, ensuring sustainable food security and achieving NBS goals.

Saline irrigation is an effective way to alleviate water scarcity in agriculture, but its productivity is constrained by salt stress. The effects of salinity on wheat yield and water productivity (WP), and how management practices can mitigate these effects, remain inadequately quantified. Through a meta-analysis of 2265 observations from field studies in Northern China, we quantified the responses of wheat yield, WP, and associated traits to saline irrigation and evaluated the efficacy of key management practices. The wheat yield (-16.3%) and WP (-13.7%) were significantly reduced under saline irrigation. Salt stress primarily inhibited photosynthetic rate (Pn), which subsequently reduced leaf area index (LAI) and plant height (PH), ultimately restricting spike number (SN) and yield, while constraining WP. A salinity threshold of 5 g/L was identified, beyond which the declines in yield and WP became severe. Alternate saline and freshwater irrigation ameliorated stress, increasing PH (+12.1%), SN (+7.4%), yield (+5.9%), and WP (+13.1%). Similarly, straw returning increased SN (+11.3%), yield (+12.3%), and WP (+12.5%). This study clarified the physiological cascade from salt stress to yield loss and confirm the critical role of the 5 g/L salinity threshold in sustaining wheat productivity. Alternate irrigation and straw returning mitigate salt stress through complementary pathways, enhancing plant growth and yield components. This meta-analysis provides evidence-based insights for optimizing saline irrigation management, supporting sustainable wheat production in water-scarce, salt-affected regions of northern China.

The objective of this study was to investigate how straw-incorporating practices affect bacterial communities and carbon source utilization capacity under a rice–wheat rotational farming practice in central China. To clarify the effect of long-term straw incorporation in microbial abundance and carbon metabolism, a long-term field experiment was initiated in May 2005 (rice-planting season). Soil bacterial communities were revealed by high-throughput sequencing technology. After ten cycles of annual rice–wheat rotation (2005–2015), 2 M (straw incorporation) and 2 M + NPK (high straw incorporation + chemical fertilizer) treatments had significantly more bacterial phyla compared with CK (non-fertilization) and NPK (chemical fertilizer) treatments. Taxonomic analysis revealed that 2 M and NPK + 2 M treatments had a significantly greater abundance of microbial communities, especially the Gemmatimonadetes, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. In the NPK versus 2 M, 2 M treatment had a significantly greater abundance of Rozellomycota (P < 0.05). In the NPK + 2 M versus NPK, NPK + 2 M treatment also had significantly greater abundance of Ascomycota (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) analysis showed that 2 M treatment was separate from other treatments. Using biolog-ECO method, the metabolic diversity and functional characteristics of microbial communities were used to indicate the ability of microorganisms to utilize carbon source. The carbon utilization ability of soil microorganisms in 2 M + NPK treatment was significantly higher than that of CK treatment (P < 0.05). The utilization ability of carboxylic acids, polymers, and other mixtures of carbon sources in 2 M treatment was higher than those of other treatments. These findings suggest that long-term straw incorporation affects the abundance and carbon utilization ability of soil microorganisms within 0–20 cm soil depths, among which, Gemmatimonadetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria may play crucial roles in bacterial communities and carbon source utilization capacity.

Improving the soil structure and fertility of saline–alkali land is a major issue in establishing a sustainable agro-ecosystem. To explore the potential of different straw returning in improving saline–alkaline land, we utilized native saline–alkaline soil (SCK), wheat straw-returned saline–alkaline soil (SXM) and rapeseed straw-returned saline–alkaline soil (SYC) as our research objects. Soil physicochemical properties, fungal community structure and diversity of saline–alkaline soils were investigated in different treatments at 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm soil depths. The results showed that SXM and SYC reduced soil pH and total salinity but increased soil organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, available phosphorus, total potassium, etc., and the enhancement effect of SYC was more significant. The total salinity of the 0–10 cm SCK soil layer was much higher than that of the 10–30 cm soil layers. Fungal diversity and abundance were similar in different soil layers in the same treatment. SXM and SYC soil had higher fungal diversity and abundance than SCK. At the genus level, Plectosphaerella, Mortierella and Ascomycota were the dominant groups of fungal communities in SXM and SYC. The fungal diversity and abundance in SXM and SYC soils were higher than in SCK soils. Correlation network analysis of fungal communities with environmental factors showed that organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus were the main environmental factors for the structural composition of fungal communities of Mortierella, Typhula, Wickerhamomyces, Trichosporon and Candida. In summary, straw returning to the field played an effective role in improving saline–alkaline land, improving soil fertility, affecting the structure and diversity of the fungal community and changing the interactions between microorganisms.