Integrating horticultural practices with smallholder resources improves Rosa roxburghii yield and nitrogen use...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Horticultural Science
• Agronomy

Background:

• Rosa roxburghii is a key cash crop for Guizhou smallholders, but extensive practices lead to low yields and economic issues.
• The impact of localized horticultural techniques and smallholder resources on R. roxburghii yield and efficiency is poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effects of localized technology and nitrogen use efficiency on R. roxburghii yield among smallholders.
• To categorize smallholders based on yield and nutrient use efficiency and identify factors contributing to high performance.

Main Methods:

• A survey of 121 smallholders growing R. roxburghii in Guizhou Province.
• Analysis of yield, nitrogen fertilizer partial factor productivity (PFP-N), and adoption of horticultural practices.
• Categorization of farmers into high-yield/high-efficiency (HH), high-yield/low-efficiency (HL), low-yield/high-efficiency (LH), and low-yield/low-efficiency (LL) groups.

Main Results:

• The average R. roxburghii yield was 5.9 t ha⁻¹.
• The HH group exhibited significantly higher yields and PFP-N compared to other groups.
• Educated smallholders in the HH group utilized optimized practices in fertilization, pruning, pest control, planting density, and weed management.

Conclusions:

• Integrated localized technology and smallholder resource endowment can significantly enhance R. roxburghii yield and nitrogen use efficiency.
• Optimized horticultural practices are crucial for achieving high productivity and resource efficiency in smallholder farming systems.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for improving economic outcomes for R. roxburghii producers.