Synergistic Improvement in Wheat Yield, Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Wheat-Maize Rotation Systems: A...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Agronomy
• Crop Science

Background:

• Agricultural practices (APs) are crucial for crop production, yet their specific impacts on winter wheat yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in wheat-maize rotations require further elucidation.
• Existing research lacks comprehensive evaluations of optimal APs for winter wheat within these systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of five key APs on winter wheat yield, WUE, and NUE.
• To identify optimal APs for winter wheat in wheat-maize rotation systems.
• To provide empirical data for optimizing APs and informing site-specific policy design.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was performed using 305 global studies, encompassing 4009 observation pairs.
• The study focused on five APs: irrigation, fertilization, tillage, residue utilization, and mulching.
• Structural equation modeling was employed to identify key drivers of yield, WUE, and NUE.

Main Results:

• APs significantly increased winter wheat yield (31.1%), NUE (14.7%), and WUE (27.6%).
• Fertilization demonstrated the most substantial effects, increasing yield by 43.7%, NUE by 16.9%, and WUE by 44.7%. Combined organic and mineral fertilizers yielded the highest increase (141.5%).
• Regional differences were observed: APs enhanced yield and WUE more in cold, arid regions, while NUE increased more in warm, humid regions. Long-term experiments (≥5 years) showed the highest yield increase (47.9%).

Conclusions:

• Agricultural practices are primary drivers of winter wheat yield and WUE, while management factors predominantly regulate NUE.
• Optimizing fertilization, residue utilization, and mulching are key strategies for enhancing winter wheat productivity and resource use efficiency.
• Findings support the development of site-specific agricultural policies for wheat-maize rotation systems to improve crop performance and sustainability.