Dear Editors,Global maize yields are stagnating,with over 50% of China's growing areas experiencing yield plateaus(Gerber et al.,2024).Climate change significantly contributes to this stagnation(Tigchelaar et al.,...Dear Editors,Global maize yields are stagnating,with over 50% of China's growing areas experiencing yield plateaus(Gerber et al.,2024).Climate change significantly contributes to this stagnation(Tigchelaar et al.,2018;Rizzo et al.,2022).展开更多
Maize value-added products play a crucial role in reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing food security, and generating income. While extensive research has focused on maize production in Cameroon, the exploration of ...Maize value-added products play a crucial role in reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing food security, and generating income. While extensive research has focused on maize production in Cameroon, the exploration of its value-added products and their profitability in the North-West Region remains underexplored. This study examined the profitability of maize value-added products in Mezam Division, with the objectives to: 1) identify various maize-based products, 2) assess the diversity of these products, 3) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of selected products, 4) examine the relationship between profitability and product diversity, and 5) identify key constraints impacting profitability. To achieve these objectives, structured questionnaires were administered to 500 small-scale maize entrepreneurs randomly selected from five subdivisions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze objective 1 and 5, while the Shannon Diversity Index was employed to assess product diversity. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted on four selected products namely pap, parched corn, peeled parboiled corn, and corn beer, and a correlation analysis was used to examine objective 4. In total, 13 maize value-added products were identified, with a diversity index of 4.4. The total cost of processing the four selected products per entrepreneur using 18 kg of maize per product was FCFA 83631.5 (US $132.75), while the total revenue was FCFA 121864.5 (US $193.43), resulting in an economic profit of FCFA 38,233 (US $60.69). Pap emerged as the most profitable product, with an economic profit of FCFA 27,875 (US $44.24), while corn beer was the least profitable, with an economic profit of FCFA 2133.46 (US $3.39). The correlation analysis revealed a strong negative relationship between product diversity and profitability (r = −0.91), indicating that entrepreneurs can maximize profitability by focusing on a few high-demand products like pap and parched corn. Key constraints to profitability included fluctuating market prices, high production costs, limited access to finance, and inadequate storage facilities. Despite these challenges, our findings indicate that maize value addition is profitable in Mezam Division. Entrepreneurs can leverage this data for informed decision-making and future investments. It is recommended that the government promote maize value addition and provide financial support for modern processing equipment to boost profitability and income generation.展开更多
Developing high-yield maize hybrids is critical for sustaining maize production,especially in the face of rapid climate changes and the growing global population.Exploring the genetic diversity and combining ability i...Developing high-yield maize hybrids is critical for sustaining maize production,especially in the face of rapid climate changes and the growing global population.Exploring the genetic diversity and combining ability in parental inbreds is needed for developing such high-yielding hybrids.Consequently,this study aimed at evaluating parental genetic diversity employing simple sequence repeats(SSR)markers,estimating effects of general(GCA)and specific(SCA)combining abilities for grain yield and yield contributing characters,identifying high yielding hybrids,and evaluating the association of SCA effects and performance of hybrids with genetic distance.Half-diallel mating scheme was utilized to develop 21 F_(1) hybrids from seven diverse maize inbred lines.The F_(1) hybrids along with check hybrid(SC-10),were investigated in a field trial over two growing seasons under arid conditions.The assessed F_(1) hybrids displayed significant genetic variations across all recorded traits.The inbreds P_(1) and P_(3) were detected as effective combiners to develop early maturing hybrids.Additionally,P_(3) and P_(4) were recognized as better combiners for improving grain yield and yield attributed characters.The hybrids P_(1)×P_(5) and P_(4)×P_(7) displayed significant SCA effects coupled with favorable agronomic performance.These hybrids are recommended for further evaluation and release as variety for arid environments to increase total maize production and contribute to food security.The alleles per locus differed between 2 and 5,with average of 3.5 alleles/locus.The polymorphic information content(PIC)altered between 0.21 to 0.74,with a mean of 0.56.Unweighted neighbor-joining tree grouped the inbred lines into three clusters,providing a valuable tool to decrease the crosses needed to be assessed in the trial field.Parental genetic distance varied from 0.63 to 0.90,averaging 0.79.The relationship between genetic diversity assessed through SSR markers and SCA effects was insignificant for all considered traits.Otherwise,SCA demonstrated a significant correlation with hybrid performance,suggesting that SCA serves as a reliable predictor for hybrid performance.The assessed maize inbred lines and developed hybrids revealed substantial genetic variability,offering valuable resources for enhancing maize productivity under arid conditions.The identified promising inbred lines(P_(1),P_(3),and P_(4))might be regarded as effective combiners for developing early-maturing genotypes and excellent combiners for enhancing yield attributes.Notably,the developed hybrids P_(1)×P_(5) and P_(4)×P_(7) possessed significant SCA alongside superior yield traits.SCA demonstrated a significant correlation with hybrid performance,suggesting its potential as a reliable predictor for the performance of developed hybrids.展开更多
Maize production in Kenya is constrained by weed infestation and nutrient deficiencies. Field studies were conducted during the 2008/2009 cropping seasons to investigate weeds in maize fields on three dominant soil ty...Maize production in Kenya is constrained by weed infestation and nutrient deficiencies. Field studies were conducted during the 2008/2009 cropping seasons to investigate weeds in maize fields on three dominant soil types in Western Kenya. Weeds were inventoried and their composition was compared using Jaccard＇s index. The economic importance of weed species （potential to reduce yields and the difficulty to control them by manual weeding） was assessed through participatory surveys. Finally, field trials assessed the effects of management options （farmer＇s practice, clean weeding, green manure, zero-tillage ＋ cover crop and zero-tillage） on weed biomass and species composition. Across the three soil types, 55 weed species in 21 families were identified. Soil types influenced species composition as confirmed by Jaccard＇s similarity indices of 0.50, 0.58 and 0.62 for Nitisol vs. Acrisol, Ferralsol vs. Acrisol and Nitisol vs. Ferralsol, respectively. The economically important weeds were Commelina benghalensis, Cynodon nlemfuensis, Bidens pilosa, Galinsoga parviflora and Leonotis nepetifolia. Management options significantly （P 〈 0.05） reduced weed biomass, irrespective of soil type and seasons. Maize biomass response was highest （7-16 Mg ha1） in zero-tillage and zero-tillage ＋ cover crop and lowest （2-8 Mg ha1） in farmer＇s practice. Significantly negative relationships （P 〈 0.01, r2 = 0.37 - 0.51） were established between leaf area index of maize and weed biomass across the soils. Zero-tillage combined with the use of a cover crop had the lowest weed biomass （〈 30% of the farmer practice） and thus appears to be a promising strategy combining soil fertility improvement with weed suppression in smallholder maize farming systems of Western Kenya.展开更多
Croplands are often suffering from sand burial in dry regions of northern China. For studying this phenomenon, we carried out a case study of field experiment including four sand burial levels, i.e. shallow （1-3 cm）...Croplands are often suffering from sand burial in dry regions of northern China. For studying this phenomenon, we carried out a case study of field experiment including four sand burial levels, i.e. shallow （1-3 cm）, moderate （8-12 cm） and deep （15-20 cm） sand burials, and no sand burial （control, CK）, in a typical agro-pastoral transitional zone in Naiman Banner of eastern Inner Mongolia. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of sand burial on maize （Zea rnays L.） productivity and the soil quality along a gradient of burial depths. Results showed that there was a strong negative effect of sand burial on maize productivity and soil quality, which significantly declined （P〈0.05） under moderate and deep sand burial treatments. In comparison with the CK, the maize yield and above-ground biomass reduced by 47.41% and 39.47%, respectively. The soil silt and clay, soil water, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents under deep sand burial decreased by 67.85%, 40.32%, 86.52% and 82.11%, respectively, while microbial biomass carbon, microbial abundance and enzyme activity decreased by 89.78%, 42.28%-79.66% and 69.51%-97.71%, respectively. There was no significant effect on crop productivity and soil quality with shallow sand burial treatment. The correlations analysis showed that there was significant positive correlations of both maize yield and above-ground biomass with soil silt and clay, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, pH, electrical conductivity, soil water content, microbial abundance and biomass and all tested soil enzyme activities. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that soil water and total nitrogen contents, urease, cellobiohydrolase and peroxidase activities were key determining factors for maize productivity. This combination of factors explains reason of the decreased maize productivity with deep sand burial. We found that degradation of cropland as a result of sand burial changed soil physical-chemical properties and soil enzyme activities in the plow layer, and decreased overall maize productivity. Furthermore, decreased soil enzyme activity was a better indicator to predict sandy cropland degradation.展开更多
In an attempt to identify solutions to the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and droughts that limit agricultural production growth,the Rwandan government has recently increased investments in irrigation developmen...In an attempt to identify solutions to the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and droughts that limit agricultural production growth,the Rwandan government has recently increased investments in irrigation development.In this study,we analyze the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies(SSITs)and its impact on land productivity using cross-sectional data from a sample of 360 farmers in Rwanda.The study uses the propensity score matching technique to address potential self-selection bias.Our results reveal that adoption decisions are significantly influenced by factors such as education,farm size,group membership,gender,extension services,access to credit,access to weather forecast information,risk perceptions,access to a reliable source of water for irrigation,awareness of rainwater harvesting techniques,and awareness of subsidy programs.In addition,the results show that the adoption of SSITs has a significantly positive impact on land productivity.The study concludes with policy implications that highlight the need to promote the adoption of SSITs among farmers as a strategy to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Rwanda.展开更多
In order to explore the use of groundwater resources,field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years during 2012-2014 in the Shiyang River basin of Northwest China.Irrigation was conducted using four diff...In order to explore the use of groundwater resources,field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years during 2012-2014 in the Shiyang River basin of Northwest China.Irrigation was conducted using four different water salinity levels that were arranged in a split plot design.These four water salinity levels were s0,s3,s6 and s9(0.71,3,6 and 9 g/L,respectively).The soil salt content,soil bulk density,soil porosity,saturated hydraulic conductivity,plant height,leaf area index and yield of maize for seed production were measured for studying the effects of saline water irrigation on soil salt content distribution,soil physical properties and water use efficiency.It was observed that higher salinity level of irrigation water and long duration of saline water irrigation resulted in more salt accumulation.Compared to initial values,the soil salt accumulation in 0-100 cm soil layer after three years of experiments for s0,s3,s6 and s9 was 0.189 mg/cm3,0.654 mg/cm3,0.717 mg/cm3 and 1.135 mg/cm3,respectively.Both greater salt levels in the irrigation water and frequent saline water irrigation led to greater soil bulk density,but poorer soil porosity and less saturated hydraulic conductivity.The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased with increase in soil bulk density,but increased with improvement in soil porosity.It was noted that the maize height,leaf area index and maize yield gradually decreased with increase in water salinity.The maize yield decreased over 25%and the water use efficiency also gradually declined when irrigated with water containing 6 g/L and 9 g/L salinity levels.However,maize yield following saline water irrigation with 3 g/L decreased less than 20%and the decline in water use efficiency was not significant during the three-year experiment period.The results demonstrate that irrigation with saline water at the level of 6 g/L and 9 g/L in the study area is not suitable,while saline water irrigation with 3 g/L would be acceptable for a short duration together with salt leaching through spring irrigation before sowing.展开更多
Scientific irrigation and nitrogen management is important for agricultural production in arid areas. To quantify the effect of water and nitrogen management on yield components, biomass partitioning and harvest index...Scientific irrigation and nitrogen management is important for agricultural production in arid areas. To quantify the effect of water and nitrogen management on yield components, biomass partitioning and harvest index(HI) of maize for seed production with plastic filmmulching, field experiments including different irrigation and N treatments were conducted in arid north-west China in 2013 and 2014. The results indicated that kernel number per plant(KN) was signi ficantly affected by irrigation and N treatments. However, 100-kernel weight was relatively stable. Reducing irrigation quantity signi ficantly increased stem partitioning index(PI_(stem)) and leaf partitioning index(PIl_(eaf)), and decreased ear partitioning index(PI_(ear)) at harvest, but lowering Nrate(from 500 to 100 kg N$hm^(–2))did not signi ficantly reduce PI_(stem), PI leaf, andPIl_(eaf) at harvest. HI was signi ficantly reduced by reducing irrigation quantity, but not by reducing Nrate. Linear relationships were found between KN, PI_(stem), PI leaf,PIl_(eaf) at harvest and HI and evapotranspiration(ET).展开更多
Maize(Zea mays L.)is a critical staple crop globally,integral to human consumption,food security,and agricultural product stability.The quality and purity of maize seeds,essential for hybrid seed production,are contin...Maize(Zea mays L.)is a critical staple crop globally,integral to human consumption,food security,and agricultural product stability.The quality and purity of maize seeds,essential for hybrid seed production,are contingent upon effective detasseling.This study investigates the evolution of detasseling technologies and their application in Chinese maize hybrid seed production,with a comparative analysis against the United States.A comprehensive examination of the development and utilization of detasseling technology in Chinese maize hybrid seed production was undertaken,with a specific focus on key milestones.Data from the United States were included for comparative purposes.The analysis encompassed various detasseling methods,including manual,semi-mechanized,and cytoplasmic male sterility,as well as more recent innovations such as detasseling machines,and the emerging field of intelligent detasseling driven by unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),computer vision,and mechanical arms.Mechanized detasseling methods were predominantly employed by America.Despite the challenges of inflexible and occasionally overlooked,applying detasseling machines is efficient and reliable.At present,China’s detasseling operations in hybrid maize seed production are mainly carried out by manual work,which is labor-intensive and inefficient.In order to address this issue,China is dedicated to developing intelligent detasseling technology.This study emphasizes the critical role of detasseling in hybrid maize seed production.The United States has embraced mechanized detasseling.The application and development of manual and mechanized detasseling were applied later than those in the United States,but latest intelligent detasseling technologies first appeared in China.Intelligent detasseling is expected to be the future direction,ensuring the quality and efficiency of hybrid maize seed production,with implications for global food security.展开更多
Digital Agriculture is one of the important applications of Digital Earth.As the global climate changes and food security becomes an increasingly important issue,agriculture drought comes to the focus of attention.Chi...Digital Agriculture is one of the important applications of Digital Earth.As the global climate changes and food security becomes an increasingly important issue,agriculture drought comes to the focus of attention.China is a typical monsoon climate country as well as an agricultural country with the world’s largest population.The East Asian monsoon has had a tremendous impact upon agricultural production.Therefore,a maize drought disaster risk assessment,in line with the requirements of sustainable development of agriculture,is important for ensuring drought disaster reduction and food security.Meteorology,soil,land use,and agro-meteorological observation information of the research area were collected,and based on the concept framework of‘hazard-inducing factors assessment(hazard)-vulnerability assessment of hazard-affected body(vulner-ability curve)-risk assessment(risk),’importing crop model EPIC(Erosion-Productivity Impact Calculator),using crop model simulation and digital mapping techniques,quantitative assessment of spatio-temporal distribution of maize drought in China was done.The results showed that:in terms of 2,5,10,and 20 year return periods,the overall maize drought risk decreased gradually from northwest to southeast in the maize planting areas.With the 20 year return period,high risk value regions(drought loss rate]0.5)concentrate in the irrigated maize region of Northwest china,ecotone between agriculture and animal husbandry in Northern China,Hetao Irrigation Area,and north-central area of North China Plain,accounting for 6.41%of the total maize area.These results can provide a scientific basis for the government’s decision-making in risk management and drought disaster prevention in China.展开更多
Lodging in maize is one of the major problems in maize production worldwide,which causes serious yield and economic losses annually.By evaluating cultivar lodging resistance performance in target growing environments ...Lodging in maize is one of the major problems in maize production worldwide,which causes serious yield and economic losses annually.By evaluating cultivar lodging resistance performance in target growing environments before cultivar extension and application,the risks and losses can be significantly reduced.In this study,a GIS-based quantitative method for evaluating maize cultivar lodging resistance performance in target growing environments was established based on full cognition of environment stress,cultivar resistance,and the interaction between them.At first,comprehensive environment lodging stress is measured by three factors:1)extreme wind event in maize vegetative stage which is the direct factor,2)soil potassium content in target growing environment which is an indirect factor affecting corn stem sturdiness,and 3)planting density which is a human influence factor.Quantification methods of extreme probability analysis,spatial interpolation,normalization,and so on were used.Then,maize cultivar lodging resistance was determined using cumulative frequency distribution analysis of tested lodging data.At last,an evaluation matrix was established combining environment lodging stress and cultivar lodging resistance together,which was very simple and easy to understand method and the result is promising providing good direct support in practical cultivar application.The method used in this study,at county-level,cultivar-level and stress-level with GIS,can facilitate the identification of better-adapted growing environments for a specific maize cultivar,and provide direct support for maize cultivar recommendation and extension,so as to reduce the risk and loss of lodging in maize.It is more easy-operational and feasible than traditional surveying approach,especially for large-scale spatial trend analysis.So it is of both academic significance in accelerating precision agriculture development and practical significance in improving maize cultivar application.展开更多
Fermented foods are an integral part of the diet for many communities in Africa.The fermentation of maize is characterized by an improved nutrient content/bioavailability and the presence of bioactive compounds which ...Fermented foods are an integral part of the diet for many communities in Africa.The fermentation of maize is characterized by an improved nutrient content/bioavailability and the presence of bioactive compounds which are largely attributed to the activity of the microbial population mainly lactic acid bacteria(LAB)and yeasts.The role of LAB in maize and other cereal fermentations has been extensively studied.However,limited literature is available on the role of yeasts in maize fermentations and resultant nutritional and health promoting properties.This review explores the contribution of yeasts to the nutritional and health properties of fermented maize and other cereal products.Additionally,the proliferation and growth characteristics of dominant yeasts and their derived metabolites are discussed.It is particularly important to comprehend the processes and type of yeasts involved in maize fermentation as an essential step in maize product development.This will facilitate the development of yeast-based starter culture,improve maize fermentation process and provide better understanding of associated nutrition and bioactive properties.展开更多
Despite fertilization efforts,phosphorus(P)availability in soils remains a major constraint to global plant productivity.Soil incorporation of biochar could promote soil P availability but its effects remain uncertain...Despite fertilization efforts,phosphorus(P)availability in soils remains a major constraint to global plant productivity.Soil incorporation of biochar could promote soil P availability but its effects remain uncertain.To attain further improvements in soil P availability with biochar,we developed,characterized,and evaluated magnesium-oxide(MgO)and sepiolite(Mg4Si6O15(OH)2·6H2O)-functionalized biochars with optimized P retention/release capacity.Field-based application of these biochars for improving P availability and their mechanisms during three growth stages of maize was investigated.We further leveraged next-generation sequencing to unravel their impacts on the plant growth-stage shifts in soil functional genes regulating P availability.Results showed insignificant variation in P availability between single super phosphate fertilization(F)and its combination with raw biochar(BF).However,the occurrence of Mg-bound minerals on the optimized biochars’surface adjusted its surface charges and properties and improved the retention and slow release of inorganic P.Compared to BF,available P(AP)was 26.5%and 19.1%higher during the 12-leaf stage and blister stage,respectively,under MgO-optimized biochar+F treatment(MgOBF),and 15.5%higher under sepiolite-biochar+F(SBF)during maize physiological maturity.Cumulatively,AP was 15.6%and 13.2%higher in MgOBF and SBF relative to BF.Hence,plant biomass,grain yield,and P uptake were highest in MgOBF and SBF,respectively at harvest.Optimized-biochar amendment stimulated microbial 16SrRNA gene diversity and suppressed the expression of P starvation response and P uptake and transport-related genes while stimulating P solubilization and mineralization genes.Thus,the optimized biochars promoted P availability via the combined processes of slow-release of retained phosphates,while inducing the microbial solubilization and mineralization of inorganic and organic P,respectively.Our study advances strategies for reducing cropland P limitation and reveals the potential of optimized biochars for improving P availability on the field scale.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2021YFD1201300)the Major Science and Technology Projects in Biological Breeding(2023ZD04067)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2662025JGPY003).
文摘Dear Editors,Global maize yields are stagnating,with over 50% of China's growing areas experiencing yield plateaus(Gerber et al.,2024).Climate change significantly contributes to this stagnation(Tigchelaar et al.,2018;Rizzo et al.,2022).
文摘Maize value-added products play a crucial role in reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing food security, and generating income. While extensive research has focused on maize production in Cameroon, the exploration of its value-added products and their profitability in the North-West Region remains underexplored. This study examined the profitability of maize value-added products in Mezam Division, with the objectives to: 1) identify various maize-based products, 2) assess the diversity of these products, 3) conduct a cost-benefit analysis of selected products, 4) examine the relationship between profitability and product diversity, and 5) identify key constraints impacting profitability. To achieve these objectives, structured questionnaires were administered to 500 small-scale maize entrepreneurs randomly selected from five subdivisions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze objective 1 and 5, while the Shannon Diversity Index was employed to assess product diversity. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis was conducted on four selected products namely pap, parched corn, peeled parboiled corn, and corn beer, and a correlation analysis was used to examine objective 4. In total, 13 maize value-added products were identified, with a diversity index of 4.4. The total cost of processing the four selected products per entrepreneur using 18 kg of maize per product was FCFA 83631.5 (US $132.75), while the total revenue was FCFA 121864.5 (US $193.43), resulting in an economic profit of FCFA 38,233 (US $60.69). Pap emerged as the most profitable product, with an economic profit of FCFA 27,875 (US $44.24), while corn beer was the least profitable, with an economic profit of FCFA 2133.46 (US $3.39). The correlation analysis revealed a strong negative relationship between product diversity and profitability (r = −0.91), indicating that entrepreneurs can maximize profitability by focusing on a few high-demand products like pap and parched corn. Key constraints to profitability included fluctuating market prices, high production costs, limited access to finance, and inadequate storage facilities. Despite these challenges, our findings indicate that maize value addition is profitable in Mezam Division. Entrepreneurs can leverage this data for informed decision-making and future investments. It is recommended that the government promote maize value addition and provide financial support for modern processing equipment to boost profitability and income generation.
基金supported by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number(PNURSP2024R318)Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Research and Graduate Studies at King Khalid University for funding this work through Large Research Project under grant number RGP2/342/45supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research,Vice Presidency for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research,King Faisal University,Saudi Arabia(KFU241870).
文摘Developing high-yield maize hybrids is critical for sustaining maize production,especially in the face of rapid climate changes and the growing global population.Exploring the genetic diversity and combining ability in parental inbreds is needed for developing such high-yielding hybrids.Consequently,this study aimed at evaluating parental genetic diversity employing simple sequence repeats(SSR)markers,estimating effects of general(GCA)and specific(SCA)combining abilities for grain yield and yield contributing characters,identifying high yielding hybrids,and evaluating the association of SCA effects and performance of hybrids with genetic distance.Half-diallel mating scheme was utilized to develop 21 F_(1) hybrids from seven diverse maize inbred lines.The F_(1) hybrids along with check hybrid(SC-10),were investigated in a field trial over two growing seasons under arid conditions.The assessed F_(1) hybrids displayed significant genetic variations across all recorded traits.The inbreds P_(1) and P_(3) were detected as effective combiners to develop early maturing hybrids.Additionally,P_(3) and P_(4) were recognized as better combiners for improving grain yield and yield attributed characters.The hybrids P_(1)×P_(5) and P_(4)×P_(7) displayed significant SCA effects coupled with favorable agronomic performance.These hybrids are recommended for further evaluation and release as variety for arid environments to increase total maize production and contribute to food security.The alleles per locus differed between 2 and 5,with average of 3.5 alleles/locus.The polymorphic information content(PIC)altered between 0.21 to 0.74,with a mean of 0.56.Unweighted neighbor-joining tree grouped the inbred lines into three clusters,providing a valuable tool to decrease the crosses needed to be assessed in the trial field.Parental genetic distance varied from 0.63 to 0.90,averaging 0.79.The relationship between genetic diversity assessed through SSR markers and SCA effects was insignificant for all considered traits.Otherwise,SCA demonstrated a significant correlation with hybrid performance,suggesting that SCA serves as a reliable predictor for hybrid performance.The assessed maize inbred lines and developed hybrids revealed substantial genetic variability,offering valuable resources for enhancing maize productivity under arid conditions.The identified promising inbred lines(P_(1),P_(3),and P_(4))might be regarded as effective combiners for developing early-maturing genotypes and excellent combiners for enhancing yield attributes.Notably,the developed hybrids P_(1)×P_(5) and P_(4)×P_(7) possessed significant SCA alongside superior yield traits.SCA demonstrated a significant correlation with hybrid performance,suggesting its potential as a reliable predictor for the performance of developed hybrids.
文摘Maize production in Kenya is constrained by weed infestation and nutrient deficiencies. Field studies were conducted during the 2008/2009 cropping seasons to investigate weeds in maize fields on three dominant soil types in Western Kenya. Weeds were inventoried and their composition was compared using Jaccard＇s index. The economic importance of weed species （potential to reduce yields and the difficulty to control them by manual weeding） was assessed through participatory surveys. Finally, field trials assessed the effects of management options （farmer＇s practice, clean weeding, green manure, zero-tillage ＋ cover crop and zero-tillage） on weed biomass and species composition. Across the three soil types, 55 weed species in 21 families were identified. Soil types influenced species composition as confirmed by Jaccard＇s similarity indices of 0.50, 0.58 and 0.62 for Nitisol vs. Acrisol, Ferralsol vs. Acrisol and Nitisol vs. Ferralsol, respectively. The economically important weeds were Commelina benghalensis, Cynodon nlemfuensis, Bidens pilosa, Galinsoga parviflora and Leonotis nepetifolia. Management options significantly （P 〈 0.05） reduced weed biomass, irrespective of soil type and seasons. Maize biomass response was highest （7-16 Mg ha1） in zero-tillage and zero-tillage ＋ cover crop and lowest （2-8 Mg ha1） in farmer＇s practice. Significantly negative relationships （P 〈 0.01, r2 = 0.37 - 0.51） were established between leaf area index of maize and weed biomass across the soils. Zero-tillage combined with the use of a cover crop had the lowest weed biomass （〈 30% of the farmer practice） and thus appears to be a promising strategy combining soil fertility improvement with weed suppression in smallholder maize farming systems of Western Kenya.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41401620,41271007)the Hundred Talents Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y451H31001,Y551821001)the Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification Foundation from Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLDD-2014-010)
文摘Croplands are often suffering from sand burial in dry regions of northern China. For studying this phenomenon, we carried out a case study of field experiment including four sand burial levels, i.e. shallow （1-3 cm）, moderate （8-12 cm） and deep （15-20 cm） sand burials, and no sand burial （control, CK）, in a typical agro-pastoral transitional zone in Naiman Banner of eastern Inner Mongolia. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of sand burial on maize （Zea rnays L.） productivity and the soil quality along a gradient of burial depths. Results showed that there was a strong negative effect of sand burial on maize productivity and soil quality, which significantly declined （P〈0.05） under moderate and deep sand burial treatments. In comparison with the CK, the maize yield and above-ground biomass reduced by 47.41% and 39.47%, respectively. The soil silt and clay, soil water, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents under deep sand burial decreased by 67.85%, 40.32%, 86.52% and 82.11%, respectively, while microbial biomass carbon, microbial abundance and enzyme activity decreased by 89.78%, 42.28%-79.66% and 69.51%-97.71%, respectively. There was no significant effect on crop productivity and soil quality with shallow sand burial treatment. The correlations analysis showed that there was significant positive correlations of both maize yield and above-ground biomass with soil silt and clay, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, pH, electrical conductivity, soil water content, microbial abundance and biomass and all tested soil enzyme activities. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that soil water and total nitrogen contents, urease, cellobiohydrolase and peroxidase activities were key determining factors for maize productivity. This combination of factors explains reason of the decreased maize productivity with deep sand burial. We found that degradation of cropland as a result of sand burial changed soil physical-chemical properties and soil enzyme activities in the plow layer, and decreased overall maize productivity. Furthermore, decreased soil enzyme activity was a better indicator to predict sandy cropland degradation.
基金This work was supported by the Research Scholarship of Chungnam National University,South Korea.
文摘In an attempt to identify solutions to the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and droughts that limit agricultural production growth,the Rwandan government has recently increased investments in irrigation development.In this study,we analyze the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies(SSITs)and its impact on land productivity using cross-sectional data from a sample of 360 farmers in Rwanda.The study uses the propensity score matching technique to address potential self-selection bias.Our results reveal that adoption decisions are significantly influenced by factors such as education,farm size,group membership,gender,extension services,access to credit,access to weather forecast information,risk perceptions,access to a reliable source of water for irrigation,awareness of rainwater harvesting techniques,and awareness of subsidy programs.In addition,the results show that the adoption of SSITs has a significantly positive impact on land productivity.The study concludes with policy implications that highlight the need to promote the adoption of SSITs among farmers as a strategy to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Rwanda.
基金This research was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(51179166)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(20123250110004)A Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD).
文摘In order to explore the use of groundwater resources,field experiments were conducted for three consecutive years during 2012-2014 in the Shiyang River basin of Northwest China.Irrigation was conducted using four different water salinity levels that were arranged in a split plot design.These four water salinity levels were s0,s3,s6 and s9(0.71,3,6 and 9 g/L,respectively).The soil salt content,soil bulk density,soil porosity,saturated hydraulic conductivity,plant height,leaf area index and yield of maize for seed production were measured for studying the effects of saline water irrigation on soil salt content distribution,soil physical properties and water use efficiency.It was observed that higher salinity level of irrigation water and long duration of saline water irrigation resulted in more salt accumulation.Compared to initial values,the soil salt accumulation in 0-100 cm soil layer after three years of experiments for s0,s3,s6 and s9 was 0.189 mg/cm3,0.654 mg/cm3,0.717 mg/cm3 and 1.135 mg/cm3,respectively.Both greater salt levels in the irrigation water and frequent saline water irrigation led to greater soil bulk density,but poorer soil porosity and less saturated hydraulic conductivity.The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased with increase in soil bulk density,but increased with improvement in soil porosity.It was noted that the maize height,leaf area index and maize yield gradually decreased with increase in water salinity.The maize yield decreased over 25%and the water use efficiency also gradually declined when irrigated with water containing 6 g/L and 9 g/L salinity levels.However,maize yield following saline water irrigation with 3 g/L decreased less than 20%and the decline in water use efficiency was not significant during the three-year experiment period.The results demonstrate that irrigation with saline water at the level of 6 g/L and 9 g/L in the study area is not suitable,while saline water irrigation with 3 g/L would be acceptable for a short duration together with salt leaching through spring irrigation before sowing.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91425302, 51321001, 51379208)the Discipline Innovative Engineering Plan (B14002)
文摘Scientific irrigation and nitrogen management is important for agricultural production in arid areas. To quantify the effect of water and nitrogen management on yield components, biomass partitioning and harvest index(HI) of maize for seed production with plastic filmmulching, field experiments including different irrigation and N treatments were conducted in arid north-west China in 2013 and 2014. The results indicated that kernel number per plant(KN) was signi ficantly affected by irrigation and N treatments. However, 100-kernel weight was relatively stable. Reducing irrigation quantity signi ficantly increased stem partitioning index(PI_(stem)) and leaf partitioning index(PIl_(eaf)), and decreased ear partitioning index(PI_(ear)) at harvest, but lowering Nrate(from 500 to 100 kg N$hm^(–2))did not signi ficantly reduce PI_(stem), PI leaf, andPIl_(eaf) at harvest. HI was signi ficantly reduced by reducing irrigation quantity, but not by reducing Nrate. Linear relationships were found between KN, PI_(stem), PI leaf,PIl_(eaf) at harvest and HI and evapotranspiration(ET).
基金supported by the“Jie Bang Gua Shuai”Science and Technology Project of Heilongjiang Province(Grant No.20212XJ05A0204)The Outstanding Scientist Cultivation Project of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences(Grant No.JKZX202205)Chen Liping Young Beijing Scholars Project.
文摘Maize(Zea mays L.)is a critical staple crop globally,integral to human consumption,food security,and agricultural product stability.The quality and purity of maize seeds,essential for hybrid seed production,are contingent upon effective detasseling.This study investigates the evolution of detasseling technologies and their application in Chinese maize hybrid seed production,with a comparative analysis against the United States.A comprehensive examination of the development and utilization of detasseling technology in Chinese maize hybrid seed production was undertaken,with a specific focus on key milestones.Data from the United States were included for comparative purposes.The analysis encompassed various detasseling methods,including manual,semi-mechanized,and cytoplasmic male sterility,as well as more recent innovations such as detasseling machines,and the emerging field of intelligent detasseling driven by unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs),computer vision,and mechanical arms.Mechanized detasseling methods were predominantly employed by America.Despite the challenges of inflexible and occasionally overlooked,applying detasseling machines is efficient and reliable.At present,China’s detasseling operations in hybrid maize seed production are mainly carried out by manual work,which is labor-intensive and inefficient.In order to address this issue,China is dedicated to developing intelligent detasseling technology.This study emphasizes the critical role of detasseling in hybrid maize seed production.The United States has embraced mechanized detasseling.The application and development of manual and mechanized detasseling were applied later than those in the United States,but latest intelligent detasseling technologies first appeared in China.Intelligent detasseling is expected to be the future direction,ensuring the quality and efficiency of hybrid maize seed production,with implications for global food security.
基金by National Key Technologies R&D Program of China(No.2006BAD20B03)Special Grant for Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases(2008ZX10004-012).
文摘Digital Agriculture is one of the important applications of Digital Earth.As the global climate changes and food security becomes an increasingly important issue,agriculture drought comes to the focus of attention.China is a typical monsoon climate country as well as an agricultural country with the world’s largest population.The East Asian monsoon has had a tremendous impact upon agricultural production.Therefore,a maize drought disaster risk assessment,in line with the requirements of sustainable development of agriculture,is important for ensuring drought disaster reduction and food security.Meteorology,soil,land use,and agro-meteorological observation information of the research area were collected,and based on the concept framework of‘hazard-inducing factors assessment(hazard)-vulnerability assessment of hazard-affected body(vulner-ability curve)-risk assessment(risk),’importing crop model EPIC(Erosion-Productivity Impact Calculator),using crop model simulation and digital mapping techniques,quantitative assessment of spatio-temporal distribution of maize drought in China was done.The results showed that:in terms of 2,5,10,and 20 year return periods,the overall maize drought risk decreased gradually from northwest to southeast in the maize planting areas.With the 20 year return period,high risk value regions(drought loss rate]0.5)concentrate in the irrigated maize region of Northwest china,ecotone between agriculture and animal husbandry in Northern China,Hetao Irrigation Area,and north-central area of North China Plain,accounting for 6.41%of the total maize area.These results can provide a scientific basis for the government’s decision-making in risk management and drought disaster prevention in China.
基金We acknowledge the China Meteorology Administration and the Beijing Jinsenonghua Seed Technology Co.,Ltd.for providing essential raw data for this study,and are very thankful that the study is funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41301084)the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(13JJ6075)and the constructing program of the key discipline in Huaihua University.The authors are also very grateful to the anonymous reviewers who gave constructive comments and suggestions on this manuscript.
文摘Lodging in maize is one of the major problems in maize production worldwide,which causes serious yield and economic losses annually.By evaluating cultivar lodging resistance performance in target growing environments before cultivar extension and application,the risks and losses can be significantly reduced.In this study,a GIS-based quantitative method for evaluating maize cultivar lodging resistance performance in target growing environments was established based on full cognition of environment stress,cultivar resistance,and the interaction between them.At first,comprehensive environment lodging stress is measured by three factors:1)extreme wind event in maize vegetative stage which is the direct factor,2)soil potassium content in target growing environment which is an indirect factor affecting corn stem sturdiness,and 3)planting density which is a human influence factor.Quantification methods of extreme probability analysis,spatial interpolation,normalization,and so on were used.Then,maize cultivar lodging resistance was determined using cumulative frequency distribution analysis of tested lodging data.At last,an evaluation matrix was established combining environment lodging stress and cultivar lodging resistance together,which was very simple and easy to understand method and the result is promising providing good direct support in practical cultivar application.The method used in this study,at county-level,cultivar-level and stress-level with GIS,can facilitate the identification of better-adapted growing environments for a specific maize cultivar,and provide direct support for maize cultivar recommendation and extension,so as to reduce the risk and loss of lodging in maize.It is more easy-operational and feasible than traditional surveying approach,especially for large-scale spatial trend analysis.So it is of both academic significance in accelerating precision agriculture development and practical significance in improving maize cultivar application.
基金supported wholly by the National Research Foundation of South Africa(Grant Number:129767)”.
文摘Fermented foods are an integral part of the diet for many communities in Africa.The fermentation of maize is characterized by an improved nutrient content/bioavailability and the presence of bioactive compounds which are largely attributed to the activity of the microbial population mainly lactic acid bacteria(LAB)and yeasts.The role of LAB in maize and other cereal fermentations has been extensively studied.However,limited literature is available on the role of yeasts in maize fermentations and resultant nutritional and health promoting properties.This review explores the contribution of yeasts to the nutritional and health properties of fermented maize and other cereal products.Additionally,the proliferation and growth characteristics of dominant yeasts and their derived metabolites are discussed.It is particularly important to comprehend the processes and type of yeasts involved in maize fermentation as an essential step in maize product development.This will facilitate the development of yeast-based starter culture,improve maize fermentation process and provide better understanding of associated nutrition and bioactive properties.
基金support was received from the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(2022B1515020014)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2023M743544)+1 种基金Fujian Forestry Science and Technology Promotion Project(2020TG17)the University-Industry Cooperation Project of Fujian Province(2021N5002).
文摘Despite fertilization efforts,phosphorus(P)availability in soils remains a major constraint to global plant productivity.Soil incorporation of biochar could promote soil P availability but its effects remain uncertain.To attain further improvements in soil P availability with biochar,we developed,characterized,and evaluated magnesium-oxide(MgO)and sepiolite(Mg4Si6O15(OH)2·6H2O)-functionalized biochars with optimized P retention/release capacity.Field-based application of these biochars for improving P availability and their mechanisms during three growth stages of maize was investigated.We further leveraged next-generation sequencing to unravel their impacts on the plant growth-stage shifts in soil functional genes regulating P availability.Results showed insignificant variation in P availability between single super phosphate fertilization(F)and its combination with raw biochar(BF).However,the occurrence of Mg-bound minerals on the optimized biochars’surface adjusted its surface charges and properties and improved the retention and slow release of inorganic P.Compared to BF,available P(AP)was 26.5%and 19.1%higher during the 12-leaf stage and blister stage,respectively,under MgO-optimized biochar+F treatment(MgOBF),and 15.5%higher under sepiolite-biochar+F(SBF)during maize physiological maturity.Cumulatively,AP was 15.6%and 13.2%higher in MgOBF and SBF relative to BF.Hence,plant biomass,grain yield,and P uptake were highest in MgOBF and SBF,respectively at harvest.Optimized-biochar amendment stimulated microbial 16SrRNA gene diversity and suppressed the expression of P starvation response and P uptake and transport-related genes while stimulating P solubilization and mineralization genes.Thus,the optimized biochars promoted P availability via the combined processes of slow-release of retained phosphates,while inducing the microbial solubilization and mineralization of inorganic and organic P,respectively.Our study advances strategies for reducing cropland P limitation and reveals the potential of optimized biochars for improving P availability on the field scale.
