The ratio of plant carbon gain to water use, known as water use efficiency (WUE), has long
been recognized as a key constraint on crop production and an important target for crop …

Plastics have become an integral component in agricultural production as mulch films, nets,
storage bins and in many other applications, but their widespread use has led to the …

The scarcity of fresh water resources has severely limited agricultural production in arid
areas. Although brackish water irrigation or fresh water deficit irrigation can alleviate the …

Highlights•Optimization of drip irrigation and fertilization regimes was conducted for spring
maize in Northwest China.•There were significant interaction effects on aboveground …

Biochar is widely used as a soil amendment to challenge climate change through restraining
greenhouse gas production and increasing soil C sink in cropland soils, yet its effect was not …

Optimizing irrigation strategies to increase water utilization efficiency and achieve higher
yield is vital for balancing groundwater use and improving food security during water …

At present, residential food consumption is not only the main driver of global energy
expenditure but also a crucial factor shaping the development of the agri-food system. It is …

Context Optimal plant density and nitrogen (N) application rate are important to achieve high
maize yield. High plant density increases plant-plant competition for light and nutrients …

Solar radiation is the energy source for crop growth, as well as for the processes of
accumulation, distribution, and transfer of photosynthetic products that determine maize …

Mulched drip irrigation is regarded as an effective water-saving irrigation technique that is
adopted widely in dryland regions. However, due to the lack of efficient mulch film recovery …