Wheat remains a crucial crop for ensuring food security, yet conventional cultivation methods frequently harm the environment due to excessive fertilizer use. Scientists globally are searching for ways to maintain high yields without depleting the soil. As detailed in a publication in the journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, researchers from Shandong Agricultural University have proposed a comprehensive solution to this challenge. They devised an integrated framework of principles for the “green” augmentation of winter wheat harvests, built upon a reevaluation of fundamental agronomic practices.
The foundation of this development rests on the so-called “Three-Stage Theory,” attributed to Academician Songli Yu, which chronicles the evolution of farming in China. Initially, productivity was boosted by improving the soil; subsequently, management of planting density became key; and for achieving record outputs, internal plant processes needed balancing. Currently, the primary hurdles for farmers involve plant competition for light and nutrients, insufficient biomass post-flowering, and soil compaction impeding root development.
Rather than pursuing a singular panacea, the experts engineered an optimized “soil-plant” system where every component contributes to the overarching outcome. A pivotal element became density management: for varieties producing large heads of grain, planting density should be kept between 330–375 plants per square meter, while medium varieties require 225–270. To sustain soil vitality, a cycle incorporating straw return and alternating tillage practices is employed, featuring deep plowing just once every three years. This approach helps alleviate soil compaction and boosts organic matter content.
Sowing technology is also significant: wide-row strip planting, utilizing rows spaced 6–8 centimeters apart, supersedes older, crowded methods, providing ample space for roots. This allows roots to access nitrogen from deeper soil layers, and during the grain-filling phase, plants capture over 90% of available sunlight. This methodology has already proven effective in China’s major wheat-producing areas, demonstrating a 22.5% yield increase and a 49.2% improvement in nitrogen utilization efficiency. Furthermore, the carbon footprint reduced by 1.87 tons per hectare.
The practical value of this research lies in its systematic nature, transforming the concept of ecological farming into an actionable blueprint. Agronomists receive clear directives regarding seeding rates and soil treatment protocols, leading to lower operational costs via fertilizer savings and enhanced yield consistency. On a national scale, implementing such practices could constitute a tangible contribution toward environmental targets without jeopardizing food supplies, ensuring long-term soil fertility management.
Nevertheless, specialists caution that a broad transition to the new system necessitates a careful appraisal of the underlying economics and labor requirements. The cycle involving deep plowing and specialized sowing might require capital investment for farm equipment upgrades and alterations to logistical operations. The ultimate financial benefit for individual farms will hinge on the balance between savings on nitrogen fertilizers and any potential rise in expenditures for fuel, lubricants, and machinery, thus warranting validation of the technique across diverse climatic regions.
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