Impact of alternative cropping systems on groundwater use and grain yields in the North China Plain Region

2017 ◽  
Vol 153 ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dengpan Xiao ◽  
Yanjun Shen ◽  
Yongqing Qi ◽  
Juana P. Moiwo ◽  
Leilei Min ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Groundwater Use ◽  
Grain Yields ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Plain Region

scholarly journals Contrasting Impacts of Long-Term Application of Biofertilizers and Organic Manure on Grain Yield of Winter Wheat in North China Plain

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amara Cisse ◽  
Adnan Arshad ◽  
Xiaofen Wang ◽  
Fanta Yattara ◽  
Yuegao Hu
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Farm Yard Manure ◽  
Grain Yields ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Pig Farm ◽  
1000 Grain Weight

The effects of long-term incorporation of organic manure and biofertilizers have been investigated on winter wheat in the North China Plain (NCP). The five-year field experiment (2013–2018) has illustrated the responses of grain yield and yield components. Seven fertilization approaches, included pig farm-yard-manure and biofertilizers amendments combined with five NPK% drop levels of chemical fertilizer ratio + organic fertilizer + biofertilizer (0, C+O+B) 25%, CL4; 50%, CL3; 75%, CL1; and 100%, CL0), without fertilizer as control (CK), in NCP during the years 2013–2018. Results showed that the grain yields of CL1 and CL2 were equivalent to CL0 in all growing seasons except 2014/2015. The grain yields of CL4 were 29.9% to 46.6% lower than that of CL0 during 2014/2015, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018. The valuable spike-number, grain number per-spike, and 1000-grain weight showed significant variations among different growing periods. Regression analysis of grain yield and yield components indicated that number grains per-spike showed significant increase in seed yield formation. The 1000-grain weight was the major parameter that influenced yield of moderate and low yielding periods, respectively. The results revealed that application of 30 m3 ha−1 pig farm-yard-manure and 20 kg ha−1 biofertilizers has reduced at least 50% of the NPK fertilization without dropping grain yields in the North China Plain.

Impact of the methods of groundwater access on irrigation and crop yield in the North China Plain

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 613-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Zhang ◽  
Jinxia Wang ◽  
Guangsheng Zhang ◽  
Qiuqiong Huang
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Climate Factors ◽  
Groundwater Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Groundwater Markets ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is: to track the methods by which farmers access groundwater for irrigation in the North China Plain (NCP); to explore whether climate factors influence farmers’ decisions on the methods of groundwater access for irrigation; and to examine whether the amount of groundwater use for irrigation and crop yield systematically differ across groups of farmers using various methods of groundwater access, and how climate factors affect them. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive statistical analysis and econometric models are used on household survey data collected over several years and county-level climate data. Findings Over the past few decades, a significant share of farmers have switched the methods of groundwater access from collective tubewells to own tubewells or groundwater markets. Farmers who bought water from groundwater markets applied less water to wheat plots than those who had their own tubewells. However, wheat yield was not negatively affected. Both average climate conditions and long-term variations were found to be related to farmers’ choice of methods of groundwater access for irrigation. More frequent droughts and increasingly volatile temperatures both increased the likelihood of farmers gaining groundwater irrigation from markets. Originality/value The analysis results suggest farmers are using groundwater markets to help them adapt to climate change. Applying empirical analysis to identify the impact of the methods by which farmers access groundwater for irrigation on the amount of groundwater use and crop yield will help policy makers design reasonable adaptation policies for the NCP.

scholarly journals Exploring a Sustainable Cropping System in the North China Plain Using a Modelling Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4588
Author(s):  
Huanyuan Wang ◽  
Baoguo Li ◽  
Liang Jin ◽  
Kelin Hu
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Spring Maize

The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the most important grain production regions in China. However, it currently experiences water shortage, severe nonpoint source pollution, and low water and N use efficiencies (WUE and NUE). To explore sustainable agricultural development in this region, a field experiment with different cropping systems was conducted in suburban Beijing. These cropping systems included a winter wheat and summer maize rotation system for one year (WM), three harvests (winter wheat-summer maize-spring maize) in two years (HT), and continuous spring maize monoculture (CS). Novel ways were explored to improve WUE and NUE and to reduce N loss via the alternative cropping system based on the simulation results of a soil-crop system model. Results showed that the annual average yields were ranked as follows: WM > HT > CS. The N leaching of WM was much larger than that of HT and CS. WUE and NUE were ranked as follows: WM < HT < CS. Comprehensive evaluation indices based on agronomic and environmental effects indicated that CS or HT have significant potential for approaches characterized by water-saving, fertilizer-saving, high-WUE, and high-NUE properties. Once spring maize yield reached an ideal level HT and CS became a high-yield, water-saving, and fertilizer-saving cropping systems. Therefore, this method would be beneficial to sustainable agricultural development in the NCP.

Agricultural Sustainability in the Food Bowl of the North China Plain

2005 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Zhen ◽  
Gopal B. Thapa ◽  
Gaodi Xie
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Increase Food Production ◽  
The Cost

The North China Plain (NCP) is the food bowl of the country. To feed the growing population, farmers in the area have been using the land very intensively with high inputs to increase food production. The sustainability of such farming practices has attracted the attention of scholars, planners and decision makers. This study analyses the economic and environmental sustainability of the major cropping systems in the NCP, based on selected site-specific indicators. The information necessary for this study was obtained in 2001 through a survey of 270 farm households from four villages in Ningjin county, soil sample analysis, chemical tests for nitrate concentration in groundwater and crop plants, field observations and discussions with key informants, as well as official reports and publications. The findings of the analysis revealed that all cropping systems in the study area were economically sustainable. However, such achievements have been made at a cost to the environment, degradation of natural resources and risk to human health. If these costs are taken into consideration, all cropping systems in the study area cannot be considered sustainable. The study stresses that farming practices that are economically sustainable should not be promoted at the cost of degrading production resources. There is a need for a policy shift from the promotion of agricultural production to sustainable agricultural production. Several policy measures have been outlined for the promotion of sustainable cropping systems in the NCP.

scholarly journals Modeling Water and Nitrogen Balance of Different Cropping Systems in the North China Plain

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shah Jahan Leghari ◽  
Kelin Hu ◽  
Hao Liang ◽  
Yichang Wei
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
North China Plain ◽  
North China ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Summer Maize ◽  
The North ◽  
The North China Plain ◽  
Spring Maize ◽  
N Use

The North China Plain (NCP) is experiencing serious groundwater level decline and groundwater nitrate contamination due to excessive water pumping and application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. In this study, grain yield, water and N use efficiencies under different cropping systems including two harvests in 1 year (winter wheat–summer maize) based on farmer (2H1Y)FP and optimized practices (2H1Y)OPT, three harvests in 2 years (winter wheat–summer maize–spring maize, 3H2Y), and one harvest in 1 year (spring maize, 1H1Y) were evaluated using the water-heat-carbon-nitrogen simulator (WHCNS) model. The 2H1YFP system was maintained with 100% irrigation and fertilizer, while crop water requirement and N demand for other cropping systems were optimized and managed by soil testing. In addition, a scenario analysis was also performed under the interaction of linearly increasing and decreasing N rates, and irrigation levels. Results showed that the model performed well with simulated soil water content, soil N concentration, leaf area index, dry matter, and grain yield. Statistically acceptable ranges of root mean square error, Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency, index of agreement values close to 1, and strong correlation coefficients existed between simulated and observed values. We concluded that replacing the prevalent 2H1YFP with 1H1Y would be ecofriendly at the cost of some grain yield decline. This cropping system had the highest average water use (2.1 kg m−3) and N use efficiencies (4.8 kg kg–1) on reduced water (56.64%) and N (81.36%) inputs than 2H1YFP. Whereas 3H2Y showed insignificant results in terms of grain yield, and 2H1YFP was unsustainable. The 2H1YFP system consumed a total of 745 mm irrigation and 1100 kg N ha–1 in two years. When farming practices were optimized for two harvests in 1 year system (2H1Y)OPT, then grain yield improved and water (18.12%) plus N (61.82%) consumptions were minimized. There was an ample amount of N saved, but water conservation was still unsatisfactory. However, considering the results of scenario analyses, it is recommended that winter wheat would be cultivated at <200 mm irrigation by reducing one irrigation event.

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