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Crop rotation increases crop yield, improves soil health, and reduces plant disease. However, few studies were conducted on the use of intensive cropping patterns to improve the microenvironment of saline soils. The present study thoroughly evaluated the impact of a three-year maize–peanut–millet crop rotation pattern on the crop yield. The rhizosphere soil of the crop was collected at maturity to assess the effects of crop rotation on the composition and function of microbial communities in different tillage layers (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm) of sandy saline–alkaline soils. After three years of crop rotation, the maize yield and economic benefits rose by an average of 32.07% and 22.25%, respectively, while output/input grew by 10.26%. The pH of the 0–40 cm tillage layer of saline–alkaline soils decreased by 2.36%, organic matter rose by 13.44%–15.84%, and soil-available nutrients of the 0–20 cm tillage layer increased by 11.94%–69.14%. As compared to continuous cropping, crop rotation boosted soil nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism capacity by 8.61%–88.65%. Enrichment of Actinobacteria and Basidiomycota increased crop yield. Crop rotation increases microbial community richness while decreasing diversity. The increase in abundance can diminish competitive relationships between species, boost synergistic capabilities, alter bacterial and fungal community structure, and enhance microbial community function, all of which elevate crop yields. The obtained insights can contribute to achieving optimal management of intensive cultivation patterns and green sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, China's soybean self-sufficiency rate is only 15%, highlighting the soybean crisis and the supply chain risks that pose a major threat to China's food security. Thus, it has become imperative to step up efforts to boost soybean production capacity while promoting the green and sustainable development of regional farmland ecosystems. In this context, the present study comprehensively investigated the effects of intercropping and nitrogen application rate on soybean yield, as well as the changes in gradients generated by different levels of nitrogen application. Based on six consecutive years of maize–soybean intercropping planting patterns, the inter-root soils of soybeans were collected at the flowering stage and evaluated for soil nitrogen content, nitrogen-assimilating enzyme activities, and microbial community composition of soybean, which were correlated with yield, to clarify the main pathways and modes of intercropping effects. The N2 level (80 kg·ha−1) was favourable for higher yield. In comparison to monocropping, the intercropping reduced yield by 9.65–13.01%, photosynthetic characteristics by 1.33–7.31%, and plant nitrogen-assimilating enzyme activities by 8.08–32.01% at the same level of N application. Likewise, soil urease and catalase activities were reduced by 9.22 and 1.80%, while soil nitrogen content declined by an average of 6.38%. Gemmatimonas and Bradyrhizobium enrichment significantly increased soil nitrogen content, photosynthetic characteristics, and soybean yield, while it was reduced by Candidatus_Udaeobacter and Candidatus_Solibacte enrichment. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for further optimising maize–soybean intercropping, which is crucial for enhancing the agricultural production structure and improving the overall soybean production capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion features and ideal tillage practices are not very clear at the crop seedling stage in Chinese Mollisols. Simulated rainfall experiments were conducted at the rainfall intensities of 50 and 100 mm h-1 to investigate the differences in soil erosion of a 5° hillslope during the maize seedling stage between conservation and conventional tillage measures, including cornstalk mulching (Cm), horizontal ridging (Hr), horizontal ridging + mulching (Hr+Cm), vertical ridging + mulching (Vr+Cm), flat-tillage (CK), and vertical ridging (Vr). The results demonstrated that crops could remit soil erosion at the seedling stage by reducing the kinetic energy and changing the distribution of raindrops. The conservation tillage measures significantly alleviated total runoff (11.7 %–100 %) and sediment yield (71.1 %–100 %), postponed runoff-yielding time (85 s–26.1 min), decreased runoff velocity (71.5 %–96.7 %), and reduced runoff and soil loss rate, compared to the conventional tillage measures. Practices with mulching showed better performance than Hr. Mulching reduced sediment concentration (~70.6 %–100 %) by decreasing runoff velocity and soil particle filtration in a manner similar to buffer strips. The contour ridge ruptured earlier at 100 mm h-1 than at 50 mm h-1 and changed the characteristics of the soil erosion by providing a larger sediment source to the surface flow. Runoff strength, rather than soil erodibility, was the key factor affecting soil erosion. Decreasing runoff velocity was more important than controlling runoff amount. The Hr + Cm treatment exhibited the lowest soil erosion and is, thus, is recommended for adoption at the corn seedling stage in sloping farmlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]