Optimizing the depth of straw incorporation is a promising strategy to reduce reliance on plastic film while sustaining crop productivity in dryland agriculture; however, its integrative effects remain poorly understood. A two-year field experiment was conducted on the semi-arid Eastern African Plateau (EAP) across two growing seasons (2024-2025). The treatments were designed as: conventional flat bare planting (CK-1), ridge-furrow full plastic film mulching (CK-2), and ridge-furrow straw incorporation (10 t ha-¹) at depths of 20 cm, 40 cm, and 60 cm (BR-20, BR-40, BR-60). Full film mulching (CK-2) achieved the best crop growth performance. Among non-film treatments, straw incorporation at 40 cm (BR-40) consistently outperformed BR-20 and BR-60. A single straw application exerted evident residual effects across growing seasons and effectively alleviated water stress even under the low rainfall conditions. BR-40 yielded the highest grain output and water use efficiency among all straw-returning groups. Despite the BR-20 achieving an optimal topsoil aggregate structure in the 0-20 cm layer, mere surface soil improvement failed to maximize crop productivity. Mechanistic analysis revealed that nearly 70% of maize roots were distributed in the 0-40 cm soil layer, with active roots predominantly concentrated at 20-40 cm. The 40 cm incorporation depth perfectly matched the major root uptake zone, synchronously optimizing the rhizosphere hydrothermal environment, elevating soil C-N-P availability and microbial activity, and accordingly achieving an efficient trade-off between straw nutrient mineralization and crop nutrient absorption. Life cycle assessment indicated higher greenhouse gas emissions under film mulching, yet BR-40 had an average yield-scaled carbon emission of 175.5 kg CO₂e / ton yield, realizing low-carbon production while reducing plastic dependence. Thus, root zone matching serves as the core mechanism driving straw return efficiency, and BR-40 is a promising tillage strategy to stabilize maize yield and reduce plastic consumption in EAP.

ABSTRACT To identify critical knowledge gaps and define strategic research priorities for microplastic and nanoplastic contamination in agricultural soils. Current evidence on agricultural microplastics was critically synthesized, with emphasis on analytical methodologies, environmental fate, ecological effects, plant uptake, food‐chain transfer, and remediation approaches. Key knowledge gaps were evaluated to formulate priority research questions. Ten essential scientific questions were identified, spanning four thematic areas: extraction and quantification, environmental realism and ecosystem effects, plastic–pollutant–microbe interactions, and crop uptake, human exposure, and mitigation strategies. Major challenges include the lack of standardized analytical protocols, limited understanding of long‐term environmental behavior and biological impacts, uncertainties regarding biodegradable plastics, and the absence of scalable remediation technologies. Future agricultural microplastic research should move beyond contamination surveys toward mechanistic understanding, predictive assessment, and field‐validated mitigation strategies. Addressing these priorities is critical for protecting soil health, food security, and environmental sustainability.

Returning tail vegetable residues to soil plays a critical role in water and nutrient recycling in drylands, yet it remains unclear whether an effective biological strategy can accelerate their decomposition. Here, we show that co-inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF; Rhizophagus irregularis strain GSICC 63801) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR; Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GSICC 32826) significantly enhanced tail vegetable residue degradation and carbon stabilization in a dryland wheat field across two growing seasons. Co-inoculation increased the degradation rate of vegetable waste by 20.6–38.4% relative to non-inoculated controls (CK) and sole inoculation. Co-inoculation produced greater upregulation of β-glucosidase (14–21.1%) and cellobiohydrolase (8.2–11.2%) compared to sole inoculation alone. Despite increasing soil respiration by 22.5–42.9%, co-inoculation improved photosynthetic rate by 35.5–42.6%, root biomass by 25.2–26%, and wheat grain yield by 43.4–50.6%. Relative to CK and sole inoculation, co-inoculation elevated root colonization by 84–94.6% and glomalin content by 18.3–18.6%. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen contents also increased by 21.7–24.2% and 31.5–37.9%, respectively. Conversion of labile to stable carbon pools was evidenced by increases in bacterial and fungal microbial residues (25–36.7%) and mineral-associated organic carbon (4.7%), indicating improved transformation of fresh organic inputs into persistent soil carbon fractions. Machine learning and structural equation modeling validated that AMF-PGPR co-inoculation enhanced stable carbon formation via microbial-mediated pathways. AMF-PGPR co-inoculation increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content. Thus, AMF-PGPR co-inoculation accelerates vegetable waste decomposition, delivering combined environmental and agronomic benefits for dryland agriculture.

Plastic fragments (PFs) arising from the widespread use and incomplete recovery of plastic-film mulch are increasingly prevalent in dryland agroecosystems; however, their effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) persistence remain poorly understood. Herein, polyethylene (PE, recalcitrant) and polylactic acid (PLA, biodegradable) fragments were applied to 0–20-cm soil layer at three concentration levels, i.e. 102.3, 303.1, and 503.9 kg ha−1. By combining 13C tracing, extracellular enzyme stoichiometry, and metagenomic analyses, the influences of PFs on plant-derived C allocation, microbial functional traits, and SOC persistence were investigated. Elevated PF concentrations substantially suppressed the retention of plant-derived C within shoots, roots and bulk soils, with retention losses ranging from 11.8% to 31.5%. This impaired C translocation into SOC pools was evidenced by pronounced decreases in plant-derived C stored in mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and total particulate organic carbon (POC) stocks. Conversely, total bulk MAOC and SOC stocks exhibited no significant alterations. Activities of C-, nitrogen (N)-, and phosphorus (P)-acquiring hydrolases decreased markedly with rising PF concentrations, with the most pronounced declines (8.1%-18.9%) under PE exposure. At the maximal PF concentration, PE induced a 20.5% significant reduction in microbial biomass C. Meanwhile, bacterial necromass C exhibited distinct losses of up to 9.6% and 9.1% for the PE and PLA treatments, respectively. Both polymers significantly reduced soil mean weight diameter by 4.2%-13.2%. Metagenomes revealed significant community reassembly and a shift toward catabolism, with PLA enriching CAZy (carbohydrate-active enzymes) depolymerases and central C metabolism genes. Yet, they reduced glycosyltransferases linked to cell-wall and exopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Structural equation modeling revealed depleted root-derived C input as the dominant driver associating altered microbial functioning and weakened aggregation to inhibited microbial necromass formation and retarded MAOC accrual. These findings improve predictions of SOC persistence amid plastic contamination and define functional molecular targets for developing effective mitigation measures.

This study aims to verify the ancient wisdom of "fallen leaves returning to their roots" and its application potential in semiarid regions. Two-year (2024-2025) field observations on tail vegetable retuning to soil depth (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm) were conducted in a semiarid cauliflower field. The data showed that there existed a distinct, slowly-releasing trend of water and nutrients during the decomposition of the tail vegetable. Soil water availability significantly increased by 24.5-28.2%, relative to no-returning (CK, p < 0.05), and continuously rose with increasing returning amount, soil depth, and duration (p < 0.05). Such a tendency became more pronounced when applied with chemical fertilizer, showing an unexpected priming effect. Also, the nutrients of the tail vegetable were also gradually released, when soil N-P-K were progressively improved. Accordingly, enhanced water and nutrient uptake by cauliflower was observed, resulting in higher photosynthetic rates, biomass, and curd production. Here, chemical fertilization was reduced by > 30% without yield loss. Soil enzyme activities, including urease, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase, were significantly increased during microbial-driven mineralization (p < 0.05), thereby promoting the release of NPK. Herein, soil organic C and N levels, microbial biomass, and nutrient buffering capacity were evidently strengthened. Additionally, plastic film mulching substantially intensified the above-mentioned trends via improving soil hydrothermal status for accelerating mineralization, justifying the above findings. We first confirmed the above ancient wisdom, and highlighted that the tail vegetable in topsoil acted as a slowly-released water and fertilizer to ensure field productivity and soil health with less chemical input.

Seed germination in soil depends largely on the biotic and abiotic conditions of the soil. Compared with the relationships established between most microbial communities and pre-existing plants, the role of plant-associated microorganisms in driving seed germination, a key stage in the plant life cycle, remains insufficiently understood. We conducted field experiments to study the effects of microbes on seed germination in a soil seed bank. Furthermore, we combined this with a microcosm study whereby microbiota inoculation into sterile soil obtained from various field plots was investigated to determine the potential connection between soil microbial communities and seed germination under different water levels. Our results indicated that there were significant differences in soil microbial community properties (diversity, composition, and network complexity) under different water levels in both field and microcosm experiments. The diversity of plants in the soil seed bank was significantly correlated with microbial taxa and network complexity. Furthermore, our microcosm study showed that seed germination proportion and plant functional traits (life form, root type, seed size, and species origin) were significantly correlated with the microbial diversity index and the relative abundance of dominant phylum. Different plants possess associated germination microbiomes, and fungal topological characteristics plays an important role in predicting seed germination. The study demonstrates that plant–microbe interactions (particularly during seed germination) exert significant and predictable regulatory effects on biodiversity maintenance in wetland ecosystems, providing novel theoretical foundations for wetland conservation.

By enhancing plant complementarity and facilitation, mixed cropping may accelerate soil fertility recovery and improve grassland ecosystem resilience. Nevertheless, the impacts of mixed cropping on soil fertility over a single growing season, and the underlying plant–soil interaction mechanisms, remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that mixed grass–legume–moss sowing would increase above- and belowground biomass, aggregate stability (mean weight diameter), and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen relative to monocultures, partly through relief of the nitrogen limitation of the grass by the nitrogen-fixing legume. To test this hypothesis, seven monoculture and mixed-cropping treatments using Elymus breviaristatus, Medicago sativa, and Tortula subulata were established in May 2024 with three replicate plots per treatment (n = 3); plant and soil variables were measured at the end of the growing season (late September 2024), and differences among treatments were tested by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post hoc test, with significance accepted at p < 0.05. Our results showed that compared with monocropping, mixed cropping significantly increased above- and belowground biomass, improved soil water content, and reduced bulk density, thereby creating a more favorable soil microenvironment. Compared with monocropping, mixed cropping enhanced microbial biomass C and N by 26% and 10%, respectively, and increased soil organic C by 30%. Fertility indices were positive in all mixed-cropping systems, contrasting with the negative values observed for two of the three monocultures and for the unseeded control. Across treatments, the facilitation index was positively correlated with the fertility index (R2 = 0.757), indicating that interspecific facilitation was closely associated with soil fertility gains. These findings suggest that mixed cropping can enhance soil fertility restoration in alpine artificial grassland and that this effect is consistent with interspecific facilitation promoting biomass accumulation, improving soil physicochemical conditions, and supporting soil microbial biomass. These results highlight species diversification as a promising strategy for accelerating soil fertility restoration, although multi-year and multi-site validation is still required.

Microplastics (MPs) are widespread in terrestrial ecosystems, raising global concerns that they may disrupt soil organic carbon (SOC) cycling and undermine agroecosystem contributions to climate mitigation. However, it remains unclear how degradable versus inert MPs affect microbially mediated SOC persistence. We conducted a field experiment in a dryland agroecosystem using polyethylene (PE; inert) and polylactic acid (PLA; degradable) MPs at three residue levels, integrating metagenomics with SOC fractionation, microbial necromass quantification and extracellular enzyme stoichiometry to examine microbial pathways underpinning SOC persistence. PE- and PLA-MPs followed contrasting patterns in SOC persistence. PE-MPs were observed to intensify microbial C limitation, enrich Actinobacteria, and increase the relative abundance of carbohydrate-degrading CAZy families, consistent with greater decomposition potential. In the non-labelled soil, POC declined by 10.5%-16.7% under PE-MPs, while microbial necromass formation was constrained and SOC showed a declining trend. In contrast, PLA-MPs were associated with higher relative abundances of genes involved in C and N metabolism and amino sugar/EPS synthesis. These responses were accompanied by a 3.6%-6.9% increase in microbial necromass and greater potential for EPS-related biosynthesis, together with a tendency towards higher mineral-associated organic C. Collectively, these polymer-specific microbial responses highlight how plastic residues may either weaken or reinforce soil C persistence, with implications for forecasting agroecosystem C sinks and guiding plastic substitution and residue management under climate-relevant land stewardship.Read the free for this article on the Journal blog.

Magnesium is an essential nutrient for crop growth and quality. However, its targeted application in fruit production, particularly its comprehensive effects on grapevine performance and the soil ecosystem remains insufficiently studied. To address this issue, a two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted on grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) with six Mg(NO₃)₂ application (ranging from 146.0 to 511.0 kg ha⁻¹), with a conventional practice as the control. The application rate of 292.0 kg ha⁻¹ (NMg3) was found to be optimal. This treatment significantly enhanced leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthetic capacity, leading to the most pronounced increase in berry size, weight, and yield. Berry quality parameters, including protein, vitamin C and total sugars, were also the highest under this treatment. Mg application increased total and available nutrient contents (except for available potassium) while lowering soil pH. The soil microbial community structure, dominated by bacterial phyla such as Proteobacteria and fungal phyla such as Ascomycota, was significantly influenced by soil properties. Redundancy analysis identified pH, available potassium (AK), available phosphorus (AP), magnesium content (Mg) and C:N:P stoichiometry as key drivers of microbial community variation. Furthermore, mantel tests and random forest analysis indicated that soil TN was the primary factor influencing yield, followed by total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), ammonium nitrogen (AN), and SOC, whereas TN and AP were key for berry quality. These results demonstrate that optimized magnesium fertilization (292.0 kg ha⁻¹) enhances grapevine productivity and fruit quality through a dual mechanism: a “top-down” effect via enhanced photosynthesis and a “bottom-up” effect by modulating soil nutrient availability and microbiome assembly. This study concludes that precision magnesium management can synchronize soil health with high-yield & quality grape production, underscoring the importance of cultivating a beneficial soil microbiome through balanced nutrient inputs for sustainable viticulture.

Biodiversity loss and socioeconomic inequities are closely linked, yet conservation efforts often prioritize ecological goals, resulting in unsustainable outcomes. We propose a justice-centered socioecological framework that integrates biodiversity conservation with human well-being based on the principles of sustainable development theory and the concepts of distributive, procedural, and recognition justice. We reviewed the recent literature on fortress and market-based conservation approaches (2020-2025) to examine their impact on local communities. This review showed that fortress conservation and market-based approaches often exclude local communities, thereby undermining their livelihoods and the sustainability of their communities. In the proposed model, participatory governance, livelihood-aligned strategies (e.g., agroecology), and policy reforms (e.g., rights-based legislation) are integrated to promote equitable and resilient outcomes. Examples of successful use of an integrated approach include Namibia's conservancies, in which wildlife is jointly managed with the community and the community receives wildlife-related income, and Bhutan's Gross National Happiness (GNH) framework, which requires every development (road, mine, and protected area) to be screened for its effects on forest cover and cultural well-being. In these cases, there is adaptive governance (i.e., iterative, community-led rulemaking that changes based on ecological data) and redirection of subsidies from large commercial ranches to communal conservancy trusts, which positively affect biodiversity and human well-being. The GNH is a transformative and scalable approach because justice-based participatory mapping, livelihood-aligned incentives, and right-based policies are embedded in every conservation intervention, thereby aligning with global sustainability goals (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 15). Centering justice in conservation planning is ethically and pragmatically essential for long-term success.

Background Plastic film mulching enhances water conservation and crop productivity in arid regions, yet microplastic (MP) accumulation from film degradation threatens long-term soil health and food security. Objective This meta-analysis quantified the temporal dynamics of MP accumulation under continuous plastic film mulching and evaluated modulating factors across agricultural systems and geographic regions (8 countries, 268 observations). Methods A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. From 47 studies (2000–2025) reporting mulching duration–MP relationships, 12 primary studies met the inclusion criteria. Mixed-effects meta-regression and subgroup analyses were employed. Results A significant positive correlation was observed between mulching duration and MP abundance (pooled correlation coefficient = 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–0.87, p < 0.001). The weighted mean accumulation rate was 47.3 items kg⁻¹ year⁻¹ (95% CI: 38.6–56.0), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 94.3%). Accumulation followed a non-linear quadratic trajectory (R² = 0.89), driven by photo-oxidative fragmentation and positive feedback from residual film accumulation. Polyethylene systems exhibited 2.3-fold higher rates than biodegradable films (p < 0.001). Arid climates showed 3.1-fold higher rates than humid regions (p < 0.001), with ultraviolet (UV) intensity explaining 67% of the variance. Sandy soils accumulated MPs 2.7-fold faster than clay soils (p < 0.001). Mulching duration (β = 38.2), UV intensity (β = 0.54), and soil sand content (β = 0.38) emerged as the strongest predictors. Conclusion Plastic film mulching drives progressive, non-linear MP accumulation in agricultural soils, accelerated by environmental factors. Without intervention, 76% of long-term mulched fields are projected to exceed 10,000 items kg⁻¹ by 2050. This framework supports urgent policy interventions.

The selected intercropping system can offer a powerful solution to regenerate soils, and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with enhanced crop yield. Yet, the targeted intercropping system and its mitigating mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we synthesized recent advances revealing how plant–plant interactions in intercropping systems modulate rhizosphere processes, alter microbial networks, reshape nutrient cycling and mitigate GHG emissions. In particular, legume–cereal combinations can reduce N₂O and CO₂ emissions via., stimulation of metabolite-rich root exudates, and activation of beneficial microbial guilds with enhanced nitrogen use efficiency. Intercropping also suppresses CH₄ fluxes by improving soil aeration and redox stability. A central, yet underexplored, mechanism is the role of rhizosphere metabolites in coordinating microbial assembly and nitrogen transformations that govern GHG dynamics. By reshaping belowground biodiversity, these biochemical exchanges act as regulatory nodes linking plant function to atmospheric outcomes. These biogeochemical effects are context-dependent, governed by soil pH, moisture, temperature, and microbial composition. Beyond emissions mitigation, intercropping strengthens yield stability and agroecosystem functioning via., above–belowground feedback. This work highlights critical knowledge gaps in long-term soil carbon dynamics, root–microbiome signaling processes, and the scalability and resilience of these systems under future climate change scenarios. As a systems-level intervention, intercropping exemplifies the potential of biodiversity-based intensification to reconcile productivity, climate goals, and soil health.

This study examined plant community composition and soil–vegetation associations across 17 forest communities in the Hindu Kush region of Upper Dir, Pakistan. Vegetation was characterized using species composition, importance values, conventional diversity indices, and Raunkiaer life forms, while soil physicochemical and microbial properties were measured at three depths within the upper 30 cm. Canonical correspondence analysis constrained by soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) accounted for 13.0

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging contaminants that disrupt terrestrial carbon (C) cycling, yet how their biodegradability modulates the turnover of plant‐derived C remains unclear. Here, we investigated how two widely used MPs—non‐biodegradable polyethylene (PE) and biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA)—affected the fate of photosynthetically fixed C in a dryland agroecosystem. The goal was to explore how MPs influenced C fluxes across the soil–plant‐atmosphere continuum (SPAC) and assess their implications on climate change. We conducted a two‐year field experiment to evaluate how PE and PLA‐based MPs affected plant photosynthetic C fixation and its subsequent turnover in soil. Using 13 CO 2 pulse‐labelling, we traced the flow of photosynthetically fixed C across the SPAC under low, medium and high MP concentrations. We quantified: (i) 13 C distribution in plant shoots, roots and bulk soil; (ii) 13 C allocation among soil aggregate size fractions; and (iii) microbial EEAs, CAZy gene abundance and soil respiration dynamics. Soil C sink capacity tended to decline for both MPs types, as cumulative soil CO 2 emissions increased. On average, 13 C retained in soil decreased from 50.8 to 41.1 mg m −2 in MPs treatments, relative to the control. Interestingly, the underlying mechanisms differed among MP types. Non‐biodegradable PE‐MPs weakened soil aggregation and reduced 13 C retention in macroaggregates. However, biodegradable PLA‐MPs generated marginal effects on aggregation and enhanced the activity of microbial hydrolase, which negatively affected C retention. Moreover, metagenomics confirmed that PLA‐MPs enhanced microbial decomposition capacity by enriching C degradation and energy metabolism genes. Finally, photosynthetic C assimilation remained unchanged with increasing MP concentrations, regardless of MP types. Synthesis and applications . Both MP types can evidently impair soil C pools and differentially alter soil C cycling via the biodegradation‐dependent mechanisms. These findings challenge the widely held assumption that biodegradable MPs are inherently environmentally benign, as their presence in soils undermines C storage capacity. The findings offer insights into future applications as follows: (1) to phase down the increment and stock of soil MPs, in favour of truly green alternatives of plastic mulching; (2) to update the estimation methods of soil C emissions in global terrestrial ecosystems considering the presence of soil MPs.

The integrated off-site and on-site rain-harvesting farming (IOORF) represents an ancient agricultural wisdom, yet its underlying mechanisms for yield stability and sustainability remain poorly understood. In the context of seeking mulching-free alternatives to conventional plastic film mulching (PFM) acoss the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC), we investigated the hydrological mechanisms of IOORF through a three-year field experiment in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. We compared PFM against IOORF systems with varying off-site to on-site area ratios (R0-0.5-1.0-1.5-2.0-2.5-3.0). The results demonstrated that IOORF exhibited distinct nonlinear threshold responses, where yield gains are significantly amplified during dry years. Specifically, ratios of R1.0–R1.5 maintained yield stability and sustainability indices (SYI) equivalent to PFM, while R2.0–R2.5 offered optimal performance despite of lower marginal returns. Here, we proposed the "Subsoil Water Buffering Theory" to explain this phenomenon. Optimized IOORF configurations significantly alleviated soil desiccation and enhanced the spatio-temporal stability of moisture in deep soil layers (reducing the instability of soil water by 19.91%–42.55% in the 20–100 cm layer compared to PFM). This subsoil buffering effect drove a downward redistribution of roots to match water-rich zones, thereby elevating the transpiration efficiency (T/ET) by suppressing non-productive evaporation. We conclude that subsoil moisture stability acts as a temporal buffer, optimizing root architecture and water flux partitioning. Consequently, appropriately configured IOORF can functionally replace PFM, offering a theoretical validation of this ancient wisdom for resilient and sustainable rainfed agriculture.

Cereal-legume intercropping is widely recognized for enhancing crop productivity in semiarid rainfed systems. However, the mechanisms underlying its yield advantages and stability under variable rainfall conditions remain unclear, limiting its adoption as a climate-resilient strategy. This study evaluated the stability of crop yield and economic benefits across inter-annual rainfall fluctuations (418 mm in 2019, 362 mm in 2020, and 253 mm in 2021) in a three-year field experiment. We assessed yield-economic performance of maize-soybean and wheat-soybean intercropping systems and their impacts on key soil functional parameters to elucidate the mechanisms underlying climate resilience. Both maize-soybean and wheat-soybean intercropping were observed to harvest 17-26 % higher yields (per plant) and 1.04-1.26 land equivalent ratios, therefore enhancing land-use efficiency. Economically, maize-based systems were the most profitable, while wheat-soybean intercropping turned to improve net returns by 1654 USD ha-1 . Climate-resilience analysis showed that intercropping reduced yield volatility by 10-61 % when precipitation declined (418-253 mm), highlighting its role in stabilizing agroecosystem productivity and economic benefits. Also, intercropping systems were found to significantly improve total nitrogen (13.7 %-20.6 %) and phosphorus (16.3 %-19.8 %). Mechanistically, the above indicators were resulted from improving soil microbial biomass (20.8 %-23.0 %), enhancing extracellular enzyme activities (9.3 %-15.8 % for C-and P-hydrolases) and promoting soil moisture retention (11.0 %-12.9 %). The data confirmed that intercropping can greatly enhance soil multifunctionality and thus contribute to yield and economic stability. Therefore, cereal-legume intercropping can act as a scalable strategy to enhance productivity, soil quality, and climate resilience in semiarid rainfed environment. The findings offer policymakers and smallholders a sustainable solution to balance land-use efficiency and climate adaptation.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and rhizobia are crucial for plant growth, acting as key components of ecosystem sustainability. However, it remains unclear how these two plant symbionts interact in legumes in response to the addition of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) fertilizers to the soil. We conducted a global metaanalysis with 1644 independent observations to investigate this issue. The results indicated that inoculation with AMF and/or rhizobia significantly enhanced N and P uptake, biomass and yield in legumes. In contrast, their co-inoculation notably enhanced nitrogenase activity, soil total N content, and organic matter content without altering soil pH. Co-inoculation generally exerted an additive effect on legume growth and yield, although perennial trees derived synergistic benefits. Specifically, perennial leguminous trees demonstrated synergistic growth benefits under co-inoculation conditions, achieving biomass yields exceeding the sum of single symbiont effects; however, annual leguminous crops and forages displayed additive effects of coinoculation. Critically, N and P fertilization disrupted these symbioses when application rates exceeded certain thresholds. Sole N addition inhibited rhizobial nodulation, with plant growth-promoting effects shifting from positive to negative beyond approximately 90 kg N ha-1 . P addition reduced AMF colonization, with yield benefits diminishing above 58 mg P kg-1 . These results reveal distinct threshold-dependent pathways through which soil nutrient availability interferes with legume-microbe mutualisms. Our study provides the global evidence of AMF-rhizobia synergy for legume productivity and soil C-N cycling, coupled with mechanistic insights showing how N and P fertilizations differentially undermine these partnerships. The results advocate for optimized nutrient management to harness microbial symbioses in sustainable agriculture.

The quest for sustainable energy demands novel biofuel feedstocks and green catalytic processes. In the current study, Malcolmia africana, a highly growing and resilient herb, boasting a remarkable 52 % oil content and 0.18 % FFA was utilized as a new biodiesel feedstock. A green copper sulfide nano catalyst, that was synthesized from the low-cost inorganic salt copper sulfate pentahydrate and waste green tea extract (a sustainable organic reducer), increased the process sustainability. The Structural and morphological verification through FTIR, EDX, XRD, and SEM authenticated a highly crystalline, phase-pure CuS nano catalyst, having rough hierarchical morphology, stoichiometric CuS composition with characteristics functional groups, demonstrating high suitability and stability for green catalytic applications. GC-MS(Dominant FAME peaks), H-1 NMR(Methoxy signals at 3.6-3.7 ppm), C-13 NMR(Ester carbonyl at 174.19 ppm) and FTIR confirmed successful conversion and high quality of biodiesel. An excellent biodiesel yield of 91.5 % was achieved at optimum conditions of 1:18 oil-to-methanol ratio, 0.13 g catalyst, a temperature of 135( degrees)C and reaction time of 120 min, with ANOVA validating the RSM model's robustness and statistical significance for this optimization (F = 43.78, p < 0.0001; nonsignificant lack of fit, p = 0.4529). The CuS catalyst maintained its efficiency for five consecutive cycles, making it economical and environmentally viable. This research plays its pivotal role in environment friendly model for biodiesel production by the combination of a novel feedstock with recyclable green nano catalyst, incorporating Malcolmia africana as a potential underutilized source.

Background By enhancing plant complementarity and facilitation, mixed sowing may accelerate soil fertility recovery and improve ecosystem resilience. Nevertheless, the short-term impacts of mixed sowing on soil fertility improvement and the underlying plant-soil interaction mechanisms remain poorly understood. We hypothesize that interspecific interactions in mixed sowing systems may cause changes in rhizosphere soil properties, thereby affecting soil fertility. Results To test this hypothesis, monoculture and mixed sowing treatments were designed using Elymus breviaristatus , Medicago sativa , and moss to investigate their ecological adaptation. Our results showed that compared with monocropping, mixed sowing significantly increased above and belowground biomass, improved soil water content, and reduced bulk density, thereby creating a more favorable soil microenvironment. Compared with monocropping, mixed sowing enhanced microbial biomass C and N by 26% and 10%, respectively, and increased soil organic C by 30%. Fertility indices were positive in all mixed sowing systems, contrasting with negative values under monocropping and control. Across treatments, the facilitation index was positively correlated with the fertility index (R 2 = 0.76), demonstrating that interspecific facilitation was the primary driver of soil fertility gains. Conclusions These findings reveal that mixed sowing enhances soil fertility restoration in degraded grasslands through interspecific facilitation that promotes biomass accumulation, improves soil physicochemical conditions, and stimulates microbial-mediated nutrient cycling. These mechanisms highlight crop diversification as an effective strategy for accelerating soil fertility restoration.

Context: Agricultural plastic film mulching (PFM) threatens agroecosystem sustainability, making pollution mitigation strategies an urgent priority. Conservation mulching with plastic film (CM) (i.e. mulching once but continuing use for two or more years) - shows a promise for reducing residual plastic pollution in arid irrigated regions, yet remains critically understudied. Objectives: This work quantifies CM's effects on soil quality, crop productivity, and plastic film residuals in arid irrigated farmland. Methods: A two-year experiment (2019-2020) was conducted in maize field with three mulching treatments (half plastic film mulching, HM; CM and full plastic film mulching, FM) and one control group (CK, non-mulching). And each plot area was 5.5 x 5 m (27.5 m(2)). Soil physicochemical properties, yield components, and film physical integrity were monitored to evaluate economic - environmental trade - offs. Results: CM enabled soil temperature, moisture, yield, and water use efficiency (WUE) comparable to those of HM and FM (p > 0.05), and also significantly resulted in better growth performance (height, leaf area index - LAI) than HM and CK did (p < 0.05). Crucially, CM was observed to improve soil quality as: macro-aggregates (39.8 % vs. HM 34.7 %/FM 33.8 %), total nitrogen (+9.5 % vs. CK), and microbial activity (readily oxidizable carbon +26.8 %, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen +21.0/26.4 %) exceeded HM/FM (p < 0.05). Particularly, CM harvested the highest net economic benefit (NEB, 4834 USD/ha) with lower plastic input and residue, demonstrating superior sustainability. Conclusion: In summary, CM avoids exacerbating residual film pollution in arid irrigated regions while delivering peak profitability through lower inputs and enhanced crop yields. It further improves soil quality, though inherent limitations warrant further investigation.