Field Crop 2024, Vol.7, No.2, 79-92 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 81 integrated soil-crop system management (ISSM) with a combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers achieved a 27% increase in maize yield relative to traditional farmers' practices (Wang et al., 2020). 3.2 Comparison with traditional farming practices (FP) When compared to traditional farming practices (FP), IAP consistently outperforms in terms of yield. For example, IAP increased maize grain yield by 25-37% compared to FP, with the yield gap attributed to greater dry matter and nitrogen accumulation due to increased leaf area index and root length (Figure 1) (Zhou et al., 2019). In another study, ISSM achieved 97.7% of the yield obtained with high-yielding practices but with significantly lower nitrogen surplus and environmental costs, indicating a more sustainable approach (Wang et al., 2020). Furthermore, integrated weed and nutrient management practices in maize resulted in a 9% higher grain yield compared to chemical weed control alone (Ghosh et al., 2020). Figure 1 Nitrogen accumulation in maize plants for various treatments in 2013 and 2014 (Adopted from Zhou et al., 2019) Image caption: HSF, high soil fertility field; LSF, low soil fertility field. CK, control without nitrogen; FP, conventional farmers' practice; IAP, an integrated agronomic practice. V6, 6-leaf stage; V12, 12-leaf stage; R1, silking stage; R3, milk stage; R6, physiological maturity (Adopted from Zhou et al., 2019) 3.3 Factors contributing to yield increase Several factors contribute to the yield increase observed with IAP. Enhanced nutrient uptake and utilization are primary contributors. For instance, the use of biochar in combination with partial doses of NPK fertilizers improved dry matter production, grain weight, and nutrient uptake, leading to higher yields (Sarwar et al., 2023). The integration of density and fertilizer management also optimized biomass accumulation and nutrient remobilization, further boosting yield (Ren et al., 2020). Additionally, the combination of nitrogen fertilization with iron foliar application improved photosynthetic characteristics and enzyme activities, enhancing photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency and ultimately increasing yield (Nasar et al., 2022). The use of organic amendments like farmyard manure and biofertilizers also played a significant role in improving soil health and nutrient availability, contributing to better crop performance (Ghosh et al., 2020; Sailaza et al., 2020).
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