Abstract
Ensuring high grain yields while minimizing environmental costs is a pressing imperative aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this study, we sought to establish a high-yielding maize system (HYMS) by implementing the innovative “Rhizobiont” concept for nutrient management, while substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A 2-yr field study was conducted in a station of China Agriculture University (Wuqiao) with six treatments. The HYMS was established to achieve a harmonious equilibrium among genetic factors, environmental conditions, and management practices. HYMS demonstrated a significant boost in grain yield, averaging 12,706.6 kg ha−1 in 2021 and 13,676.4 kg ha−1 in 2022. These represented substantial increases of 25.6 % and 25.5 %, respectively, when compared to the current farmers practices (CP). More importantly, the N rate in HYMS was optimized to 148.2 kg ha−1 in 2021 and 138.0 kg ha−1 in 2022 with the implementation of the “Rhizobiont” concept. This represented a remarkable reduction of 35.5 % to 39.9 % in N application compared to CP. As a direct consequence, the measured cumulative emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2, N2O, and CH4 in HYMS were notably decreased, showing reductions of 24.1 %, 36.0 %, and 7.0 %, respectively, compared to CP. Furthermore, the carbon intensity in HYMS was significantly reduced by 43.7 %. These considerable reductions in fertilizer use translated into tangible economic benefits (EB) and ecosystem economic benefit (EEB) in HYMS. EB was found to be 90.9 % higher, while EEB was 117.9 % higher than CP. These findings underscore the vast potential of HYMS and the “Rhizobiont” concept in promoting sustainable agriculture, with far-reaching implications for global food security and the well-being of smallholder farmers.
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