Crop production potential (CPP) is profoundly affected by the change in climate factors (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation) brought about by climate change, which ultimately affects the quantity and yield of crops. In China, arid and semi-arid regions are mainly located in the western regions and occupy around 59% of the land area. In order to identify the most important climatic factors restricting the increase in CPP and planting systems in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China, the changes in climate factors, CPP, and their correlation and planting systems were analyzed based on a representative semi-arid location, Dingxi, of Gansu province, from 1989 to 2019. The results showed that the temperature and precipitation increased by 0.89 °C and 26.61 mm, respectively, whereas solar radiation decreased by 5–6 d. The standard CPP of five crops (wheat, corn, potato, Chinese herbal medicines, and vegetables) increased by 655.09 kg/ha (1.09-fold), and precipitation played a more important role in improving CPP than other climate factors. Although there were positive correlations between the standard CPP and the five crops’ actual yields, no significant relationships were observed. The total cultivation area of the five crops showed a 215.55 × 10³ ha (1.75-fold) increase with a 8.91-, 2.33-, 8.73- and 3.10-fold increase for corn, potato, Chinese herbal medicines, and vegetables, respectively, plus a 2.58-fold decrease for wheat. The agricultural ecosystem’s adaptability presented an obvious increase, especially from 2013 to 2019, although the agricultural natural environment factor maintained a low level. These findings provide scientific and technological support for the adjustment of planting structure, optimization of agricultural arrangement and development of water-saving agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China.

Agricultural soil microorganisms play a crucial role in farmland ecosystems and are integral to the material cycle in these environments. The composition and abundance of soil microorganisms are influenced by agronomic measures that alter the soil microenvironment. These changes are pivotal to enhancing crop resistance, maximizing yield, and facilitating nutrient cycling in farmlands. Drawing on prior research advancements, this study systematically examined the functions of soil microorganisms, the effects of various agronomic measures on their populations, and the ways in which agronomic measures regulate soil microorganisms, and this article offers a comprehensive study of agricultural influences on microorganisms. Additionally, it outlines key areas for future research on soil microorganisms in farmlands, aiming to provide valuable insights for the sustainable development of farmland ecosystems.

Reducing carbon emissions from agricultural soils contributes to global greenhouse mitigation. Although the integration of no-tillage practices into maize/pea intercropping systems can achieve this reduction, the specific microbial mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of integrating maize/pea intercropping and no-tillage technologies on soil carbon emissions and microbial communities. The results indicated that intercropping no-till maize with peas reduced the average soil respiration rates by 19%. In 2021 and 2022, intercropping no-till maize with peas decreased soil carbon emissions by 25.1 and 30.4%, respectively. This practice resulted in a reduction of soil microbiota carbon and nitrogen by 26.9 and 19.7%, respectively, while simultaneously increasing the soil microbial gene beta diversity. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Acidobacteria collectively represented over 95% of the population and were predominant across all treatments. Intercropping no-till maize with peas decreased the abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes in the soil. The structural equation modeling indicated that combined no-tillage and intercropping practices effectively decreased soil carbon emissions by modulating the community structure of soil microorganisms. This affected the abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes and carbon-metabolizing genes in the soil. This study indicated that no-tillage and intercropping methods contributed to carbon reduction by influencing soil microbes. This study can provide microbial-level insights for refining agronomic practices to mitigate soil carbon emissions.

Basic soil productivity (BSP) is the ability of a soil, in its normal environment to support plant growth. However, the assessment of BSP remains controversial. The aim of this study is to quantify and analyze the trends of BSP in winter wheat seasons using the decision support system for agrotechnologie transfer (DSSAT) model under a long-term fertilization experiment in the dark loessal soil region of the Loess Plateau of China. In addition, we evaluated the contribution percentage of BSP to yield and its influencing factors. A long-term fertilization experiment with a winter wheat/spring maize rotation was established in 1979 in a field of the Gaoping Agronomy Farm, Pingliang, Gansu, China, including six treatments: (1) no fertilizer as a control (CK), (2) chemical nitrogen fertilizer input annually (N), (3) chemical nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer input annually (NP), (4) straw return and chemical nitrogen fertilizer input annually plus phosphorus fertilizer added every second year (SNP), (5) manure input annually (M), and (6) M plus N and P fertilizers added annually (MNP). The application of the DSSAT-CERES-Wheat model showed a satisfactory performance with good Wilmott d-index (0.78~0.95) and normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) (7.03%~18.72%) values for the tested genetic parameters of winter wheat. After the 26-years experiment, the yield by BSP of winter wheat under the M and MNP treatment significantly increased, at the rate of 2.7% and 3.82% a year, respectively, whereas that of CK and N treatments significantly decreased, at the rate of 0.23% and 3.03%. Moreover, the average contribution percentage of BSP to yield was 47.0%, 39.4%, 56.3%, 50.0%, and 61.9% in N, NP, SNP, M, and MNP treatments, respectively. In addition, soil organic carbon contents were the main controls of BSP under the different fertilization conditions in the dark loessial soil area. As a result, the combined application of organic fertilizer or straw and chemical fertilizer can be an effective form of fertilization management to greatly enrich basic soil productivity, continually promote the contribution percentage of BSP, and ultimately increase crop yield.