• Five indicators for rice production and their gaps were assessed in 12 countries. • The indicators include yield, profit, labor productivity, N- and P-use efficiencies. • Mean yield varied: 2.5–5.6 t ha⁻¹ in irrigated and 0.6–2.3 t ha⁻¹ in rainfed. • There were yield gaps of 29–69 % and profit gaps of 10–89 %. • Less than 50 % of farmers had desirable ranges in N- or P-use efficiencies.

Soil salinity is a major problem in arid and semi-arid regions, causing land degradation, desertification, and subsequently, food insecurity. Salt-affected soils and phosphorus (P) deficiency are the common problems in the sub-Sahara, including the Southern region of Morocco. Soil salinity limits plant growth by limiting water availability, causing a nutritional imbalance, and imparting osmotic stress in the plants. The objective of this study was to determine the positive effects of P on growth and productivity and understand the major leaf mineral nutrient content of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) cv. “ICBA Q5” irrigated with saline water. A field experiment applying three salinity (Electrical Conductivity, EC) levels of irrigation water (ECw = 5, 12, and 17 dS·m⁻¹) and three P fertilizer rates (0, 60, and 70 kg of P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) were evaluated in a split-plot design with three replications. The experiment was conducted in Foum El Oued, South of Morocco on sandy loam soil during the period of March–July 2020. The results showed that irrigation with saline water significantly reduced the final dry biomass, seed yield, harvest index, and crop water productivity of quinoa; however, P application under saline conditions minimized the effect of salinity and improved the yield. The application of 60 and 70 kg of P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ increased (p < 0.05) the seed yield by 29 and 51% at low salinity (5 dS·m⁻¹), by 16 and 2% at medium salinity (12 dS·m⁻¹), and by 13 and 8% at high salinity (17 dS·m⁻¹), respectively. The leaf Na⁺ and K⁺ content and Na⁺/K⁺ ratio increased with irrigation water salinity. However, the leaf content of Mg, Ca, Zn, and Fe decreased under high salinity. It was also found that increasing P fertilization improved the essential nutrient content and nutrient uptake. Our finding suggests that P application minimizes the adverse effects of high soil salinity and can be adopted as a coping strategy under saline conditions.

Rice is the second major food crop in central Asia. Climate change may greatly affect the rice production in the region. This study quantifies the effects of projected increases in temperature and atmospheric CO₂ concentration on the phenological development and grain yield of rice using the “ORYZA2000” simulation model. The model was parameterized and validated on the basis of datasets from three field experiments with three widely cultivated rice varieties under various seeding dates in the 2008–09 growing seasons in the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. The selected rice varieties represent short-duration (SD), medium-duration (MD), and long-duration (LD) maturity types. The model was linked with historical climate data (1970–99) and temperatures and CO₂ concentrations projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for the B1 and A1F1 scenarios for the period 2040–69 to explore rice growth and yield formation at eight emergence dates from early May to mid-July. Simulation results with historical daily weather data reveal a close relationship between seeding date and rice grain yield. Optimal emergence dates were 25 June for SD, 5 June for MD, and 26 May for LD varieties. Under both climate change scenarios, the seeding dates could be delayed by 10 days. Increased temperature and CO₂ concentration resulted in higher rice grain yields. However, seeding rice before and after the optimal seeding dates reduced crop yield and yield stability significantly because of spikelet sterility induced by both high and low temperatures. As the grain yield of SD varieties could be adversely affected by climate change, rice breeding programs for central Asia should focus on developing appropriate heat-tolerant MD and LD varieties.

Inadequate and imbalanced fertilizer application is a significant barrier to achieving higher maize yields in Nigeria's Middle Belt. This study hypothesized that optimizing fertilizer types and application rates, particularly through split applications of straight fertilizers, can significantly enhance maize yield and nutrient use efficiency compared to conventional NPK blends and farmer's practices. This experiment evaluated the effects of optimizing types and amounts of fertilizer on maize growth and yield, soil characteristics, and nutrient use efficiencies in the mid-belt region of Nigeria. A field experiment was conducted at two locations using a randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments included national and regional fertilizer recommendations, applied as NPK blends and straight fertilizers, along with a farmer's practice and control. Soil samples were collected before and after the experiment, and data on yield, yield attributes, grain, and leaf samples, were collected for analysis. The results showed that split applications of straight fertilizers increased grain yield by 22 %–46 %, achieving yields ranging from 2.37 to 3.08 t ha⁻¹, compared to yields from NPK blends. Nitrogen uptake efficiency improved by up to 52 %, while potassium uptake exceeded 100 % in certain treatments. Despite higher input costs, split applications yielded gross margins up to 35 % greater than those obtained with NPK blends, underscoring their economic viability. Split application of regional recommendation of 119:38:20 kg ha⁻¹ of N, P, and K from straight fertilizer shows higher yields and better nutrient efficiency than NPK blends, proving effective for optimum maize production in the region. No significant changes in soil physio-chemical properties, suggesting that long-term studies are needed to fully understand the impact of fertilizer practices on soil health. These findings strongly support the adoption of site-specific nutrient management strategies, particularly the use of straight fertilizers in split applications, to maximize maize production in Nigeria's Middle-Belt.