The mitigation mechanisms of a kind of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer (sulfur-coated controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer, SCNF) in response to O₃ stress on a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety (Nongmai-88) were studied in crop physiology and soil biology through the ozone-free-air controlled enrichment (O₃-FACE) simulation platform and soil microbial metagenomics. The results showed that SCNF could not delay the O₃-induced leaf senescence of winter wheat but could enhance the leaf size and photosynthetic function of flag leaves, increase the accumulation of nutrient elements, and lay the foundation for yield by regulating the release rate of nitrogen (N). By regulating the soil environment, SCNF could maintain the diversity and stability of soil bacterial and archaeal communities, but there was no obvious interaction with the soil fungal community. By alleviating the inhibition effects of O₃ on N-cycling-related genes (ko00910) of soil microorganisms, SCNF improved the activities of related enzymes and might have great potential in improving soil N retention. The results demonstrated the ability of SCNF to improve leaf photosynthetic function and increase crop yield under O₃-polluted conditions in the farmland ecosystem, which may become an effective nitrogen fertilizer management measure to cope with the elevated ambient O₃ and achieve sustainable production.

In the rice-wheat rotation system, 24 and 23 wheat cultivars were separately planted in Yangzhou and Suining of Jiangsu province in 2016–2017 and 2017–2018. According to nitrogen utilization rate (NUR), these cultivars were clustered into three groups, i.e., NUR-H (NUR ≥ 50%), NUR-M (NUR 40%–50%), and NUR-L (NUR ≤ 40%), to identify the differences in grain yield, yield components, and population quality, which would provide a reference for cultivar selection for high-yield and high-efficiency in wheat production. Yangmai 25 and Ningmai 21 in Yangzhou and Huaimai 35 in Suining showed NUR-H phenotypes in consecutive two years. Grain yield of the NUR-H cultivars was more than 6500 kg hm^–2 in Yangzhou and 7000 kg hm^–2 in Suining, which were significantly higher than those of NUR-M and NUR-L groups. NUR-H group had more spikes, and it grains per spike and 1000-grain weight were not significantly different from those of the other groups. Grain yield and spikes number were significantly positively correlated with NUR among different cultivars. More stem and tiller number, higher percentage of fertile tillers and higher leaf area index (LAI) at the milk-ripening stage were shown in the NUR-H group. A higher dry matter accumulation at stages of booting, anthesis, and maturity, after anthesis, and in the vegetative organs at maturity were found in the NUR-H group. However, there were no differences in dry matter remobilization and harvest index among different cultivars. Number of stems and tillers at booting and anthesis, LAI at the milk-ripe stage, and dry matter accumulation at each stage after anthesis, and in the vegetative organs at maturity were significantly positively correlated with NUR in the all cultivar in two sites. A vigorous tillering capacity at the early growing phase and a higher LAI and photosynthetic production at the late growth stages could be observed in NUR-H cultivars, resulting in more photosynthate for grain-filling. Furthermore, the critical parameters of cultivar screening for high-yield and high-efficiency in wheat following rice were proposed, that is 16,000–20,000 kg hm^–2 dry matter accumulation at maturity and 4100–6700 kg hm^–2 dry matter accumulation after anthesis.