Arun Kumar Shanker

Rainfed maize production is highly vulnerable to intra‐seasonal dry spells and moisture stress, which adversely affect physiological functions, microbial activity and yield. Conventional flat bed planting often intensifies stress impacts. However, improved land configurations, such as broad bed with mulch, combined with foliar nutrient sprays may enhance crop resilience and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of land configuration and foliar nutrient sprays on physiological responses, soil microbial activity and yield of maize under intermittent drought stress in rainfed systems. A 2‐year field experiment (2023 and 2024) was conducted at ICAR–CRIDA, Hyderabad, India, using a split‐plot design with three land configurations (broad bed + mulch, broad bed and flat bed) as main plots and five foliar spray treatments (control, water spray, 1% KNO ₃ , 2% urea and 0.2% nano urea) as subplots. Moisture stress significantly increased oxidative damage (proline, MDA) in flat bed + control plots, whereas broad bed + mulch minimised stress. Foliar application of 1% KNO ₃ consistently improved physiological resilience, reducing canopy temperature and increasing chlorophyll and nitrate reductase activity. Soil microbial activity (DHA, microbial biomass carbon and beneficial microbial populations) was highest under broad bed + mulch, further enhanced by foliar KNO ₃ . The improved grain yield observed with 1% KNO ₃ (4194–5288 kg ha ⁻¹ ) compared to control, with broad bed + mulch yielding the highest cob weight (157.8–200 g) and grains per cob (456–519). Combining broad bed and mulch with foliar nutrition, especially 1% KNO ₃ , effectively reduces drought stress in rainfed maize by lowering oxidative stress, improving physiological efficiency, increasing microbial activity, and strengthening yield resilience. These integrated practices offer a sustainable strategy to mitigate intra‐seasonal drought impacts and enhance productivity in water‐limited dryland systems.

Plant nutrient use efficiency in the era of climate change The critical need for climate resilience is more evident now than ever, with the shadow of climate change casting a vast uncertainty over our future. This urgency intersects notably within agriculture, where the dual goals of achieving food security for an expanding global populace and adopting sustainable production practices are paramount. Central to sustainable farming is the efficient utilization of nutrients, especially nitrogen, given its profound influence on both crop productivity and environmental well-being. The complexities of nutrient management are intensified by climate change, with unpredictable weather, rising temperatures, and shifting precipitation patterns impacting nutrient absorption by crops and the effectiveness of fertilizers. Thus, optimizing nutrient management transcends improving yields; it's about fortifying agriculture against climateinduced adversities. Recent technological strides in agriculture have zeroed in on improving nutrient efficiency, marking a pivotal moment in research amidst escalating climate and environmental challenges. Research must now focus on fine-tuning nutrient delivery, considering the precise needs of different crops under evolving weather conditions, while prioritizing soil and water conservation, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Economically, making these innovations affordable and scalable for farmers is essential. However, the scalability, cost, and farmer accessibility of such innovations, particularly in less developed regions, require careful consideration. Adapting these technologies to varied crops and climates poses additional challenges. This editorial encapsulates the essence and implications of recent findings on nutrient efficiency and climate resilience, advocating for a future where advanced tech meets sustainable agriculture to secure food in an ecoconscious manner. The article by Bhavya et al. presents a nuanced understanding of how elevated CO 2 levels impact rice cultivation, with a particular focus on yield, quality, and nutrient content. Under increased CO 2 conditions, there was a noted increase in the number of tillers, yet Frontiers in Plant Science frontiersin.org

The changing dynamics in the climate are the primary and important determinants of agriculture productivity. The effects of this changing climate on overall productivity in agriculture can be understood when we study the effects of individual components contributing to the changing climate on plants and crops. Elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) and drought due to high variability in rainfall is one of the important manifestations of the changing climate. There is a considerable amount of literature that addresses climate effects on plant systems from molecules to ecosystems. Of particular interest is the effect of increased CO₂ on plants in relation to drought and water stress. As it is known that one of the consistent effects of increased CO₂ in the atmosphere is increased photosynthesis, especially in C₃ plants, it will be interesting to know the effect of drought in relation to elevated CO₂. The potential of elevated CO₂ ameliorating the effects of water deficit stress is evident from literature, which suggests that these two agents are brothers in arms protecting the plant from stress rather than partners in crime, specifically for water deficit when in isolation. The possible mechanisms by which this occurs will be discussed in this minireview. Interpreting the effects of short-term and long-term exposure of plants to elevated CO₂ in the context of ameliorating the negative impacts of drought will show us the possible ways by which there can be effective adaption to crops in the changing climate scenario.

Heat and Water Deficit Stress (WDS) tend to impede and restrict the efficiency of photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence, and maximum photochemical quantum yield in plants based on their characteristic ability to interfere with the electron transport system in photosystem II. Dissection of the electron transport pathway in Photosystem II (PSII) under water deficit and Heat Stress (HS) can be insightful in gaining knowledge on the various attributes of the photosynthetic performance of a plant. We attempt a high-resolution dissection of electron transport in PSII with studies on chlorophyll a fast fluorescence kinetics and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) as a response to and recovery from these stresses in pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] in isolation and combination. In this study, we bring out the mechanisms by which both heat and water stress, in isolation and in combination, affect the photosynthetic electron transport in Photosystem II. Our results indicate that oxygen evolution complex (OEC) damage is the primary effect of heat stress and is not seen with the same intensity in the water-stressed plants. Low exciton absorption flux in heat stress and combined stress was seen due to OEC damage, and this caused an electron transport traffic jam in the donor side of PS II. Both the specific energy flux model and the phenomenological flux model developed from the derived values in our study show that water deficit stress in combination with heat stress has a much stronger effect than the stresses in isolation on the overall electron transport pathway of the PS II in pearl millet plants.

The changing dynamics in climate is the primary and important determinant of agriculture productivity. The effects of this changing climate on overall productivity in agriculture can be understood when we study the effects of individual components contributing to the changing climate on plants and crops. Elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) and drought due to high variability in rainfall is one of the important manifestations of the changing climate. There is a considerable amount of literature that addresses climate effects on plant systems from molecules to ecosystems. Of particular interest is the effect of increased CO₂ on plants in relation to drought and water stress. As it is known that one of the consistent effects of increased CO₂ in the atmosphere is increased photosynthesis, especially in C₃ plants, it will be interesting to know the effect of drought in relation to elevated CO₂. The potential of elevated CO₂ ameliorating the effects of water deficit stress is evident from literature suggesting that these two are agents are brothers in arms protecting the plant from stress rather than partnering in crime, specifically water deficit when in isolation. The possible mechanisms by which this occurs will be discussed in this minireview. Interpreting the effects of short-term and long-term exposure of plants to elevated CO₂ in the context of ameliorating the negative impacts of drought will show us the possible ways by which there can be effective adaption to crops in the changing climate scenario.