Sustainable intensification for a larger global rice bowl

Shen Yuan, Bruce A. Linquist, Lloyd T. Wilson, Kenneth G. Cassman, Alexander M. Stuart, Valerien Pede (), Berta Miro, Kazuki Saito, Nurwulan Agustiani, Vina Eka Aristya, Leonardus Y. Krisnadi, Alencar Junior Zanon, Alexandre Bryan Heinemann, Gonzalo Carracelas, Nataraja Subash, Pothula S. Brahmanand, Tao Li, Shaobing Peng () and Patricio Grassini ()
Additional contact information
Shen Yuan: Huazhong Agricultural University
Bruce A. Linquist: University of California-Davis
Lloyd T. Wilson: Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center
Kenneth G. Cassman: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Alexander M. Stuart: International Rice Research Institute
Berta Miro: International Rice Research Institute
Kazuki Saito: Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), 01 B.P. 2551
Nurwulan Agustiani: Indonesian Center for Rice Research
Vina Eka Aristya: Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (AIAT) Central Java
Leonardus Y. Krisnadi: Assessment Institute of Agricultural Technology (AIAT) East Java
Alencar Junior Zanon: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria
Alexandre Bryan Heinemann: Santo Antônio de Goiás
Gonzalo Carracelas: National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA)-Road 5, km 386
Nataraja Subash: ICAR-Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research
Pothula S. Brahmanand: ICAR-Indian Institute of Water Management
Tao Li: Applied GeoSolutions, DNDC Applications Research and Training
Shaobing Peng: Huazhong Agricultural University
Patricio Grassini: University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Future rice systems must produce more grain while minimizing the negative environmental impacts. A key question is how to orient agricultural research & development (R&D) programs at national to global scales to maximize the return on investment. Here we assess yield gap and resource-use efficiency (including water, pesticides, nitrogen, labor, energy, and associated global warming potential) across 32 rice cropping systems covering half of global rice harvested area. We show that achieving high yields and high resource-use efficiencies are not conflicting goals. Most cropping systems have room for increasing yield, resource-use efficiency, or both. In aggregate, current total rice production could be increased by 32%, and excess nitrogen almost eliminated, by focusing on a relatively small number of cropping systems with either large yield gaps or poor resource-use efficiencies. This study provides essential strategic insight on yield gap and resource-use efficiency for prioritizing national and global agricultural R&D investments to ensure adequate rice supply while minimizing negative environmental impact in coming decades.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27424-z

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