Recently, a review paper conducted by Professor Jianchang Yang from Yangzhou University, et al. pointed out that optimizing the “harvest index” (the ratio of yield to total aboveground biomass) can achieve a synergistic enhancement of rice yield and resource utilization efficiency. The study found that the harvest index of modern rice varieties generally hovers around 0.5, but there is still room for improvement through the regulation of physiological traits. Key strategies include three main aspects: first, increasing the “grain-to-leaf ratio”, which refers to the number of grains per unit leaf area, balancing the relationship between photosynthetic products and grain demand; second, enhancing the “sugar-to-spikelet ratio”, which is the ratio of non-structural carbohydrates stored in the stem before flowering to the number of grains, providing more energy for grain filling; third, optimizing the “proportion of productive tillers” to reduce the consumption of water and nutrients by ineffective tillers, thereby improving population structure and light utilization. The related paper has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J–FASE–2025610).

Recently, a team of researchers led by Professor Peng Hou from the Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences systematically summarized the limiting factors in corn production and proposed a green production scheme that balances high yield with efficient resource utilization based on quantitative design principles. The related paper has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2025601).

An international team of researchers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst has tracked changes in more than 114,000 rivers in High-mountain Asia over a 15-year period. The paper, published in AGU Advances, reported that nearly 10% of these rivers saw an increase in flow, with an increasing proportion of that water coming from glacial ice melt compared to precipitation.  

A team of researchers led by CABI have identified 9,071 pest species previously unreported in Uganda which pose potential concern in terms of possible threats to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers as well as food security in the country.

The study, published in Frontiers in Agronomy, used the CABI Horizon Scanning Tool to gather the data from which a subset of 1,517 pest species – such as Fusarium f.sp. cubence Tropical Race 4 (FoC TR4) on banana – for rapid risk assessment.

Recently, Associate Professor Wushuang Zhang et al. from Southwest University, China Agricultural University, and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences systematically reviewed the practices and achievements of green technology innovations in major food crops from 2000 to 2022. They aimed to answer the question: how can China’s agriculture achieve a balance between “high yield” and “high efficiency” amid increasing resource constraints? The related paper has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2025633).

Recently, Professor Lin Ma et al. from Nanjing University, China Agricultural University, and Hebei Agricultural University proposed a new agricultural system research method that combines “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches, providing a viable pathway to address this dilemma. The related paper has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2025628).

Recently, Professor Wenfeng Cong et al. from China Agricultural University proposed a solution called “green technology”, validated through over 12,000 field comparison trials conducted via a nationwide collaborative network. This research not only addresses the aforementioned challenges but also introduces a novel agricultural research paradigm—the “12345” model. This model emphasizes starting from actual production needs and resolving the dual contradictions between high yield and environmental protection, as well as economic growth and ecological preservation, through multidisciplinary collaboration and participation from multiple stakeholders. The relevant paper has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2025630).