Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 1 — Meta-analysis / systematic reviewPeer-reviewed

Global patterns of crop yield stability under additional nutrient and water inputs

Knapp S, van der Heijden M G A

PLOS ONE · 2018

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Summary

This global meta-analysis synthesised data on crop yield stability across multiple regions and farming systems to identify how nutrient and water inputs influence yield consistency. The work contributes to understanding whether intensification inputs reliably stabilise production or whether stability depends on context-specific agronomic and environmental factors. The findings have implications for designing resilient cropping strategies under variable conditions.

UK applicability

The results are likely applicable to UK arable systems, particularly regarding nutrient and irrigation management strategies for cereals. However, UK-specific factors such as cool-season growing conditions, existing soil fertility status, and regulatory constraints on input use may moderate the generalisability of global patterns.

Key measures

Crop yield stability, yield variance, response to nutrient inputs, response to water inputs, geographic and agronomic variation

Outcomes reported

The study examined how crop yield stability (variance and consistency) responds to additional nutrient and water inputs across diverse global farming contexts. It likely analysed yield variability patterns and identified conditions under which supplementary inputs enhance or fail to stabilise production.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Agronomic input response and yield resilience
Study type
Meta-analysis
Study design
Meta-analysis
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Global
System type
Arable cereals
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0198748
Catalogue ID
CGmo9yrker-tkozm4

Topic tags

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