Straw mulching boosts wheat yields while reducing carbon emissions in China.
Planting winter wheat in the North China Plain using wide-precision planting and straw mulching can reduce carbon emissions and increase grain yield. Straw mulching lowers CO2 emissions and improves carbon utilization efficiency, but it also decreases grain yield. However, wide-precision planting can offset this yield reduction by increasing spike numbers. This method helps maintain grain yield while promoting carbon sequestration in the region.