Agronomic management and soil properties dominate the production of pulses in China

Context: Planting pulses can ensure food security and sustainable agriculture through increasing soil fertility, diversification of cropping systems, and nitrogen fixation. However, increasing the yield of pulses is an unresolved challenge due to the lack of understanding of the driving factors affecting it. Research questions: To address this issue, a comprehensive analysis of the critical yield-limiting factors influencing pulse productivity is necessary. We synthesized national dataset of 304 observations across a north-south gradient of China to illustrate how climate (mean annual precipitation and temperature), soil properties (total carbon, total nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, total phosphorus, Olsen-phosphorus, pH, electrical conductivity and soil texture) and management (fertilization, mulching film, cropping system, irrigation, selection of pulse species) affect yield of five main pulses: cowpea, faba bean, mung bean, pea and adzuki bean. Results: The average yield of cowpea, faba bean, mung bean, pea and adzuki bean were 1.31, 3.35, 1.39, 2.65, 1.81 t ha−1, respectively. The average yield change of pulses at the site level compared to the country-level is 33 % (ranging from −74–190 %). Management, soil properties and their interaction explained 94 % of the yield variation while the contribution of climate factors was minimal in the whole dataset. The contribution of key factors to yield depends on the selection of pulse species. Farmers should select pulse species suited best to local conditions, adopt mulching, optimize irrigation and fertilization to increase the yield of pulses. Conclusions: Overall, this analysis emphasized that proper agronomic management and soil properties are crucial for maximizing pulse production, offering practical guidance to raise productivity and support global food security. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.