Physiological Mechanism of High and Stable Yield of No-tillage Cast-transplanted Rice

Four years' successive comparative experiments showed that no-tillage cast-transplanted rice (NTCTR), compared with conventional tillage cast-transplanted rice (CK), grew slower and produced less tillers at the early growing stage; but, it had shorter ineffective tillering time, less nutrition consumption,stronger individual growth and more uniform growth between individuals andthe colony. These characteristics contribute to the increase not only in the productive tiller percentage but also in the ear quality. Furthermore,the flag leaf of NTCTR had higher photosynthetic rate during the filling stage and no early senescence phenomenon at the late stage, which facilitated the accumulation and the transportation of carbohydrates and improved grain setting rate.