Optimal management of nitrogen fertilizer in the main rice crop and its carrying-over effect on ratoon rice under mechanized cultivation in Southeast China

This study attempted to clarify the carrying-over effect of different nitrogen treatments applied to the main crop on the crop population growth and yield formation of ratoon rice under mechanized cultivation in Southeast China.  Based on the constant total nitrogen application amounts (225.00 kg ha^–1) in the main crop, an experiment with different ratios of basal and topdressing nitrogen fertilizer (the ratio of basal fertilizer:primary tillering fertilizer:secondary tillering fertilizer:booting fertilizer at 3:1:2:4 (N1), 3:2:1:4 (N2), 3:3:0:4 (N3), and 4:3:0:3 (N4), respectively, and a control without nitrogen treatment (N0)) was set up across two consecutive years in field using hybrid rice variety Yongyou 1540 as the test materials.  The results showed that the total tiller number and effective tillering percentage increased in the main crop under the N1 treatment, more nitrogen fertilizer applied in late growth stage of the main crop, and its effective tillering percentage of the main crop was the highest at up to 70.18%, which was 9.15% higher than that of conventional fertilization treatment (N4), more nitrogen fertilizer applied in early growth stage of the main crop.  The same tendency was observed in leaf area index (LAI) value of the main crop and its subsequent ratoon rice, which were 16.52 and 29.87% higher, respectively, in the N1 treatment than that in the N4 treatment at the full heading stage.  The same was true in the case of the transport rates of stem and sheath dry mater and the canopy light interception rates in both the main and its ratoon crops.  The transport rate of stem and sheath in main crop rice under N1 treatment increased by 50.57% compared with N4 treatment.  The canopy light interception rate of N1 treatment increased by 5.07% compared with N4 treatment at the full heading stage of the ratoon crop.  Therefore, the total actual yield was the highest in the main and its ratoon crops under N1 treatment, averaging 17 351.23 kg ha^–1 in two-year trials, which was 23.00% higher than that in the conventional fertilization treatment (N4).  The results showed that appropriate nitrogen treatment was able to produce a good crop stand in the main crop, which was essential for producing a good ratoon crop population and high yield especially under mechanized cultivation with low stubble height of the main crop.  The study suggested that shifting the proper nitrogen application amounts to the late growth stage of the main crop, such as N1 treatment, not only had a higher productive effect on ensuring the yield of the main crop, but also had a positive effect on the axillary bud sprouts from the stubbles for ratoon rice, resulting in an increased percentage of productive panicles and achieving the goal of one planting with two good harvests under the conditions of our study.     

Sustainability of the rice–crayfish farming model in waterlogged land: A case study in Qianjiang County,Hubei Province,China

The rice–crayfish farming model has been rapidly developed and become an economically viable method to supply food in China in recent years.  However, its environmental and economic sustainability has not been thoroughly investigated.  This study uses a survey in 2016 and a field experiment in 2017 in Qianjiang, Hubei Province, China to assess the relative economics of concurrent rice–wheat (RW), rice–crayfish (RC), and crayfish monoculture (CM) models in waterlogged land areas.  The field survey indicated that the RC model had a higher benefit–cost ratio (3.5:1) than the RW (2.0:1) and CM (3.1:1) models and the RC model protected farmers’ enthusiasm for grain production facing unfavourable weather conditions.  The field experiment aimed to explore nitrogen management strategies in RC fields.  In the experiment, four levels of nitrogen concentration gradient - 0 kg N ha^–1 (0 N), 75 kg N ha^–1 (75 N), 150 kg N ha^–1 (150 N) and 225 kg N ha^–1 (225 N), were set in a 2-year-old rice–crayfish (RC2) field, an 8-year-old rice–crayfish (RC8) field, and a RW field as a control.  The field experiment results suggested that the peak  rice yield in RW, RC2, and RC8 occurred when 225 N, 150 N and 75 N were used, respectively.  In RC2 and RC8, however, residual feed-nitrogen that was not used by crayfish was utilized by rice plants.  Thus, an optimal amount of nitrogen in RC fields was proposed to improve the nitrogen use efficiency and reduce environmental pollution by nitrogen fertilizer.  Farmers use less nitrogen but have higher net income in RC than in RW and CM.  It is necessary to sustainably develop integrated farming technologies (i.e., proper field configurations for rice fields) to effectively sustain rice production.  The results also showed that the RC farming model was a viable diversification option for rice farmers in waterlogged land.       

Border effects of the main and ratoon crops in the rice ratooning system

The border effect (BE) is widely observed in crop field experiments, and it has been extensively studied in many crops.  However, only limited attention has been paid to the BE of ratoon rice.  We conducted field experiments on ratoon rice in Qichun County, Hubei Province, Central China in 2018 and 2019 to compare the BE in the main and ratoon crops, and to quantify the contribution of BE in the main crop to that in the ratoon crop.  The BE of two hybrid varieties was measured for the outermost, second outermost, and third outermost rows in each plot of both crops.  To determine the contribution of BE between the two crops, portions of hills in the outermost and second outermost rows were uprooted during the harvest of the main crop so that the second and third outermost rows then became the outermost rows in the ratoon crop.  Overall, the BE on grain yield was greater in the main crop than in the ratoon crop.  In the main crop, the BE on grain yield was 98.3% in the outermost row, which was explained by the BE on panicles m^–2, spikelets/panicle, spikelets m^–2, and total dry weight.  In the ratoon crop, the BE on grain yield was reduced to 60.9 and 27.6% with and without the contribution of the BE in the main crop, respectively.  Consequently, 55.1% of the BE on grain yield in the ratoon crop was contributed from the main crop.  High stubble dry weight and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) accumulation at the harvest of the main crop were responsible for the contribution of BE in the main crop to that in the ratoon crop.  Our results suggest that increases in stubble dry weight and NSC accumulation at the harvest of the main crop could be important strategies for developing high-yielding cropping practices in the rice ratooning system.     

Substituting nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer with optimal amount of crop straw improves rice grain yield,nutrient use efficiency and soil carbon sequestration

Crop straw return after harvest is considered an important way to achieve both agronomic and environmental benefits.  However, the appropriate amount of straw to substitute for fertilizer remains unclear.  A field experiment was performed from 2016 to 2018 to explore the effect of different amounts of straw to substitute for fertilizer on soil properties, soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, grain yield, yield components, nitrogen (N) use efficiency, phosphorus (P) use efficiency, N surplus, and P surplus after rice harvesting.  Relative to mineral fertilization alone, straw substitution at 5 t ha^–1 improved the number of spikelets per panicle, effective panicle, seed setting rate, 1 000-grain weight, and grain yield, and also increased the aboveground N and P uptake in rice.  Straw substitution exceeding 2.5 t ha^–1 increased the soil available N, P, and K concentrations as compared with mineral fertilization, and different amounts of straw substitution improved SOC storage compared with mineral fertilization.  Furthermore, straw substitution at 5 t ha^–1 decreased the N surplus and P surplus by up to 68.3 and 28.9%, respectively, compared to mineral fertilization.  Rice aboveground N and P uptake and soil properties together contributed 19.3% to the variation in rice grain yield and yield components.  Straw substitution at 5 t ha^–1, an optimal fertilization regime, improved soil properties, SOC storage, grain yield, yield components, N use efficiency (NUE), and P use efficiency (PUE) while simultaneously decreasing the risk of environmental contamination.     

Grain yield,nitrogen use efficiency and physiological performance of indica/japonica hybrid rice in response to various nitrogen rates

Utilizing the heterosis of indica/japonica hybrid rice (IJHR) is an effective way to further increase rice grain yield.Rational application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer plays a very important role in using the heterosis of IJHR to achieve its great yield potential.However,the responses of the grain yield and N utilization of IJHR to N application rates and the underlying physiological mechanism remain elusive.The purpose of this study was to clarify these issues.Three rice cultivars currently used...     

Grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency of an ultrashort-duration variety grown under different nitrogen and seeding rates in direct-seeded and double-season rice in Central China

Nitrogen(N) and seeding rates are important factors affecting grain yield and N use efficiency(NUE) in directseeded rice. However, these factors have not been adequately investigated on direct-seeded and double-season rice(DDR) in Central China. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various N and seeding rates on the grain yield and NUE of an ultrashort-duration variety grown under DDR. Field experiments were conducted in 2018 in Wuxue County and 2019 in Qichun County, Hubei...     

Increasing the appropriate seedling density for higher yield in dry direct-seeded rice sown by a multifunctional seeder after wheat-straw return

Dry direct-seeded rice(DDR) sown using a multifunctional seeder that performs synchronous rotary tillage and sowing has received increased attention because it is highly efficient, relatively cheap, and environmentally friendly. However,this method of rice production may produce lower yields in a rice–wheat rotation system because of its poor seedling establishment. To address this problem, we performed field experiments to determine the rice yield at five seedling density levels(B1, B2, B3, B4,...     

中国再生稻的产量差及影响因素

【目的】阐明再生稻的产量差及影响因素,为揭示其生产潜力和制定高产高效栽培措施提供科学依据。【方法】从中国知网和Web of Science两个数据库,分别以“再生稻产量、品种、施肥、种植密度、留桩高度、种植方式和收割方式”和“ratoon rice,variety,fertilizer and China”为关键词检索,共收集目标文献119篇。总结再生稻头季、再生季和两季总的产量潜力和产量差,通过分析品种、施肥、种植密度、留桩高度、种植方式和收割方式对再生稻产量的影响,阐明再生稻产量差的影响因素及缩小产量差的途径。【结果】当前我国再生稻头季、再生季和两季总的产量潜力分别为11.65、6.90和17.10 t·hm ^-2,总样本平均产量仅分别实现了产量潜力的71%、53%和68%。籼稻和杂交稻的再生稻产量分别比粳稻和常规稻增产24%—19%和18%—8%;头季的最优施肥量约为N 168 kg·hm ^-2,P₂O₅ 123 kg·hm ^-2,K₂O 124 kg·hm ^-2;再生季的最优施肥量约为N 145 kg·hm ^-2,P₂O₅ 50 kg·hm ^-2,K₂O 200 kg·hm ^-2。再生稻头季的适宜种植密度为22.4—29.1万穴/hm ²;适宜留桩高度为40—50 cm;手栽种植利于再生季产量的提高因而总产量也最大;人工收割比机械收割的再生季产量高12%,虽然机种机收会减少产量,但差异不显著。【结论】我国再生稻头季、再生季及两季总产量的增产潜力分别为3.38、3.27和5.41 t·hm ^-2。合适的品种、肥料管理、种植密度、留桩高度、种植和收割方式可以缩小产量差,其中品种以籼稻和杂交稻为主;优化施肥量可以使头季和再生季分别增产9%和22%,优化种植密度则分别增产8%和17%;适宜的留桩高度为40—50 cm;机种机收更符合轻简化现代农业的需求。     

再生稻和双季稻田CH4排放对比研究

【目的】 为了探索生态可持续的稻作模式,对比研究了长江中下游地区双季稻和再生稻稻作模式的产量潜力和CH₄排放特征,以此为选取绿色、生态经济可持续的稻作模式提供科学依据。【方法】 于2017—2018年依托湖南省益阳市大通湖区宏硕生态农业农机合作社科研基地,设置了双季稻和再生稻2种模式,对比分析了产量潜力、稻田生育期间CH₄排放动态和稻田生态系统CH₄季节性累积排放规律以及评估了单位产量稻田CH₄排放。【结果】 试验期间,从产量方面来看,双季稻早稻产量为7.37 t·hm ^-2,再生稻头季产量为8.84 t·hm ^-2,头季相比早稻增产19.95%。双季稻晚稻产量为6.82 t·hm ^-2,再生稻再生季产量为3.39 t·hm ^-2,再生季相比晚稻减产50.29%。综合两季,双季稻总产量为14.19 t·hm ^-2,再生稻总产量为12.22 t·hm ^-2;从生育期间CH₄排放动态来看,双季稻在分蘖期和齐穗期左右排放较强峰值,再生稻除了在分蘖期和齐穗期有较强的排放以外,其在施用促芽肥时也出现了小峰值。但总体双季稻的排放范围（- 0.06—1.30 μmol·m ^-2·s ^-1）要高于再生稻的排放范围（- 0.01—0.70 μmol·m ^-2·s ^-1）;从稻田CH₄季节性累积排放来看,双季稻CH₄累积排放要高于再生稻。再生稻头季累积排放范围在23.90—266.59kg·hm ^-2,再生季累积排放范围在0.00—46.14 kg·hm ^-2。双季稻早稻季节累积排放范围在为35.57—251.29kg·hm ^-2,晚稻季节累积排放范围在为10.74—321.59 kg·hm ^-2。双季稻CH₄季节累积排放A-B（两叶一心至分蘖后期）段>B-C（分蘖后期至齐穗期）段>C-D（齐穗期至成熟期）段,且全生育期双季稻累积排放达922.35 kg·hm ^-2。再生稻CH₄累积排放B-C段>A-B段>C-D段,且全生育期CH₄累积排放为609.74 kg·hm ^-2,即相比对照双季稻,再生稻CH₄累积排放降低了33.89%;最后通过评估单位产量CH₄排放可知,早稻单位产量CH₄排放为0.069 kg·kg ^-1,头季单位产量CH₄排放为0.062 kg·kg ^-1,头季相比早稻减少了10.14%;晚稻单位产量CH₄排放为0.061 kg·kg ^-1,再生季单位产量CH₄排放为0.018 kg·kg ^-1,再生季相比晚稻降低了70.49%。综合两季,双季稻单位产量CH₄排放为0.065 kg·kg ^-1,再生稻单位产量CH₄排放为0.050 kg·kg ^-1,再生稻相比双季稻降低了23.08%。 【结论】 从单位产量下CH₄排放角度来看,在长江中下游双季稻的主产区扩大种植再生稻是为良策。     

dep1 improves rice grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency simultaneously by enhancing nitrogen and dry matter translocation

The rice cultivars carrying dep1(dense and erect panicle 1) have the potential to achieve both high grain yield and high nitrogen use efficiency(NUE). However, few studies have focused on the agronomic and physiological performance of those cultivars associated with high yield and high NUE under field conditions. Therefore, we evaluated the yield performance and NUE of two near-isogenic lines(NILs) carrying DEP1(NIL-DEP1) and dep1-1(NIL-dep1) genes under the Nanjing 6 background at 0 and 120 kg ...     

Cotton maturity and responses to harvest aids following chemical topping with mepiquat chloride during bloom period

Early maturity, complete defoliation and boll opening are essential for the efficient machine harvesting of cotton. Chemical topping, involving one extra application of mepiquat chloride(MC) in addition to its traditional multipleapplication strategy, may be able to replace manual topping. However, it is not known whether this chemical topping technique will influence maturity or cotton responses to harvest aids. In this 2-yr field study, we determined the effects of the timing of chemical toppi...     

Millet/peanut intercropping at a moderate N rate increases crop productivity and N use efficiency,as well as economic benefits,under rain-fed conditions

Cereal and legume intercropping has been widely adopted to increase crop productivity in sustainable farming systems worldwide.  Among different intercropping combinations, millet and peanut intercropping can be adapted to most water-limited areas.  However, there are few studies on the differences in yield characteristics and nitrogen use efficiency between millet/peanut intercropping and monocultures under different nitrogen (N) application rates.  The objective of this study was to determine the yield advantages and economic benefits, as well as the appropriate N application rate, of millet/peanut intercropping.  A two-year field experiment was conducted with three cropping patterns (monoculture millet, monoculture peanut and millet/peanut intercropping) and four N rates (0, 75, 150 and 225 kg ha⁻¹).  The results showed that the land equivalent ratio (LER) and net effect (NE) of the intercropping system reached their highest levels at the N input of 150 kg ha⁻¹ in 2018 and 2019 (1.04 for LER, 0.347 Mg ha⁻¹ for NE, averaged across two years).  Millet was the dominant crop in the intercropping system (aggressivity of millet and peanut (Amp)>0, competitive ratio of millet and peanut (CRmp)>1), and millet yields achieved their highest values at N inputs of 225 kg ha⁻¹ for monoculture and 150 kg ha⁻¹ for intercropping.  NUE reached its highest levels with N inputs of 150 kg ha⁻¹ for all planting patterns over the two years.  Intercropping combined with an N input of 150 kg ha⁻¹ achieved the highest net income of 2 791 USD ha⁻¹, with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.56, averaged over the two years.  From the perspective of economics and agricultural sustainable development, millet/peanut intercropping at 150 kg N ha⁻¹ seems to be a promising alternative to millet or peanut monoculture.     

Effects of erect panicle genotype and environment interactions on rice yield and yield components

The dense and erect panicle (EP) genotype conferred by DEP1 has been widely used in the breeding of high-yield Chinese japonica rice varieties.  However, the breeding value of the EP genotype has rarely been determined at the plant population level.  Therefore, the effects of the interaction of EP genotype and the environment at different locations and times on rice yield and its various components were investigated in this study.  Two sets of near-isogenic lines (NILs) of EP and non-EP (NEP) genotypes with Liaojing 5 (LG5) and Akitakomachi (AKI) backgrounds were grown in the field in 2016 and 2017 in Shenyang, China, and Kyoto, Japan.  In 2018, these sets were grown only in Kyoto, Japan.  The average yields of the EP and NEP genotypes were 6.67 and 6.13 t ha⁻¹ for the AKI background, and 6.66 and 6.58 t ha⁻¹ for the LG5 background, respectively.  The EP genotype positively affected panicle number (PN) and grain number per square meter (GNPM), mostly resulting in a positive effect on harvest index (HI).  In contrast, the EP genotype exerted a negative effect on thousand-grain weight (KGW).  The ratio of the performance of the EP genotype relative to the NEP genotype in terms of yield and total biomass correlated positively with mean daily solar radiation during a 40-day period around heading.  These results indicate that the effectiveness of the EP genotype depends on the availability of solar radiation, and the effect of this genotype is consistently positive for sink formation, conditional in terms of source capacity, and positive in a high-radiation environment.     

Deciphering the morpho–physiological traits for high yield potential in nitrogen efficient varieties(NEVs):A japonica rice case study

The use of nitrogen(N)-efficient rice(Oryza sativa L.) varieties could reduce excessive N input without sacrificing yields. However, the plant traits associated with N-efficient rice varieties have not been fully defined or comprehensively explored. Here, three japonica N-efficient varieties(NEVs) and three japonica N-inefficient varieties(NIVs) of rice were grown in a paddy field under N omission(0 N, 0 kg N ha-1) and normal N(NN, 180 or 200 kg N ha-1) treatments. Results showed that NEVs exhib...     

Continuous applications of biochar to rice: Effects on grain yield and yield attributes

Biochar is considered as a beneficial soil amendment for crop production. However, limited information is available on the effects of continuous applications of biochar on rice. In this study, a fixed field experiment was conducted in the early and late rice-growing seasons from 2015 to 2017. Grain yield and yield attributes with a widely-grown rice cultivar Zhongzao 39 were compared, with and without applications of biochar in each season. The results showed that grain yield initially decreased with biochar applications in the first three seasons due to decreases in grain weight and harvest index. Although there were further relative decreases in grain weight and harvest index for rice that was supplied with biochar in the fourth to sixth seasons, grain yield was increased(by 4–10%) because of increases in sink size(spikelets per m2) and total biomass. The increased sink size in rice whose soil had been supplied with biochar in the fourth to sixth seasons was achieved by increasing panicle size(spikelets per panicle) or number of panicles, or both. Our study suggests that the positive effects of biochar application on rice yield and yield attributes depend on the duration of biochar application. Further investigations are needed to determine what are the soil and physiological processes for producing yield responses associated with ongoing applications of biochar. Also, it should be evaluated the performance of biochar application combined with other management practices, especially those can increase the grain weight and harvest index in rice production.     

Growth and nitrogen productivity of drip-irrigated winter wheat under different nitrogen fertigation strategies in the North China Plain

Excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is the main cause of N loss and poor use efficiency in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production in the North China Plain (NCP).  Drip fertigation is considered to be an effective method for improving N use efficiency and reducing losses, while the performance of drip fertigation in winter wheat is limited by poor N scheduling.  A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth, development and yield of drip-fertigated winter wheat under different split urea (46% N, 240 kg ha^–1) applications.  The six treatments consisted of five fertigation N application scheduling programs and one slow-release fertilizer (SRF) application.  The five N scheduling treatments were N0–100 (0% at sowing and 100% at jointing/booting), N25–75 (25% at sowing and 75% at jointing and booting), N50–50 (50% at sowing and 50% at jointing/booting), N75–25 (75% at sowing and 25 at jointing/booting), and N100–0 (100% at sowing and 0% at jointing/booting).  The SRF (43% N, 240 kg ha^–1) was only used as fertilizer at sowing.  Split N application significantly (P<0.05) affected wheat grain yield, yield components, aboveground biomass (ABM), water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP).  The N50–50 and SRF treatments respectively had the highest yield (8.84 and 8.85 t ha^–1), ABM (20.67 and 20.83 t ha^–1), WUE (2.28 and 2.17 kg m^–3) and NPFP (36.82 and 36.88 kg kg^–1).  This work provided substantial evidence that urea-N applied in equal splits between basal and topdressing doses compete economically with the highly expensive SRF for fertilization of winter wheat crops.  Although the single-dose SRF could reduce labor costs involved with the traditional method of manual spreading, the drip fertigation system used in this study with the N50–50 treatment provides an option for farmers to maintain wheat production in the NCP.     

头季稻收割前施促芽肥对再生稻出苗及产量的影响试验

为充分利用一季中稻地区的光温资源,提高复种指数,增产增收,以超级稻中浙优1号为材料,进行了头季稻收割前不同时期施用促芽肥对再生稻出苗及产量的影响试验。结果表明,在头季稻收割前8～12 d施促芽肥（尿素,225 kg/ha）对再生稻出苗及产量有一定的促进作用,以收割前12 d施用促芽肥出苗最快,生育期长（69 d）,有效穗数300.9万穗/ha、每穗总粒数84.13粒、每穗实粒数71.83粒、结实率85.38%和产量5208.89 kg/ha等性状均最高,可在一季中稻区推广应用。     

Plastic-film-side seeding,as an alternative to traditional film mulching,improves yield stability and income in maize production in semi-arid regions

Planting under plastic-film mulches is widely used in spring maize production in arid-cold regions for water conservation and warming the soil.To ameliorate the associated issues such as plastic-film residues and additional labor during the“seedling release” in spring maize production, we have developed a plastic-film-side seeding (PSS) technology with the supporting machinery.In the semi-arid regions of Northwest China, a 7-year trial demonstrated that PSS increased plant number per hectare by ...     

Grain yield and lodging-related traits of ultrashort-duration varieties for direct-seeded and double-season rice in Central China

Lodging is the most common constraint on grain yield of direct-seeded rice.There is limited information about lodging resistance and its related plant traits in direct-seeded and double-season rice(DDR) in Central China.This study aims to identify the plant traits that achieve high lodging resistance in ultrashort-duration varieties(about 95 days) of DDR.Field experiments were conducted in 2017 and 2018 in Wuxue County,Hubei Province,China,with four ultrashort-duration varieties grown under two ...     

Factors Affecting Yield and Yield Components of Main and Ratoon Rice: A Review

Rice ratooning refers to the production of second crop from the stubble after the harvest of main crop.Main and ratoon rice growth and development are affected by different factors.These factors include varieties selection,water management,fertilizer management,stubble height,plant protection practices and external environmental factors such as temperature and light.In this review,we discussed the different factors affecting the yield and yield components of main and ratoon rice.Among these factors the most important and first one is varietal selection.Varieties should be selected according to the requirement of specific area and prefer varieties resistant to insects/pests and diseases.Sufficient amount of water and fertilizer should be supplied.Stubble height of 10-20 cm will resulted in high production of ratoon rice.Too low or too high temperature and light would reduce the grain yield and quality of rice.Optimal temperature is useful for higher yield.It was concluded that by keeping the management practices more efficiently,the yield of main rice as well as ratoon rice could be increased.There is a need of more studies focusing on improvement of the quality of ratoon rice.