Fangbo Cao

Improving physiological N-use efficiency by increasing harvest index in rice: a case in super-hybrid cultivar Guiliangyou 2

Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 to compare grain yield, yield attributes and physiological N-use efficiency between two super-hybrid rice cultivars: (1) with the potential of high harvest index and physiological N-use efficiency (Guiliangyou 2) and (2) a representative super-hybrid rice cultivar (Y-liangyou 1). No significant difference in grain yield was observed between Guiliangyou 2 and Y-liangyou 1, whereas there were obvious differences in yield attributes between the two cultivars. Compared with Y-liangyou 1, Guiliangyou 2 had 8–10% lower biomass production but 14–18% higher harvest index. Consequently, physiological N-use efficiency was 18–20% higher in Guiliangyou 2 than in Y-liangyou 1. The higher harvest index in Guiliangyou 2 was mainly attributed to enhanced remobilization of stored reserves in the growing grain than in Y-liangyou 1. Larger panicle neck diameter and thinner leaves were partially responsible for the enhanced remobilization of stored reserves in Guiliangyou 2 as compared to Y-liangyou 1. Our results suggest that Guiliangyou 2 is a unique super-hybrid rice cultivar that achieves high grain yield by increasing harvest index and N-use efficiency.

Root Morphology Was Improved in a Late-Stage Vigor Super Rice Cultivar

This study aimed to test the hypothesis that root morphology might be improved and consequently contributing to superior post-heading shoot growth and grain yield in late-stage vigor super rice. A pot experiment was carried out to compare yield attributes, shoot growth and physiological properties and root morphological traits between a late-stage vigor super rice cultivar (Y-liangyou 087) and an elite rice cultivar (Teyou 838). Grain yield and total shoot biomass were 7–9% higher in Y-liangyou 087 than in Teyou 838. Y-liangyou 087 had 60–64% higher post-heading shoot growth rate and biomass production than Teyou 838. Average relative chlorophyll concentration and net photosynthetic rate in flag leaves were 7–11% higher in Y-liangyou 087 than in Teyou 838 during heading to 25 days after heading. Y-liangyou 087 had 41% higher post-heading shoot N uptake but 17–25% lower root biomass and root-shoot ratio at heading and maturity than Teyou 838. Specific root length and length and surface area of fine roots were higher in Y-liangyou 087 than in Teyou 838 at heading and maturity by more than 15%. These results indicated that root-shoot relationships were well balanced during post-heading phase in the late-stage vigor super rice cultivar Y-liangyou 087 by improving root morphology including avoiding a too great root biomass and developing a large fine root system.

Morphological and physiological traits of seeds and seedlings in two rice cultivars with contrasting early vigor

Abstract Early vigor is important for crop establishment in rice. This study was conducted to determine the seed and seedling traits in relation to early vigor in rice. Laboratory tests and pot experiments were carried out in 2013 and 2014. Morphological and physiological traits of seeds and seedlings were compared between two contrasting rice cultivars, Yuxiangyouzhan with superior early vigor and Huanghuazhan with general early vigor. For seed traits, Yuxiangyouzhan had lower seed hull weight but higher seed amylose content, seed amylase activity, and plumule–radicle ratio than Huanghuazhan, and consequently, Yuxiangyouzhan had about 10% higher germination percentage and velocity and 37% longer plumule than Huanghuazhan. For seedling traits, leaf area, specific leaf weight, leaf chlorophyll and soluble protein contents, leaf net photosynthetic rate, and shoot–root ratio were higher in Yuxiangyouzhan than in Huanghuazhan, and as a result, seedling shoot biomass was 23–32% higher in Yuxiangyouzhan than in Huanghuazhan. These results indicate that Yuxiangyouzhan has both superior seed and seedling vigor. The former is attributed to the low mechanical strength of seed hull, high conversion efficiency of seed reserve, and high mobilization of seed reserve to plumule, while the latter is due to large leaf area, high leaf photosynthetic capacity, and high partitioning of dry matter to shoot. This study enriches the physiological understanding of superior early vigor in rice.

Interaction of Changes in pH and Urease Activity Induced by Biochar Addition Affects Ammonia Volatilization on an Acid Paddy Soil Following Application of Urea

ABSTRACT A pot experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that the interaction of changes in pH and urease activity induced by biochar addition affects ammonia (NH3) volatilization on acid soils following application of urea. The results showed that the difference in accumulative NH3 volatilization between biochar addition rates of 20 and 0 Mg ha–1 was not significant, while the biochar addition rate of 40 Mg ha–1 had 42% higher accumulative NH3 volatilization than the biochar addition rate of 0 Mg ha–1. Soil pH significantly increased with increasing biochar addition rate. The soil urease activity was significantly reduced by biochar addition, but there was no significant difference between biochar addition rates of 20 and 40 Mg ha–1. These results support our hypothesis and suggest that the biochar addition rate may need to be properly selected in order to minimize fertilizer-N loss through NH3 volatilization on urea-fertilized acid paddy soils.

Temperature-Related Yield Constraints of Early-Rice in South China: A Cross-Location Analysis.

Warm temperature during post-heading is generally hypothesized to be the critical factor limiting grain yield of early-rice in South China. However, there is no direct evidence to confirm this hypothesis in the field. This study was conducted to determine the temperature-related yield constraints of early-rice in South China. Field experiments were carried out in Huaiji (a location in South China) and Changsha (a location in the Yangtze River basin) in 2011–2013. In each year, two rice cultivars were grown in early-rice growing season in Huaiji and in single-rice growing season in Changsha. Huaiji had higher average daily maximum temperature during post-heading than Changsha. The higher temperature during post-heading induced early plant senescence (slower crop growth rate and shorter grain filling duration), but grain weight did not reduce because it was compensated for by increased translocation of pre-heading biomass. The higher temperature during post-heading also did not cause a reduction in grain filling percentage. Huaiji had lower temperature during pre-heading than Changsha, which to some extent resulted in slower crop growth rate and consequently lower biomass production and smaller sink size in Huaiji than in Changsha. As a result, grain yield was about 30% lower in Huaiji than in Changsha. Our results indicate that grain yield of early-rice in South China is limited not by warm temperature during post-heading but partially by cool temperature during pre-heading, and suggest that enhancing sink size and meanwhile maintaining good translocation of pre-heading biomass may be an effective way to achieve high yield for early-rice in South China.

Rice Yield and the Fate of Fertilizer Nitrogen as Affected by Addition of Earthworm Casts Collected from Oilseed Rape Fields: A Pot Experiment

The mechanism associated with improvement of soil nutritional status by oilseed rape crop, leading to better performance of rice crop, in rice-oilseed rape cropping systems is little known. The present study was aimed to test the hypothesis that earthworm casts produced during oilseed rape-growing season have positive effects on grain yield and fertilizer nitrogen (N) utilization in the subsequent flooded rice crop. A 15N-tracing pot experiment was conducted to determine the effects of earthworm casts collected from oilseed rape fields on yield attributes in rice and the fate of fertilizer N. Soil treated with earthworm casts (soil: earthworm casts = 4: 1, w/w) (EC1) produced 39% higher grain yield than soil only (EC0). EC1 had 18% more panicle number and 10% higher spikelet filling percentage than EC0. Aboveground biomass and harvest index were higher in EC1 than in EC0 by 20% and 15%, respectively. SPAD values in flag leaves were 10% and 22% higher under EC1 than EC0 at 15 and 20 days after heading, respectively. EC1 had 19% higher total N uptake and 18% higher physiological N-use efficiency than EC0. These positive effects of earthworm casts on yield attributes offset negative effects of decreasing N rate from 0.74 g pot–1 (equivalent to the recommended field rate of 150 kg ha–1) to 0.44 g pot–1 (equivalent to 60% of the recommended rate). Fertilizer N retention rate was 7% higher while fertilizer N loss rate was 6% lower in EC1 than in EC0. Our study suggests that earthworm casts produced during oilseed rape-growing season are expected to have the following benefits on the subsequent flooded rice system: (1) improving growth and physiological processes in rice plants and consequently increasing rice grain yield, and (2) increasing fertilizer N retention rate and hence decreasing fertilizer N loss rate and reducing environmental risk.

Comparison on Grain Quality Between Super Hybrid and Popular Inbred Rice Cultivars Under Two Nitrogen Management Practices

This study was conducted to determine the differences in grain quality traits between super hybrid and popular inbred rice cultivars grown under two nitrogen (N) management practices. Field experiments were done at the Experimental Farm of Guangxi University, Guangxi Province, China in early and late rice-growing seasons in 2014. Two representative super hybrid cultivars Liangyoupeijiu (LYPJ) and Y-liangyou 1 (YLY1) and a popular inbred rice cultivar Huanghuazhan (HHZ) were grown under fixed-time N management (FTNM) and site-specific N management (SSNM) practices in each season. Grain quality traits and N uptake were measured for each cultivar. LYPJ and YLY1 had higher milling efficiency, poorer appearance and palatability, and equal nutritional value than HHZ. The higher milling efficiency and poorer appearance in LYPJ and YLY1 were associated with their higher rice width compared with HHZ. Total N application rate was reduced by 15–20% under SSNM than under FTNM, whereas there was nearly no significant difference in grain quality between SSNM and FTNM. Our results suggest that (1) strategies for grain quality improvement in super hybrid rice should be focused on appearance and palatability, and (2) replacing FTNM with SSNM can reduce N input without sacrificing grain quality in rice production.

Agronomic performance of late-season rice in South China

Abstract Improving rice yields is critical for global food security. China is a major rice-producing country having two rice cropping systems, i.e. single-season rice cropping system and a double-season system with both early- and late-season rice. There have been reports on the sink-source traits contributing to high grain yield for single- and early-season rice, but such information is limited for late-season rice. In this study, field experiments were conducted at the research farm of Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi Province, China in the late rice-growing season. Grain yield and sink-source traits were compared among five cultivars (Guiliangyou 2, Teyou 838, Y-liangyou 087, Teyou 582, and Yuxiangyouzhan) in 2012 and then three cultivars (Guiliangyou 2, Teyou 838, and Y-liangyou 087) in 2013. Y-liangyou 087 produced 6–26% higher grain yield than did the other cultivars. This higher grain yield was driven by improvements in sink-source capacity. Sink capacity was 8–31% higher in Y-liangyou 087 than in the other cultivars. Well-balanced relations between spikelets m−2 and grain weight was responsible for the higher sink capacity in Y-liangyou 087. The result was that Y-liangyou 087 produced 11–17% greater biomass (source capacity) than did the other cultivars. The greater source capacity in Y-liangyou 087 was mainly attributed to higher radiation use efficiency (RUE). Our study suggests that enhancing sink capacity through balanced relations between number of spikelets per unit land area and grain size, while improving source capacity through increasing RUE is a feasible way to achieve higher grain yield of late-season rice in South China.

Urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of urea on nitrogen metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla pinnata. Compared to controls, the application of urea to A. pinnata resulted in a 44% decrease in nitrogenase activity, no significant change in glutamine synthetase activity, 660% higher glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, 39% increase in free amino acid levels, 22% increase in malondialdehyde levels, 21% increase in Na+/K+- levels, 16% increase in Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase levels, and 11% decrease in superoxide dismutase activity. In terms of H2O2 detoxifying enzymes, peroxidase activity did not change and catalase activity increased by 64% in urea-treated A. pinnata. These findings suggest that urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in A. pinnata.