Midori Okami

Grain Yield and Leaf Area Growth of Direct-Seeded Rice on Flooded and Aerobic Soils in Japan

Abstract Direct-seeding has been proposed as a water- and labor-saving method to grow irrigated rice. Our objective was to compare the effects of flooded and aerobic conditions on the yield stability of direct-seeded rice. We set up four trials in the field: aerobic, near-saturated and flooded soils with direct seeding, and flooded soil with transplanting. Grain yield of direct-seeded rice was comparable to that of transplanted under flooded conditions. However, the yield of direct-seeded rice under aerobic conditions was up to 21% lower than that under flooded conditions. This poor performance was associated with reduced leaf growth during the vegetative stage. Our results indicate that the yield stability of direct-seeded rice could be lowered by the water-saving irrigation, compared with the conventional flooded culture. In order to save irrigation water, physiological research on direct-seeded rice should target the vulnerability of rice to aerobic soils or to soil moisture fluctuations.