In recent years, with the improvement of rice quality demand, the regulation of cultivation management on starch quality has become increasingly prominent. Here we systematically synthesize key starch metrics-pasting properties, crystallinity, granule morphology and amylose content, clarify the underlying physiology of photosynthesis, C-N metabolism and starch biosynthesis, and comprehensively evaluated the effects of fertilization, irrigation, temperature and light, planting density and harvest period on starch quality. Future work must integrate multi-factor interactions, gene-by-environment synergies and precision cultivation platforms to provide both the theoretical framework and technical support required for elite-quality rice production.

【Objective】 Long-term reliance on chemical fertilizers in red soil paddy fields has caused a decline in soil fertility and nutrient imbalances, leading to unstable rice yields. This study evaluated the effects of combining organic fertilizers and chemical fertilizers at different ratios on soil fertility and rice yields. The findings aim to provide scientific guidance for improving soil quality and promoting sustainable management of red soil paddy fields. 【Method】 A field experiment was conducted in the Green Breeding and Recycling Agricultural Demonstration Area, Shanggao County, Jiangxi Province, from 2021 to 2023. Seven treatments were implemented: no fertilization (CK), conventional chemical fertilizers alone (CF), optimized chemical fertilizers (COF), and partial replacement of chemical nitrogen fertilizers with 15% or 30% fermented pig manure organic fertilizers (OFN15, OFN30), and replacement with 30% or 60% of chemical phosphorus fertilizers with organic fertilizers (OFP30, OFP60). The study systematically analyzed the effects of these treatments on soil pH, carbon content, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium nutrient levels, ecological stoichiometric characteristics, comprehensive soil fertility and rice yields. 【Result】 Treatments involving partial replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers significantly increased the available potassium content in the soil by 10.8%-34.2% compared to CF treatments. Soil pH also increased by 0.19-0.30 units, while organic carbon content rose by 1.7%-11.6%. The effects of different organic fertilizer replacement proportions on soil nutrient improvement varied significantly, indicating the importance of determining the optimal proportion for soil enhancement. Among these treatments, the OFN30 treatment showed the greatest enhancement in soil nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and carbon content. Compared to CF, the OFN15 and OFP60 treatments reduced rice yields by 7.3% and 10.6%, respectively, while the OFN30 and OFP30 treatments showed no significant yield differences. A comprehensive soil fertility evaluation using the Nemero index (IFI) method ranked the seven soil treatments from highest to lowest as follows: OFN15 (1.407), OFN30 (1.391), OFP60 (1.379), OFP30 (1.356), COF (1.354), CF (1.341) and CK (1.309). While inorganic fertilizers had a more significant impact on rice yields, analysis using the partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) revealed that organic fertilizers were more effective in improving soil chemical properties. Furthermore, organic fertilizers had a significant positive impact on rice yield. Specifically, replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizers with organic fertilizers notably increased the levels of total nitrogen, organic carbon, and available nitrogen in paddy soil. 【Conclusion】 Based on a comprehensive evaluation of rice yields and improvements in soil physical and chemical properties, this study found that the application of organic fertilizers significantly enhanced the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as the overall fertility of red soil paddy fields under the experimental conditions. By maintaining the replacement ratio of organic fertilizers to chemical nitrogen fertilizers at about 30% (calculated based on nitrogen contents), an optimal balance between soil fertility and rice yield can be achieved in the short term. These findings provide important scientific evidence and practical guidance for the sustainable management and fertility improvement of red soil paddy fields.

镉（Cd）作为Ⅰ类致癌物，大米是亚洲人群Cd摄入的主要途径，尤其在中国南方稻田Cd污染高风险区。本研究发现，水稻钙/氢离子交换蛋白基因OsCAX2在根中的表达受Cd胁迫诱导上调。亚细胞定位证实OsCAX2蛋白定位于液泡膜。水培实验表明，OsCAX2过表达株系根系Cd积累显著增加，而地上部Cd积累显著减少，根向地上部的Cd转运率降低43.7%，且植株生长未受影响；在Cd污染土壤（1 mg kg⁻⊃1; Cd）下种植发现，过表达株系糙米和剑叶中Cd含量分别较野生型显著降低49.1%和39.7%，且关键农艺性状及产量无显著变化。这些结果表明，过表达OsCAX2可能通过增强根细胞液泡对Cd的区隔化存储，有效阻遏Cd向地上部及籽粒转运，为培育适用于中国南方Cd污染区的低Cd积累高产籼稻品种提供了重要的理论基础和基因资源。

As the global leader in rice production, China’s paddy fields contribute substantially to greenhouse gas emissions through methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) releases. Aromatic rice cultivation practices have been optimized to enhance the aroma, so the relationship between its cultivation and greenhouse gas emissions from paddy fields is unclear. To investigate how aroma-enhancing cultivation practices drive microbial community dynamics in aromatic rice paddies and their implications for greenhouse gas emissions, a two-year experiment in five ecological locations (Xingning, Nanxiong, Conghua, Luoding, and Zengcheng) compared two farming practices: partial organic substitution for inorganic fertilizers combined with water-saving irrigation (IOF+W) and traditional cultivation (CK). The CH₄ and N₂O emissions, soil microbial composition and function, global warming potential (GWP), nitrogen use efficiency, yield, and the content of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) were measured and analyzed. The main purpose was to investigate the impact of IOF+W on CH₄ and N₂O emissions and their relationship with soil microorganisms. The results showed that IOF+W significantly reduced CH₄ emission fluxes and totals (36.95%) and GWP (31.29%), while significantly increasing N₂O emission fluxes and totals (14.82%). The soil microbial community structure was reshaped by the IOF+W treatment, which suppressed methanogens but enhanced the abundances of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. Key enzymatic activities involved in CH₄ production, such as methyl-coenzyme M reductase, formylmethanofuran dehydrogenase, and methyltransferase, decreased. In contrast, the activity of the key CH₄-oxidizing enzyme methanol dehydrogenase increased. This shift led to an overall attenuation of the CH₄ production metabolism while enhancing the CH₄ oxidation metabolism. In addition, the activities of pivotal enzymes involved in denitrification and nitrification were improved, thus enhancing nitrogen nitrification and denitrification metabolism. Moreover, the IOF+W treatment significantly increased nitrogen use efficiency (47.83%), yield (14.77%), and 2-AP content (13.78%). Therefore, the IOF+W treatment demonstrated good efficacy as a sustainable strategy for achieving productive, green, resource-efficient, and premium-quality aromatic rice cultivation in South China.

In China, farmers have increasingly adopted the direct-seeded rice (DSR). While the impacts of DSR have been investigated, there is little evidence on the impact of DSR adoption on pesticide use. In this study, the impact of DSR adoption on pesticide use is examined using data from a 2018 survey of 982 rice farmers in the Yangtze River Basin in China. The endogenous treatment-regression and switching regression models are employed to address the self-selection issue. The results show that, after accounting for the self-selection issue, the DSR adopters spend 401.72 CNY ha^-1 more on pesticides compared to the non-adopters. While DSR adoption significantly increases the use of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides, its positive impacts on insecticide and herbicide expenditures are the greatest and smallest, respectively. The robustness is confirmed by replacing the dependent variable, winsorizing the research sample and altering the estimation method. The heterogeneous analysis illustrates that DSR adoption has a greater positive impact on pesticide expenditure for farmers aged below 60 years, with at least 6 years of education, and with rice sown area less than 2 ha. Based on these findings, this study proposes that efforts should be made to enhance the complementary techniques for DSR, popularity of DSR cultivation technologies, and the socialized services. In summary, this study provides a more comprehensive view of the advantages and disadvantages of DSR with a focus on its impact on pesticide use, which has important policy recommendations for pesticide reduction.

 

Nitrogen use efficiency in rice is lower than in upland crops, likely due to differences in soil nitrogen dynamics and crop nitrogen preferences. However, the specific nitrogen dynamics in paddy and upland systems and their impact on crop nitrogen uptake remain poorly understood. The N dynamics and impact on crop N uptake determine the downstream environmental pollution from nitrogen fertilizer. To address this poor understanding, we analyzed 2,044 observations of gross nitrogen transformation rates in soils from 136 studies to examine nitrogen dynamics in both systems and their effects on nitrogen uptake in rice and upland crops. Our findings revealed that nitrogen mineralization and autotrophic nitrification rates are lower in paddies than in upland soil, while dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium is higher in paddies, these differences being driven by flooding and lower total nitrogen content in paddies. Rice exhibited higher ammonium uptake, while upland crops had over twice the nitrate uptake. Autotrophic nitrification stimulated by pH reduced rice nitrogen uptake, while heterotrophic nitrification enhanced nitrogen uptake of upland crops. Autotrophic nitrification played a key role in regulating the ammonium-to-nitrate ratio in soils, which further affected the balance of plant nitrogen uptake. These results highlight the need to align soil nitrogen dynamics with crop nitrogen preferences to maximize plant maximize productivity and reduce reactive nitrogen pollution.

Coordinating light and nitrogen (N) distribution within a canopy is essential for improving rice yield and resource use efficiency.  However, limited research has examined light and N distribution in response to planting density and N rate, and their relationships with grain yield, radiation use efficiency (RUE), and N use efficiency for grain production (NUEg) in rice.  A two-year field experiment was conducted with two hybrid varieties under three N levels, 0 kg ha^–1 (N1), 90 kg ha^–1 (N2) and 180 kg ha^–1 (N3), and two planting densities, 22.2 hills m^–2 (D1) and 33.3 hills m^–2 (D2).  Results showed 3.4% higher yield and 4.4% higher NUEg under N2D2 compared with N3D1.  The extinction coefficient for N (K_N) and light (K_L) and their ratio (K_N/K_L) at heading stage were significantly influenced by N rate, planting density, and their interaction.  K_N decreased with the increase of N input or planting density.  Compared to N1, K_N decreased by 43.5 and 58.8% under N2 and N3, respectively, while K_N under D2 decreased by 16.0% compared to D1.  Higher K_L and K_N/K_L values occurred under low N rates, with opposite trends under high N rates.  Increased planting density led to decreased K_L and K_N/K_L values.  N2D2 demonstrated higher K_L and K_N, and thus comparable K_N/K_L, compared to N3D1.  Correlation analysis revealed K_L negatively correlated with RUE, while K_N and K_N/K_L positively correlated with NUEg.  These findings indicate that increasing planting density under reduced N input could maintain rice yield while enhancing resource use efficiency through regulation of canopy light and N distribution.

The aims of the study are to investigate the effects of seven soil amendments on the uptake of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) by rice grown in the moderately to lightly heavy metal-contaminated paddy fields during the early and late growing stages, and identify effective amendments that significantly reduce heavy metal accumulation in rice grains, providing a basis for the safe production of contaminated farmland through precise amendment application. A field plot experiment was designed to evaluate seven types of soil amendments applied individually as basal fertilizers, including a nutrient-based blocking agent (ZK), Jiandifeng soil conditioner (JF), calcareous soil amendment (SH), oyster shell-based amendment (HK), Jinkuizi amendment (JK), organic soil amendment (OF), and Xinjiang soil conditioner (NK), with no amendment application serving as the control (CK). The study analyzed rice yield, Cd and As concentrations in brown rice, and selected soil physicochemical properties during both cropping seasons. The results showed that compared with the control, all seven soil amendments increased the soil pH in both early and late rice seasons to varying degrees. The SH treatment resulted in the greatest increase, with pH rising by 0.60 and 0.29 units, respectively. SH also significantly reduced soil DTPA-extractable Cd by 10.8% and 13.1% in the early and late seasons, respectively, although it showed a tendency to increase soil available As. The effects of the amendments on soil macro-nutrient elements (exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Mg and available Si) varied. SH treatment yielded the highest exchangeable Ca content (22.0% and 20.8% increases), ZK achieved the highest exchangeable Mg levels (increases of 9.9% and 12.2%), while JK significantly enhanced available Si content (increases of 89.8% and 80.1%) in early and late seasons, respectively. Five of the seven treatments significantly reduced Cd concentrations in brown rice, with reductions ranging from 26.0% to 59.6%; the greatest decrease in the early season was observed in the SH treatment. No amendment had a significant effect on the total As content in rice grains. Under the conditions of this study, the SH, ZK and HK amendments effectively increased soil pH, reduced DTPA-extractable Cd levels, and consequently decreased Cd accumulation in rice grains during both cropping seasons. These treatments maintained the rice yield and offered favorable economic benefits, highlighting their practical potential for improving grain safety in contaminated paddy fields.

[Objective] The price volatility of vegetables has profound implications for both farmers and consumers. Fluctuating prices directly impact farmers' earnings and pose challenges to market stability and consumer purchasing behaviors. These fluctuations are driven by a multitude of complex and interrelated factors, including supply and demand, seasonal cycles, climatic conditions, logistical efficiency, government policies, consumer preferences, and suppliers' trading strategies. As a result, vegetable prices tend to exhibit nonlinear and non-stationary patterns, which significantly complicate efforts to produce accurate price forecasts. Addressing these forecasting challenges holds considerable practical and theoretical value, as improved prediction models can support more stable agricultural markets, secure farmers' incomes, reduce cost-of-living volatility for consumers, and inform more precise and effective government regulatory strategies. [Methods] The study investigated the application of neural network-based time series forecasting models for the prediction of vegetable prices. In particular, a selection of state-of-the-art neural network architectures was evaluated for their effectiveness in modeling the complex dynamics of vegetable pricing. The selected models for the research included PatchTST and iTransformer, both of which were built upon the Transformer architecture, as well as SOFTS and TiDE, which leveraged multi-layer perceptron (MLP) structures. In addition, Time-LLM, a model based on a large language model architecture, was incorporated to assess its adaptability to temporal data characterized by irregularity and noise. To enhance the predictive performance and robustness of these models, an automatic hyperparameter optimization algorithm was employed. This algorithm systematically adjusted key hyperparameters such as learning rate, batch size, early stopping, and random seed. It utilized probabilistic modeling techniques to construct performance-informed distributions for guiding the selection of more effective hyperparameter configurations. Through iterative updates informed by prior evaluation data, the optimization algorithm increased the search efficiency in high-dimensional parameter spaces, while simultaneously minimizing computational costs. The training and validation process allocated 80% of the data to the training set and 20% to the validation set, and employed the mean absolute error (MAE) as the primary loss function. In addition to the neural network models, the study incorporated a traditional statistical model, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), as a baseline model for performance comparison. The predictive accuracy of all models was assessed using three widely recognized error metrics: MAE, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and mean squared error (MSE). The model that achieved the most favorable performance across these metrics was selected for final vegetable price forecasting. [Results and Discussions] The experimental design of the study focused on four high-demand, commonly consumed vegetables: carrots, white radishes, eggplants, and iceberg lettuce. Both daily and weekly price forecasting tasks were conducted for each type of vegetable. The empirical results demonstrated that the neural network-based time series models provided strong fitting capabilities and produced accurate forecasts for vegetable prices. The integration of automatic hyperparameter tuning significantly improved the performance of these models. In particular, after tuning, the MSE for daily price prediction decreased by at least 76.3% for carrots, 94.7% for white radishes, and 74.8% for eggplants. Similarly, for weekly price predictions, the MSE reductions were at least 85.6%, 93.6%, and 64.0%, respectively, for the same three vegetables. These findings confirm the substantial contribution of the hyperparameter optimization process to enhancing model effectiveness. Further analysis revealed that neural network models performed better on vegetables with relatively stable price trends, indicating that the underlying consistency in data patterns benefited predictive modeling. On the other hand, Time-LLM exhibited stronger performance in weekly price forecasts involving more erratic and volatile price movements. Its robustness in handling time series data with high degrees of randomness suggests that model architecture selection should be closely aligned with the specific characteristics of the target data. Ultimately, the study identified the best-performing model for each vegetable and each prediction frequency. The results demonstrated the generalizability of the proposed approach, as well as its effectiveness across diverse datasets. By aligning model architecture with data attributes and integrating targeted hyperparameter optimization, the research achieved reliable and accurate forecasts. [Conclusions] The study verified the utility of neural network-based time series models for forecasting vegetable prices. The integration of automatic hyperparameter optimization techniques notably improved predictive accuracy, thereby enhancing the practical utility of these models in real-world agricultural settings. The findings provide technical support for intelligent agricultural price forecasting and serve as a methodological reference for predicting prices of other agricultural commodities. Future research may further improve model performance by integrating multi-source heterogeneous data. In addition, the application potential of more advanced deep learning models can be further explored in the field of price prediction.

Zinc is an essential trace element for us. About 2 billion people in the world are suffering from hidden hunger caused by zinc deficiency. Zinc nutrition enhancement of rice is an efficient way to solve this problem. This review systematically synthesized advances in zinc-enriched rice research across genetic breeding, physiological mechanisms, and cultivation techniques. It summarized the application of molecular marker-assisted selection, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and space mutagenesis in developing high-zinc varieties; analyzed the functions of zinc transport proteins (e.g., OsZIP, OsHMA2) and nicotianamine (NA)-mediated zinc phloem transport; and reviewed the effects of cultivation practices such as basal and foliar zinc fertilization, phosphorus-zinc co-application, and rice-fish co-culture on grain zinc enrichment. The review pointed out that OsCKX4 overexpression lines achieved 58 mg/kg zinc in brown rice, while OsNAS overexpression doubled NA synthesis and significantly improved zinc allocation efficiency. It suggested that integrated cultivation techniques elevated grain zinc content to 42 mg/kg, with a yield of 12750 kg/hm², achieving a synergistic ‘high yield-high zinc’ outcome. The review proposed that future efforts should integrate multi-omics and smart agriculture technologies to promote the industrialization of zinc-enriched rice and provide solutions for global zinc nutrition improvement.

Rice is not only an important food crop in our country but also a primary source of food for over 3 billion people worldwide. In recent decades, various pests and diseases, climate change and other adverse factors have posed a serious threat to rice production and global food security, leading to an increasing demand for high-yield and disease-resistant rice varieties. Traditional breeding methods are cumbersome and inefficient. Against this backdrop, gene editing technology has gradually become a research focus in the field of disease-resistant rice breeding. Gene editing technology has evolved through three generations: from zinc finger nucleases (ZFN) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) to the CRISPR gene editing system, and derived technologies such as single base editing and guided editing systems. This article reviews the latest research progress both domestically and internationally, systematically summarizing the applications of CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology in the resistance studies of rice blast, sheath blight, rice false smut, bacterial blight, bacterial leaf streak and rice black streaked dwarf disease. It provides an in-depth analysis of the current application status in rice disease-resistant breeding and forecasts future development prospects, aiming to offer new ideas and methods for rice disease-resistant breeding while also providing references for further development of gene editing technology.

To alleviate the damage of low-temperature stress to rice seedlings, a rice cultivar ‘Qingxiangyou 19 xiang’ was used to compare the effects of different concentrations of salicylic acid (0, 10, 100, 1000 µmol/L) by leaf spraying on the biomass, root system architecture, malondialdehyde (MDA), proline and antioxidant enzyme activities of rice seedlings under low temperature (8℃) stress. The results showed that with the increase of salicylic acid concentration, the root system architecture, plant height, and biomass of the rice seedlings under low temperature treatment presented a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, and the indicators were highest in the seedlings sprayed with 10 µmol/L salicylic acid. Compared with the control, the total root length and plant height of rice seedlings increased by 36.49% and 17.14%, respectively, and the root biomass, shoot biomass, and total biomass increased by 46.02%, 16.60%, and 21.93%, the proline content and the peroxidase (POD) activity increased by 529.87% and 40.6%, the MDA content reduced by 37.04%, under 10 µmol/L salicylic acid treatment. The above results indicated that the 10 µmol/L salicylic acid alleviated the low-temperature stress of rice seedlings by increasing POD activity and proline content, and by reducing MDA content.

This paper systematically introduces the breeding process, characteristics, and high-yield cultivation techniques of Huijingnuo 125, a japonica glutinous rice variety. Approved by Anhui Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2023 (Wanshendao 2023L054), it was developed through 7 generations of breeding over 5 years, with Wuxiangnuo 2402 as female parent crossed with Huainuo 12 (F₁ generation), which was then crossed with Wankenuo 2. Huijingnuo 125 had moderate plant type, tough stems, straight flag leaves, light green leaf color, and strong lodging resistance. In a 3-year multi-site experiment, it achieved an average yield of 10 249.3 kg/hm⊃2;, 8.98% higher than the control variety Dangjing 8, with 100% yield-increasing rate. Its rice quality is superior (amylose content < 2%), it is moderately susceptible to rice blast and resistant to bacterial blight, and contains genes for blast resistance (Pi-ta, Pib, Pi-Km), bacterial blight resistance (Xa26/Xa3), and grain shape optimization (GLW7). For high-yield cultivation, sowing is recommended from late May to early June, with a seed rate of 90 kg/hm⊃2; for direct seeding and 60-75 kg/hm⊃2; for mechanical transplanting (transplanting density: 240 000-300 000 hills/hm⊃2;). Direct-seeded fields require sufficient base fertilizer, early tillering fertilizer, timely panicle fertilizer, proper field drying for tiller control, and alternating dry-wet irrigation (water cut-off 7 days before harvest). Mechanically transplanted fields need seedling-strengthening fertilizer, fine soil preparation, and split nitrogen application (base:tillering:panicle fertilizer = 4:2:4) with timely field drainage. By following green prevention and control protocols, biological and physical methods were used for the sustainable management of pests, diseases, and weeds. This paper provides a reference for the large scale popularization and cultivation of Huijingnuo 125 in relevant regions.

To clarify the control effect of cyproflanilide on Chilo suppressalis in rice, this paper used Zheyou 18 as the experimental subject and sowed the seeds on May 13, 2024. Based on the pest and disease alert, pesticide application was carried out on September 13th and September 23rd, 2024, respectively. An investigation was also conducted on the growth safety of rice, the number of tillers, the number of white panicles, the white-panicle rate, and the control efficacy against white panicles. 9 treatments were set up in the experiment: 20% cyproflanilide Suspension Concentrate (SC) 300 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 1); 20% cyproflanilide SC 300 mL/hm⊃2; (the first pesticide application) + 20% cyproflanilide SC 300 mL/hm⊃2; (the second pesticide application) (treatment 2); 20% cyproflanilide SC 300 mL/hm⊃2; + 10% abamectin·methoxyfenozide SC 2 250 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 3); 20% cyproflanilide SC 300 mL/hm⊃2; + 20% monosultap Emulsion in Water (EC) 3 750 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 4); 20% cyproflanilide SC 300 mL/hm⊃2; + 5% abamectin Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) 2 250 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 5); 10% abamectin·methoxyfenozide SC 2 250 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 6); 10% abamectin·methoxyfenozide SC 2 250 mL/hm⊃2; + 20% monosultap EW 3 750 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 7); 6% spinetoram SC 900 mL/hm⊃2; + 20% monosultap EW 3 750 mL/hm⊃2; (treatment 8); blank control (CK, treatment 9). The results showed that the average number of tillers per cluster in treatments 1-9 ranged from 14.0 to 18.8, the number of white-panicles ranged from 137 to 1 373, and the white-panicle rate ranged from 1.37% to 14.96%. The control effect of treatment 1 was 81.6%, significantly higher than that of treatment 6. Treatment 2 had the best control effect among all treatments, reaching 90.8%, significantly higher than those of treatment 1 and treatment 6. The control effects of treatment 3 and treatment 5 were 89.8% and 90.3% respectively. The control effect of treatment 4 was the next. The control effects of the control agents in treatments 6, 7, and 8 were 59.0%, 79.3%, and 77.9% respectively, all of which did not reach 80%. Comprehensively, the single agent of cyproflanilide and its combinations with 5% abamectin EC 2 250 mL/hm⊃2;, 10% abamectin·methoxyfenozide SC 2 250 mL/hm⊃2;, and 20% monosultap EW 3 750 mL/hm⊃2; can be used as highly effective control agents for Chilo suppressalis in rice. This paper provides a reference for the control of Chilo suppressalis in rice.

Alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD) plays crucial roles in regulating the cooking and eating quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.).  However, it remains unclear about how AWD influences rice cooking and eating quality.  Lipid and free fatty acids in grains are positively related with cooking and eating quality of rice. In this study, Yangdao 6 (YD6, a conventional taste indica inbred) and Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108, a superior taste japonica inbred) were planted in the field with conventional irrigation (CI), alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD), and alternate wetting and severe drying irrigation (AWSD) from 10 days after transplanting to maturity.  The relationships between the biosynthesis of lipid and free fatty acids in grains and cooking and eating quality of rice were investigated.  Compared with CI treatment, the AWMD significantly increased contents of lipid, total free fatty acids (TFFAs), free unsaturated fatty acids (FUFAs), linoleic acid, and oleic acid in milled rice by promoting activities of the enzymes associated with lipid synthesis, while AWSD regime exerted the opposite effect.  Correlation analysis showed that higher contents of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid, and oleic acid were more beneficial to improvement in rice cooking and eating quality.  These results demonstrated that AWMD regime could improve cooking and eating quality of milled rice by optimizing lipid and fatty acid synthesis in rice grains.

To explore the efficiency of different slow (controlled) release fertilizers in rice, this experiment set up four treatments of fertilization: conventional fertilization, Maoshi controlled-release fertilizer, Sirte slow-release fertilizer, and Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer. The rice yield and soil chemical properties were measured in each plot, and the effects of different slow (controlled) release fertilizers on reduction and efficiency of rice fertilizer, soil fertility and determination of soil chemical properties were evaluated using combination of the analysis of soil enzyme activity and microorganism indicators. The results showed that when fertilizer nutrients quantity decreased by 13%, the theoretical yield of rice was consistent with the actual yield, with Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer treatment>Sirte slow-release fertilizer treatment>conventional fertilization treatment>Maoshi controlled-release fertilizer treatment; under the application of slow (controlled) release fertilizer in rice, the cost-saving and fertilizer reduction effect of Sirte slow-release fertilizer and Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer were the better; the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium content of rice grains and straw treated with Sirte slow-release fertilizer and Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer were relatively higher. Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer treatment had the best effect on improving various chemical and biological characteristics of soil. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that the application of Maoshi dual control slow-release fertilizer had the best effect.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of different organic fertilizer applications on the economic traits and yield of crops under the rice-oilseed rape rotation model, exploring the optimal rate of organic fertilizer application and providing scientific basis for application in oilseed rape cultivation. Field trials were conducted from 2019 to 2022 at the Heng’an Agricultural and Forestry Professional Cooperative in Yinqiao Town, Dali City. Rice cultivation was treated with 7500 kg/hm² of solid organic fertilizer and 600 kg/hm² of liquid organic fertilizer. Four treatments of organic fertilizer applications for oilseed rape cultivation were set up, including no fertilizer (A), 7500 kg/hm² of solid organic fertilizer + 1890 kg/hm² of liquid organic fertilizer (B), 15000 kg/hm² of solid organic fertilizer + 1890 kg/hm² of liquid organic fertilizer (C), 22500 kg/hm² of solid organic fertilizer + 1890 kg/hm² of liquid organic fertilizer (D). The results showed that: (1) the average values of the main economic traits of oilseed rape increased with the quantity of organic fertilizer application. (2) Over two years, the average yields of oilseed rape in treatments A to D was 922.40, 2352.35, 2830.5 and 3237.40 kg/hm², respectively, demonstrating that oilseed rape yield also increased with the application of organic fertilizer. This study concluded that increasing application of organic fertilizer enhanced oilseed rape yield and economic traits. Considering the factors such as yield and cost, the optimal application rate of organic fertilizer was proposed as followed: 15000 kg/hm² of solid organic fertilizer and 1890 kg/hm² of liquid organic fertilizer. This study provides a scientific guidance and theoretical basis for organic fertilizer application in cultivation of oilseed rape.

The objective of this study is to establish an efficient and rapid method for directly measuring mercury (Hg) content in rice and to investigate the distribution characteristics of Hg in four different tissue parts of rice plants. Roots, stems, and grains (including husk and brown rice) from the same rice plants were used as test materials. After drying and pulverizing, Hg was determined by direct mercury analyzer with external standard quantification. The results showed that the direct mercury analysis method exhibited excellent linearity (correlation coefficient R=0.9999), with a detection limit of 0.064 μg/kg, precision ranging from 1.8% to 3.2%, and spike recovery rates between 103% and 109%; significant differences in Hg content were observed among different rice tissues, with an overall distribution pattern of root > stem > husk > brown rice, forming a three-stage distribution pattern of "root-stem-grain"; positive correlations were found between Hg content in soil and various rice tissues (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.329 to 0.693). The established direct mercury analyzer method eliminates complex sample pretreatment processes while maintaining simplicity, rapidity, and accuracy, making it suitable for Hg detection in rice. The distribution of Hg in different tissues of rice is significantly different. For Hg-contaminated areas, the risk of Hg accumulation in rice can be reduced by regulating soil Hg activity (such as applying modifiers) and screening low-enrichment varieties, so as to guide grain production and environmental governance.

This paper systematically reviews the technical system of straw returning, the development status of machinery and equipment, and the practice mode of machinery-agronomy integration in rice–wheat annual rotation area, and put forward the prospect of machinery-agronomy integration. Straw returning technology, including crushing rotary tillage, mulching, ploughing and reverse rotary stubble crushing, have been widely promoted in the region, and a series of mechanical equipment such as crushing and returning machines, deep ploughing and returning machines, no-till and mulching seeders, as well as multi-functional integrated machinery have been developed in conjunction. In the process of straw returning, typical models of the machinery-agronomy integration involved “crushing and returning to the field + no-till sowing”“straw crushing + deep loosening and land preparation + wide and narrow row planting”“partial returning to the field + utilization of straw as fertilizer”“straw returning to the field + formula fertilization + comprehensive prevention and control of diseases, pests and weeds”, etc. In terms of key technologies, the coordinated combination of straw crushing by machinery and agronomic mulching control helps ensure the smooth emergence of seedlings, the integration of straw crushing and returning to the field with the application of composting agents and organic fertilizers can promote the recycling of nutrients, through measures such as uniform mulching and optimizing the crop rotation system, comprehensive prevention and control of diseases and pests that may be caused by straw returning to the field can be achieved, the combination of “coarse crushing + fine crushing” with the use of water regulation and microbial bacteria agents is conducive to enhancing the efficiency of humification. The machinery-agronomy integration still faces challenges in practical application, such as insufficient adaptability to terrain, low efficiency in straw treatment, prominent soil compaction problems caused by repetitive mechanical operations, and the possible aggravation of the occurrence of pests, diseases and weeds due to straw mulching and returning to the field. In the future, the following aspects should be improved: develop lightweight, multi-functional and modular agricultural machinery, as well as integrate high-power multi-functional integrated machinery with economical and lightweight machinery; improve the crushing device and accelerate the iterative upgrading of integrated machinery for crushing, turning and sowing; optimize agronomic parameters and conduct systematic research on typical integration models; pay attention to the coordinated cooperation between agricultural machinery, agronomic measures and ecological processes. This study provided reference for the optimization of straw returning technology in rice-wheat rotation area.

To identify high yielding and high quality medium season indica rice varieties suitable for cultivation in Tuanfeng County, Huanggang, Hubei Province, a comparative trial was conducted with 20 varieties, including Luohongyou 1564 and Yiliangyou 311. Their growth duration, agronomic traits, resistance, and yield performance were systematically evaluated. The growth duration of the varieties ranged from 115 to 143 days. 10 varieties, including Yiliangyou 311 and Shengliangyouluojiazhan, exhibited a moderate growth periods ranging from 127 to 133 days. In terms of agronomic traits, plant height varied from 110.1 to 135.3 cm. Most varieties, such as Luohongyou 1564, displayed compact plant architecture, vigorous growth, uniform stands, and strong lodging resistance. None of the varieties showed bacterial leaf blight, and leaf blast incidence was low. Yield ranged from 7 579.5 to 12 331.5 kg/hm², with Changliangyou 803 achieving the highest yield. The comprehensive selection of varieties with good field growth, good disease resistance, and high yield, as well as excellent field performance, includes Shengliangyouluojiazhan, Wanfengyousizhan, Changliangyou 803, Quanyou 1606, Hualiangyou 919, and Longdao No.3. This study provides a scientific basis for promoting and deploying medium indica rice varieties in the region.

The comprehensive cultivation techniques for the hybrid rice variety Y Liangyou 1173 were systematically summarized, and its performance in a demonstration planting conducted in Xingning, Guangdong, in 2024 was evaluated. The comprehensive cultivation techniques include ultrasonic seed selection and seed soaking and germination with strong chlorine-based disinfectant; using plastic tray seedling raising combined with seedling strengthening agent to cultivate robust seedlings. Additionally, the methods involve fine land preparation and rational dense planting (255 000-300 000 hills/hm²), the implementation of precise and alternating dry and wet water-saving irrigation strategies, and the adherence to the “prevention first, integrated control” philosophy. A green pest and disease control model was established, based on healthy cultivation practices and incorporating accurate forecasting, physical and chemical attraction control, and scientific pesticide application, with the use of plant protection drones to enhance control efficiency. Mechanical harvesting in the late stage of ripening, safe storage when dried to a moisture content of 14.5% in rice grains. The demonstration results showed that the variety had a total growth period of 112-126 days, effective panicle numbers of 2.49-2.61 million panicles/hm², and a yield of 9 543.30-9 769.50 kg/hm². The chalkiness degree ranged from 1.2% to 2.5%. Overall, the variety exhibited excellent characteristics such as high yield, high quality, desirable maturity color, and strong resistance. This study provides a reference for the promotion and cultivation of this variety in similar ecological regions.

随着人们对大米营养品质关注度的提升，米糠油作为稻米副产品的高附加值开发方向日益受到重视。水稻种子中油酸含量偏低，限制了米糠油的营养价值和氧化稳定性。已有研究证实脂肪酸去饱和酶基因OsFAD2在油酸代谢中发挥关键作用，但目前在水稻中对其育种利用仍较少，尤其对其农艺性状影响研究有限。本研究以主栽粳稻品种苏垦118为材料，应用CRISPR/Cas9技术敲除OsFAD2-1基因，构建高油酸突变体。通过脂肪酸组分检测发现，突变体中油酸含量显著升高，亚油酸含量下降，脂肪酸组成得到优化。同时，对T₂代材料进行农艺性状与RVA指标分析，结果显示突变体主要农艺性状保持稳定，部分指标表现优于对照。本研究明确了OsFAD2-1对水稻籽粒脂质组成的调控作用，为功能型稻米的分子育种提供了新思路，也为米糠油品质提升及水稻副产物的高值化利用奠定了基础。

Improving rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) are crucial challenges for coordinating food production and environmental health. However, little is known about the physiological mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of high yield and NUE in rice. Using two near-isogenic rice lines (named DEP1 and dep1), a two-year field experiment was conducted to assess agronomic characteristics and the physiological characteristics of carbon and nitrogen translocation under three nitrogen levels. Compared with DEP1, dep1 had higher grain yield, grain filling percentage, nitrogen (N) uptake, and NUE. More non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) and N in the stems were translocated to grains during grain filling in dep1 than in DEP1. Furthermore, stem NSC translocation was significantly positively correlated with grain yield, while stem N translocation was significantly positively correlated with NUE. Key carbon metabolism enzyme activities (α-amylase, β-amylase and sucrose-phosphate synthase in stems, and sucrose synthase, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and starch synthase in grains) and stem sucrose transporter gene (OsSUT1 and OsSWEET13) expression were higher in dep1 than in DEP1. This contributed to high stem NSC translocation. Higher N translocation in the stems occurred due to the higher expression of OsNPF2.4. Moreover, the higher values of root morphological traits (root dry weight, root surface area, root length and root volume) and structural characteristics (stele diameter, cortical thickness and vessel section area) in dep1 explained its high nitrogen uptake. In addition, higher expression of OsNADH-GOGAT1 and OsGS1.3 promoted the assimilation of ammonium and contributed to higher nitrogen uptake in dep1. The application of N reduced carbon translocation but enhanced N translocation by regulating the corresponding metabolic enzyme activities and gene expression. Overall, these findings highlighted the roles of nitrogen uptake, and carbon and nitrogen translocation from stems as crucial characteristics for synergistically improving yield and NUE in the dep1 rice line.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins play crucial roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, specifically RNA editing and RNA splicing, in plant organelles. Despite longstanding research on chloroplast biogenesis and development, the roles of most PPR genes in this process in rice (Oryza sativa) remain unclear. In this study, we identified a novel P-type PPR protein, YELLOW-GREEN LEAF AND SEEDLING LETHAL (YGS), that is targeted to rice chloroplasts.  YGS is preferentially expressed in leaves.  The ygs mutants were obtained by knocking out YGS gene using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing; these mutants exhibited yellow-green leaves and a seedling-lethal phenotype.  Consistent with these phenotypes, the ygs mutants had lower levels of pigment contents and an abnormal chloroplast ultrastructure compared to the wild type.  Moreover, the expression levels of genes related to chloroplast development and chlorophyll biosynthesis were significantly altered in the ygs mutants.   In addition, loss of function of YGS impaired RNA editing of rpl2 and intron splicing of ycf3-1 in the plastid genome. Finally, YGS interacted with the chloroplast signal recognition particle protein OscpSRP54b in yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays.  These findings suggest that YGS is involved in RNA editing and RNA splicing in chloroplasts, thereby playing a crucial role in chloroplast development in rice.

The aim of this study is to clarify the filed control effect of nano-formulations of biopesticides on major rice insect pests and their increasing efficiency compared to traditional formulations. The control effects of two nano-biopesticides and several conventional pesticides on three major rice insect pests (Chilo suppressalis, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis and rice planthopper) were compared by field efficacy trials. The results showed that spinosad·dinotefuran 9.3% nano-emulsion had good control effects against three major rice pests. The control effects on the 9^th day after the second application were 87.7%, 87.5%, and 95.7%, respectively. Spinosad·matrine 4.5% nano-emulsion showed excellent efficacy in controlling C. medinalis, with efficacy rates of 85.7%, 91.2%, and 80.6% in three surveys after applications, respectively, significantly higher than other treatments. However, its efficacy against C. suppressalis and rice planthoppers was poor, with the highest efficacy rates of 70.6% and 70.2% on the 9^th day after second application, respectively, significantly lower than the conventional control agents of avermectin·methoxyfenozide 10% SC and pymetrozine 50% WDG in bucket mixing treatment. The results also showed that the control effect of spinosad·dinotefuran 9.3% nano-emulsion on C. suppressalis, C. medinalis and rice planthopper was 18.9%, 15.8%, and 8.1% higher than that of the traditional formulations of spinosad 10% OD and dinotefuran 20% SG treated with the same effective ingredient dosage in bucket mixing, respectively. The experimental results indicate that compared with traditional formulations, nano-formulations of biopesticides have better control effects, which are beneficial for reducing the use of pesticides and increasing efficiency. They have a bright application prospect in the prevention and control of rice pests and diseases.

To investigate the effects of rice straw returning on soil fertility enhancement and wheat yield in a rice-wheat rotation system, a field plot experiment was conducted. This study examined the correlations among soil aggregate structure, chemical properties, and wheat yield in the 0-20 cm topsoil layer under different straw incorporation methods and two decomposer treatments: 1/3 straw incorporation (JB), 1/3 straw incorporation with decomposer (JBF₁ and JBF₂), full straw incorporation (JQ), and full straw incorporation with decomposer (JQF₁ and JQF₂). The results showed that, compared with JB, JQ or treatments with decomposer (JBF₁ and JBF₂) significantly increased the proportion of water-stable macroaggregates (>0.25 mm), aggregate stability indicators (R_0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD). Simultaneously, JQ or treatments with decomposer (JBF₁ and JBF₂) significantly enhanced soil electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), available nitrogen (AN), and available potassium (AK) compared to JB. The increase in soil OM was primarily associated with higher levels of heavy fraction organic carbon (HFOC), light fraction organic carbon (LFOC), and readily oxidizable carbon (ROC). Compared to 1/3 or full straw incorporation alone, applying decomposer increased wheat yield by 16.8%-26.4% and 10.1%-20.6%, respectively, with the JQF1 treatment achieving the highest wheat yield. It was found that under the condition of full returning to the field, the effect of Hubei decomposer (JQF₁) was significantly better than that of Shandong decomposer (JQF₂), which significantly increased the content of >0.25 mm macroaggregates by 8.3% and wheat yield by 5.2% compared with JQF₂ (P<0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that wheat yield was significantly influenced by the proportion of >0.25 mm aggregates, aggregate stability, and the contents of soil OM, TN, and AN. In conclusion, straw incorporation combined with decomposer application achieved a synergistic effect of soil fertility improvement and crop yield increase. Specifically, the content of soil > 0.25 mm macroaggregates, OM and AN increased by 15.2 %, 8.7 % and 10.3 %, and the wheat yield increased by 12.5 %, respectively, compared with JB treatment. Straw incorporation combined with decomposer application is a suitable farming practice for rice-wheat rotation areas.

The breeding process of Huijingnuo 009 was introduced, its parental sources, selection process, characteristics, and high yield cultivation techniques were summarized. Developed through composite hybridization of Wankennuo 1//Wuyunjing 24/Zhendao 14, Huijingnuo 009 is a medium-japonica glutinous rice variety, approved by the Anhui Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2024 (Wanshendao 2024L066). During the 2020-2021 regional and production trials, its average yield ranged from 9.72 to 10.28 t/hm², representing a 5.88%-8.21% increase over the control variety (Dangjing No.8). The variety exhibits excellent grain quality, with an amylose content of 2.0% and high gel consistency. Resistance evaluations indicate moderate susceptibility to rice blast and bacterial leaf blight, and susceptibility to false smut. Key cultivation techniques include mechanical or manual transplanting, with recommended practices such as sun-drying, soaking, and germinating seeds before sowing. For mechanical transplanting, sowing in late May is advised, with a planting density of 225 000-270 000 hills/hm². Fertilization should emphasize base fertilizer (accounting for over 60% of total nitrogen application), supplemented by timely topdressing at the reviving, tillering, and panicle initiation stages. Irrigation should follow the principle of “shallow water for transplanting, shallow-wet conditions for tillering, timely field drying, and alternating dry and wet conditions”, with water cut off approximately 7 days before harvest. Pest and disease control should prioritize prevention, implementing integrated management targeting major weeds, pests, and diseases at different growth stages. This study provides valuable references for further promotion and cultivation of Huijingnuo 009.

To explore the optimal application period and operation mode of rice “one spray, multiple promotion” technology, this study conducted field experiments in Shijian Town, Wuwei City (site A, cultivar: Weiliangyou 8612) and Xuzhen Town, Nanling County (site B, cultivar: Huixiangjing 977) in Anhui Province. 5 treatments were established, treatment 1 (full heading stage+knapsack sprayer), treatment 2 (full heading stage+plant protection drone), treatment 3 (grain filling stage+knapsack sprayer), treatment 4 (grain filling stage+plant protection drone), and treatment 5 (control, conventional cultivation, not subjected to “one spray, multiple promotion” treatment). The effects of each treatment on rice growth period, grain quality, yield, and economic benefits were systematically analyzed. The results showed that the application of the “one spray, multiple promotion” technique had no significant impact on the rice growth cycle. Treatment 4 resulted in superior grain quality traits. The effective number of rice panicles in experimental sites A and B was higher in treatment 1, with 3.250 2 million and 3.507 3 million panicles/hm⊃2;, respectively. Treatment 4 had more grains per panicle, with 181.0 and 121.2 grains, respectively. Yield performance varied between cultivars: Weiliangyou 8612 achieved the highest yield under treatment 1 (13 114.8 kg/hm²), whereas Huixiangjing 977 achieved the highest yield under treatment 4 (9 684.0 kg/hm²). Economic benefits also differed between the two trial sites, site A showed higher returns under treatment 1 (9 677.4 yuan/hm⊃2;), while site B showed higher returns under treatment 4 (5 231.1 yuan/hm⊃2;). In summary, the combination of plant protection drone with a fixed agent mixture applied at the full heading stage for indica rice and the grain filling stage for japonica rice yielded better results. The findings provide a reference for optimizing the “one spray, multiple promotion” technical model in similar regions.

Based on rice seedling monitoring data during 2021-2023 from Shouxian, Anhui Province, the effects of different cultivation methods on rice growth, yield, and economic benefits were analyzed. The results showed that in 2022 the rice growing season exhibited higher temperatures, less rainfall, which was conducive to the accumulation of photosynthetic products, but there might be a risk of high-temperature heat damage. In terms of planting structure, the area of wheat-stubble rice increased annually, while the area of vacant-stubble rice decreased. Mechanical transplanting and direct seeding expanded continuously, whereas manual transplanting declined significantly. Variety selection became more concentrated and high quality, with a reduced number of main varieties and increased planting concentration. The perennial sowing period occurred around June 5. Seedling monitoring revealed that interannual meteorological conditions and sowing dates significantly influenced rice growth. In 2022, optimal temperature and light conditions resulted in higher stem and tiller numbers and leaf age, shortening the growth period by 5-7 days. In 2023, constrained by climate and water resources, seedling indicators were generally weaker. In terms of economic traits, mechanical transplanting achieved the highest theoretical yield (11 076.2 kg/hm²), while direct seeding yielded the lowest (8 689.2 kg/hm²). Benefit analysis indicated that mechanical transplanting generated higher returns (12 249.1 yuan/hm²) than manual transplanting (12 004.0 yuan/hm²), while direct seeding (6 558.0 yuan/hm²) performed poorly. In conclusion, optimizing crop succession layouts, promoting mechanical transplanting and high quality varieties, and adapting field management are effective strategies for enhancing rice yield and economic benefits in this region.

In order to clarify the characteristics of the new hybrid rice variety ‘Liangyou 2189’ and its application prospect in production, this study used the data of regional test of middle indica rice in the southern rice area of Henan Province from 2021 to 2022 and the production test data in 2023. The correlation analysis and path analysis of its yield and components were carried out, and the results of rice quality detection and resistance identification were systematically studied. The results showed that the average yield of ‘Liangyou 2189’ in the three-year test were 9295.5 kg/hm², 9651.0 kg/hm², and 9930.0 kg/hm², which increased yields compared with the control variety, and the yield increase rate were 87.5%, 100%, and 100%. The variation coefficients of the yield in two-year regional test were 4.53% and 9.12%, both smaller than the control variety. The high stability coefficients in three-year test were 89.85%, 87.23%, and 92.75%, all higher than the control variety. Among the three elements of yield, the variation coefficient showed: thousand grain weight<grain number per<effective spike number. Thousand grain weight was the most stable, the direct effect played a major role, and effective spike number had the largest variation range, the contribution rate to yield was the largest. In actual production, the key of achieving high yield is to increase the number of basic seedlings, increase the rate of tillers, achieve multiple panicles, take into account the number of grains per panicle and 1000-grain weight, and coordinate the relationship between the three. In summary, the ‘Liangyou 2189’ is a new variety with high yield and stable yield, which can be widely promoted and planted in southern Henan Province and similar ecological areas.

Chunyou 83 is a three-line hybrid rice variety systematically bred using Chunjiang 88A as the female parent and T27 as the male parent. The high yield cultivation techniques for carpet seedlings and mechanical transplanting of this variety used in the Jianghuai region were summarized, covering aspects from sowing and seedling management to field management. During the seedling stage, seed disinfection was carried out using agents such as prochloraz, and dry management of carpet seedlings sown by mechanical sowing was adopted to cultivate robust, well-rooted seedlings of suitable age (≤25 days). In the field stage, water management included shallow and frequent irrigation during the tillering stage. When the number of stems and tillers reached 80% of the target panicle number, intermittent drying was applied multiple times until the field surface became firm. From jointing and booting to heading stages, a shallow water layer was maintained. During the grain-filling stage, alternating dry and wet irrigation was adopted, and water was cut off 7 days before harvest. Fertilization followed the principle of “promoting early growth, controlling mid-growth, and supplementing late growth”. Base fertilizer consisted of formula fertilizer, silicon fertilizer, and zinc fertilizer. During the tillering stage, urea and compound fertilizer were applied in two separate topdressings. At the jointing stage and young panicle differentiation stage, flower-promoting fertilizer and flower-preserving fertilizer were applied, respectively. After full heading, potassium dihydrogen phosphate was sprayed on the leaves. For weed control, two soil-sealing treatments were applied using herbicides such as butachlor after land preparation and around the time of transplanting. During the mid-growth stage, targeted herbicides were selected based on the weed spectrum for stem and leaf treatment. The control of diseases and pests adheres to the principle of “prevention first, integrated control”, incorporating agricultural measures such as planting trap crops, along with the application of biopesticides and highly efficient, low-toxicity chemical agents for unified prevention and management. This article provides a reference for exploring the high yield potential of Chunyou 83 and further promoting its planting.

The breeding process and characteristics of the rice variety Jifengyou 866 were introduced, and its high yield cultivation and seed production techniques were summarized. This three-line hybrid rice combination was developed by crossing the female parent Jifeng A with the male parent Guanghui 866. When cultivated in Guangdong, the variety exhibited an appropriate growth period, strong lodging resistance, and good tillering ability. The 2022 production trial showed an average yield of 7 690.35 kg/hm⊃2;. The whole milled rice rate ranges from 61.2% to 65.7%. The variety demonstrates high resistance to rice blast, moderate resistance to bacterial leaf blight, and medium-strong cold tolerance. High yield cultivation techniques include: sowing before July 10th and spraying paclobutrazol at the 1-leaf-1-heart stage to control plant height and promote tillering; reasonable dense planting before the 5.5-leaf stage with shallow and straight transplanting; applying sufficient base fertilizer, followed by timely topdressing with nitrogen, potassium, and compound fertilizers at different growth stages; adopting alternating wet and dry irrigation: shallow water for early seedling establishment, mid-term sun-drying to control ineffective tillers, and adequate water supply at later stages; implementing integrated pest management using insect traps, biological agents, and low-toxicity chemical pesticides. High yield seed production techniques involve: scientific selection of production bases and sowing schedules, considering parental characteristics (concentrated male flowering, short female flowering) and local climate to ensure the male parent flowers 1–2 days earlier. precise fertilizer and water management, including sufficient base, tillering, male-specific, and panicle fertilizers, with shallow irrigation and alternating wet-dry cycles; integrated control of pests (e.g., planthoppers, borers) and diseases using chemicals like buprofezin; timely application of “920” to optimize height difference for improved pollination; strict roguing and isolation: multiple removals of off-types from seedling to heading stages, with isolation zones over 300 meters; harvesting male plants first after pollination, followed by mechanical harvesting of female plants on sunny days. This study provides a reference for the large-scale production and promotion of Jifengyou 866.

Based on the rice production practices in Wangjiang County, Anhui Province, the existing problems in local rice production and proposes strategies for yield improvement were summarized and analyzed. The rice production in the research area currently faces problems such as the need to improve economic benefits, insufficient stability in the promotion area of widely applicable and highly resistant varieties, differences in cultivation techniques and high yield requirements, and the need to improve the level of mechanization throughout the entire process. Based on this, strategies for increasing yield per unit area were proposed, including improving the industrial support system, enhancing the economic benefits of grain cultivation through precise distribution of planting subsidies, optimizing agricultural insurance and credit services, etc; scientifically selecting varieties by recommending suitable high quality cultivars based on grain quality and resistance standards, considering regional characteristics; strengthening field management through timely sowing and substrate-based seedling raising to cultivate strong seedlings, implementing scientific weed control (pre-emergence, seedling-stage soil sealing, and stem-and-leaf treatment) for different models such as direct seeding, optimizing fertilization following the principle of “emphasizing base fertilizer, early tillering fertilizer, and skillful panicle fertilizer”, adopting alternating dry-wet irrigation methods such as “shallow water irrigation and field drying when tiller number is sufficient”, and adhere to the principle of “prevention-first, integrated control” to prevent and control rice disease and pest management; enhancing mechanization levels by developing diverse agricultural machinery adapted to local agronomic practices, promoting high-precision seeders and plant protection drones, and optimizing crop succession arrangements to improve production efficiency. This study provides a reference for increasing rice yield in related regions.

Direct seeding of rice is a cultivation method that involves sowing seeds directly in the field, eliminating the need for seedling nursery and transplanting. The efficient cultivation management techniques were summarized from aspects such as variety selection, sowing methods, pre-sowing treatments, and sowing management. In production, rice varieties suitable for local cultivation with strong lodging resistance should be selected for direct seeding ( early rice varieties like Songyazao No.1, late rice varieties like Huanghuazhan, and dual-season varieties like Meixiangzhan No.2). Wet direct seeding with broadcast sowing is predominantly used for direct seeding rice due to its labor-saving and high efficiency, while hole sowing in dry direct seeding is adopted in arid regions to enhance yield. Pre-sowing practices include weed control (using herbicides such as 10% glufosinate-ammonium), field preparation (mechanical deep plowing and subsoiling), and land leveling combined with fertilization. Pre-sowing seed treatments involve sun-drying (1–2 days), seed soaking (using 25% prochloraz emulsion), and germination acceleration (placed at 30–32°C for 1–2 days). Timely sowing is crucial (early rice in early March, late rice in mid-to-early July), with a seeding rate of 3.5–4.0 kg/667 m⊃2; for conventional rice and 3.0-3.5 kg/667 m⊃2; for hybrid rice. Weed control techniques include pre-emergence treatment (using herbicides such as 40% bensulfuron-methyl · pretilachlor) 2–4 days after sowing, post-emergence control (using herbicides like penoxsulam and bentazone) 15-20 days after sowing, and late-stage supplementary control (using herbicides such as 2-methyl-4-chloro · bentazone or manual weeding) when rice reaches the 7–8 leaf stage. In field management, timely topdressing and scientific water management based on the principle of “deep water for seedling protection, shallow water for tillering, ample water for booting, and moist field for large panicle development” are essential. Additionally, chemical control agents such as paclobutrazol should be applied 3–5 days before jointing to prevent lodging. While implementing integrated disease and pest management as in conventional rice fields, special attention should be paid to controlling sheath blight during the mid-to-late growth stages of rice. This article provides a reference for the promotion and application of high yield cultivation management techniques for direct seedling rice.

To investigate the effects of 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole combined with silicon potassium fertilizer on the control of rice blast and yield, the Ningxiangjing No.9 was used as material, 8 field treatments were established: A (apply 750, 900, 900 mL/hm⊃2; 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole at tillering end, jointing start, and panicle full stages respectively); B (apply 750+750 mL/hm⊃2; 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole+silicon potassium fertilizer at tillering end, jointing start, and panicle full stages respectively); C (apply 450, 600, 600 g/hm⊃2; 75% Tricyclazole at tillering end, jointing start, and panicle full stages respectively); D (CK1，control with clean water); E (apply 900, 900 mL/hm⊃2; 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole at jointing start and panicle full stages respectively); F (apply 900+750, 900+750 mL/hm⊃2; 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole+silicon potassium fertilizer at jointing start and panicle full stages respectively); G (apply 600, 600 g/hm⊃2; 75% Tricyclazole at tillering end and panicle full stages respectively); H (CK2，control with clean water). Among them, treatments A, B, and C were for the combined control of leaf blast and panicle blast, while treatments E, F, and G were only for panicle blast control.To determine the safety of rice under different pesticide treatments and the control effect on rice blast disease. The results indicated that all pesticide treatments were safe for rice growth. Treatment B exhibited a control efficacy of 93.84% against leaf blast 18 days after application. Treatment F showed a control efficacy of 92.53% against panicle blast. The lengths of the first, second, third, and fourth basal internodes in Treatment B before harvest were 1.61 cm, 5.18 cm, 8.73 cm, and 11.86 cm, respectively, which were lower than those in Treatments C and D. Treatment B increased yield by 12.68% compared to Treatment D, while Treatment F increased yield by 9.94% compared to Treatment H. In summary, the combined application of 22% Kasugamycin·Tricyclazole and silicon potassium fertilizer effectively controlled rice blast, improved plant morphological structure, enhanced resistance to adverse conditions and ability to resist lodging and significantly enhanced yield. This article provides a reference for green pest control and high-yield cultivation in rice.

Focuses on the rice-milk vetch rotation system in southern Anhui, its current status was in-deepth analyzed, the existing problems in its development were identified, and corresponding countermeasures were proposed. In the study area, the implementation of the rice-milk vetch rotation system was found to yield significant ecological and economic benefits. Milk vetch, used as green manure, was shown to play a role in nitrogen fixation, soil fertility enhancement, and soil structure improvement. This model was demonstrated to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application by 40% during the rice season, while increasing rice yield and quality. However, several challenges in its promotion were identified, including a decline in the cultivation area of milk vetch, unstable seed quality, inadequate cultivation management techniques, and a low level of industrialization. Based on these findings, several countermeasures were proposed: industrial support was suggested to be strengthened through financial subsidies, special research funds, and preferential policies to enhance farmers’ motivation for planting milk vetch and thereby expand its cultivation area; seed breeding and management were recommended to be improved by establishing specialized seed production bases and adopting advanced breeding technologies to increase seed purity and germination rate, enhancing system stability; a scientific cultivation technology system was advised to be promoted, including soil testing and formulated fertilization, and full-process mechanization, so as to improve rice yield and quality; and the industrialization of the rice-milk vetch system was proposed to be advanced by strengthening cooperation with enterprises, developing deep-processing products of milk vetch to enhance added value, and fostering leading agricultural industrialization enterprises to achieve large-scale planting, standardized production, and branded marketing. This study serves as a reference for the sustainable development of the rice-milk vetch rotation system in relevant regions.

Guided by the theory of new quality productivity forces, and based on the investigation results of rice industry in 8 southern provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hunan in recent 3 years, this paper analyzes the objective reasons for the bottleneck of theoretical innovation and application of rice cultivation in China from the perspective of scientific and technological innovation chain. There is a serious disconnection between the current theoretical research of rice cultivation and the innovation of practical production scenes and tools, and it is difficult to support the development of new quality productivity forces in rice production. The research of population level should be improved by means of leading edge technology such as phenomics, based on the theoretical breakthrough of rice cultivation, to reveal the physiological and ecological mechanism of the formation of rice yield, quality and stress resistance, and to build a high-quality population shaping theory of high yield, high quality and green coordination. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen collaboration with new business entities, deeply integrate into production scenarios, and jointly undertake the innovation and integrated demonstration of core technologies, tools, and methodologies for high-quality population shaping. This initiative aims to remove the "last kilometer" barrier in the promotion of advanced rice cultivation technology. Consequently, a science and technology development strategy and implementation roadmap were formulated for enhancing the new quality productivity forces of southern rice, with the objective of providing guidance for national agricultural science and technology development planning.

As an important food crop in the world, rice plays an irreplaceable role in ensuring food security. However, rice production faces many challenges, especially the increasingly serious problem of pests and diseases, which poses a major threat to yield and quality. This paper reviews the major rice pests and diseases worldwide, along with biological control and ecological regulation technologies. It analyzes the types, occurrence patterns, and current progress in the prevention and control of rice pests and diseases in China, emphasizing the importance of biological control and non-chemical pest management in reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides. Key challenges in the integrated management of major rice pests and diseases, such as insufficient scientific and technological support, weak regulatory oversight, and the low level of industrialization of control technologies, are discussed. In response, the paper proposes the main objectives and key directions for technological innovation during the '15^th Five-Year Plan' period, including research on the formation mechanisms of pest outbreaks, the development of rice immune mechanisms, and green control technologies. Furthermore, it highlights the integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and gene editing, to enhance the comprehensive management of rice pests and diseases, ensuring the sustainable development of the rice industry.

Synchronizing the nitrogen (N) supply of slow- and controlled-release N fertilizers (SCRNFs) with rice N demand is pivotal in substituting multiple urea applications by a single basal application of SCRNFs.  Traditional assessment of N supply characteristics focuses mainly on N release patterns, which are only applicable to coated SCRNFs and ignore N transformation mechanisms, thus raising the need for a more universal and reliable index.  Based on the ability of crop N status to detect N deficiency or excess, we hypothesized that employing leaf N balance index (NBI) as a measure of N status could provide new insights into assessing N supply characteristics of SCRNFs.  We conducted field experiments involving four individual SCRNFs-humic acid urea (HAU), sulfur-coated urea (SCU), urease inhibitor urea (UIU), and polymer-coated urea (PCU)- and their four combined forms, along with the high-yield urea split application as control (CK).  The results showed that NBI dynamics relative to CK could reflect the N supply potential of different SCRNFs while classifying them as short-, medium-, and long-acting fertilizers.  Combinations that incorporated the long-acting SCRNF (PCU) consistently outperformed others in yield (by 5.5%) and N use efficiency (by 42.8%) by providing a more consistent and efficient N supply throughout the rice growth cycle.  Grain yield showed negative correlation with the difference in NBI dynamics between SCRNFs and CK, indicating synchronizing N supply between one-time application of SCRNFs and conventional high-yield fertilization is the key for high yield.  Our findings identify the potential of N status diagnosed by leaf NBI to evaluate N supply characteristics of SCRNFs and emphasize the significant role of synchronized N supply for a one-time SCRNF application.

To investigate the characteristics of soil organic carbon accumulation and its relationship with organic carbon fractions, 25 surface soil samples from each of 7 representative paddy fields (paddy soils) in Zhejiang Province were selected to determine the composition of different soil organic carbon forms. The response of each form of organic carbon to soil carbon accumulation was analyzed, and the saturation mechanism of soil organic carbon accumulation was explored. The results showed that with the accumulation of soil organic carbon, the content of humic acid, fulvic acid, humic acid carbon and humic acid carbon in various types of the soils showed an initial increase followed by a trend towards equilibrium. The content of these organic carbon components at equilibrium was positively correlated with the content of soil clay, silt and amorphous iron oxide. Free organic carbon increased linearly with the accumulation of soil organic carbon, and continued to increase when the soil organic carbon was at high level. In this case, the accumulated organic carbon in the soils was mainly in the form of free organic carbon. Results suggested that the saturation phenomenon of soil organic carbon was related to the form of organic carbon. The accumulation of humic acid, fulvic acid, humin carbon, and humic acid carbon closely associated with soil inorganic components was limited by the ability of mineral adsorption protection, and their contents increased with the increase of total soil organic carbon, but they tended to equilibrium when the mineral adsorption sites were saturated. The free organic carbon, mainly driven by the input amount of organic matter, was not obviously affected by soil physical protection, and it increased linearly with the accumulation of organic carbon, and its saturation phenomenon was not obvious. This study reveals the different contribution patterns of different forms of organic carbon components to the accumulation of organic carbon in paddy soil, which provides a theoretical basis for the development of accurate organic material input and soil fertilization strategies for regional paddy soil, and also provides a scientific reference for the sustainable management of paddy soil.