Water-saving rice systems must maintain yield targets while reducing water consumption. Applying biodegradable film to cover the soil surface reduces water loss through evapotranspiration, establishing a warmer, more humid microenvironment for rice growth compared to traditional paddy rice systems. This study examined soil water regimes for rice production in northeast China, comparing rice growth with and without biodegradable mulch film under continuous flooding, drip irrigation, and controlled irrigation conditions. The implementation of biodegradable mulch film elevated soil temperature and sustained soil moisture during early rice development. Continuous flooding with biodegradable mulch film yielded the highest rice production (9.4 Mg ha^-1) and net profit of approximately 11,800 CNY ha^-1. Drip irrigation with biodegradable mulch film achieved maximum water efficiency, demonstrating the highest water productivity (1.25 kg m^-3) and minimum water consumption (235 mm). Root length, weight, and surface area in the 0-40 cm soil layer exhibited positive correlations with water productivity, shoot dry matter, and yield, indicating that root morphological characteristics, particularly during the panicle initiation stage, enhanced rice production and water conservation. The findings demonstrate that biodegradable mulch film created favorable soil conditions for root proliferation, enabling higher yields in water-saving rice systems.

Global climate warming is characterized by diurnal and seasonal asymmetry, with greater increases at nighttime and in winter and spring, and growing evidence has recognized that night-warming in winter and spring significantly impacts winter wheat production.  Pre-crop straw returning is the principal method for straw utilization currently and in the future, but the interactions between straw returning and night-warming on wheat yield and NUE (N use efficiency) still remain elusive.  Here, a consecutive three-year field experiment with two straw treatments (S0, straw removal; S1, straw returning) and two warming treatments (W0, no warming control; W1, night-warming) found that both S1 and W1 improved wheat grain yield and NUE, with W1 exhibiting more pronounced improvements.  Notably, the interaction between S1 and W1 (S1W1) further enhanced yield and NUE by 13.0 and 16.5% compared to S0W0 through increasing grain number and 1,000-grain weight, respectively (three-year average).  Additionally, root growth and topsoil inorganic N content exhibited reductions in S1 before jointing, thus reducing plant dry matter and N accumulation.  However, W1 exhibited an opposite trend, thereby mitigating these negative effects.  Simultaneously, under S1W1, increased N translocation to grain and post-anthesis dry matter accumulation, driven by greater N distribution to leaves and higher N metabolism enzyme activity, enhanced both yield and NUE.  This improvement was supported by better root morphology and biomass, particularly in the 0−40 cm soil layer, boosting plant N absorption.  Additionally, elevated soil N-acquiring enzyme activity after jointing increased the net N mineralization rate and microbial biomass N, enhancing soil N-supply capacity.  As a result, post-jointing inorganic N content rose in the 0−20 cm layer while decreasing at 20−60 cm, thus reducing the apparent N surplus.  Collectively, straw returning, night-warming, and their interactions enhanced more root distribution and N-supply capacity after jointing in the topsoil layer to increase plant N uptake and its translocation to grains, along with post-anthesis dry matter accumulation, ultimately improving grain yield and NUE.

The rice white tip nematode (RWTN) Aphelenchoides besseyi secretes effectors that manipulate the cells of its host plant and help the nematode to successfully parasitize and maintain infection in the host. The number of identified RWTN effectors is limited, and the mechanisms of RWTN effectors interacting with plants are largely unknown. Profilins (PFNs) function as hubs that control a complex network of molecular interactions. To gain full knowledge of PFN3 in plant parasitic nematodes, we identified an effector from A. besseyi named AbPFN3. AbPFN3 is transcriptionally upregulated in the juvenile stage of the nematode. In situ hybridization experiments showed that AbPFN3 transcribed in the nematode esophageal glands. Three AbPFN3-interacting proteins (OsAAC1, OsBAP31 and OsSAUR50) were found in the host plant, with interactions occurring in various locations such as the endoplasmic reticulum, cytoplasm, and plasma membrane. Transgenic analyses showed that the expression of AbPFN3 significantly increased plant height and upregulated the expression of AAC1 and BAP31 while downregulating RGA2 and SAUR50. This study describes a new effector protein, AbPFN3, secreted by A. besseyi, that interacts with multiple host proteins. These results suggest the important role of AbPFN3 in host defense response and cell development process.

Rice yield is a complex trait affected by many related traits.  Traditional single-trait genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have limitations when studying complex traits, as they cannot account for the genetic relationships among multiple traits.  Multi-trait GWAS, which can consider the relationships among multiple traits and identify pleiotropic loci, is more suitable for complex traits such as rice yield than single-trait GWAS.  In this study, we conducted a multi-trait GWAS on 11 two-trait combinations of yield and yield-related traits with 575 hybrid rice varieties across two environments.  All of these yield-related traits showed significant genetic correlation with yield (YD), including filled grains per panicle (FGPP), kilo-grain weight (KGW), tillers per plant (TP), primary branch number (PB), secondary branch number (SB) and main panicle length (MPL).  In total we identified 44 pleiotropic quantitative trait loci (pQTLs), including 29 new pQTLs not found in single-trait GWAS.  We then screened 23 pQTLs showing common effects in two traits as key pQTLs.  These key pQTLs were subsequently analyzed for haplotype analysis and identified 13 pleiotropic candidate genes.  Finally, we identified two optimal yield-enhancing allele combinations by pyraming superior haplotypes: GS3-GL3.1-OsCIPK17 for the YD-KGW combination and GNP12 for the YD-FGPP and YD-SB combinations.  This study provides pleiotropic candidate genes and allele combinations that exhibit superior differences in both yield and yield-related traits, offering valuable information for future high-yielding rice breeding.

To explore the impact mechanisms of direct straw returning and carbonization returning on soil carbon sequestration, nutrient availability and structural stability in paddy soils, this study conducted a long-term field experiment with four treatments, including control (CK), direct straw returning, low amount of straw carbonization, and high amount of straw carbonization. The impact mechanism of straw carbonization on the stability of soil organic carbon in paddy field was systematically analyzed. The results showed that both direct straw returning and carbonization returning could effectively increase soil pH, organic carbon, available phosphorus, available potassium, alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen and microbial biomass carbon. The organic carbon of the three treatments increased by 1.9%-12.8%, and the treatment of high amount of straw carbonization was the most significant. The increase of microbial biomass carbon was between 18.0%-27.3%, and the treatment of direct straw returning showed the most significant. The proportions of low active organic carbon and inert organic carbon increased by 2.02%-7.46% after straw carbonization. In particular, compared with CK, the proportion of highly active organic carbon decreased by 5.8 percentage points, while the proportion of inert organic carbon increased by 4.3 percentage points. After three treatments, the content of >0.25 mm water-stable aggregates and >2 mm water-stable aggregates in soil respectively increased by 6.21%-9.25% and 14.53%-18.32%. In conclusion, straw carbonization returning could significantly improve soil acidification, increase the contents of soil organic carbon and available nutrient, increase the proportion of water-stable aggregates, and enhance soil carbon sequestration capacity. Among all treatments, the effect of high amount of straw carbonization returning was the best.

To consolidate and improve the effect of soil testing and formulated fertilization, and promote rice yield increase and farmers' income growth, this study took Quanyou 298, Liangyou 5398 and Xiliangyou Simiao as test materials, and designed a 3-factor (N, P₂O₅, K₂O), 4-level (0, 1, 2, 3) experiment with 14 treatments. Level 0 was no fertilization; the application rates of N, P₂O₅ and K₂O at level 2 were 147, 54 and 84 kg/hm⊃2; respectively, and the fertilization rates at level 1 and level 3 were 0.5 times and 1.5 times that of level 2, respectively. Indicators such as plant height, panicle length, yield, benefit and fertilizer use efficiency were determined for each treatment. The results showed that the plant height of each treatment ranged from 101.3 to 113.9 cm, the effective tiller number was 9.3 to 12.6 tillers per clump, the panicle length was 23.4 to 27.6 cm, the filled grain number was 165.7 to 188.5 grains per panicle, the seed setting rate was 87.42% to 92.82%, and the 1 000-grain weight was 30.13 to 32.26 g. Under different fertilization ratios, the rice grain yields at test site 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were the highest in treatment 6 (9 012.9 kg/hm⊃2;) and the lowest in treatment 1 (6 276.3 kg/hm⊃2;). The yield increase effect per unit nutrient from high to low was NPK > NP > NK > PK. There was a ternary quadratic regression effect relationship between rice yield and the application rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the study area. The average utilization rates of N, P and K at level 2 in the full fertilizer zone were 35.10%, 20.00% and 53.49%, respectively. In summary, through the rice 3414 fertilizer effect experiment, the relationship between soil nutrient supply capacity and crop nutrient demand law was clarified, and the recommended optimal application rates of pure nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for rice were 124.80-156.00, 29.85-67.50, and 57.45-105.60 kg/hm⊃2;, which provided a reference for optimization rice fertilization formulas and guiding farmers in scientific fertilization.

This study took 4 main japonica rice varieties in Southern Jiangsu Province, namely Nanjing 46, Nanjing 5055, Ningjing No. 8 and Yangjing 113, as test materials, which were sown for seedling raising on May 15th and mechanically transplanted on June 9th. Plant height, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content, phosphorus content and potassium content were determined at the early tillering stage, late tillering stage, jointing stage, heading stage and maturity stage of rice respectively; seed testing and yield measurement were conducted at the maturity stage; after the rice was harvested, dried and stored for 3 months, rice quality (indicators such as protein content and amylose content) and RVA starch pasting properties (indicators such as peak viscosity and hot paste viscosity) were measured. The results showed that from the early tillering stage to the maturity stage, Nanjing 46 had a relatively high plant height; at the heading stage, Nanjing 46 had the highest SPAD value of the 3rd top leaf, but its attenuation rate was the fastest in the later stage, while Yangjing 113 showed a “slow senescence” characteristic; Nanjing 46 had the highest nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium contents during the whole growth period, and Yangjing 113 had the lowest contents of these 3 nutrients; the yield performance from high to low was Ningjing No. 8 (9 230.0 kg/hm⊃2;) > Yangjing 113 (8 826.2 kg/hm⊃2;) > Nanjing 5055 (7 873.8 kg/hm⊃2;) > Nanjing 46 (7 820.4 kg/hm⊃2;); Nanjing 46 and Nanjing 5055 showed the optimal combination of “low protein + low amylose” and had good eating quality, Yangjing 113 had a high milled rice rate but a low head milled rice rate, and the chalkiness rate of Nanjing 5055 met the national first-class rice standard; Nanjing 46 and Nanjing 5055 exhibited the characteristics of “high breakdown value + low setback value”, while Yangjing 113 showed the opposite. Comprehensively, it is indicated that Nanjing 46 needs to focus on lodging prevention and control, Yangjing 113 is suitable for early-maturing and dense planting cultivation, Ningjing 8 has the best comprehensive performance in yield and nutrient use efficiency, and Nanjing 5055 is suitable for high quality rice production.

To evaluate the effects of combined application of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on nutrient uptake and fertilizer use efficiency of early rice in yellow sandy clay paddy fields, this study used the early indica rice cultivar Xiangzaoxian No. 24 as the experimental material and set up 5 treatments, namely blank control plot (F₀, no fertilizer), N-free plot (F₁), P-free plot (F₂), K-free plot (F₃), and NPK combined plot (F₄), and systematically analyzed the effects of different fertilization modes on early rice yield, nutrient absorption, and fertilizer utilization efficiency. The results showed that the F₄ treatment achieved the highest effective panicle number (415.15×10⁴ panicles/hm⊃2;), total grains per panicle (87.32 grains), and yield (the rice grain yield and rice straw yield were 6 216.50 and 6 010.72 kg/hm², respectively.) with a fertilizer yield contribution rate of 31.93%, and the accumulation amounts of N, P, and K nutrients were 199.09, 36.11, and 124.93 kg/hm⊃2;, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the nutrient-deficient plots and F₀ treatment, while in terms of fertilizer use efficiency, the utilization rates of N, P, and K fertilizers in the F₄ treatment were 43.19%, 17.07%, and 47.31%, respectively. Comprehensive analysis indicated that N was the core factor for early rice yield formation, and the combined application of N, P, and K fertilizers could effectively improve nutrient absorption and utilization efficiency, grain yield, and fertilizer use efficiency, thus providing a reference for efficient fertilization of early rice in yellow sandy clay paddy fields.

【Objective】Soil salinization severely constrains the sustainable development of rice production. The specific goals are to: comprehensively evaluate the salt tolerance of rice core germplasm accessions at the seedling stage, investigate the morphological and physiological characteristics of different rice subspecies under salt stress, clarify the associated variations in their responses, and summarize their adaptive strategies, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for screening and breeding salt-tolerant rice varieties.【Method】The salt tolerance score (STS), plant height, root length, shoot fresh weight, shoot dry weight, root dry weight and SPAD were measured for 276 rice core germplasm accessions after treatment using 125 mmol·L^-1 NaCl for 6 days. The relative values of each trait, except for STS and shoot fresh weight were calculated, along with the shoot water content (SWC). T-tests, significance analysis and correlation analysis were used to explore the morphological and physiological differences for salt stress responses among different rice subspecies. Principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise linear regression were applied to screen key indicators for salt tolerance. The D-value was calculated to identify typical salt-tolerant accessions and salt-sensitive accessions, which were used to elucidate the regulatory patterns and response strategies of salt stress in different subspecies of rice.【Result】Salt stress affected the growth of seedlings of the three subspecies of rice. Compared with japonica rice, indica rice and AUS exhibited milder inhibitory effects from salt stress, and AUS demonstrated greater phenotypic variation. The STS, relative seedling height (RSH), relative root length (RRL), relative root dry weight (RRDW), relative SPAD (RSPAD) and SWC among the three subspecies of rice accessions were not significantly different. However, the relative shoot dry weight (RSDW) of indica rice was significantly higher than that of japonica rice and AUS, and the salt tolerance of temperate japonica rice seedlings was significantly higher than that of tropical japonica rice and admixed japonica rice. Correlation patterns of the seven salt-tolerance-related traits varied between the three subspecies. Three principal components were extracted from japonica rice, indica rice and AUS, with cumulative contribution rates of 82.587%, 80.117%, and 88.700%, respectively. Based on this, the D-values for the comprehensive evaluation of salt tolerance were calculated for each accession, and key parameters for salt tolerance were screened. It was found that RSDW is a common key indicator affecting the salt tolerance of rice seedlings, while RSH and RRDW are shared by japonica rice and AUS, and STS is the common key parameter for indica rice and AUS. In the three subspecies, high-D-value accessions and low-D-value accessions were selected to analyze root characteristics, ion balance, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and osmotic regulation substance content under salt stress. The root total number (RTN), root tip number (RN), total root length (TRL), and root surface area (RSA) of high-D-value accessions in the three subspecies were significantly higher than those of the three categories of low-D-value accessions. Among the three types of high-D-value accessions, the RTN and RN of indica rice were significantly higher than those of japonica rice and AUS. The root average diameter (RAD) of indica rice and AUS was significantly higher than that of japonica rice. AUS had significantly higher surface area and volume of roots in the 0.5-1 mm diameter range than japonica rice and indica rice, while japonica rice had significantly higher root volume in the 0-0.5 mm diameter range than indica rice and AUS. In terms of ion balance, the shoot Na⁺ content (SNC) of the three types of high-D-value accessions was significantly lower than that of the three types of low-D-value accessions. Among the three types of high-D-value groups, AUS had significantly lower SNC and shoot Na⁺/K⁺ (SNK) than that of japonica rice, japonica rice had significantly lower root Na⁺ content (RNC) than AUS, indica rice had significantly higher root K⁺ content (RKC) than AUS, and japonica rice and indica rice had significantly lower root Na⁺/K⁺ (RNK) than AUS. In terms of reactive oxygen species content, among the three categories of high-D-value accessions, the hydrogen peroxide content of japonica rice was significantly lower than that of indica rice and AUS. In terms of osmoregulatory substance content, among the three types of high-D-value accessions, the soluble sugar content of indica rice and AUS was significantly higher than that of japonica rice, and the proline content of indica rice was significantly higher than that of japonica rice.【Conclusion】Significant differences were observed in the morphological and physiological characteristics of rice germplasm accessions from different subspecies under salt stress. RSDW is a common key indicator affecting salt tolerance of rice seedlings. In response to salt stress, typical salt-tolerant germplasm from japonica, indica, and AUS developed distinct combinatorial profiles of regulatory modes, which varied in their emphasis on four key aspects: root morphological characteristics, ion homeostasis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and osmotic adjustment.

The breeding process, characteristics, and key cultivation techniques of Dianhong 727 were summarized. This variety was a conventional high quality red rice cultivar developed through pedigree selection over seven generations, using Nan’ai 29 as the female parent and the Azhelongmaheba red rice as the male parent. It was approved by the Yunnan Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2022 (Dianshendao No.2022031). The variety exhibits moderate growth duration, excellent plant architecture, lodging resistance, and high yield. It demonstrates good resistance to rice blast, bacterial leaf blight, and sheath blight. In two-year regional trials and one-year production trials, the average yield ranged from 8 732.7 to 9 287.2 kg/hm². The grains are red, with a high head rice rate, low amylose content, and high gel consistency, meeting the Grade Ⅲ quality standard of NY/T 593-2021 “Edible Rice Varieties”. This variety is suitable for promotion and planting in areas below 1 300 meters above sea level in Yunnan Province. When using seedling cultivation and transplantation, the seedling age is 35-40 days and the density is 225 000-270 000 clusters/hm²; direct-seeding requires leveling the field and watering to suppress weeds after broadcasting; fertilization is mainly based on base fertilizer, with early application of topdressing. Water management follows the principles of “promoting seedlings in shallow water, sun drying in the middle stage, and moistening in the later stage”. The prevention and control of disease and pests adhere to the principle of prevention first and comprehensive prevention and control, including cleaning the countryside, using lights and insect traps to lure and kill, planting flowering plants, and spraying pesticides such as pymetrozine and fipronil to control pests and diseases such as rice planthoppers and neck blight. This study provides a reference for the promotion and cultivation of this variety and the sustainable development of the red rice industry.

Keliangyou 8612 is a high quality and high yield hybrid rice variety of indica type with two lines. It was approved by the National Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2021 (National Approved Rice 20210283). This variety demonstrated for planting in 2023-2024, with a total growth period of about 136 days, strong tillering ability, and lodging resistance; the average yield was 600-650 kg/667 m². This article summarized the key points of factory based seedling and cultivation techniques for Keliangyou 8612. The seedling cultivation process includes soaking and disinfecting the seeds, high-temperature germination, using specialized substrates with pH 5.8-6.2, and stacking and darkening to promote uniform seedling growth; the paddy field is controlled by temperature and humidity in stages, with spraying of paclobutrazol and topdressing at the stage of 2 leaves and 1 heart. The seedlings are transplanted at 18-24 days of age. In terms of field management, deep plowing and leveling, reasonable and dense planting; water management follows the principle of “shallow water for living trees, sufficient seedlings for sun drying, and moist irrigation”; apply fertilizer to promote tillering during the tillering stage, bake the field in a timely manner, supplement plump stems according to the seedling situation during the jointing stage, and apply ear fertilizer twice during the panicle stage; based on disease and pest monitoring throughout the entire growth period, focus on preventing and controlling diseases and pests such as rice planthoppers and sheath blight; by measures such as sun drying, increasing potassium, adjusting sowing time, irrigating deep water, and spraying foliar fertilizer, we can defend against lodging, high temperature, and low temperature damage. In terms of harvesting and storage, timely mechanical harvesting is carried out, and the rice is dried to a moisture content of less than 14% before being stored in a ventilated and moisture-proof warehouse. This article provides reference for further promotion and planting of Keliangyou 8612.

To explore the optimal application rates and ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers and their effects on rice in Central Jilin Province, Hongji No.6 was taken as the experimental object, field experiment was conducted using the “3414” fertilizer efficiency design. The experiment included 3 factors (N, P, K), 4 levels (0, 1, 2, 3; level 0 represented a no-fertilization control， the application rates at level 2 were 180 kg/hm⊃2; for N, 60 kg/hm⊃2; for P₂O₅, and 90 kg/hm⊃2; for K₂O， the application rates for level 1 and level 3 were set at 0.5 times and 1.5 times those of level 2, respectively.), and 14 treatments. Agronomic traits including plant height and effective panicle number, as well as soil nutrient indices such as soil pH and organic matter content, were determined for each treatment. The results showed that all treatments, the hill density ranged from 9.3 to 17.3 hills per square meter, and the plant height ranged from 0.922 to 1.099 m; treatment 7 (N₂P₃K₂) achieved the highest effective panicle number (31.3 panicles per hill) and 1 000-grain weight (24.8 g); treatment 10 (N₂P₂K₃) produced the maximum number of grains per panicle (190.7 grains); and treatment 6 (N₂P₂K₂) yielded the highest rice grain production (614.2 kg/667 m⊃2;). In terms of soil properties, treatment 11 (N₃P₂K₂) had the highest soil available nitrogen content; treatment 9 (N₂P₂K₁) had the highest available phosphorus content; treatment 10 had the highest available potassium content; treatment 13 (N₁P₂K₁) had the lowest soil pH; and treatment 6 had the highest soil organic matter content. Overall, N, P, and K fertilizers exhibited different effects on rice growth: phosphorus fertilizer was beneficial for increasing effective panicle number and improving 1 000-grain weight, while potassium fertilizer had a prominent promoting effect on the number of grains per panicle. Among all treatments, treatment 6 (N₂P₂K₂) was identified as the optimal fertilizer ratio for the study area, which could not only increase rice yield but also improve soil organic matter content, thus achieving the synergistic improvement of high yield and soil fertility.

To clarify the safety of the compound insecticide 80% monosultap·dinotefuran water-dispersible granules (DF) to rice growth and its control efficacy against the first generation of Chilo suppressalis. A field experiment was carried out with Nanjing 9108 as the test rice cultivar. A blank control (treatment 5) was established, together with 4 pesticide treatments as follows: treatment 1, 80% monosultap·dinotefuran dry flowable (DF) at a dosage of 100 g/667 m⊃2;; treatment 2, 70% chlorantraniliprole water-dispersible granules (WG) at 5 g/667 m⊃2;; treatment 3, 10% tetrachlorantraniliprole suspension concentrate (SC) at 50 mL/667 m⊃2;; and treatment 4, 20% emamectin benzoate·indoxacarb SC at 15 mL/667 m⊃2;. The dead heart rate and control efficacy of each treatment were measured and calculated at 1 day before pesticide application as well as 3, 10 and 20 days after application, and the safety of the pesticides was evaluated by visual observation. The results showed that all pesticide treatments exerted no significant adverse effects on rice growth during the experimental period, indicating a certain level of application safety. Compared with the pre-application data, the dead heart rate of rice decreased from 3 to 20 days after pesticide application in all treatments except treatment 3. Treatment 1 achieved the highest control efficacy among all treatments at 3, 10 and 20 days after application, with the values reaching 38.29%, 81.79% and 92.62%, respectively, showing favorable persistence. In conclusion, 80% monosultap·dinotefuran DF exhibits excellent control efficacy and persistence against the first generation of Chilo suppressalis. To delay the development of insecticide resistance in practical production, it is recommended to reasonably rotate this formulation with other types of insecticides that have no cross-resistance.

In order to clarify the evolutionary rules of climate conditions for double-cropping rice cultivation in Yichun under the background of climate change, this study used meteorological data of 10 national meteorological stations in Yichun during 1961-2020, and selected 7 key climatic indicators closely related to the growth of double-cropping rice (including ≥10℃ accumulated temperature and number of days during the period from the first day when the daily average temperature stably reached 10℃ to the last day when the daily average temperature stably reached 20℃, first day and last day of the period, precipitation in the main flood season, number of days with daily maximum temperature ≥35℃ in summer, and precipitation in autumn). The variation characteristics of these indicators were analyzed by dividing the study period into two 30-year periods (1961-1990 and 1991-2020). The results showed that: the caloric conditions in Yichun were significantly optimized. From 1961 to 2020, both the ≥10℃ accumulated temperature and the number of days in the suitable growth period showed an increasing trend, and spatially, both presented a pattern of “high (abundant) in the southeast and low (scarce) in the northwest”. From 1961 to 2020, the scope of high-value areas expanded while the scope of low-value areas narrowed. The first day when the daily average temperature stably reached 10℃ advanced by 5-10 days, and the last day when the daily average temperature stably reached 20℃ was delayed, which extended the time for heat utilization. The regional differentiation of precipitation conditions was obvious, in the main flood season, precipitation decreased in 50% of the areas and increased in the other 50%, and the scope of high-value areas expanded in 1991-2020; in autumn, precipitation increased in 70% of the areas and decreased in 30%, and in 1991-2020, the scopes of both high-value and low-value areas narrowed while the scopes of sub-high-value and sub-low-value areas expanded, indicating that the precipitation distribution tended to be more uniform. The high-temperature risk in summer increased, the number of days with daily maximum temperature ≥35℃ increased in 90% of the areas, and in 1991-2020, the high-value areas extended to the north and their scope expanded. These changes pose differentiated challenges and adaptive opportunities for the adjustment of double-cropping rice planting structure, breeding of stress-resistant varieties and disaster risk management.

By conducting the risk zoning of disaster damage of double-cropping rice yields in Guangxi, this research aims to provide significant scientific support for disaster prevention and reduction in rice production and regional development planning. Utilizing statistical yield data from 98 counties and districts in Guangxi from 2005 to 2021, the relative meteorological yield was obtained through a trend yield separation method. An index for yield disaster damage risk was constructed by using the average yield reduction rate, the coefficient of variation of yield reduction rate, and the probability of different yield reduction risks as evaluation factors. Based on this risk index, the risk zoning of disaster damage of double-cropping rice yields in Guangxi was carried out. (1) Most areas of early rice in the region were in low-risk zones, with southern counties of Guilin, Rong'an and southern counties of Liuzhou, Tianlin in Baise, and Ningming and Pingxiang in Chongzuo being in medium-risk zones, while Longzhou in Chongzuo, Yongfu and Lipu in Guilin were in high-risk zones; (2) most areas of late rice in the region were in low-risk zones, with the south of Hechi, the east of Baise, Chongzuo, the north of Nanning, Qinzhou, Beihai, the east of Guigang, Wuzhou, Yulin, and Gongcheng in Guilin being in medium-risk zones, while Longzhou in Chongzuo, Pingguo in Baise, Shanglin in Nanning, Gangnan District in Qinzhou, and Beiliu in Yulin were in high-risk zones. During the study period, the main meteorological factors causing high and medium yield loss risks for early rice in the northern region of Guangxi were spring low temperatures, cold rain, and flood-related events. For early rice in the southwestern region of Guangxi, the primary meteorological factors causing high and medium yield loss risks were high-temperature heat damage and drought. In some western areas of Guangxi, the main meteorological factors causing high and medium yield loss risks for late rice were autumn cold dew wind. Due to climate warming, the correlation between cold dew wind and late rice yield loss was not significant during the study period. In regions at medium to high risk of yield loss in double-cropping rice, the focus should be on identifying the main meteorological factors responsible for disasters and implementing corresponding disaster prevention measures. The research results provide a scientific basis for disaster prevention and mitigation, the development of agricultural insurance, and relevant scientific research of double-cropping rice in Guangxi.

The rice ratooning (RR) pattern is increasingly gaining attention in southern China due to its low carbon emissions and high yield characteristics.  However, the net carbon budget balance and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.  Three rice planting patterns were established in this trial experiment conducted from 2021 to 2022 in Fuzhou (25°17′N, 119°18′E), Southeast China: the ratooning rice pattern (MC+RSR) for rice ratooning, single-cropping rice (LR₁), and double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  The closed static dark box gas collection, dry matter determination, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) etc. approaches were utilized to investigate the mechanism of "high carbon fixation - low emissions" in the rice ratooning system.  This was achieved through a comprehensive evaluation across multiple dimensions, including crop yield, GHG emissions, carbon and nitrogen footprints, resource utilization efficiency, carbon fixation capacity, and carbon budget balance.  The results showed that the average daily yield of the ratooning season rice (RSR) across different RR patterns from 2021 to 2022 was 28.21 to 47.40% higher than that of the main crop (MC) and single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 13.50 to 27.76% higher than that of the double cropping system. This discrepancy was attributed to a 3.32-6.85% increase in the allocation of ¹³C photosynthetic products (including NSC) to panicle organs and a 21.77-43.51% reduction in allocation to underground roots and soil of RSR.  Moreover, the average daily GWP values are 16.44 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for ratoon rice (MC+RSR), 24.99 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 21.32 kg CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ for double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  Specifically, the average daily GWP of ratoon rice is 34.21% lower than that of single-cropping rice and 22.90% lower than that of double-cropping rice.  Similarly, the average daily GHGI of ratoon rice is 62.28% lower than that of single-cropping rice and 28.96% lower than that of double-cropping rice.  In terms of carbon and nitrogen footprints, the ratoon rice model exhibited average daily values of 34.54 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 22.72 kg N-eq ha^-1, respectively.  In comparison, the single-cropping rice model had average daily values of 45.63 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 24.49 kg N-eq ha^-1, while the double-cropping rice model showed averages of 43.38 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 and 24.77 kg N-eq ha^-1, indicating the reductions of 24.30 and 7.23% in carbon and nitrogen footprints compared to the single-cropping rice model, as well as reductions of 20.38 and 8.30% relative to the double-cropping rice system.  Furthermore, the average carbon budget surplus across the three cropping systems is as follows: 22,380.01 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for ratoon rice (MC+RSR), 11,228.54 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for single-cropping rice (LR₁), and 23,772.15 kg CO₂-eq ha^-1 for double-cropping rice (ER+LR₂).  Therefore, the resource utilization efficiency of the ratoon rice model (MC+RSR) was 23.92 and 47.50% higher than that of the single-cropping rice model (LR₁) and the double-cropping rice model (ER+LR₂), respectively.  Furthermore, the average daily economic benefits increased by 32.71 and 80.75%, respectively.  These findings provide a robust theoretical foundation and practical guidance for advancing agricultural carbon neutrality technologies and ensuring food security.

Plant viruses pose significant threats to agriculture, with many vectored by insect pests. The entry of viruses and their encoded proteins into the host nucleus is a critical step for promoting some viral replication and enabling systemic infection. Laodelphax striatellus, also known as the small brown planthopper (SBPH), is an efficient vector for rice stripe virus (RSV), one of the most damaging viruses of rice. In this study, we demonstrate that RSV infection induces the expression of genes in both the classical and non-classical nuclear import pathways of SBPH. A gene belonging to the importin β family, importin 5 (LsIPO5), was upregulated by 84% in SBPH midguts infected with RSV. The nuclear localization signal (NLS, ¹⁶⁸YRSPSKKRHKYV¹⁷⁹) is located within the nonstructural protein NS3 directly bound to LsIPO5, thereby facilitating NS3 nuclear entry. Moreover, a RING-type E3 ligase (LsRING) in SBPH, which mediated the ubiquitination of NS3 in the insect vector, enhanced NS3 binding to LsIPO5 and facilitated NS3 perinuclear localization. Combined treatment of SBPH with both dsIPO5 and dsRING significantly reduced RSV loads, highlighting the importance of LsIPO5 and NS3 ubiquitination cooperation in facilitating viral replication. Our findings provide new insights into synergistic molecular mechanisms that govern RSV infection and suggest potential therapeutic targets to control viral transmission through their insect vectors.

Lodging is a primary factor limiting rice grain yield. How to achieve the synergistic improvement of high yield and nitrogen use efficiency without lodging has always been the focus worldwide.  In this study, Yongyou 2640 (indica-japonica hybrid rice) and Jinxiangyu 1 (inbred japonica rice) were used as materials for field experiments across two years. Six different nitrogen managements were set up, including no nitrogen (T1), conventional urea (T2), controlled-release nitrogen (T3), reduction of controlled-release nitrogen (T4), controlled-release nitrogen combined with one-time basal conventional urea (T5), controlled-release nitrogen combined with split conventional urea (T6).  The results showed that compared with T2, the combined application strategy of controlled-release nitrogen (T5 and T6) could improve nitrogen use efficiency and grain yield by 4.89–5.69% and 3.41–4.65%, respectively.  The carbohydrate contents of the second basal internode, the internode breaking strength, the thickness of the epidermal silicon layer, the number of large and small vascular bundles, and the thickness of parenchymatous tissue and mechanical tissue were increased, whereas the internode length, bending moment and lodging index were reduced under the combined application strategy of controlled-release nitrogen.  These results indicated that the combined application strategy of controlled-release nitrogen could achieve the goal of high yield and nitrogen use efficiency with synchronously increased stem strength due to the improvement in the morphological, mechanical, physicochemical and anatomical properties of second basal stem.

With the passage of time and the advancement of technology, crop breeding has gone through generations from 1.0 to 4.0 and is now moving towards generation 5.0. Although the 3.0 and 4.0 generations of breeding have received extensive attention, only hybrid breeding of the 2.0 generation can enable the parents to achieve genome-wide recombination, resulting in a large number of complex and unpredictable interactions within and between genes, which may be the basis for the emergence of breakthrough traits. Thus hybrid breeding still holds an important position. However, at present, taking rice as an example, the hybrid breeding operations carried out by the majority of breeders may still have issues that need improvement in terms of scientificity and efficiency. In light of the current situation, in order to select high-yielding, high-quality, and multi-resistant varieties, and to overcome the homogenization of varieties, hybrid rice breeding should pay attention to the following aspects. Firstly, the breeding goals should be combined with the local natural conditions and effectively coordinate the combination of advantageous traits. Only in this way can the high-yield, high-quality and highly-resistant high-level goals be achieved, so as to break through the homogenization of varieties. Secondly, because the F₁ generation combines the superior traits of both parents and has certain hybrid vigor, it may be the best-performing generation of the same combination. If F₁ performs poorly overall, it is difficult for its offspring to produce the expected types that meet the breeding goals. Therefore, this generation should be selected as a key generation, which is conducive to significantly improving the efficiency of breeding. Thirdly, in the early stage of breeding, the main task is to promote generations. To enhance the breeding efficiency, direct seeding should be adopted, which can save land and resources. During the breeding process, the current generation should be combined with the early-generation tests to increase predictability and further eliminate combinations to improve the breeding efficiency. Fourth, during the high-generation selection process, after field selecting, the panicle traits of the combinations should be further compared indoors to select the optimal combination, so as to achieve the best from the best. Finally, the intelligent varieties of the 5.0 generation of breeding are those that can adapt to the ecological and biological factors of the wide range of environments, and can meet the production needs with wide adaptability. Due to the complexity of the environmental conditions for crop growth, it is necessary to conduct extensive and long-term identification of the varieties to achieve the breeding goals. In conclusion, by optimizing the field operations and selection techniques in hybrid breeding, the breeding efficiency will be significantly enhanced, laying the foundation for the selection of breakthrough varieties.

This experiment was conducted in Yuyao City, Zhejiang Province, to investigate the effects of different seeding rates on the yield of direct-seeded late rice under the spring broccoli+single-season late rice rotation model. The rice variety Yongyou 1540 was used as the test material, 5 seeding rate treatments were designed: 11.25 (T1), 15.00 (T2), 18.75 (T3), 22.50 (T4), and 26.25 kg/hm² (T5). Parameters such as rice growth period, tillering dynamics, and yield were measured for each treatment. The results showed that different seeding rates had no significant effect on the rice growth period. The number of seedlings during the tillering stage generally increased with higher seeding rates (except in the survey conducted on August 5). In terms of economic traits and yield, treatment T3 achieved the highest number of effective panicles (2.45 million panicles/hm²) and seed-setting rate (86.7%), while treatment T4 achieved the highest 1 000-grain weight (22.6 g). The yields treatments T3 and T4 were higher outputs of 7 877 and 7 658 kg/hm², respectively. In conclusion, under the spring broccoli + single-season late rice rotation model, the suitable seeding rate for single-season late rice ranges from 18.75 to 22.50 kg/hm².

Addressing the challenge of safe rice production in cadmium (Cd)-contaminated farmland, this study aimed to screen commercially available high-efficiency foliar inhibitors and evaluate their application effects. Two commercially available silicon (Si)-containing foliar inhibitors (Beierke and Guilifeng) were applied at two rates (3 and 6 L/hm²) in typical Cd-contaminated farmland in Yiyang City. A treatment without foliar inhibitor application served as the control group (CK). A total of five treatment groups were sprayed at the rice booting and heading stages. The study examined their effects on rice yield, Cd content in rice grains, and the Cd bioaccumulation factor, along with a health risk assessment. The results indicated that spraying the two Si-containing foliar inhibitors (3 and 6 L/hm²) during the rice booting and heading stages increased rice yield by 4.6% to 7.7%, reduced Cd content in rice grains by 24.5% to 42.5%, and decreased the Cd bioaccumulation factor in rice grains by 24.1% to 42.3%. Both inhibitors showed optimal performance at the application rate of 6 L/hm², and under the same application rate, Beierke demonstrated superior Cd reduction compared to Guilifeng. The application of two foliar inhibitors reduced the target hazard quotient (THQ) for adults and children by 24.2% to 42.1% and 24.3% to 42.4%, respectively, mitigating the health risks associated with rice consumption for the local population. In conclusion, the application of commercially available Si-containing foliar inhibitors during the rice booting and heading stages can increase rice yield in Cd-contaminated farmland, reduce Cd absorption and accumulation in rice grains, and mitigate health risks to human health. Among then, the use of Beierke foliar inhibitor at a dosage of 6 L/hm² yielded the best result. Future efforts should combine soil amendments (such as lime) to adjust soil pH and further reduce Cd content in rice to meet national standards, thereby providing a more comprehensive technical solution for the safe utilization of Cd-contaminated farmland.

To explore the regulatory effects of applying commercial organic fertilizer from fermented chicken manure on rice yield and soil physicochemical properties in a double-cropping rice system, a paired field experiment was conducted in sandy loam paddy fields derived from river alluvium in eastern Hunan Province. The treatments consisted of conventional chemical fertilizer and commercial organic fertilizer from fermented chicken manure (4.5 t/hm² per season). The effects of continuous organic fertilizer application on rice yield, soil physicochemical properties, and enzyme activities were systematically analyzed. The results showed that, compared with the control plots, although the organic fertilizer treatment did not significantly increase double-cropping rice yield (the increase range between 11%-15%), it significantly improved the soil physical structure: the soil bulk density decreased by 15%-16% in early rice season, and the stability of soil aggregates was significantly increased by 21%-61% (P<0.05). The contents of various soil carbon components showed an increasing trend. In Lutang Village, the total soil organic carbon content was significantly increased by 12% and 19% in early and late rice seasons, respectively; the contents of active organic carbon components (dissolved organic carbon and particulate organic carbon) increased by 29%-67%, and the mineral-bound organic carbon content increased by 14%-65%. The increase in available nutrient content showed spatiotemporal heterogeneity. In Lutang Village, the total nitrogen and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen contents were significantly increased by 26% and 21%, respectively, in the early rice season; in Fengyu Village, the alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen and available potassium contents were increased by 21% and 11%, respectively, in the late rice season (P<0.05). The response of soil enzyme activity to organic fertilizer application varied with the experimental site and rice season. In Fengyu Village, the activities of urease, acid phosphatase, and β-1,4-glucosidase were significantly increased by 93%-149% in the late rice season, while in Lutang Village, β-1,4-glucosidase activity was decreased by 23%-35% in both early and late rice seasons. Correlation analysis showed that rice yield was significantly positively correlated with soil organic carbon, available potassium, and mineral-bound carbon (Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.420-0.634), but was significantly negatively correlated with β-1,4-glucosidase activity (Pearson correlation coefficient was -0.506). In conclusion, commercial organic fertilizer from fermented chicken manure positively enhances soil fertility in double-cropping rice systems by improving soil physical structure, increasing soil organic carbon content, and modulating enzyme activities, though its effects are influenced by native soil properties and rice season.

To investigate the effects of side-deep fertilization on rice biomass production, yield formation, and grain quality, in this experiment, no nitrogen fertilizer (0N) was set as the blank control, and the split application of 300 kg/hm² conventional fertilizer was set as the conventional control (CK). Two main plots were established: side-deep application of slow-release blended fertilizer and side-deep application of conventional compound fertilizer. Within these main plots, three nitrogen application gradients (240, 270 and 300 kg/hm²) were set as subplots. Additionally, two modes with a 10% nitrogen reduction were included: a one-time side-deep application of slow-release blended fertilizer (ODS18), and a one-base-one-topdressing side-deep application of conventional fertilizer (DSC18), resulting in a total of eight treatments. The results showed that compared with the control, side-deep fertilization did not reduce the number of tillers even when nitrogen application was reduced by 10%-20%; instead, it promoted tillering, with tiller numbers increased by 4.5% to 56.5% and effective panicles increased by 7.5% to 22.1%. Under side-deep fertilization, plant height increased across all nitrogen application levels, and the leaf area index significantly improved, favoring early-stage rice growth. It also significantly enhanced the photosynthetic potential, agronomic nitrogen use efficiency, and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer, with side-deep application of slow-release blended fertilizer outperforming side-deep application of conventional compound fertilizer. The highest photosynthetic potential and nitrogen use efficiency were achieved with slow-release blended fertilizer at a nitrogen application rate of 270 kg/hm². Under reduced nitrogen application and fewer fertilization events, side-deep fertilization effectively increased the number of effective panicles without reducing the seed-setting rate or 1000-grain weight, which were the main reasons for the yield increase. The yield of side-deep application of slow-release blended fertilizer with a 20% nitrogen reduction was close to that of the control, while a 10% nitrogen reduction increased yield by 14.5%, demonstrating significant potential for yield enhancement and efficiency improvement. The effects of side-deep fertilization on rice quality were complex, which could increase protein content but had minimal impact on processing and appearance quality. The head rice rate under side-deep application of compound fertilizer was higher than that of the control, and one-time deep side application of slow-release blended fertilizer significantly improved the head rice rate and reduced amylose content. In summary, side deep fertilization is an efficient fertilization method, which can stabilize or even increase the yield under the condition of reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer by 10% -20% and reducing the number of fertilization times by 2-3 times. In particular, the treatment of side deep application of slow-release blended fertilizer with 20% nitrogen reduction can stabilize the processing quality and appearance quality without reducing the yield, and has the value of large-scale promotion.

The characteristics of cadmium (Cd) translocation and accumulation in different rice cultivars in the southeast Sichuan were investigated to provide theoretical references for the safe production of rice in regional mild Cd-contaminated paddy fields. Eight local staple rice cultivars in Longchang City, Sichuan Province, were selected as experimental materials to determine the agronomic traits and Cd content of each part of ricethrough field plot test methods, the Cd accumulation and translocation characteristics of each cultivar of rice were analyzed, to filter out the suitable rice cultivars with low Cd accumulation. The results showed that the agronomic traits of the eight rice cultivars differed significantly, and all of them were within the theoretical yield range of the corresponding cultivars. The accumulation capacity of Cd in different parts of rice was ranked as grain>leaf>straw>root, with the exception of ‘Neixiangyou 3’, ‘Neixiangyou 5’ and ‘Taiyou 2903’. Only ‘Taiyou 2903’ was below the standard limit of Cd content (0.20 mg/kg) in grains, which complied with the requirement set in the National Food Standards (GB 2762-2022) among the eight cultivars, and the BCF grains and TF grains/leaves of this cultivar were lower than those of other rice cultivars. The transfer factor pattern was TF leaf/straw > TF grain/leaf > TF straw/root, except for ‘Neixiangyou 5’ and ‘Neixiangyou 8’. Correlation analysis suggested a highly significant positive correlation between Cd content in rice grain and straw (P<0.01), and the Cd content in rice grain was positively correlated with TF straw/root and TF grain/leaf (P<0.05), respectively. Therefore, it was recommended to popularize the cultivation of ‘Taiyou 2903’ in mild Cd-contaminated areas, and the yield can be improved by rational matching of fertilizers and other measures.

To investigate the variations in summer heat resources across Heilongjiang Province under the new climate state (1991-2020) and their impacts on the growth period and yield of cold-region rice, this study utilized 30-year datasets encompassing climatic observation records, rice phenological monitoring data, and yield statistics from 10 agro-meteorological experimental stations. Employing the linear trend rate method, linear regression analysis, and the Hodrick-Prescott (HP) filter, we analyzed the change characteristics of key thermal factors in summer, including ≥10℃ active accumulated temperature, mean temperature, and maximum/minimum temperatures, and their associations with rice phenological progression and yield components. The results showed that the summer heat resources in Heilongjiang Province from 1991 to 2020 had shown a significant upward trend. The tendency rate of active accumulated temperature of ≥10℃ was 36.89℃/10 a, and the increase in the minimum temperature was the largest, at 0.30℃/10 a. The increases in average temperature and maximum temperature were 0.15℃/10 a and 0.14℃/10 a respectively. From the perspective of the growing season dates, the heading date of rice showed a highly significant trend of advancing (with a tendency rate of -4.8 days per 10 years, P<0.01), while the milk-ripe stage and the maturity stage fluctuated relatively less. In terms of the length of the growing season, the heading stage, the milk stage and the reproductive growth period all showed a highly significant trend of extension (P<0.01). Over the past 30 years, the actual yield, trend yield, and meteorological yield of rice in Heilongjiang Province all exhibited a consistent increasing trend, with linear tendency rates of 804 kg per decade, 775 kg per decade, and 29 kg per decade, respectively. Among the thermal factors, mean temperature showed a highly significant correlation with the heading stage (P<0.01), while minimum temperature was highly significantly correlated with both the heading stage and milk-ripe stage (P<0.01). For every 1℃ increase in the mean temperature anomaly, the meteorological yield of rice increased by 110.87 kg per hectare. This study demonstrates that the enhancement of summer thermal resources under the new climate state (1991-2020) serves as the core climatic driver for the prolonged growth period and increased yield of cold-region rice. These findings provide a scientific basis for the efficient utilization of climatic resources and the optimization of variety distribution for cold-region rice cultivation.

Rice bakanae disease has emerged as a major seed-borne fungal disease threatening China’s food security, and single chemical control is facing severe challenges. This paper systematically reviewed the latest progress in the comprehensive prevention and control technology of this disease. The pathogens and symptoms of rice bakanae disease were introduced, and the occurrence regularity of rice bakanae disease was expounded from the aspects of transmission route, infection cycle and epidemic regularity. The cause factors of rice bakanae disease were introduced from the aspects of variety resistance, pathogen accumulation, mechanical damage, meteorological conditions, seed soaking with fungicide, seedling raising methods and cultivation management. The research progress on agricultural control measures of rice bakanae disease were introduced from the aspects of selecting disease-resistant varieties, selecting disease-free seeds, seed treatment and strengthening field management. The research progress on biological control measures of rice bakanae disease focused on the screening of antagonistic bacteria and their inhibitory activity assessment, the exploration and application of biocontrol bacteria, and the utilization of biopreparations for disease management. It also summarized key chemical control strategies, including laboratory fungicide screening and seed treatment applications. The authors emphasized that effective management of bakanae disease should be based on agricultural control, integrated with chemical and biological control methods, to achieve comprehensive disease management and ensure the healthy and sustainable development of grain production in China.

Based on meteorological data (including temperature, precipitation, and sunshine duration) from 6 national meteorological stations in Xixiu District, Pingba District, Puding County, Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County (referred to as Zhenning), Guanling Buyi and Miao Autonomous County (referred to as Guanling), and Ziyun Miao and Buyi Autonomous County (referred to as Ziyun) of Anshun City, Guizhou Province during 1994-2023, as well as data from the Anshun Statistical Yearbook during 2011-2023, this study analyzed the characteristics of climate change in the study area over the past 30 years and evaluated its impact on rice yield using linear regression analysis, moving average method, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results showed that the annual average temperature in the 6 regions of the study area presented an upward trend from 1994 to 2023, while the annual total precipitation showed a general but uneven decreasing trend. The annual sunshine duration exhibited a slow upward trend with significant fluctuations. From 2011 to 2023, the rice yield per unit area in the 6 regions generally showed a growth trend of “slow first, then rapid, followed by differentiation” with obvious regional differentiation. Specifically, the rice yield per unit area in the Pingba area was significantly positively correlated with the annual average temperature (P<0.05), and that in the Ziyun area was significantly positively correlated with both the annual average temperature and annual total precipitation (P<0.05). The correlations between rice yield per unit area and meteorological factors in the other regions were not statistically significant (P>0.05). These findings indicate that the rice yield per unit area in some parts of the study area is significantly affected by temperature and precipitation.

【Objective】Heading date is a critical agronomic trait influencing rice yield and quality, regulated by complex networks involving histone-modifying enzymes, transcription factors, protein kinases, florigens, and phytochromes. While ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are known for their roles in substrate transport, their functions in heading date regulation remain unclear. This study investigates the role of the ABC transporter gene OsARG1 in the regulation of rice heading date, which will provide evidence for enriching the heading date regulation network.【Method】A comparative analysis was conducted between wild-type Nipponbare and the osarg1 mutant. Key agronomic traits, including heading date, plant height, tiller number, and panicle length, were assessed. Chlorophyll contents in leaf of Nipponbare (WT), albino leaf (WL), yellow-green leaf (YL) and green leaf (GL) of osarg1 were measured. Metal element contents such as cobalt, nickel, calcium, magnesium and iron in WT, WL, YL and GL were determined by ICP-MS. Hormone profiling, transcriptome sequencing, and integrative analysis were performed on WT, WL and GL to explore the regulatory function of OsARG1.【Result】The osarg1 mutant exhibited an earlier heading date than wild-type in both Guiyang and Changchun. It also showed reduced plant height, tiller number, and panicle length. Chlorophyll levels in WL and YL were significantly lower, accompanied by disrupted metal element homeostasis. Hormonal analysis revealed elevated levels of gibberellins, auxin-related, and cytokinin-related hormones in GL and WL, particularly in WL. Transcriptome analysis identified 2 001 and 6 555 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GL_vs_WT and WL_vs_WT comparisons, respectively. Over 20 heading date-associated genes, including Hd3a, OsMADS14, and chromatin methyltransferase genes, were differentially expressed. GO and KEGG analyses of DEGs from GL vs WT comparison highlighted enrichment in pathways related to metabolism, development, and environmental responses. Integrated transcriptomic and hormonal analysis suggested that OsARG1 may influence gibberellin and cytokinin levels by modulating diterpene and zeatin metabolism and hormone signaling pathways. Expression levels of the selected genes by qRT-PCR were consistent with the transcriptome data, validating the transcriptomic findings. 【Conclusion】The osarg1 mutant heads earlier than the wild-type, with OsARG1 likely regulating heading date through modulating the expression of heading date related genes. Additionally, OsARG1 plays roles in maintaining chlorophyll content and metal element (such as nickel, iron, and magnesium) balance in rice leaves.

The breakthrough in super hybrid rice yield has significantly contributed to China’s and global food security.  However, the inherent conflict between high productivity and environmentally sustainable agriculture poses substantial challenges.  Issues such as water scarcity, energy crises, escalating greenhouse gas emissions, and diminishing farm profitability threaten long-term agricultural sustainability.  In response, we applied a holistic food–carbon–nitrogen–water–energy–profit (FCNWEP) nexus framework to comprehensively assess the sustainability of distinct crop management strategies across three sub-sites in Central China.  Field experiments were conducted in Hubei and Hunan provinces from 2017 to 2021 using a widely adopted elite super hybrid rice cultivar (Y-liangyou 900). Four crop management treatments were implemented: a control (CK, 0 kg N ha⁻¹), conventional crop management (CCM, 210–250 kg N ha⁻¹, 7:3 basal:mid-tiller fertilizer ratio), and two integrated crop management (ICM) treatments (ICM1, 180–210 kg N ha⁻¹, 5:2:3 basal:mid-tiller:panicle initiation fertilizer ratio; ICM2, 240–270 kg N ha⁻¹, 5:2:2:1 basal:mid-tiller:panicle initiation:flowering fertilizer ratio).  Variables assessed included grain yield, carbon footprint, nitrogen footprint, water footprint, energy footprint, nitrogen use efficiency, and economic benefits.  Our results showed significant yield variations, with ICM2 consistently outperforming CCM and ICM1 across all three sites.  In Jingzhou, Suizhou, and Changsha, ICM2’s grain yield was 30.2, 24.7, and 13.3% higher than CCM, respectively.  Net profits under ICM2 exceeded those of CCM and ICM1 by 31.8 and 115.2% in Jingzhou, 32.2 and 109.9% in Suizhou, and 15.4 and 34.0% in Changsha, respectively.  Integrated crop management, particularly ICM2, demonstrated improved nitrogen and energy use efficiency, leading to reduced carbon, nitrogen, water, and energy footprints.  Overall, composite sustainability scores derived from the FCNWEP framework indicated that both ICM2 and ICM1 exhibited higher sustainability levels compared to CCM.  This study provides valuable insights into practical management methodologies and offers recommendations for enhancing agricultural sustainability.

An in-depth analysis of the current development status of the rice industry in Anhui Province was conducted, key challenges were identified, and targeted recommendations were proposed. In Anhui Province, the sown area of rice remained stable, with gradual increases observed in both yield per unit area and total output. Regional distribution was progressively optimized, and continuous improvements were made in planting patterns and variety structure. Technological support was strengthened, leading to significant advancements in production techniques. The rice industry chain was further refined, and initial progress was achieved in brand development. Key challenges requiring attention included production infrastructure, scientific and technological support, the rice industry chain, and profitability of rice cultivation. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were proposed: infrastructure development and risk management were enhanced through the construction of high-standard farmland and the establishment of an intelligent meteorological disaster monitoring system; technological integration and promotion were accelerated by applying green, high quality, and efficient techniques such as side-deep fertilization, green pest control, and integrated rice farming; full-industry chain integration was promoted through contract farming, deep processing, and brand building to enhance product value; new quality productive forces in rice production were fostered by advancing research in biotechnology breeding, intelligent agricultural machinery, and smart farming technologies; building a diversified and complementary modern agricultural technology promotion and socialized service system. This study provided references for promoting high quality and high efficient development of the rice industry in Anhui Province.

To verify the application effect of silicon-containing water-soluble fertilizer on rice, field plot experiments were conducted in Hexian County, Ma’anshan City (test site 1), and Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City (test site 2), both located in Anhui Province. 3 treatments were designed: conventional fertilization + foliar application of silicon-containing water-soluble fertilizer 100 mL/667 m² (treatment 1), conventional fertilization + foliar application of an equal volume of clear water (treatment 2), and conventional fertilization alone (treatment 3). The effects of each treatment on rice agronomic traits, yield, and economic benefits were systematically compared. The results showed that compared with treatment 3 (conventional fertilization alone), treatment 1 increased rice yield by 51 kg/667 m⊃2; with an increase rate of 8.4% and a net increased output value of 107.5 yuan/667 m⊃2; at the first experimental site. At the second experimental site, it increased yield by 53 kg/667 m² with a increase rate of 10.8%, a net increased output value of 112.5 yuan/667 m². In addition, compared with treatment 3, foliar application of silicon-containing water-soluble fertilizer in treatment 1 also improved the stiffness of rice straw and enhanced lodging resistance. In conclusion, under the experimental conditions, foliar application of silicon-containing water-soluble fertilizer exhibited a potential yield-increasing effect and favorable economic benefits on rice.

This study aimed to clarify the regulatory effects of transplanting row spacing and sowing date combinations on the growth, yield, and quality of late japonica rice. Using two cultivars of ‘Suxiangjing 100’ (conventional late japonica rice) and ‘Yongyou 1526’ (hybrid late japonica rice) as materials, a three-factor randomized block design was adopted to systematically measure parameters including tiller dynamics, leaf area index, SPAD value, dry matter accumulation, yield, and quality traits. Results showed that the combination of alternate wide-narrow row transplanting and sowing on May 23 performed best. Under this combination, ‘Suxiangjing 100’ and ‘Yongyou 1526’ achieved spike formation rates of 82.96% and 79.80%, SPAD values of 46.02 and 50.08, leaf area indices of 5.68 and 7.64 during the booting stage, dry matter accumulation of 23.34 and 26.37 t/hm², and yields of 11.9 and 13.9 t/hm², respectively, which were all significantly higher than other treatments (P<0.01). In terms of quality, chalkiness degree decreased to 4.1%, amylose content remained moderate, gel consistency reached 90.1 mm, and head rice rate increased to 76.1%, indicating coordinated improvement in overall quality (P<0.05). The study concluded that the optimized combination of wide-narrow row transplanting and appropriate sowing date can synergistically enhance canopy structure and material conversion efficiency, contributing to stable and high-quality production. This approach is suitable for application in the Taihu Lake region and surrounding late japonica rice production areas.

【Objective】Grain shape is an important agronomic trait affecting rice yield and quality, and its development is regulated by the three-dimensional morphology of grain (grain length, grain width, grain thickness). Identification and cloning of grain shape regulatory genes can enrich the molecular mechanism of rice grain development regulation, and provide theoretical basis and genetic resources for high-yield molecular design breeding of rice. 【Method】A stable inherited grain type mutant sgd13 (small grain and dwarf 13) was screened from the mutant library of Nanjing 9108 induced by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS). The grain morphology, 1000-grain weight, seed setting rate, yield per plant, plant height, panicle length and other phenotypes of the mutants were statistically analyzed. Paraffin sections and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the changes in the number and size of glume and stem cells. The genetic analysis of sgd13 and Nanjing 9108 was carried out. The F₂ population constructed by sgd13 and Nanjing 9108 was used to locate the gene by BSA-seq technology. The SWISS-MODEL website was used to predict the three-dimensional structure of wild-type and mutant proteins. 【Result】The grains of sgd13 were significantly smaller and narrower, the grain length decreased by 19.98%, and the grain width decreased by 7.81%. Compared with WT, the plant height, spike length and yield per plant of sgd13 were significantly reduced. There was no significant difference in the number of internodes between sgd13 and WT, but the lengths of the first, second, third and sixth internodes were shorter. Cytological analysis showed that the glume and stem cells of sgd13 became smaller and less, indicating that sgd13 may affect organ development by regulating cell division and expansion. Genetic analysis confirmed that the trait was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. The candidate gene was mapped to LOC_Os01g52550 by BSA-seq, which encodes an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter. The ABC transporter contains two typical core domains: A highly conserved nucleotide binding domain (NBD) and a less conserved transmembrane domain (TMD). In the sgd13 mutant, a single base substitution (T→A) occurred in the exon region of the gene, which was located in the NBD domain. This single base substitution directly causes the encoded amino acid to change from glutamic acid (E) to aspartic acid (D). Due to the differences in side chain structure and chemical properties between glutamic acid and aspartic acid, this change is likely to affect the spatial structure of SGD13 protein, thereby interfering with its normal function, and ultimately leading to a unique phenotype of the mutant sgd13. Genetic complementation experiments showed that the introduction of wild-type LOC_Os01g52550 could restore the grain shape of sgd13 to the wild-type level.【Conclusion】The sgd13 mutant phenotype was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene, which was caused by the LOC_Os01g52550 mutation. The T→A mutation in the exon region of the gene causes the glutamic acid in the NBD domain to become aspartic acid, which affects the three-dimensional structure of the protein.

In this study, with 'Hongyou 7' as the control, the field agronomic traits, disease-resistance performance, yield traits and rice quality of the new varieties 'Dedao 1' and 'Dedao 3' were compared to provide a scientific basis for the popularization and application of soft rice varieties in Yunnan. The results showed that the growth period of 'Dedao 1' (151 days) was the longest, followed by that of 'Hongyou 7' (145 days), and the growth period of 'Dedao 3' (136 days) was the shortest. There was no significant difference in plant height among the three varieties, and the occurrence of field diseases was generally mild. Among them, the disease indices of panicle neck blast, bacterial blight and sheath blight of 'Dedao 1' and 'Dedao 3' were significantly lower than those of 'Hongyou 7'. The panicle length, total number of grains per panicle, number of filled grains per panicle, seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight of 'Dedao 1' and 'Dedao 3' were higher than those of 'Hongyou 7', and their average yields were 15.54% and 6.89% higher than that of 'Hongyou 7' respectively. The cooking quality of 'Dedao 1' and 'Dedao 3' was better than that of 'Hongyou 7'. Compared with 'Hongyou 7', the new varieties 'Dedao 1' and 'Dedao 3' have outstanding comprehensive performance and good adaptability, and can be further demonstrated, popularized and planted in the soft-rice production areas of Yunnan.

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.