Natural conditions and cropping regionalization of rice area in China

The formation of rice distribution is based on certain natural ecological conditions and social economic environments. In China, rice cropping is distributed in a vast area extending across 5 tempera ture belts, the northernmost of rice growing area in the world being in China. Distribution of rice cropping is characterized by a gradual decrease from south to north, from large and concentrated regions in Southeast to small and separated areas in Northwest. Natural conditions in rice regions differ in China with a varied topography, high in the west and low in the east. Rice fields in the west are mostly distributed on flatlands on plains, valleys among mountains, tablelands in river valleys, yellow-soil plains and basins in low valleys, alluvial plains, plains in river valleys, while those in the east are mainly distributed on alluvial plains, hilly areas among low mountains, coastal plains, along rivers and lakes and in basins among mountains.

Phosphorus losses via surface runoff in rice-wheat cropping systems as impacted by rainfall regimes and fertilizer applications

Phosphorus（P） losses from agricultural soils contribute to eutrophication of surface waters. This field plot study investigated effects of rainfall regimes and P applications on P loss by surface runoff from rice（Oryza sativa L.） and wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） cropping systems in Lake Taihu region, China. The study was conducted on two types of paddy soils（Hydromorphic at Anzhen site, Wuxi City, and Degleyed at Xinzhuang site, Changshu City, Jiangsu Province） with different P status, and it covered 3 years with low, high and normal rainfall regimes. Four rates of mineral P fertilizer, i.e., no P（control）, 30 kg P ha^（–1） for rice and 20 kg P ha^（–1） for wheat（P_（30＋20））, 75 plus 40（P_（75＋40））, and 150 plus 80（P_（150＋80））, were applied as treatments. Runoff water from individual plots and runoff events was recorded and analyzed for total P and dissolved reactive P concentrations. Losses of total P and dissolved reactive P significantly increased with rainfall depth and P rates（P〈0.0001）. Annual total P losses ranged from 0.36–0.92 kg ha^–1 in control to 1.13–4.67 kg ha^–1 in P150＋80 at Anzhen, and correspondingly from 0.36–0.48 kg h^–1 to 1.26–1.88 kg ha^–1 at Xinzhuang, with 16–49% of total P as dissolved reactive P. In particular, large amounts of P were lost during heavy rainfall events that occurred shortly after P applications at Anzhen. On average of all P treatments, rice growing season constituted 37–86% of annual total P loss at Anzhen and 28–44% of that at Xinzhuang. In both crop seasons, P concentrations peaked in the first runoff events and decreased with time. During rice growing season, runoff P concentrations positively correlated（P〈0.0001） with P concentrations in field ponding water that was intentionally enclosed by construction of field bund. The relative high P loss during wheat growing season at Xinzhuang was due to high soil P status. In conclusion, P should be applied at rates balancing crop removal（20–30 kg P ha^–1 in this study） and at time excluding heavy rains. Moreover, irrigation and drainage water should be appropriately managed to reduce runoff P losses from rice-wheat cropping systems.

Mechanization of irrigated rice cropping regions in China

The mechanization of rice production in China has experienced a comparatively long and an undulating process. The full-scale making of mechanization of irrigated rice cropping regions was started at the mid 1960’s, later than that of upland cropping and its average level of mechanization operation also lower than the average level of the country. During this peiod, however, a series of mechines were created, which adapted to the characteristics of rice cropping regions in China, and the foundation was laid for the later paddy field machinery. For example, transplanting machine (created in 1956), boat—shaped tractors (1961), paddy field ploughing and harrowing serial (1974), and single wheel plowing machines (1979) etc.

Optimized Strategy for Layout of Crop Production Areas in Hunan Province

The optimized strategy made a comprehensive consideration of resources, technology, market orientation, production scale, industry basis and layout based on the principle of crop security and farmers’ income increasing, and determined the general planning on layout and structure optimization of future crop production ar-eas, with present crop production, market outlook, future industry development, con-cluding crop production characteristics of the 4 crop regions, and proposing function orientation and highlights.

Estimation of USLE crop and management factor values for crop rotation systems in China

Soil erosion on cropland is a major source of environmental problems in China ranging from the losses of a non-renewable resource and of nutrients at the source to contamination of downstream areas. Regional soil loss assessments using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) would supply a scientiifc basis for soil conservation planning. However, a lack of in-formation on the cover and management (C) factor for cropland, one of the most important factors in the USLE, has limited accurate regional assessments in China due to the large number of crops grown and their complicated rotation systems. In this study, single crop soil loss ratios (SLRs) were col ected and quantiifed for 10 primary crops from past studies or re-ports. The mean annual C values for 88 crop rotation systems in 12 cropping system regions were estimated based on the combined effects of single crop SLRs and the percentage of annual rainfal erosivity (R) during the corresponding periods for each system. The C values in different cropping system regions were compared and discussed. The results indicated that the SLRs of the 10 primary crops ranged from 0.15 to 0.74. The mean annual C value for al 88 crop rotation systems was 0.34, with a standard deviation of 0.12. The mean C values in the single, double and triple cropping zones were 0.37, 0.36 and 0.28, respectively, and the C value in the triple zone was signiifcantly different from those in single and double zones. The C values of dryland crop systems exhibited signiifcant differences in the single and triple cropping system regions but the differences in the double regions were not signiifcant. This study is the ifrst report of the C values of crop rotation systems in China at the national scale. It wil provide necessary and practical parameters for accurately assessing regional soil losses from cropland to guide soil conservation plans and to optimize crop rotation systems.

Cultivar Selection and Test Site Evaluation of Cotton Regional Trials in Jiangsu Province Based on GGE Biplot

This study was to evaluate the high yielding and stability of candidate cultivars, depict the adaptive planting region, analyze trial location discrim-ination ability and representativeness, as wel as identify the ideal cultivar and trial location, with the aim to provide theory background for cultivar selection and rea-sonable scheme of test location in Jiangsu Province. [Method] The GGE biplot method was used to analyze the lint cotton yield of 12 experimental genotypes in the 6 test locations （three replicates in each） of the cotton regional trial in Jiangsu Province in 2013. [Result] The effects of genotype （G）, environment （E）, and geno-type by environment interaction （G＆#215;E） on lint cotton yield were al highly significant （P〈0.01）, which made it necessary to further explore the specific pattern of geno-type by environment interaction. Jinmian118 （G4） and SF3303 （G5） were the best ideal genotypes screened by the ＂ideal cultivar＂ and ＂ideal location＂ view of GGE biplot, and the ordination of test sites based on the ideal index were in the order of Dafeng （DF）, Yanliang （YL）, Liuhe （LH）, Dongtai （DT）, Yancheng （YC）, and Nantong （NT）, among which NT was relatively weak in representing of the whole target cot-ton planting region in Jiangsu Province. The ＂similarity among locations＂ view of GGE biplot clustered al trial locations into one group, showing that the test sites in the cotton planting region in Jiangsu Province were in the same mega-environment. The ＂which-won-where＂ view of GGE biplot indicated that cotton cultivar Jinmian118 （G4） was the most appropriate cultivar in the homogeneous cotton planting region in Jiangsu Province. [Conclusion] Among the candidate cultivars, Jinmian118 and SF3303 were identified as the most ideal cultivars in this set of conventional cotton regional trial in Jiangsu Province; the test site of Dafeng ranked the first out of al locations in terms of discrimination and representativeness, and al test locations were clustered into the same mega-environmet, which indicated the high efficiency of cultivar selection in the cotton regional trial in Jiangsu Province.

Development and Validation of National Cotton Cultivar Registration Index Model in Yangtze River Valley

[Objective] Based on the cotton variety high yielding potential, fiber quality traits, disease resistance, and early maturity characters, a cultivar registration index model was developed to simplify the tedious calculation process in national cotton registration procedure, and thus to enhance the practical application of cultivar regis- tration index in cotton breeding ancl cotton recommending. [Method] By means of correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis and path analysis methods, the cor- relation of cotton main properties and their effects on cultivar registration index were explored using the dataset of national cotton regional trials in Yangtze River Valley during 1996-2013. The cultivar registration index model was constructed with step- wise regression statistical technique to ascertain the quantitative relationship of main characters with cultivar registration index, and the regional cotton trial dataset in 2013 was used to validate the model. [Result] Several characters with larger deter- minants to cultivar registration index were screened out,ie. lint yield increase ratio, pro-frost yield ratio, verticillium wilt index, fiber strength, fusarium wilt index and mi- cronaire value. The cultivar registration index model defined the functional relation- ship of cultivar registration index with the selected main characters, among which lint yield increase ratio, fiber strength and micronaire value contributed most to culti- var registration index. The model validation with regional cotton trials in 2013 indi- cated the root mean square error, RMSE was only 2.77, and the variation coeffi- cient was 6.77%, which confirmed the model prediction effect was quite perfect. [Conclusion] The developed cultivar registration index model was reliable enough to simulate the complicated scoring system in cultivar registration procedure, also sim- plified cotton registration process, and enhanced the practicability of the cultivar reg- istration index.

Evaluation on the High Yielding, Stability and Comprehensive Performances of Check Cultivars in National Cotton Regional Trials in the Yangtze River Valley

[Objective] This study was to analyze the high yielding, stability, adaptabil-ity and main characteristics of check cultivars in national cotton regional trials in the Yangtze River Val ey in 2000-2013, with the aim to provide theoretical basis for the reasonable selection of check cultivars for cotton regional trials. [Method] GGE biplot analysis method was used to carry out the intensive analysis and comprehensive comparisons on the performances and differences of the 9 major characters of check cultivars, namely, lint cotton yield , stability, and other main traits including bol weight, bol number, lint percentage, fiber length, fiber strength, micronaire val-ue, plant height and seed index. [Result] Ezamian 10 was suitable in the majority of cotton planting regions in the Yangtze River Val ey, with the best high yielding abili-ty and perfect yield stability. The yielding ability of Xiangzamian 8 ranked the sec-ond, but its stability was the poorest. Xiangzamian 8 was of the specific adaptive cultivar with relatively good performance in high yielding but the poorest stability. The suitable planting areas of Xiangzamian 8 were limited to the cotton planting re-gion around Dongting Lake in Hunan province, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province, the Coastal region in Jiangsu Province and Wuhan district in Hubei Province. Xi-angzamian 2 performanced poorer in both yielding and stability, while Simian 3 ranked first in stability but the last in yielding ability. The dominant character of Xi-angzamian 8 and Xiangzamian 2 were high cotton plants and big bol s. Simian 3 performanced super in lint percentage and fiber length. Ezamian 10 was strong in cotton bol formation ability, lint cotton yielding, fiber strength and seed size, as wel as high micronaire value. [Conclusion] The outstanding performance of Ezamian 10 in high and stable yield in the Yangtze River Val ey in recent years has effectively promoted the high yielding ability of candidate varieties in cotton regional trials in the area.

PRODUCTIVITY AND WATER UTILITY FOR MAIN CROPS IN LOESSAL HILL.REGION, SOUTHERN NINGXIA

The loessal hill region in southern Ningxia is a semiarid and severe eroded area with developed agriculture and animal husbandry. It has long been an argument whether there might be more potentiality of farming and whether food production can be sustained at a level of local sufficiency.