Comparison of yield traits in rice among three mechanized planting methods in a rice-wheat rotation system

Understanding the differences in yield traits of rice among pothole seedling of mechanical transplanting （PSMT）, carpet seedling of mechanical transplanting （CSMT） and mechanical direct seeding （MDS） is of great importance not only for rice scientists but also for rice farmers to develop a high-yield production system under mechanical conditions in a rice-wheat rotation system. However, such traits are yet to be studied among rice varieties ofjaponica-indica hybrid rice （JIHR）,japonica conventional rice （JCR） and indica hybrid rice （IHR）. Field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015, where six cultivars of the three rice types JIHR, JCR and IHR were grown individually with PSMT, CSMT and MDS methods, under respective managements for each method to achieve the maximum attainable yield. Results showed that （i） the PSMT significantly increased grain yield of JIHR by 22.0 and 7.1%, of JCR by 15.6 and 3.7% and of I HR by 22.5 and 7.4%, compared to MDS and CSMT on average across the two years, respectively. The highest yield was produced by the combination of JIHR and PSMT; （ii） high yield under PSMT was mainly attributed to large sink capacity and high-efficient dry matter accumulation. With sufficient panicles per hectare, the increase of spikelet number per panicle, especially the increase in spikelet number of the secondary rachis-branches was determined to be the optimal approach for developing a large sink capacity for rice under PSMT. The optimal tillers development, large leaf area index at heading stage, and high leaf area duration, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate during grain-filling phase could be the cause of sufficient dry matter accumulation for rice under PSMT; （iii） moreover, the PSMT favored plant growth as well as enriched the stems plus sheaths during grain-filling phase, as compared with CSMT and MDS. These results suggest that PSMT may be an alternative approach to increasing grain yield in a rice-wheat rotation system in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China.

Reducing environmental risk of nitrogen by popularizing mechanically dense transplanting for rice production in China

The high nitrogen(N)application rates typically used in Chinese cropping systems have led to diminishing returns for yields and have also imposed substantial environmental costs.Here,we estimate that the annual N loss from rice production in China reached approximately 2.6×109 kg from 2011 to 2015,and we demonstrate that adoption of the mechanically dense transplanting technique by producers is an effective method to reduce N loss from rice cropping systems without suffering a yield penalty.

Nitrogen Deep Placement Combined with Straw Mulch Cultivation Enhances Physiological Traits,Grain Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Mechanical Pot-Seedling Transplanting Rice

To assess the effects of straw return coupled with deep nitrogen(N)fertilization on grain yield and N use efficiency(NUE)in mechanical pot-seedling transplanting(MPST)rice,the seedlings of two rice cultivars,i.e.,Yuxiangyouzhan and Wufengyou 615 transplanted by MPST were applied with N fertilizer at 150 kg/hm2 and straw return at 6 t/hm2 in early seasons of 2019 and 2020.The experiment comprised of following treatments:CK(no fertilizer and no straw return),MDS(deep N fertilization and straw return),MBS(broadcasting fertilizer and straw return),MD(deep N fertilization without straw return),MB(broadcasting fertilizer without straw return).Results depicted that the MDS treatment significantly increased the rice yield by 41.69%-72.22%due to total above-ground biomass,leaf area index and photosynthesis increased by 54.70%-55.80%,38.52%-52.17%and 17.89%-28.40%,respectively,compared to the MB treatment.In addition,the MDS treatment enhanced the total N accumulation by 37.74%-43.69%,N recovery efficiency by 141.45%-164.65%,N agronomic efficiency by 121.76%-134.19%,nitrate reductase by 46.46%-60.86%and glutamine synthetase by 23.56%-31.02%,compared to the MB treatment.The average grain yield and NUE in both years for Yuxiangyouzhan were higher in the MDS treatment than in the MD treatment.Hence,deep N fertilization combined with straw return can be an innovative technique with improved grain yield and NUE in MPST in South China.

Comparison of agronomic performance between inter-sub-specific hybrid and inbred japonica rice under different mechanical transplanting methods

Mechanical transplanting has been applied to rice cultivation to save labor costs and ease labor shortages in Asian countries, especially in China. However, little information is available related to the characteristics of agronomic performance when comparing inter-sub-specific hybrid rice(IHR) and inbred japonica rice(IJR) under mechanical transplanting method. In 2013 and 2014, field experiments were conducted using IHR(Yongyou 2640) and IJR(Wuyunjing 24) under two cultivation patterns, that is, pot seedlings mechanically transplanted(PS) and carpet seedlings mechanically transplanted(CS). Grain yield, yield components, leaf area index(LAI), leaf area duration(LAD), aboveground biomass, crop growth rate(CGR), nitrogen(N) uptake, and N accumulation were investigated. When compared with CS, PS displayed significantly increased grain yield for both varieties because the larger sink size allowed higher N accumulation from panicle initiation to maturity. Moreover, total aboveground biomass under PS increased significantly compared with that under CS; that is, higher photosynthetic productivity resulted from a greater LAI and higher LAD during the grain filling stage. Higher N absorption capacity in the middle and late growth periods resulted in significantly enhanced total N uptake under PS. When compared with IJR for both treatments, IHR generated 75.2% more grain yield. However, the characteristics creating high yield of IHR were different from those of IJR. Greater aboveground biomass production as well as higher N uptake and accumulation created higher grain yield in IHR than in IJR. These results suggest higher yield could be achieved using PS with IHR, attributing to exploit both yield superiority and productive potential.

Critical Yield Factors for Achieving High Grain Yield in Early-Season Rice Grown under Mechanical Transplanting Conditions

Double-season rice cropping systems occupy a large portion of the rice production area in southern China.Because the problem of insufficient labor,mechanical transplanting(in contrast to the manual transplanting)was become more attractive in double-season rice system.However,the decisive yield factors which resulting in high grain yield of early-season rice are unclear under mechanical-transplanted conditions.In present study,the field experiments were conducted in the early season in 2017 and repeated in 2018 in Santang Town,Hunan Province,China.Ten early season rice cultivars(Zhuliangyou 819,Lingliangyou 268,Lingliangyou 104,Luliangyou 996,Xiangzaoxian 24,Xiangzaoxian 32,Xiangzaoxian 45,Xiangzaoxian 42,Zhongjiazao 17,and Zhongzao 39)were used as materials in this study.The difference in grain yield and closely-related agronomic and physiological traits of ten tested cultivars were compared.The range of yields(t ha^(–1) at 86%dry matter)in 2017 was 6.2 to 8.7(mean 7.8)and in 2018 was 6.5 to 8.4(mean 7.8).Grain weight and pre-heading biomass accumulation had potent significant positive correlations with the grain yield.The greater pre-heading biomass accumulation was major attributed to higher apparent radiation use efficiency.Our results suggested that early-season rice cultivars to achieve the high grain yield in mechanical-transplanted conditions depends on apparent radiation use efficiency in the pre-heading period and higher grain weight.

Yield potential and stability in super hybrid rice and its production strategies

China＇s Super Hybrid Rice Breeding Program has made significant progress over the past two decades. In this paper, we reviewed our studies on the yield potential and stability in super hybrid rice and discussed the strategies for super hybrid rice production. The results of our studies show that rice yield potential has been increased by 12% in super hybrid cultivars as compared with ordinary hybrid and inbred cultivars. The higher grain yields in super hybrid rice cultivars are attributed to larger panicle size coupled with higher biomass production or higher harvest index. However, grain yields in super hybrid rice cultivars vary widely among locations depending on soil and climatic factors. Therefore, it is important to tailor target yield to local conditions in super hybrid rice production. The target yield for super hybrid rice production can be determined by the average yield method or the regression model method. Improving soil quality is critical to achieving the target yield in super hybrid rice production. Favorable crop rotations such as rice-oilseed rape and novel soil management practices, such as biochar addition, are effective approaches to improve soil quality. It is needed to develop simplified cultivation tech- nologies for super hybrid rice to meet the changes in socioeconomic environments during the period of transition. There are such technologies as no-tillage direct seeding and mechanized transplanting at high hill density with single seedling per hill.

Effects of uniconazole rate on agronomic traits and physiological indexes of rapeseed blanket seedling

Mechanized transplanting of rapeseed(Brassica napus L.)blanket seedling is an innovative cultivation technology.Cultivating high quality blanket seedling to ensure high survival rate of seedling after transplanting is the key of the technology.The effects of different uniconazole rates of 0,0.5,1.0,1.5 and 2.0 mg/tray,spraying at one leaf and one heart stage,on selected agronomic traits,physiological indexes and survival rate of two rapeseed cultivars(‘Qinyou 100 and’Yangyou 90)were investigated in 2018 and 2019.Our results showed that the plant height decreased significantly with the increase of uniconazole rate.However,the collar diameter increased significantly with the increase of uniconazole rate up to 1.5 mg/tray,and the leaf area,dry weights of root and shoot increased with increased uniconazole rate up to 1.0 mg/tray.The root to shoot ratios,N concentrations of root and shoot with the uniconazole rates of 1.0 and 1.5 mg/tray were higher than those with other treatments.As uniconazole rate increasing,gibberellin(GA)and auxin(IAA)concentrations of root and shoot decreased,while abscisic acid(ABA)concentrations increased,and cytokinin(CTK)concentrations topped at uniconazole rate of 1.0 mg/tray and decreased thereafter.The seedling survival rates with 1.0 and 1.5 mg/tray were greatly higher than those in other treatments.Regression analysis suggested plant survival rate was positively related to CTK concentrations and negatively to GA concentrations of root and shoot.To achieve high survival rate after mechanized transplanting,our study revealed that the uniconazole applied at a rate of 1.0 mg/tray was recommended as the best,followed by 1.5 mg/tray.The findings would help to enhance qualities of rapeseed blanket seedling and to promote popularization of mechanized transplanting of rapeseed production.

Effects of soilless substrates on seedling quality and the growth of transplanted super japonica rice

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soilless substrates of hydroponically grown long-mat seedlings （HLMS） on seedling quality and field growth characteristics of transplanted super japonica rice. A widely grown conventional super japonica rice cultivar （Wuyunjing 23） was selected as the test material. The effect of HLMS on seedling quality, mechanical transplantation quality, field growth characteristics, yield, and benefit-cost ratio were compared with seedlings grown in organic substrates and traditional nutritive soil, whJch was selected as the control. Root number, root twJstJng power and root activity of seedlings cultivated by HLMS were decreased compared to that of the organic substrates andcontrol. However, seedling root length as well as aboveground growth were increased compared to the organic substrates and control seed- lings. In the HLMS, the content of gibberellin acid （GA3） decreased while abscisic acid （ABA） content increased compared to that of the organic substrates and control seedlings. During the early stages after transplanting, the re-greening of HLMS was delayed compared to that of the organic substrates and control seedlings. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in tiller dynamics and crop yield among the HLMS, organic substrates and control treatments. The effects of HLMS on seedling production were similar to those of the organic substrates and traditional nutritive soil in the present study, suggesting that HLMS have the potential to replace traditional nutritive soil in seedling production without decreasing crop yield. Finally, it is important to reduce organic substrates and topsoil dependence during rice seedling production and worthwhile to consider HLMS popularization and its application on a larger scale.

Role of OX40 in mechanisms of memory T cells in islet transplant tolerance

Objective To investigate the role of OX40 in the mechanisms of memory T cells in islet transplant tolerance. Methods The expression of OX40 on native, like memory and memory CD8 + T cells was detected by RT - PCR. Splenic T ceels from B6 mice were injected into Rag - / - mice via the tail vein,and the Rag mice were divided into three groups ( n = 8 each) :

Optimization design and test of rice plug seedling transplanting mechanism of planetary gear train with incomplete eccentric circular gear and non-circular gears

In order to solve the problem of the high-speed mechanized transplanting of rice plug seedlings,the design requirements of transplanting mechanism for rice plug seedlings were analyzed and a kind of rice plug seedling transplanting mechanism of planetary gear train based on the drive with incomplete eccentric circular gear and non-circular gears was designed innovatively.The laboratory kinematics was examined.The working principle of the transplanting mechanism for rice plug seedlings was studied,kinematics analysis of the transplanting mechanism was carried out and its kinematic model was set up.A human-computer interaction optimization method was used to optimize the parameters of the transplanting mechanism.The computer aided analysis and optimization software of the transplanting mechanism based on Visual Basic 6.0 was developed.Through analyzing the influence of design variables on the optimization objectives of the transplanting mechanism,a set of parameters of the transplanting mechanism which meet the requirements of transplanting trajectory and posture for transplanting rice seedlings were obtained by means of human-computer interaction.The structure of the transplanting mechanism was designed according to this set of parameters,and its virtual prototype and physical prototype were set up and manufactured,respectively.The kinematic simulation test and high-speed photography kinematic test of the transplanting mechanism were conducted to obtain its kinematic performances,such as transplanting trajectory and posture.The results of bench test,simulation analysis and theoretical analysis were almost in agreement,which verified the correctness of the theoretical model and design results of the transplanting mechanism,indicating that the optimized transplanting mechanism can satisfy the requirements of transplanting rice seedlings and be applied in the rice plug seedling transplanter.

Optimized design and experiment of the three-arm transplanting mechanism for rice potted seedlings

The transplanting arm of two-arm transplanting mechanism is easy to cause seedlings injury and missing due to its faster speed relative to the seedlings.In order to solve the existed problems,a three-arm transplanting mechanism for rice potted seedlings was developed in this study.The developed three-arm transplanting mechanism for rice potted seedling can make the transplanting arm realize special trajectory and attitude through the unequal planetary gear transmission.The kinematic model of three-arm transplanting mechanism for rice potted seedling was established,and the optimal design software was developed.Based on the heuristic optimization algorithm named“parameter guide”,a set of satisfied mechanism parameters required by the rice potted seedling transplanting were obtained.The trajectory and attitude of three-arm transplanting mechanism used for the rice potted seedling were analyzed.Besides,the virtual simulation results were basically consistent with the optimization software results,and the correctness of theoretical analysis and virtual simulation were also verified by each other.When the developed transplanting mechanism picked up the seedling,the velocity of transplanting arm relative to the seedling was reduced by about 30%.The results showed that the injury rate of rice potted seedling transplanting mechanism was 0.04%,the missing rate of seedling was 1.4%,the integrity rate of seedling pot matrix was 96%,and the success rate of picking seedling was 99.92%.

Theoretical analysis and development of a mechanism with punching device for transplanting potted vegetable seedlings

Several studies have indicated that potted vegetable seedling transplanting technology can greatly improve the ability of vegetable seedlings to resist cold,flood,drought,saline-alkali and pests.The existing transplanting equipment mostly adopts mechanical,electrical and hydraulic integration technologies with a complex structure and a high cost.To address the problems of the complex structure and low efficiency of existing transplanting equipment,a rotary transplanting mechanism for potted vegetable seedlings was developed through configuration analysis and optimization design.Through kinematic analysis of the transplanting mechanism,optimization design software was developed,and the parameters were optimized.A mechanism was developed for picking,transporting,hole punching and transplanting potted vegetable seedlings.The virtual simulation results showed that the maximum error of attitudes of the transplanting arm is less than 1.19°and that of the hole punching shovel is less than 1.7°.In this study,perforation,seedling harvesting and transplanting experiments were conducted through a bench test.The results showed that the specific trajectory and attitude of the potted vegetable seedlings transplanting mechanism conformed to the requirements of potted vegetable seedling transplantation and the success rate of seedling picking was 92.4%,which verified the correctness and feasibility of the rotary potted vegetable seedling transplanting mechanism.

Optimized design and experiments of a rotary-extensive-type flowerpot seedling transplanting mechanism

To realize the mechanization of flowerpot seedling transplanting,a creative mechanism to transplant flowerpot seedlings was designed.The mechanism is based on noncircular gear in combination with a transplanting arm equipped with an extensive seedling pick-up device to transplant the flowerpot seedlings from the growing tray to the flowerpot,which in accordance with the transplanting agronomy requirements.The working principles of a theoretical model and kinematic characteristics of the transplanting mechanism were analyzed.The computer-aided analysis and optimization software based on Visual Basic 6.0 was developed and used to obtain a set of special trajectory and attitude parameters satisfying the transplanting operation requirements.The optimized parameters were used for virtual manufacturing and simulation testing of the transplanting mechanism.The virtual prototype testing results are consistent with the theoretical analysis,verifying the structural design validity and rationality.The high-speed photography was used in a bench test of the transplanting mechanism with“Salvia Splendens”pot seedlings as test samples.The trajectory and attitudes of the theoretical analysis,virtual test,and physical prototype test were essentially identical.The bench test results showed that the success rate was 91.67%for the seedling pick-up device penetrating into the root mass at 35 mm,thus,the quality of the extracting seedling was satisfactory.

Method for generating non-circular gear with addendum modification and its application in transplanting mechanism

With a focus on the design of tooth profiles of non-circular gears with addendum modifications that conform to the given complex transmission ratio curves and based on a series of discrete point sets on the pitch curves,the criteria for tooth profile distortion and undercut in non-circular gears were proposed.With the constraint of no tooth profile distortion and undercut,the addendum modification coefficient was introduced into the calculation of the distorted and undercut segments of the tooth profile of a non-circular gear,and the addendum modification coefficient of each contact point of the non-circular gear was obtained.Based on the generating principle for gear shaping with gear cutters,a theoretical model for calculating the tooth profile of non-circular gears with addendum modification was derived.The cutting and radial feeding motions of the pinion cutter were ignored,and only the meshing motion was considered.The involute tooth profiles of the pinion cutter enveloped the tooth profile of the non-circular gear.3D automatic non-circular gear model generation software was developed,which was a secondary development product of the software UG.A non-circular gear in a rice potted seedling transplanting mechanism was designed,and the transplanter was developed and tested.The test results showed that the designed tooth profile of non-circular gear achieved the variable transmission ratios required by the transplanting mechanism.When the transplanting efficiencies were 140 plants/min,160 plants/min and 180 plants/min,the transplanter completed the rice potted seedling transplanting operation with high quality.