No-tillage effects on grain yield and nitrogen requirements in hybrid rice transplanted with single seedlings: Results of a long-term experiment

This study was conducted to determine whether,and if so how,the grain yield and nitrogen(N) requirements of hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings are affected by no-tillage(NT) practices.A fixed field experiment was done at the Experimental Farm of Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha,Hunan Province,China,from 2004 to 2014.Grain yield and yield attributes(panicle number per m2,spikelet number per panicle,spikelet filling percentage,grain weight,total biomass,and harvest index) were evaluated as well as the N-use characteristics(total N uptake,internal N-use efficiency,and N requirements) of hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings comparing NT with conventional tillage(CT).A significant finding was that there were no significant differences in grain yield,yield attributes,and N-use characteristics between CT and NT.Averaged across the 11 years,grain yield and N requirements were 9.51 t ha^(-1) and 20.2 kg t^(-1) under CT and 9.33 t ha^(-1) and 20.0 kg t^(-1) under NT,respectively.There were significant yearly variations in grain yield,yield attributes,and N-use characteristics observed under both CT and NT.The yearly variation in grain yield was related to simultaneous changes in spikelet number per panicle,grain weight,total biomass,and harvest index.Also,it was found that grain yield was positively correlated with internal N-use efficiency but negatively correlated with N requirements.It is concluded that grain yield and N requirements in hybrid rice when transplanted as single seedlings are not affected adversely by NT.The results of this study suggest that(1) compatible relationships among yield attributes can be established in hybrid rice that is transplanted as single seedlings,and(2) higher grain yield and higher N-use efficiency can be concurrently achieved in hybrid rice transplanted as single seedlings.

Effects of Silicon Formulations on Cold Tolerance of Rice Seedlings

To investigate the effects of silicon formulations on the cold tolerance of rice seedlings,Song Japonica 16(not cold tolerant)and Dongnong 427(cold tolerant)rice varieties were used as test materials and four different types of silicon formulations,Si-50-G,Si-60-G,Si-T-G,and Si-E-G,were applied as foliar sprays at the seedling stage,and a control group CK(equal amount of distilled water)was set up.One week after the first silicon spray,two types of rice were subjected to low-temperature stress treatments at day/night temperatures of 12℃/10℃for 2,4,6,and 8 days.The effects of different silicon formulations on the chlorophyll,proline(Pro)and soluble sugar contents as well as superoxide dismutase(SOD),peroxidase(POD)and catalase(CAT)activities of rice seedlings under low-temperature stress were compared to find out the effects of silicon formulations on the cold tolerance of rice seedlings.The results showed that silicon formulations could significantly increase the chlorophyll content of rice seedling leaves,with Si-50-G being the most effective,with a significant increment of 40.17%compared to the CK at 2 days of low temperature.Four silicon formulations significantly increased the proline content and soluble sugar content of rice leaves at low temperature for 4-8 days.For Song Japonica 16,the most significant increment in leaf POD activity was observed in Si-E-G treatment at 2,4 and 8 days of temperature stress,with 73.58%,20.95%and 217.24%increases compared to the CK,respectively.For 4 and 6 days of temperature stress,the most significant increase in CAT activity was observed in Si-E-G treatment,with 25.70%and 75.78%increases compared to the CK,respectively.For Dongnong 427,the Si-60-G treatment showed the highest increase in leaf SOD activity for 4 and 8 days of temperature stress,with significant increases of 58.15%and 82.76%compared to the CK,respectively,and the Si-E-G treatment showed the highest increase in leaf POD activity for 2 and 8 days of temperature stress,with significant increases of 97.75%and 245.10%compared to the CK,respectively.It showed that the spraying of silicon formulations could significantly enhance the cold tolerance of rice.This study provided a scientific basis for the rational use of silicon formulations to enhance cold tolerance in rice and had important theoretical and practical significance for ensuring sustainable high and stable rice yields in Heilongjiang Province,as well as for the development of silicon fertilizers.

Effects of Biostimulant NEAU10 on Growth of Rice Seedlings and Soil Physicochemical Parameters

The process of rice(Oryza sativa L.)seedling cultivation is often subjected to adverse environmental stress.Biostimulants regulate the robust growth of rice seedlings and play a crucial role in promoting the green and ecological development of agriculture.In this study,1.0 and 2.0 g•m^(-2) of the biostimulant were applied to soil in rice seedbeds.Growth indicators of rice,antioxidant enzyme activities and soil physicochemical characteristics were assessed at the 2.5-leaf and 4-leaf stages of rice.The results indicated that applying 2.0 g•m^(-2) of the biostimulant at both the 2.5-leaf and 4-leaf stages had the most significant promoting effect on rice growth.At the 2.5-leaf and 4-leaf stages,the number of fibrous roots increased by 23.43%and 22.25%,stem base width increased by 19.05%and 19.58%,above ground dry weight increased by 18.09%and 16.47%,root dry weight increased by 19.67%and 18.28%,leaf peroxidase(POD)activity increased by 34.44%and 42.94%,superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity increased by 37.24%and 56.79%,malondialdehyde(MDA)content decreased by 18.60%and 27.67%,and chlorophyll content increased significantly by 28.31%and 34.24%,respectively.At the 4-leaf stage of rice,urease,phosphatase and cellulase activities in the seedbed soil increased by 42.13%,25.96%and 33.59%,respectively,while soil alkaline nitrogen,available phosphorus and available potassium content decreased by 19.76%,19.02%and 17.88%,respectively.The application of biostimulants played a crucial role in promoting the growth of rice seedlings and enhancing soil nutrient absorption.

Growth of tandem long-mat rice seedlings using controlled release fertilizers:Mechanical transplantation can be more economical and high yielding

The traditional soil-based rice seedling production methods for mechanical transplanting are resource-intensive,time consuming and laborious.The improvement and optimization of nutrient management in soil-less nursery raising methods like tandem long-mat seedlings(TLMS)are necessary for the resource-efficient cultivation of rice.In the present study,a controlled-release fertilizer(CRF)-polymer-coated compound fertilizer with 3 months release period(PCCF-3M)was applied as seedling fertilizer(SF),and five different dosages of SF(SF-0,SF-10,SF-20,SF-30,and SF-40)were compared with an organic substrate as the control(CK).Among all SF treatments,the best results were obtained with the application of 20 g/tray of SF(SF-20),as the seedling quality and machine transplanting quality were comparable to those of CK.In contrast,the lower dosages(SF-0 and SF-10)resulted in low nitrogen content and reduced shoot growth,while the higher dosages(SF-30 and SF-40)resulted in toxicity(increased malondialdehyde accumulation)and inhibited the root growth.Similarly,SF-20 increased panicle number(5.6-7.0%)and yield(4.3-5.3%)compared with CK,which might be related to the remaining SF entangled in the roots supporting the tiller growth of rice seedlings in the field.Moreover,SF-20 reduced the seedling block weight(53.1%)and cost of seedling production(23.5%)but increased the gross margin,indicating that it was easy to handle and economical.Taken together,our results indicate that SF-20 is a cost-effective way to promote the growth and transplanting efficiency of rice seedlings.To our knowledge,this study is the first to determine the optimum dosage of CRF for the soil-less production of rice seedlings.

Correlation Analysis between Well-cellar Early Transplanting of Robust Seedlings and Diseases in Shiyan Tobacco-growing Area

[Objectives]The paper was to investigate the relationship between the well-cellar early transplanting of robust seedlings and the prevalence of diseases in the Shiyan tobacco-growing area.[Methods]The relationship between disease occurrence and meteorological factors during the field growth period was examined by analyzing the prevalence of flue-cured tobacco virus diseases,brown spot,and total disease in the Shiyan tobacco-growing area before(2013-2017)and after(2018-2022)the well-cellar early transplanting of robust tobacco seedlings.[Results]The implementation of a well-cellar early transplanting technique of robust seedlings resulted in a reduction in the average incidence of tobacco virus disease,brown spot,and total disease by 0.83%,8.85%,and 7.91%,respectively,in comparison to the incidence observed prior to early transplanting.These findings suggest that early transplanting can significantly reduce the incidence of flue-cured tobacco diseases.Prior to the well-cellar early transplanting of robust tobacco seedlings,there was a significant(including highly significant)positive correlation between the incidence of brown spot and total disease and precipitation in August and September.The incidence of brown spot and total disease in tobacco plants was found to be significantly positively correlated with May precipitation and significantly negatively correlated with May sunshine hours following the well-cellar early transplanting of robust seedlings.The advancement of the transplanting period by 20 d resulted in a reduction in the growing period of tobacco plants in the field under autumn rains(late August to November)in western China.This effectively circumvented the suitable conditions for disease occurrence and can reduce the incidence of disease.[Conclusions]This study offers a framework for enhancing the quality and efficiency of flue-cured tobacco production in the northwest tobacco-growing area of Hubei.

Improving Grain Yield of Indigenous Rice in Tidal Floodplain of Southern Bangladesh: Effect of Seedling Age and Transplanting Method

Rice production in the tidal floodplain of southern Bangladesh is constrained by uncontrolled water. In absence of high yielding varieties suitable for tidal floodplain, farmers grow low yielding indigenous cultivars of tall plant type. This paper reports the effect of agronomic management on the yield and yield components of an indigenous rice cultivar, Sadamota. The trial was conducted in 10 farmers’ plots located widely apart in two upazila (sub-districts)—Jhalakati and Rajapur. 45 d and 60 d old seedlings were transplanted either in rows at 40 cm × 20 cm spacing or following farmers’ traditional practice of random planting. Transplanting 60 d old seedlings produced 14% higher yield compared with 45 d old seedlings. Transplanting in rows also increased grain yield by 12%. The yield increase was associated with hill density, the number of effective tillers per hill and the number of spikelets per panicle.

EFFECTS OF SEEDING DENSITY AND BASIC MANURE ON THE GROWTH OF DRY NURSERY SEEDLINGS IN LATE DOUBLE CROPPING RICE IN SOUTH CHINA

During the period of dry nursery seedling raising of late double cropping indica rice in South China, both chemical fertilizer and farmyard manure did not show obvious effect on the growth of shoot and root in young seedlings at 4-leaf stage （18-day-old seedling）, but had significant effects on root growth in old seedlings with 6-7 leaves （27-day-old seedling） at suitable seeding densities (65-125g m-2). There were satistically significant differences （at 0.01 or 0.05 levels）between treatments in root number and rooting ability of root-pruned seedlings.

Effect of wide-narrow row arrangement in mechanical pot-seedling transplanting and plant density on yield formation and grain quality of japonica rice

Mechanical pot-seedling transplanting is an innovatively developed transplanting method that has the potential to replace mechanical carpet-seedling transplanting. However, the initial pot-seedling transplanting machine lacked optimized density spacing and limited yield potential for japonica rice. Therefore, ascertaining the optimized density by wide-narrow rows and the appropriate transplanting method for yield formation and grain quality of japonica rice is of great importance for high-quality rice production. Field experiments were conducted using two japonica rice cultivars Nanjing 9108 and Nanjing 5055 under three transplanting methods in 2016 and 2017: mechanical pot-seedling transplanting with wide-narrow row(K, average row spacing of 30 cm);equidistant row(D, 33 cm×12 cm);and mechanical carpet-seedling transplanting(T, 30 cm×12.4 cm). In addition, five different density treatments were set in K(K1–K5, from 18.62×10~4 to 28.49×10~4 hills ha^(–1)). The results showed that the highest yield was produced by a planting density of 26.88×104 hills ha^(–1) in mechanical pot-seedling transplanting with wide-narrow row with a greater number of total spikelets that resulted from significantly more panicles per area and slightly more grain number per panicle, as compared with equidistant row, and yield among density in wide-narrow row showed a parabolic trend. Compared with mechanical carpet-seedling transplanting, the treatment of the highest yield increased yield significantly, which was mainly attributed to the larger sink size with improved filled-grain percentage and grain weight, higher harvest index, and increased total dry matter accumulation, especially the larger amount accumulated from heading stage to maturity stage. With the density in wide-narrow row decreasing, processing quality, appearance quality, and nutrition quality were all improved, whereas amylose content and the taste value were decreased. Compared with mechanical carpet-seedling transplanting, mechanical pot-seedling transplanting improved processing quality and nutrition quality, but decreased amylose content and deteriorated appearance quality. These results suggested that mechanical pot-seedling transplanting with wide-narrow row coupling produced a suitable planting density of 26.88×10~4 hills ha^(–1) and may be an alternative approach to improving grain yield and quality for japonica rice.

Growth and yield of rice as affected by transplanting dates and seedlings per hill under high temperature of Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan

Studies were initiated for two consecutive years to find out the effect of time of transplanting and seedlings hill^-l on the productivity of rice in Dera Ismail Khan district of North West Frontier Province （NWFP）, Pakistan. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements. Main plots consisted of four transplanting dates viz. 20th and 27th of June and 4th and 1 lth of July while sub-plots contained 1, 2, 3 or 4 seedlings hill^-1. Among transplanting dates, June 20th planted crop gave highest paddy yield and net return with I seedling hill^-1. It explains that the use of more seedlings hill^-1 not only adds to cost but is also a mere wastage of natural resources. Based on research findings, we conclude that the use of I seedling hill^-1 is most appropriate for timely sowing otherwise 4 seedlings hill^-1 should be used to compensate for the yield gap in late transplanted rice.

Influence Factors for Safety Full Heading of Machine-transplanted Rice Seedlings in Cool-warm Rice Area

[Objective] This study was conducted to discuss influence factors for safety full heading of machine-transplanted rice seedlings in cool-warm rice area. [Method] Effects of variety, seedling age and nitrogen fertilizer dosage and strategy of machine-transplanted seedlings on safety full heading of machine-transplanted seedlings were investigated. [Result] During mechanized rice production in coolwarm rice area, mid-early-maturing cold-resistant varieties with growth periods no longer than 180 d could selected, and seedling age could controlled within 30-35 d; and the total amount of pure nitrogen should be less than 300 kg/hm^2, and the proportion of nitrogen fertilizer applied in later stages should be properly reduced. [Conclusion] Under this condition, safety full heading of rice is ensured, and the target yield is realized.

Selenium–nitrogen-co-doped carbon dots increase rice seedling growth and salt resistance

Soil salinity seriously affects the utilization of farmland and threatens the crop production.Here,a selenium-nitrogen-co-doped carbon dots was developed,which increased rice seedling growth and alleviated its inhibition by salt stress by foliar spraying.The treatment activated Ca^(2+)and jasmonic acid signaling pathways and increased iron homeostasis,antioxidant defense,and cell wall development of rice seedlings.It could be used to increase crop resistance to environmental stress.

Study on a Bowl-based Mechanism for Transplanting Potted Strawberry Seedlings

To improve the efficiency of fetching and transplanting seedlings for the mechanization of strawberry planting,an integrated transplanting mechanism was designed with protruding,fetching and planting performance to achieve rapid fetching and pushing bowl movements.According to the working principle of the slewing mechanism,a kinematics model and the optimization goal were established,respectively.Based on visual auxiliary analysis software,optimal parameters were obtained.A three-dimensional model was established to obtain a simulation trajectory by means of a virtual simulation design analysis.Three-dimensional printing technology was used to manufacture the test prototype,and the actual working trajectories of the test prototype were extracted using high-speed photography technology,which verified the consistency of the actual trajectory with the theoretical and simulated trajectories.A prototype transplanting experiment was performed with the success rate of seedling extraction of 91.2%and excellent planting rate of 82.8%,which met the requirements for integrated strawberry harvesting,planting and transplanting.The experimental results verified the correctness and feasibility of the design of integrated transplanting mechanism.

Effects of Rice Straw Steam-explosion Spent Liquor on the Growth of Cabbage Seedlings

The direct use of spent liquor from pulping and papermaking engineering,which is abundant in active organic matter,can avoid resource wastage and environmental pollution.In this study,the effects of soaking solution and filtrate from steam-exploded rice straw on seed germination and the early development of cabbage were investigated.The results have shown that soaking solution and filtrate stimulated early cabbage growth at low concentrations.Optimal germination potential and the rate of soaking solution-treated cabbage seeds increased by 8%and 5%,respectively;meanwhile,that of the filtrate-treated cabbage seeds increased by 11%and 5%,respectively.Promotion of root growth by steam-exploded rice straw spent liquor was expressed in lateral root multiplication.The fresh weight of cabbage seedlings treated with the soaking solution/filtrate increased by more than 50%and the dry weight over 20%.Comparatively,the stimulation of filtrate on seed germination and early development of cabbage is superior to that of the soaking solution.Steam-exploded rice straw spent liquor is rich in bioactive lignin and oligosaccharides,which makes it a promising biostimulant for promoting crop growth.

Effect of Low Temperature on Chlorophyll and Carotenoid Content on the Seedlings of Some Selected Boro Rice Varieties

A study was conducted to screen out the low-temperature tolerant Boro rice seedlings from November 2012 to January 2013 for facing the upcoming rice production challenge in Northwest Bangladesh. The experimental time was characterized by a prevailing low environmental temperature of below 15°C. Five rice cultivars (V1: BR-2;V2: BR-16;V3: Pariza;V4: Minicate;V5: BRRI dhan 50) were selected for the study. The leaf proline, chlorophyll content and total carotenoid content were investigated. The V2 (BR-16) seedling synthesized the higher leaf proline (1.228 g·g-1) at a low temperature than those of other tested cultivars. Again, the highest amount of chlorophyll-a (3.957 g·g-1), chlorophyll-b (2.118 g·g-1), chlorophyll-a/b ratio (3.6754 mg·g-1) and total chlorophyll (5.051 g·g-1) was measured in V2 (BR-16). The maximum total carotenoid (1.213 g·g-1) was also observed in V2. In this experiment, the V2 (BR-16) showed comparatively better potentiality to survive at low temperatures (below 15°C) than other varieties.

Soaking Rice Seeds in High Concentration Salt Solution Improved Salt Tolerance at the Seedling Stage

[Objectives]This study was conducted to enhance the salt tolerance of current rice varieties at the seedling stage and fulfill the urgent requirement for salt-tolerant rice varieties in coastal tidal flats.[Methods]Four high-generation stable rice lines with diverse salt tolerance were employed as test materials,and four NaCl concentration gradients were established for seed soaking treatment.[Results]The seedling survival rate of line 151465 underwent significant alterations after soaking with four different salt concentrations,and the survival rate was the highest after treatment with 1.8%NaCl for 1 d,reaching 65.2%.The average survival rate of other three lines with different salt tolerance reached 62%after soaking with 1.8%NaCl for 1 d,which was significantly higher than those of the 2.2%NaCl and 0%NaCl treatments.[Conclusions]This study provides a basis for reducing the effect of abiotic stress on rice growth and development and improving the utilization rate of saline-alkali land.

Effects of Seed Rate on Root Twining Power and Seedling Quality of Machine-transplanted Super Rice

In order to investigate the effects of seed rate on root twining power and seedling quality of machine-transplanted super rice cultivars, Yongyou 12 and Zhongzheyou No.l, total 6 seed rates were arranged, and the growth characteris- tics, quality and root twining power of machine-transplanted rice seedlings were studied. The results showed that seed rate had great effects on root twining power and qualityof rice seedlings; with the increase of seed rate, the root twining power of rice seedlings was increased, but the quality of rice seedlings was significantly reduced; under the condition of high seed rate, rice seedlings were weak with less accumulate dry matter and nonuniform growth, and the proportion of weak seedlings was higher. When the seed rate of both rice cultivars was reduced by 10 g/tray, the average seedling height was increased by 0.5 cm, leaf age was increased by 0.1, stem base diameter was increased by 0.1 cm, and root number per plant was increased by 0.3. When the seed rate was increased by 10 g/tray, the accumulated dry matter per plant was reduced by 5.1 mg. With the increase of seed rate, the seedling quality of Zhongzheyou No.1 was decreased rapidly, and the proportion of weak seedlings was increased rapidly. However, Yongyou 12 has a larger elasticity in seed rate. When the seed rate reached to 50 g/tray, blanket seedlings of Yongy- ou 12 were nursed with uniform growth and higher quality, but the shoots were sparse with lower leaf area index. However, when the seed rate was up to 50 g/tray, blanket seedlings of Zhongzheyou No.1 were nursed with uniform growth and higher quality, as well as higher-density shoots. From a comprehensive point of view, the optimum seed rates of Yongyou 12 and Zhongzheyou No.1 were 65 and 50 g/tray, respectively.

Water-requirement Characteristics and Water-saving Irrigation Indices of Dry-raised Rice Seedlings in Paddy Field

The dry-raised seedlings (D-RS)of rice had obvious superiority in tillering and growth after transplanting. Especially under the condition of water-saving irrigation or low soil moisture, D-RS had more productive tillers, higher dry matter accumulation, larger grain-filling rate, slower senescence of leaves and stronger root activity during ripening, and higher grain yield, compared with the moist-raised seedlings (MRS). D-RS had smaller yield reduction than M-RS when subject to heavy water stress. The results suggested that D-RS had the ability to adapt to lower soil moisture in paddy field. Basedon the response of D-RS to soil moisture at each growth stage, the water-saving and high-yielding irrigation indices through controlling lowlimit soil water potential were proposed, i.e. soil water potential was - 15 - - 20 kPa from the recovery to the criticalleaf-age of productive tillering, - 20 - - 40 kPa from the critical leaf-age of productive tillering to secondary branch-differentiating stage, - 15 - - 25 kPa from secondary branch-differentiating stage to 20 days after heading and - 25 - - 35 kPa from 21 to 45 days after heading.

Evaluating the Optimum Transplanting Time for Different Coarse Rice Genotypes under Semi-Arid Conditions of Faisalabad

Continuously changing climate and availability of different rice genotypes make it necessary to find optimum time of sowing as well as suitable variety for cultivation to get maximum productivity under a specific set of climatic conditions. A field study was carried out to search out the suitable rice transplanting time for four different coarse genotypes under the semi-arid environment of Faisalabad. The experiment was conducted at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangement keeping transplanting time in main plots while rice genotypes in subplots. Variability among treatments was measured by Fisher’s ANOVA (P ≤ 5%) and LSD test was applied to compare the differences among treatments’ means. The ANOVA indicated statistically significant differences among genotypes as well as transplanting dates irrespective of all studied traits while interactive effects of both were found to be non-significant. NIBGE-1 performed best with maximum paddy yield of 6.05 t/ha while KSK-434 performed poor with paddy yield of 2.78 t/ha. Increased paddy yield and yield related parameters of all rice genotypes were recorded where transplantation was done on 25th of June. Generally, paddy yield decreased with delaying the transplanting time. The results suggested that NIBGE-1 can perform better under the semi-arid conditions of Faisalabad and last week of June might be the optimum time for nursery transplantation. It can also be further elucidated that late transplanting causes yield reduction which could not be recommended among farmers.

Effects of Different Application Times of Tillering Fertilizer on Grain Yield and Population Development of Double-cropping Rice Transplanted by Machine

The application of tillering fertilizer plays an important role in promoting rice tillering and improving rice yield. However, under the condition of mechanical transplanting, the optimal application time of tillering fertilizer is still unclear. In this study, the early rice cultivar Zhongjiazao 17 and late rice cultivar H You 518 were used as materials, and the effects of different application times of tillering fertilizer on yield and population development of double-cropping rice transplanted by machine were investigated. The tillering fertilizer was applied 7（D07）, 10（D10） and 13（D13） d after the transplanting, respectively. The results showed that compared with those in the D07 treatment groups, the yield of early rice in the D10 and D13 treatment groups were reduced by 9.4% and 3.8%, respectively, and the yield of late rice in the D10 and D13 treatment groups were reduced by 4.5% and 12.6%,respectively. However, there were no significant differences in rice yield among the treatment groups. The application time of tillering fertilizer showed significant effects on grain number per panicle and seed setting rate of early rice. The grain number per panicle in the D10 treatment group was significantly lower than that in the D07 treatment group, and the seed setting rate of the D13 treatment group was significantly lower than that in the D07 treatment group（P〈0.05）. For the late rice, the effect of application time of tillering fertilizer on effective tiller number was most obvious, and the effective tiller number in the D13 treatment group was significantly lower than that in the D07 treatment group（P〈0.05）. Compared with those in the D07 treatment group, the effective tiller numbers, leaf area indexes and biomasses in the D10 and D13 treatment groups were all trended to be decreased. Therefore,to improve the quality of population and fulfill the high-yielding potential of double-cropping rice transplanted by machine, the tillering fertilizer should be applied as early as possible after rice seedlings turn green.

Genotypic Differences in Growth and Physiological Responses to Transplanting and Direct Seeding Cultivation in Rice

The field experiments were conducted to investigate the growth and physiological responses of six super hybrid rice combinations to two planting methods, transplanting （TP） and direct seeding （DS） during 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. The 1000-grain weight and number of tillers per plant at the early growth stage, the maximum quantum yield of PSII （Fv/Fm） and transpiration rate （Tr） were higher in DS plants than in TP ones, whereas the grain yield, number of panicles per square meter, seed setting rate, net photosynthetic rate （Po） and stomatal conductance were lower in DS plants. However, little difference was detected in number of grains per panicle, stem （shoot） and leaf weight between the combinations in the two planting methods. The responses of plant growth and physiological traits to planting method differed greatly among the six combinations. In both planting methods, Chouyou 58 and Yongyou 6 had the highest and lowest panicle biomass and Pn, respectively. The higher yield of Chunyou 58 was associated with more numbers of panicles per square meter and grains per panicle in both planting methods. The results indicate that lower grain yield in DS relative to TP is attributed to more excessive tillers at the early stage, lower leaf biomass and photosynthetic rate at the late stage.