Varietal Difference in Leaf Nitrogen Content and Leaf Area and Their Effects to Ripening Rate During Mature Period of japonica Rice

Employing the pot experiment of the complete random block design with 6 replications,four varieties of japonica rice (Fujisaka 5,Honenwase,Akitakomachi and Taichung 65) were used to study the varietal differences in leaf nitrogen content(LNC) and leaf area during mature period,their relation and effects to the ripening rate.The results showed that(1) thee were varietal differences in LNC at the heading stage and the LNC decrease rate during the matue period,the high LNC at the heading stage was related to the rapid LNC decrease.(2) There were two phases of the leaf area changing process during the mature period,first was the stable,and second was the decreased phase.There was varietal difference in the critical time of phase 1 and phase 2.The hign leaf area in the phase 1 was in relation to the rapid leaf area decrease in the phase 2.It was not found that there was relation between the leaf quality and quantity.(3)It wa unfavorable to the ripening rate for the high leaf area at the heading stage and the rapid decrease of the leaf area during the mature period.(4)It was put forward that the super high yield rice variety should possess the not very high leaf area and high LNC at the heading stage,slow senescence in the leaf area during the mature period.

Grain yield,nitrogen use efficiency and physiological performance of indica/japonica hybrid rice in response to various nitrogen rates

Utilizing the heterosis of indica/japonica hybrid rice(IJHR)is an effective way to further increase rice grain yield.Rational application of nitrogen(N)fertilizer plays a very important role in using the heterosis of IJHR to achieve its great yield potential.However,the responses of the grain yield and N utilization of IJHR to N application rates and the underlying physiological mechanism remain elusive.The purpose of this study was to clarify these issues.Three rice cultivars currently used in rice production,an IJHR cultivar Yongyou 2640(YY2640),a japonica cultivar Lianjing 7(LJ-7)and an indica cultivar Yangdao 6(YD-6),were grown in the field with six N rates(0,100,200,300,400,and 500 kg ha^(-1))in 2018 and 2019.The results showed that with the increase in N application rates,the grain yield of each test cultivar increased at first and then decreased,and the highest grain yield was at the N rate of 400 kg ha^(-1)for YY2640,with a grain yield of 13.4 t ha^(-1),and at 300 kg ha^(-1)for LJ-7 and YD-6,with grain yields of 9.4–10.6 t ha^(-1).The grain yield and N use efficiency(NUE)of YY2640 were higher than those of LJ-7 or YD-6 at the same N rate,especially at the higher N rates.When compared with LJ-7 or YD-6,YY2640 exhibited better physiological traits,including greater root oxidation activity and leaf photosynthetic rate,higher cytokinin content in the roots and leaves,and more remobilization of assimilates from the stem to the grain during grain filling.The results suggest that IJHR could attain both higher grain yield and higher NUE than inbred rice at either low or high N application rates.Improved shoot and root traits of the IJHR contribute to its higher grain yield and NUE,and a higher content of cytokinins in the IJHR plants plays a vital role in their responses to N application rates and also benefits other physiological processes.

Top-dressing nitrogen fertilizer rate contributes to decrease culm physical strength by reducing structural carbohydrate content in japonica rice

Lodging is an important factor limiting rice yield and quality by bending or breaking stem in japonica rice（Oryza sativa L.） production. The objectives of this study were to determine the mechanism of lodging resistance in japonica rice as affected by carbohydrate components, especially its related arrangement in culm tissue and response to top-dressing nitrogen（N） fertilizer. Field experiments were conducted in Danyang County, Jiangsu Province, China, by using two japonica rice varieties Wuyunjing 23（lodging-resistance variety） and W3668（lodging-susceptible variety） with three top-dressing N fertilizer rates（0, 135 and 270 kg N ha^（-1）） in 2013 and 2014. Lodging related physical parameters, morphological characteristics and stem carbohydrate components were investigated at 30 d after full heading stage. Results showed that with increasing N fertilizer rates, the lodging rate and lodging index increased rapidly primarily due to significant reduction of breaking strength in two japonica rice varieties. Correlation analysis revealed that breaking strength was significantly and positively correlated with bending stress, but negatively correlated with section modulus, except for significant correlation at W3668 in 2014. Higher stem plumpness status and structural carbohydrate contents significantly enhanced stem stiffness, despite of lower non-structural carbohydrate. With higher N fertilizer rate, the culm wall thickness was almost identical, and culm diameter increased slightly. The structural carbohydrates, especially for lignin content in culm, reduced significantly under high N rate. Further histochemical staining analysis revealed that high N treatments decreased the lignin deposition rapidly in the sclerenchyma cells of mechanical tissue, large vascular bundle and small vascular bundle region, which were consistent with reduction of bending stress, especially for W3668 and thus, resulted in poor stem strength and higher lodging index. These results suggested that structural carbohydrate plays a vital role for improving stem strength in japonica rice. N rate decreased lodging resistance primarily due to poor stem stiffness, by reducing structural carbohydrate content and lignin deposition in the secondary cell wall of lower internode culm tissue.

Effects of planting methods on yield and quality of different types of japonica rice in northern Jiangsu plain, China

Mechanical transplanting with carpet seedlings(MC) and mechanical direct seeding(MD) are newly developed planting methods, which increase in popularity and planted area each year. Knowing the difference for yield and rice quality under different planting methods is of great importance for the development of high quality and yield cultivation techniques under mechanical conditions. Therefore, three kinds of japonica rice including hybrid japonica rice, inbreed japonica rice, and soft rice were adopted as materials. And the differences in the quality of processing, appearance, cooking and eating quality, nutrition, and the rapid viscosity analyzer(RVA) profile were studied to reveal the effects of planting methods on yield and quality of different types of japonica rice. Results showed that the milled rice and head rice rates under MC was significantly higher than those under MD, and the processing quality of inbreed japonica rice was the most stable. Compared with MC, length/width ratio of rice under MD was significantly increased, and chalkiness rate, size, and degree were significantly decreased. The protein content under MD was lower than that under MC. MC showed higher peak viscosity and breakdown value than MD. The taste value was the greatest for soft rice, followed by inbreed japonica rice, and then by japonica hybrid rice, with no significant differences resulting from planting methods. Compared with MC, MD significantly improved the appearance quality, though processing quality and nutritional quality were decreased. And there was no significant difference in cooking and eating quality between MC and MD. Under different planting methods, the appearance quality of inbreed japonica rice changed the most and the processing quality was the most stable. The nutritional, cooking and eating quality of soft rice changed the least. Therefore, according to the different planting methods and market needs, selecting the appropriate rice varieties can reduce the risks in rice production and achieve good rice quality.

Combined effect of shading time and nitrogen level on grain filling and grain quality in japonica super rice

There is limited information about the combined effect of shading time and nitrogen （N） on grain filling and quality of rice. Therefore, two japonica super rice cultivars, Nanjing 44 and Ningjing 3, were used to study the effect of shading time and N level on the characteristics of rice panicle and grain filling as well as the corresponding yield and quality. At a low N level （150 kg N ha^-1, 150N）, grain yield decreased （by 21.07-26.07%） under the treatment of 20 days of shading before heading （BH） compared with the no shading （NS） treatment. These decreases occurred because of shortened panicle length, decreased number of primary and secondary branches, as well as the grain number and weight per panicle. At 150N, in the treatment of 20 days of shading after heading （AH）, grain yield also decreased （by 9.46-10.60%） due to the lower grain weight per panicle. The interaction of shading and N level had a significant effect on the number of primary and secondary branches. A high level of N （300 kg N ha^-1, 300N） could offset the negative effect of shading on the number of secondary branches and grain weight per panicle, and consequently increased the grain yield in both shading treatments. In superior grains, compared with 150N NS, the time to reach 99% of the grain weight （T99） was shortened by 1.6 to 1.7 days, and the grain weight was decreased by 4.18-5.91% in 150N BH. In 150N AH, the grain weight was 13.39-13.92% lower than that in 150N NS due to the slow mean and the maximum grain-filling rate （GRmean and GRmax）. In inferior grains, grain weight and GRmean had a tendency of 150N NS〉150N BH〉150N AH. Under shaded conditions, 300N decreased the grain weight due to lower GReen both in superior and inferior grains. Compared with 150N NS, the milling and appearance qualities as well as eating and cooking quality were all decreased in 150N BH and 150N AH. Shading with the high level of 300N improved the milling quality and decreased the number of chalky rice kernels, but the eating and cooking quality was reduced with increased chalky area and overall chalkiness. Therefore, in the case of short term shading, appropriate N fertilizer could be used to improve the yield and milling quality of rice, but limited application of N fertilizer is recommended to achieve good eating and cooking quality of rice.

Grain quality changes and responses to nitrogen fertilizer of japonica rice cultivars released in the Yangtze River Basin from the 1950s to 2000s

While the yield potential of rice has increased but little is known about the impact of breeding on grain quality, especially under different levels of N availability. In order to investigate the integrated effects of breeding and N levels on rice quality 12 japonica rice cultivars bred in the past60 years in the Yangtze River Basin were used with three levels of N: 0 kg N ha-1, 240 kg N ha-1,and 360 kg N ha-1. During the period, milling quality(brown rice percentage, milled rice percentage, and head rice percentage), appearance quality(chalky kernels percentage, chalky size, and chalkiness), and eating and cooking quality(amylose content, gel consistency, peak viscosity, breakdown, and setback) were significantly improved, but the nutritive value of the grain has declined due to a reduction in protein content. Micronutrients, such as Cu, Mg, and S contents, were decreased, and Fe, Mn, Zn, Na, Ca, K, P, B contents were increased. These changes in grain quality imply that simultaneous improvements in grain yield and grain quality are possible through selection. Overall, application of N fertilizer decreased grain quality, especially in terms of eating and cooking quality. Under higher N levels, higher protein content was the main reason for deterioration of grain quality, although lower amylose content might contribute to improving starch pasting properties. These results suggest that further improvement in grain quality will depend on both breeding and cultivation practices, especially in regard to nitrogen and water management.

Factors Affecting Sensory Quality of Cooked japonica Rice

The sensory quality of cooked rice is an important factor in determining its market price, as well as consumer acceptance and breeding efforts aimed at improvement of rice grain quality. In this study,the sensory quality and physicochemical properties of three japonica rice varieties harvested in two different growing locations(Xiangshui and Hangzhou of China) were compared to determine the most important factors affecting the sensory quality. All the three varieties had higher scores for overall sensory quality in Xiangshui than in Hangzhou, indicating that the growing location is a key factor in determining the sensory quality of cooked japonica rice. In addition to growing location, variety(genotype) also had an important effect. Longdao 18 scored the highest for overall sensory quality in the two locations, whereas Longdao 30 had the lowest score in Xiangshui, and both Longdao 20 and Longdao 30 had the lowest scores in Hangzhou. Many physicochemical properties, such as apparent amylose content, protein content, thermal properties and free amino acid contents, showed significant differences between the two locations. Correlation analysis showed that apparent amylose content and protein content had contrasting effects on all the sensory attributes. The overall sensory quality was negatively correlated with protein content(r =-0.89, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with gel hardness(r = 0.91, P < 0.01),indicating that the protein content and hardness are important physicochemical properties for predicting the sensory quality of japonica rice. These findings will provide guidance for selection from the diverse genotypes available to develop new varieties with the desired eating and cooking quality.

Research progress on the breeding of japonica super rice varieties in Jiangsu Province,China

In this study we report the results of a decade-long breeding program for japonica super rice made by Nanjing Branch of Chinese National Center for Rice Improvement in Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences. We concluded that selection of parents with good comprehensive traits and complementary advantages and disadvantages of both parents in the hybrid combination, and early selection of high heritability traits in earlier segregating generations could significantly improve the breeding efficiency. The use of closely-linked functional markers in pyramiding of multiple genes could greatly increase breeding efficiency, avoiding time-consuming and laborious steps that were used in traditional breeding program. It is also important to coordinate the yield components with variety characteristics such as yield stability, wide adaptability, lodging resistance, and an attractive grain appearance during late growth stage of rice.

Relationship Between Lodging Resistance and Chemical Contents in Culms and Sheaths of Japonica Rice During Grain Filling

To understand the relationship between lodging resistance and chemical component contents in culms and leaf sheaths of rice, the physical strength and maximum bearing capacity of culm, and the contents and amounts of potassium （K） silicon （Si） and soluble sugars in culms and leaf sheaths were investigated using four japonica rice varieties with different lodging resistance characteristics during grain filling. There were significant differences in the total amounts of K, Si and soluble sugars in culms and leaf sheaths among the tested rice varieties. The difference in the total amount of Si was greater than that of K or soluble sugars. The physical strength and maximum bearing capacity of culm continuously decreased from heading to ripening, with a rapid decrease at the dough stage. However, the contents and total amounts of K and Si in culms and the Si content in leaf sheaths gradually increased and an accumulation of K and Si in culms was exhibited, whereas the content and total amount of K and the total amount of Si in leaf sheaths gradually decreased and an exportation of K and Si in leaf sheaths was presented. The physical strength was positively and significantly correlated with the total amounts of K and Si in culms during grain filling except that at the heading stage, the total amount of soluble sugars in culms at the heading and milky stages, the total amounts of Si and soluble sugars in leaf sheaths at the heading stage, the total amount of K in leaf sheaths at the heading and milky stages, and the maximum bearing capacity during grain filling. It is suggested that the lodging resistance of japonica rice would be improved by increasing the amount of soluble sugars in plants at the early filling stage, and enhancing the amount of Si in plants during grain filling through topdressing Si fertilizer at the early filling stage.

Effect of side deep placement of nitrogen on yield and nitrogen use efficiency of single season late japonica rice

Side deep placement of nitrogen plays an important role in improving rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency.Few studies have examined the effects of reducing the times of nitrogen(RTN)application and reducing the nitrogen rate(RNR)of application on rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency under side deep placement of nitrogen in paddy fields.Therefore,a field experiment of RNT and RNR treatments was conducted with nine fertilization modes during the 2018–2019 rice growing seasons in a rice–wheat cropping system of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River,China.Rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency were investigated under side deep placement of nitrogen.We found that under the same nitrogen application rate,the yield of RTN3 increased by 9.64 and 10.18%in rice varieties NJ9108 and NJ5718,respectively,compared with the farmers’fertilizer practices(FFP).The nitrogen accumulation of RTN3 was the highest at heading stage,at 11.30 t ha^(–1)across 2018 and 2019.Under the same nitrogen application rate,the N agronomic use efficiency(NAE),N physiological efficiency(NPE)and N recovery efficiency(NRE)of RTN3 were 8.1–21.28%,8.51–41.76%and 0.28–14.52%higher than those of the other fertilization modes,respectively.RNR led to decreases in SPAD value,leaf area index(LAI),dry matter accumulation,nitrogen accumulation,and nitrogen use efficiency.These results suggest that RTN3 increased rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency under the side deep placement of nitrogen,and RNR1 could achieve the goals of saving cost and increasing resource use efficiency.Two fertilization modes RTN3 and RNR1 both could achieve the dual goals of increasing grain yield and resource use efficiency and thus are worth further application and investigation.

Effect of Biochar on Relieving Cadmium Stress and Reducing Accumulation in Super japonica Rice

It is of great importance to solve the threats induced by cadmium pollution on crops. This paper examined the effect of biochar on cadmium accumulation in japonica rice and revealed the mechanism underlying the response of protective enzyme system to cadmium stress. Biochar derived from rice straw was applied at two application rates under three cadmium concentrations. Shennong 265, super japonica rice variety, was selected as the test crop. The results indicated that cadmium content in above-ground biomass of rice increased with increasing soil cadmium concentrations, but the biochar application could suppress the accumulation of cadmium to some extent. Under high concentrations of cadmium, content of free proline and MDA （malondialdehyde） were high, so did the SOD （superoxide dismutase）, POD （peroxidase） and CAT （catalase） activity in the flag leaf of rice. However, the protective enzyme activities remained at low level when biochar was added.

Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci for Grain Traits in Japonica Rice

Quantitative trait loci（QTLs） of grain traits were detected to provide theoretical basis for fine mapping and molecular marker-assisted breeding of grain traits in japonica rice.Using an F2 population including 200 individuals derived from a cross combination between two japonica rice DL115 with large grain and XL005 with small grain,the grain length,grain width,grain thickness,ratio of grain length to width and 1 000-grain weight were evaluated in Beijing;and the quantitative trait loci for above five grain traits were identified by composite interval mapping using SSR markers.The results showed that the five grain traits exhibited a normal continuous distribution in F2 population,indicating they were quantitative traits controlled by multiple genes.A total of 16 QTLs conferring the five grain traits were detected on chromosomes 2,3,5 and 12,respectively.Eight QTLs,namely qGL3a,qGW2,qGW5,qGT2,qRLW2,qRLW3,qGWT2 and qGWT3,were major QTLs and explained 15.42,40.89,13.54,33.43,13.82,13.61,12.51 and 10.1% of the observed phenotypic variance,respectively.Among them,qGW2,qGT2,qRLW2 and qGWT2 were mapped in same interval RM12776-RM324 on chromosome 2.The marker interval RM12776-RM324 on chromosome 2 was common marker intervals of four major QTLs,and the two SSR markers RM12776 and RM324 would be used in molecular markerassisted breeding in japonica rice.The modes of gene action were mainly additive and partial dominance.Four QTLs＇ alleles were derived from small grain parent XL005,and other 12 QTLs＇ alleles were derived from large grain parent DL115.The alleles from larger parent were showed significant effects to grain length,grain width,grain thickness and 1 000-grain weight.

Cluster Analysis on Japonica Rice(Oryza sativa L.) with Good Eating Quality Based on SSR Markers and Phenotypic Traits

Diversity of 60 conventional japonica rice accessions with good eating quality at home and abroad was analyzed using SSR molecular markers, agronomic traits and taste characteristics. A total of 290 alleles were detected in the 60 accessions at 72 SSR loci with the high similarity coefficients varying between 0.600 and 0.924. The loci on chromosome 5 showed the greatest value in average allele number. Additionally, most of the SSR loci could detect 3 to 4 alleles. An UPGMA dendrogram based on the cluster analysis of the genetic similarity coefficients showed that the grouping trend of part of the rice accessions was geographic-related and most of the rice accessions in Jiangsu Province, China were clustered together. Furthermore, many domestic accessions from south and north origins in China were close to the foreign japonica rice varieties, as proved by their pedigree origin from the foreign high-quality sources. For taste characteristics, part of the accessions with excellent taste were clearly clustered into one category though they came from different geographical regions, which indicates that taste characteristics of some varieties were mainly genetically determined. In addition, the agronomic traits of japonica rice with good taste might be closely related with their geographical origins, but the relationship between superior taste characteristics and agronomic traits should be further clarified.

Suitable growing zone and yield potential for late-maturity type of Yongyou japonica/indica hybrid rice in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, China

Late-maturity type of Yongyou japonica/indica hybrids series （LMYS） have shown great yield potential, and are being widely planted in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, China. Knowledge about suitable growing zone and evaluation of yield advantage is of practicall importance for LMYS in this region. Fifteen LMYS, two high-yielding inbred japonica check varieties （CK-J） and two high-yielding hybrid indica check varieties （CK-I） were grown at Xinghua （119.57°E, 33.05°N） of Lixiahe region, Yangzhou （119.25°E, 32.30°N）of Yanjiang region, Changshu （120.46°E, 31.41°N）of Taihu Lake region, and Ningbo （121.31°E, 29.45°N） of Ningshao Plain in 2013 and 2014. The results showed that maturity dates of the 15 were later than the secure maturity date at Xinghua and 6, 14 and 15 LMYS were mature before the secure maturity date at Yangzhou, Changshu and Ningbo, respectively. One variety was identified as high-yielding variety among LMYS （HYYS） at Yangzhou, 8 HYYS in 201：3 and 9 HYYS in 2014 at Changshu, 9 HYYS at Ningbo. HYYS here referred to the variety among LMYS that was mature before the secure maturity date and had at least 8% higher grain yield than both CK-J and CK-I at each experimental site. Grain yield of HYYS at each experimental site was about 12.0 t ha-1 or higher, and was significantly higher than CK varieties. High yield of HYYS was mainly attributed to larger sink size due to more spikelets per panicle. Plant height of HYYS was about 140 cm, and was significantly higher than check varieties. Significant positive correlations were recorded between duration from heading to maturity stage and grain yield, and also between whole growth periods and grain yield. HYYS had obvious advantage over check varieties in biomass accumulation and leaf area duration from heading to maturity stage. Comprehensive consideration about safe matudty and yield performance of LMYS at each experimental site, Taihu Lake region （representative site Changshu） and Ningshao Plain （representative site Ningbo） were thought suitable growing zones for LMYS in the lower reaches of Yangtze River. The main factors underlying high yield ofHYYS were larger sink size, higher plant height, longer duration from heading to maturity stage and whole growth periods, and higher biomass accumulation and leaf area duration during grain filling stage.

N Accumulation and Translocation in Four Japonica Rice Cultivars at Different N Rates

Developing high-yielding rice(Oryza sativa L.)cultivars depends on having a better understanding of nitrogen(N) accumulation and translocation to the ear during the reproductive stage.Field experiments were carried out to evaluate the genetic variation for N accumulation and translocation in different Japonica rice cultivars at different N rates and to identify any relationship to grain yield in southeast China.Four Japonica cultivars with similar agronomic characteristics were grown at two experimental sites in 2004 with three N rates of 0,60,and 180 kg N ha^(-1).Dry weights and N contents of rice plants were measured at tillering,initiation,anthesis,and maturity.Grain yields exhibited significant differences (P<0.05)among the cultivars and N application rates.Increasing N rates improved N uptake at anthesis and maturity in all four cultivars(P<0.05).N translocation from vegetative organs to the grains increased with enhanced N rates (P<0.05).N translocation to the grains ranged from 9 to 64 kg N ha^(-1)and N-translocation efficiency from 33% to 68%. Grain yield was linear to N uptake at anthesis(r^2=0.78^(**))and N translocation(r^2=0.67^(**)).Thus,cultivars with a high N uptake at anthesis,low residual N in the straw at maturity,and appropriate low N fertilizer supply in southeast China should efficiently increase N-recovery rate while maintaining grain yield and soil fertility.

Analysis on Genetic Similarity of Japonica Rice Variety from Different Origins of Geography in the World

The genetic similarity and genetic difference among improved japonica rice varieties from different countries （or regions and organizations） were detected. The aim is to provide genetic basis to the breeding of japonica rice varieties. The genetic similarity and cluster of 313 improved japonica varieties from 20 countries （or regions and organizations） were analyzed using the SSR marker. With 34 SSR primers which were polymorphic and uniformly distributed in rice genome, totally 198 alleles were detected among these improved varieties with the average number of alleles per pair of primers of 5.8235. RM320, RM531, RM1, RM21, and RM336 located more alleles, which were 16, 13, 12, 10, and 10 respectively. RM320, RM336, RM286, RM531, and RM21 showed higher genetic diversity indexes, which were 2.3668, 2.0041, 1.9684, 1.9508, and 1.7203, respectively. The genetic similarity for improved japonica varieties among different countries （or regions and organizations） were ranged from 0.279 to 0.918, and the mean value was 0.653. The rice varieties from countries whose latitude and geography position were all nearer were clustered together with higher genetic similarity indexes. The rice varieties from countries who had more different latitude and far geography position were clustered separately with lower genetic similarity indexes. The results indicated the genetic similarity indexes among improved japonica varieties had a close relationship with the geographical position, especially with the latitude.

Development of lepidopteran pest-resistant transgenic japonica rice harboring a synthetic cry2A* gene

A synthetic cry2A^＊ gene enco ding Bacillus thuringiensis（Bt） δ-endotoxi n that resi st ance to lepidopteran pest was transformed into japonica rice variety Jijing 88, which is the most widely cultivated variety in Jilin Province, Northeast China, by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A total of 106 independent transformants overexpressing cry2A^＊ gene driven by ubiquitin（Ubi） promoter was produced. Three single-copy homozygous transgenic lines were finally selected based on the results of PCR analysis, se gregation ratio of Bast a resistance, and Southern hybridiza tion analyse s. RT-PCR and enzyme linke dimmune sorbent assay（ELISA） revealed that cry2A^＊ transcripts and protein were highly expressed in these lines. The high level of Cry2A^＊ protein expression resulted in high resistance to rice striped stem borer as evidence d by insect feeding bioassays. Our results demonst rate that cry2A^＊ transgenic japonica rice confers resistance to the rice striped stem borer in the laboratory conditions.

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.

Genetic Diversity of Seed Storage Proteins in Different Ecotype Varieties of japonica Rice and Its Application

One hundred and fifteen varieties （including cultivars and lines） with different ecotypes in japonica rice （Oryza sativa L.） were analyzed for endosperm storage proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis （SDS-PAGE） to estimate their genetic diversity for the purpose of genetic improving and variety identification. Nineteen types of profile were identified according to 1） presence/absence of 65 kDa bands, 2） staining intensity of 70, 60, 57, 37-39, 22-23, 13 and 10 kDa bands, 3） migration velocity of 35 kDa （α-4） and 4） band number at 57 kDa location. An unweighted-pair group average method with arithmetic mean （UPGMA） dendregram based on the cluster analysis of genetic similarity of the protein bands showed a small genetic variation among the tested materials, with the similarity coefficients varying between 0.75 and 1.00. Three distinct groups were identified from the cluster analysis of the rice varieties studied at the similarity coefficient level of 0.894. The first group included eight varieties with high amylose content, the second group contained fifteen varieties with high protein content, and the third group had the remaining ninety-two varieties, which accounted for 80% of the total materials. Clear relationship between ecotypes distinguished by maturity and groups revealed by cluster analysis was not found in this study. Only the group of high amylose linked with medium-maturity medium japonica ecotype. The bands of 70 kDa and 65 kDa can be used as protein markers to identify F1 seed purity of japonica hybrid rice Liuyanyou 422.