Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gq7q9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-18T12:42:37.108Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Polymer-coated urea application can increase both grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in japonica-indica hybrid rice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2022

R. Xu
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
S. Chen
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
C.M. Xu
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Y.H. Liu
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
X.F. Zhang
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
D. Y. Wang*
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
G. Chu*
Affiliation:
China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
*
Authors for correspondence: D. Y. Wang, E-mail: wangdanying@caas.cn; G. Chu, E-mail: chuguang@caas.cn
Authors for correspondence: D. Y. Wang, E-mail: wangdanying@caas.cn; G. Chu, E-mail: chuguang@caas.cn

Abstract

We investigated whether the one-time application of polymer-coated urea (PCU) before transplanting could simultaneously improve the grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of japonica-indica hybrid rice (JIHR) through a field experiment. The local high-yield JIHR cultivar Chunyou-927 was field grown during the rice-growing seasons in 2019 and 2020. The experiment consisted of three treatments: no nitrogen application (0N), application of conventional urea (CU), and the one-time application of PCU. Grain yield was 1.0–1.3 t/ha higher, and agronomic NUE (kg grain yield increase per kg N applied) was 5.2–5.9 kg/kg higher, respectively, under the PCU treatment compared with the CU treatment across the two study years. When compared with the CU treatment, the PCU treatment could (1) improve root morphological trait, (2) reduce redundant vegetative growth during the early growth period, (3) increase matter production during the mid and late growth period, and (4) increase plant activity during the grain-filling period. Overall, our findings indicate that one-time PCU application before transplanting of the JIHR cultivar holds great promise for increasing grain yield and NUE.

Type
Crops and Soils Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bhatt, R and Singh, M (2021) Comparative efficiency of polymer-coated urea for lowland rice in semi-arid tropics. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 52, 23312341.Google Scholar
Cheng, SH, Cao, LY, Zhuang, JY, Chen, SG, Zhan, XD, Fan, YY, Zhu, DF and Min, SK (2007) Super hybrid rice breeding in China: achievements and prospects. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology 49, 805810.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chu, G, Chen, TT, Wang, ZQ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2014) Morphological and physiological traits of roots and their relationships with water productivity in water-saving and drought-resistant rice. Field Crops Research 162, 108119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chu, G, Chen, TT, Chen, S, Xu, CM, Zhang, XF and Wang, DY (2018) Polymer-coated urea application could produce more grain yield in “super” rice. Agronomy Journal 110, 246259.Google Scholar
Chu, G, Chen, S, Xu, CM, Wang, DY and Zhang, XF (2019) Agronomic and physiological performance of indica/japonica hybrid rice cultivar under low nitrogen conditions. Field Crops Research 243, 107625.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chu, G, Xu, R, Chen, S, Xu, CM, Liu, YH, Abliz, B, Zhang, XF and Wang, DY (2022) Root morphological-physiological traits for japonica/indica hybrid rice with better yield performance under low N conditions. Food and Energy Security 3, e355.Google Scholar
Deng, NY, Grassini, P, Yang, HS, Huang, JL, Cassman, KG and Peng, SB (2019) Closing yield gaps for rice self-sufficiency in China. Nature Communications 10, 1725.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fageria, NK (2007) Yield physiology of rice. Journal of Plant Nutrition 30, 843879.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fan, MS, Shen, JB, Yuan, LX, Jiang, RF, Chen, XP, Davies, WJ and Zhang, FS (2012) Improving crop productivity and resource use efficiency to ensure food security and environmental quality in China. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 1324.Google ScholarPubMed
Geng, J, Sun, Y, Zhang, M, Li, C, Yang, Y, Liu, Z and Li, S (2015) Long-term effects of controlled release urea application on crop yields and soil fertility under rice-oilseed rape rotation system. Field Crops Research 184, 6573.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Golden, BR, Slaton, NA, Norman, RJ, Wilson, CE and DeLong, RE (2009) Evaluation of polymer-coated urea for direct-seeded, delayed-flood rice production. Soil Science Society of America Journal 73, 375383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ju, CX, Buresh, RJ, Wang, ZQ, Zhang, H, Liu, LJ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2015) Root and shoot traits for rice varieties with higher grain yield and higher nitrogen use efficiency at lower nitrogen rates application. Field Crops Research 175, 4755.Google Scholar
Ju, XT, Xing, GX, Chen, XP, Zhang, SL, Zhang, LJ, Liu, XJ, Cui, ZL, Yin, B, Christie, P, Zhu, ZL and Zhang, FS (2009) Reducing environmental risk by improving N management in intensive Chinese agricultural systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106, 30413046.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ke, J, He, RC, Hou, PF, Ding, C, Ding, YF, Wang, SH, Liu, ZH, Tang, S, Ding, CQ, Chen, L and Li, GH (2018) Combined controlled-released nitrogen fertilizers and deep placement effects of N leaching, rice yield and N recovery in machine-transplanted rice. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 265, 402412.Google Scholar
Li, P, Lu, J, Wang, Y, Wang, S, Hussain, S, Ren, T, Cong, R and Li, X (2018) Nitrogen losses, use efficiency, and productivity of early rice under controlled-release urea. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 251, 7887.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lyu, XX, Yang, YC, Li, YC, Fan, XH, Wan, YS, Geng, YQ and Zhang, M (2015) Polymer-coated tablet urea improved rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Agronomy Journal 107, 18371844.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meng, TY, Wei, HH, Li, XY, Dai, QG and Huo, ZY (2018) A better root morpho-physiology after heading contributing to yield superiority of japonica/indica hybrid rice. Field Crops Research 228, 135146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mueller, ND, Gerber, JS, Johnston, M, Ray, DK, Ramankutty, N and Foley, JA (2012) Closing yield gaps through nutrient and water management. Nature 490, 254257.Google ScholarPubMed
Normile, D (2008) Reinventing rice to feed the world. Science (New York, N.Y.) 321, 330333.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Osaki, M, Shinano, T, Matsumoto, M, Zheng, T and Tadano, T (1997) A root-shoot interaction hypothesis for high productivity of field crops. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition 43, 10791084.Google Scholar
Peng, SB, Tang, QY and Zou, YB (2009) Current status and challenges of rice production in China. Plant Production Science 12, 38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ray, DK and Foley, JA (2013) Increasing global crop harvest frequency: recent trends and future directions. Environmental Research Letters 8, 044041.Google Scholar
Song, KF, Zhang, GB, Ma, J, Peng SB, LVSH and Xu, H (2022) Greenhouse gas emissions from ratoon rice fields among different varieties. Field Crops Research 277, 108423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vitousek, PM, Naylor, R, Crews, T, David, MB, Drinkwater, LE, Holland, E, Johnes, PJ, Katzenberger, J, Martinelli, LA, Matson, PA, Nziguheba, G, Ojima, D, Palm, CA, Robertson, GP, Sanchez, PA, Townsend, AR and Zhang, FS (2009) Nutrient imbalances in agricultural development. Science (New York, N.Y.) 324, 15191520.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wang, ZQ, Zhang, WY, Beebout, SS, Zhang, H, Liu, LJ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2016) Grain yield, water and nitrogen use efficiencies of rice as influenced by irrigation regimes and their interaction with nitrogen rates. Field Crops Research 193, 5469.Google Scholar
Wei, HY, Zhang, HC, Blumwald, E, Li, HL, Cheng, JQ, Dai, QG, Huo, ZY, Xu, M and Guo, BW (2016) Different characteristics of high yield formation between inbred japonica super rice and inter-sub-specific hybrid super rice. Field Crops Research 198, 179187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wei, HY, Hu, L, Zhu, Y, Xu, D, Zheng, LM, Chen, ZF, Hu, YJ, Cui, PY, Guo, BW, Dai, QG and Zhang, HC (2018) Different characteristics of nutrient absorption and utilization between inbred japonica super rice and inter-sub-specific hybrid super rice. Field Crops Research 218, 8896.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xue, YG, Duan, H, Liu, LJ, Wang, ZQ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2013) An improved crop management increases grain yield and nitrogen and water use efficiency in rice. Crop Science 53, 271284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, JC, Zhang, JH, Wang, ZQ, Zhu, QS and Liu, LJ (2003) Activities of enzymes involved in sucrose-to-starch metabolism in rice grains subjected to water stress during filling. Field Crops Research 81, 6981.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, JC, Zhang, H and Zhang, JH (2012) Root morphology and physiology in relation to the yield formation of rice. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 11, 920926.Google Scholar
Yu, YQ, Huang, Y and Zhang, W (2012) Changes in rice yields in China since 1980 associated with cultivar improvement, climate and crop management. Field Crops Research 136, 6575.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yuan, LP (2017) Progress in super-hybrid rice breeding. Crop Journal 5, 100102.Google Scholar
Zhang, GQ (2020) Prospects of utilization of inter-subspecific heterosis between indica and japonica rice. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 19, 110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, H, Li, HW, Yuan, LM, Wang, ZQ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2012) Post-anthesis alternate wetting and moderate soil drying enhances activities of key enzymes in sucrose-to-starch conversion in inferior spikelets of rice. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 215227.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zhang, WY, Yu, JX, Xu, YJ, Wang, ZQ, Liu, LJ, Zhang, H, Gu, JF, Zhang, JH and Yang, JC (2021) Alternate wetting and drying irrigation combined with the proportion of polymer-coated urea and conventional urea rates increases grain yield, water and nitrogen use efficiencies in rice. Field Crops Research 268, 108165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, Q, Ju, CX, Wang, ZQ, Zhang, H, Liu, LJ, Yang, JC and Zhang, JH (2017) Grain yield and water use efficiency of super rice under soil water deficit and alternate wetting and drying irrigation. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 16, 10281043.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhu, KY, Zhou, Q, Shen, Y, Yan, JQ, Xu, YJ, Wang, ZQ and Yang, JC (2020) Agronomic and physiological performance of an indica-japonica rice variety with a high yield and high nitrogen use efficiency. Crop Science 60, 15561568.Google Scholar
Zou, HT, Ba, C, Hou, ZH, Guo, NX, Yang, M and Sun, D (2022) How optimizing application of coated controlled-release urea affects crop yield in China. Agronomy Journal 114, 991999.Google Scholar