研究播期和生态点对半冬小麦产量的影响对小麦产量提高具有重要意义。本研究旨在探讨稻-麦轮作条件下播期和生态点对小麦产量以及相关气候资源的影响。试验以两个半冬性小麦品种为材料，分别在东海县和建湖县开展，共设置6个播期。第一播期(S1)基本苗300×10⁴ ha^-1，每推迟一个播期(S2-S6)基本苗分别增加10%。结果表明，播种期的推迟，导致整个生育期天数缩短、有效积温和累计太阳辐射降低。S2~S6产量较S1分别降低了0.22～0.31t ha^-1、0.5～0.78t ha^-1、0.86～0.98t ha^-1、1.14～1.38t ha^-1和1.36～1.59t ha^-1。同一播期，随着生态点北移，生育天数增加，日均温和有效积温降低，累积辐射增加。结果表明，相同播期，东海县的产量比建湖县低0.01 ~ 0.39 t hm ^{- 2}。有效积温、累积辐射与产量呈显著正相关。日均温与产量呈显著负相关。籽粒产量下降的主要原因由于日均温的升高和有效积温的降低导致穗粒数和千粒重下降引起的。

多功能机械旱直播水稻因其高效、经济和绿色等特点受到越来越多的关注，然而这类水稻在麦秸秆还田后由于其生长受到约束会导致减产。为此于2016和2018年在典型稻麦轮作区选取代表性优质水稻品种和多功能机械开展田间试验，设置基本苗100、190、280、370和460 m⁻²（分别为B1、B2、B3、B4和B5）5个处理，研究基本苗对多功能机械旱直播水稻产量和光合物质生产的影响。结果表明，随着基本苗的增加，主茎成穗占有效穗的比例呈增加趋势，产量呈先增后减的趋势，以B3产量最高（9.34−9.47 t ha⁻¹），主要是其提高了群体总颖花量和抽穗到成熟阶段的生物量积累。与低基本苗处理（B1和B2）相比，B3较高的总颖花量与其穗数的增加有关。高基本苗处理下（B4和B5）的穗数也相对增加，但拔节到抽穗阶段较低的单株生物量、叶面积和含氮量导致其较小的穗型未能高产。与其他基本苗处理相比，B3抽穗到成熟阶段具有较高的生物量积累主要由于提高了群体顶三叶的光合速率、群体生长率、净同化率和叶面积指数。B3群体还表现出较高的粒叶比、较低的茎鞘输出率和转运率。通过一元二次方程拟合得出260−290 m⁻²是本研究条件下水稻获得高产的最佳基本苗。因此，适当增加基本苗，提高主茎穗占有效穗的比例，通过足量的主茎穗数产出较高的群体颖花量和生物量是麦秸还田后多功能机械旱直播水稻获得高产的有效途径。

近年来，我国南方稻区新育成的各类粳稻品种数量正不断增多。在大面积种植中，这些水稻新品种的产量和稻米品质表现出显著差异。然而，针对这些新育成粳稻品种产量和品质差异的研究却较少。因此，本研究选用了具有代表性的三类粳稻品种来研究其产量和稻米品质的差异。本研究利用差示热扫描仪(DSC)、X射线粉末衍射仪（XRD）、快速粘度分析仪（RVA）和米饭食味计对不同类型粳稻稻米的蒸煮和食味品质进行了测定。结果表明，两个非软米杂交粳稻品种的产量显著高于非软米常规粳稻品种和软米常规粳稻品种。两个软米常规粳稻品种的直链淀粉含量较低，蛋白质含量适中，这是其蒸煮食味品质优良的主要原因。软米常规粳稻品种的相对结晶度显著高于非软米常规粳稻品种和非软米杂交粳稻品种，这是导致其淀粉糊化所需温度和热量较高的主要因素。两个非软米杂交粳稻品种的大淀粉颗粒数量高于软米常规粳稻品种和非软米常规粳稻品种。消减值和崩解值能够间接反映米饭的蒸煮食味品质。两个软米常规粳稻品种的消减值较低，崩解值较高，这也说明了其米饭的适口性较好。本研究为不同类型粳稻品种在大面积水稻生产上的推广和应用提供了重要依据。

试验研究了温度和太阳辐射对水稻产量的影响，旨在明确淮河下游水稻高产形成对温度和太阳辐射的需求。试验于2017-2018年以2个中熟中粳和4个迟熟中粳为材料，设置5月10日、5月17日、5月24日、5月31日、6月7日、6月14日和6月21日7个播种期。随着播期的推迟，水稻全生育期天数呈缩短的趋势，主要表现为播种至抽穗期天数的缩短。水稻全生育期有效积温、日平均温度、累积辐射和日均辐射均随播期推迟而减少。与T1播期相比，T2，T3，T4，T5，T6和T7播期分别减产0.12-0.35，0.45-0.89，0.74-1.56，1.41-2.24，2.16-2.90和2.69-3.64 t hm^-2。水稻产量与不同生育阶段有效积温呈极显著正相关。温度是影响优质食味水稻在沿淮下游地区形成高产的主要气象因子，当中熟中粳和迟熟中粳获得相对高产时，播种至抽穗期平均温度范围分别为25.8-27.0°C和26.6-27.1°C，抽穗至成熟期分别为20.3-23.3°C和20.3-22.1°C。中熟中粳和迟熟中粳在沿淮下游地区的最佳播期分别为5月15-31日和5月15-18日。

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 18.62×10⁴ to 28.49×10⁴ 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 26.88×10⁴ hills ha^–1 and may be an alternative approach to improving grain yield and quality for japonica rice.

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.

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.

Several studies have demonstrated the effect of planting methods on rice yield, but information on the climate resources is limited.  This study aims to reveal the effects of planting methods on climate resources associated with rice yield in a rice-wheat rotation system in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.  Field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 with two japonica, two indica hybrid, and two japonica-indica hybrid varieties grown under three mechanized planting methods: carpet seedling of mechanical transplanting (CT), mechanical direct seeding (DS), and pot-hole seedling of mechanical transplanting (PT).  The rice yield and total This study was financially supported by grants from the Major Independent Innovation Project in Jiangsu Province, China (CX(15)1002), the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund in Jiangsu Province, China (CX(12)1003-09), the National Key Research Program of China (2016YFD0300503), the Science and Technology Plan of Jiangsu Province, China (BE2015340), the Research Innovation Program for College Graduates of Jiangsu Province, China (KYLX15_1369), and a Project Funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, China.dry matter under PT were greater than those under CT and DS methods.  Besides, the entire growth duration and daily production showed significant positive relations with rice yield.  Compared with CT and DS, the effective accumulated temperature and cumulative solar radiation of rice under PT were higher in phenological phases.  In addition, the dry matter/effective accumulated temperature and solar energy utilization of rice under CT and DS were higher during vegetative phase and lower during reproductive and grain filling phases in contrast to PT.  The mean daily temperature and mean daily solar radiation in the entire growth duration showed significant positive correlation with rice yield, total dry matter, and harvest index.  This study demonstrated that when the mean daily temperature is <25.1°C in vegetative phase and >20.1°C in grain filling phase, rice yield could be increased by selecting mechanized planting methods.  Most varieties under PT method exhibited high yield and climate resources use efficiency compared with CT and DS.  In conclusion, the PT method could be a better cultivation measure for high rice yield, accompanied with high temperature and solar radiation use efficiency in a rice-wheat rotation system in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China.

     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 of japonica-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 IHR 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.

Although studies on the balance between yield and quality of japonica soft super rice are limited, they are crucial for super rice cultivation.  In order to investigate the effects of nitrogen application rate on grain yield and rice quality, two japonica soft super rice varieties, Nanjing 9108 (NJ 9108) and Nanjing 5055 (NJ 5055), were used under seven N levels with the application rates of 0, 150, 187.5, 225, 262.5, 300, and 337.5 kg ha^–1.  With the increasing nitrogen application level, grain yield of both varieties first increased and then decreased.  The highest yield was obtained at 300 kg ha^–1.  The milling quality and protein content increased, while the appearance quality, amylose content, gel consistency, cooking/eating quality, and rice flour viscosity decreased.  Milling was significantly negatively related with the eating/cooking quality whereas the appearance was significantly positively related with cooking/eating quality.  These results suggest that nitrogen level significantly affects the yield and rice quality of japonica soft super rice.  We conclude that the suitable nitrogen application rate for japonica soft super rice, NJ 9108 and NJ 5055, is 270 kg ha^–1, under which they obtain high yield as well as superior eating/cooking quality.

   Understanding the morphological and physiological traits associated with improved filling efficiency in large-panicle rice varieties is critical to devise strategies for breeding programs and cultivation management practices. Information on such traits, however, remains limited. Two large-panicle varieties with high filled-grain percentage (HF) and two check large-panicle varieties with low filled-grain percentage (LF) were field-grown in 2012 and 2013. The number of spikelets per panicle of HF and LF both exceeded 300, and the filled-grain percentage (%) of HF was approximately 90, while that of LF was approximately 75 over the two years. The results showed that when the values were averaged across two years, HF yielded 12.9 t ha^–1, while LF yielded 11.0 t ha^–1. HF had a greater leaf area duration, biomass accumulation and transport of carbohydrates stored in the culm to the grains from heading to maturity compared with LF. HF exhibited a higher leaf photosynthetic rate, more green leaves on the culm, and higher root activity during filling phase, especially during the middle and late filling phases, in relative to LF. The length of HF for upper three leaves was significantly higher than that of LF, while the angle of upper three leaves on the main culm was less in both years. Meanwhile, specific leaf weight of HF was significantly higher when compared with LF. In addition, the grain filling characteristics of HF and LF were investigated in our study. Our results suggested that a higher leaf photosynthetic rate and root activity during filling phase, greater biomass accumulation and assimilate transport after heading, and longer, thicker and more erect upper three leaves were important morphological and physiological traits of HF, and these traits could be considered as selection criterion to develop large-panicle varieties with high filled-grain percentage.

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 practical 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 2013 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 maturity 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 of HYYS 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.