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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2019, Vol. 18 Issue (1): 246-247    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(19)62568-2
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Developmental status and problems of rice ratooning
LIN Wen-xiong
School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, P.R.China
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摘要  



Abstract  Rice ratooning cultivation is an imperative breakthrough technology for promoting supply-side structural reform of agriculture, implementing the national plan to reduce the area of double-cropping rice in the Yangtze River basin, China.  While, at the same time, it also contributes to ensure the absolute safety of grain ration and optimize grain production structure in China.  Rice ratooning is a cropping system in which we take advantage of the regeneration characteristics of the rice plant.  For instance, the axillary buds grow rapidly into seedlings and then proceed to the stage of tillering, heading, grain filling and ripening through adopting different planting measures after the main crop (the first cropping rice) is harvested.  Ratoon rice has a long history dating back 1 700 years in China.  Presently, two models are commonly employed for harvesting of ratoon rice, which are manual harvesting and mechanized harvesting of ratoon rice.  However, with the migration of Chinese rural labor forces, mechanized technology for ratoon rice has now become the main planting and harvesting mode.  Moreover, this is also the recommended cultivation technique with promising high grain yields and better economic efficiency and more importantly it has become increasingly popular due to its beneficial aspects with the ongoing efforts of scientific research.  The grain yield for both the main crop and ratooning crop is usually 15 t ha–1 yr–1 with a significant improvement on the economic benefits compared to the middle season and double season rice, respectively. 

Upon comparison with the middle season rice, rice ratooning method was able to obtain the additional harvests by 4 500–6 000 kg grain yield ha–1, which was further increased by 11 000–15 000 CNY output ha–1 and 7 500–11 000 CNY net income ha–1.  We further recorded a higher rice quality with multiple saving benefits such as of seed, labor and water resources coupled with a 30–50% reduction in fertilizer use and a 40% decrease in pesticide application.  Eventually, the grain yields of ratoon rice were almost the same or slightly lower than that of the double season rice in a year.  Ultimately, all these beneficial aspects can lead to reduced costs, increased efficiency, and consequently can help in the enhancement of net income by 4 500 to 8 000 CNY ha–1.  Therefore, the development and extension of rice ratooning technology to suitable planting areas in China carries a positive significance to ensure a steady increase in grain output, and the higher economic efficiency of growing food crops for enhancement of the farmer’s income.  However, there is existence of some problems which need to be addressed.
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Received: 22 October 2018   Accepted:
Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence LIN Wen-xiong, E-mail: wenxiong181@163.com   

Cite this article: 

LIN Wen-xiong. 2019. Developmental status and problems of rice ratooning. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 18(1): 246-247.

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