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Journal of Integrative Agriculture
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Enhancing rice yield by optimizing tillering through transplantation of high-density seedlings cultivated on crop straw boards

Yufei Ling1, 2*, Qun Hu1, 2*#, Yuxin Xia1, 2, Kaiwei Zhang1, 2, Dihui Fu1, 2, Yuan Feng1, 2, Fangfu Xu1, 2, Guangyan Li1, 2, Zhipeng Xing1, 2, Hui Gao1, 2, Haiyan Wei1, 2, Hongcheng Zhang1,2#

1 Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China 
2 Collaborative Innovation Center of Modern Industrial Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and physiology of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China


 Highlignts 

1. High-density seeding and a short seedling period boost mid and low tillering.

2. Optimizing the development of mid and low position tillers can further enhance rice yield.

3. Properly balancing seeding density with seedling age is vital for achieving high rice yield.

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摘要  

面对农业劳动力短缺与可持续发展的双重挑战,优化水稻生产模式以实现降本增效已成为现代农业研究的重要课题。本研究以粳稻品种南粳5718为实验材料,于中国泗洪县开展了为期两年的田间定位试验,重点探讨播种密度(150–350 g/盘)与移栽龄(10–25 d)对水稻不同叶位分蘖发生、穗形成特征及产量构成的调控效应。试验创新性地集成应用秸秆基质块育苗技术,不仅提高了种植效率,通过降低对营养土的依赖,还减少了耕作层破坏,系统解析了高密度育苗条件下栽培措施的协同优化机制。结果表明,提高播种密度显著改变了水稻分蘖与穗形成模式,具体表现为下位分蘖数量及穗形成率下降;尽管中位及高位分蘖的数量有所增加,但每穴总穗数减少,尤其在高密度条件下对产量产生不利影响。相比之下,缩短移栽秧龄能够有效促进下位分蘖的发生与穗形成,在一定程度上缓解了高密度带来的负面效应。与传统方法(150 g/盘、20 d秧龄)相比,高播种密度(300 g/盘)与较短移栽龄(15 d秧龄)的组合使总穗数提高3.79–4.73%,产量提升3.38–5.05%。综上,将高播种密度与缩短移栽龄相结合,可显著增强资源利用效率并提高分蘖效率,相较于常规栽培方法具有明显优势。本研究结果为优化水稻栽培管理技术提供了可操作的实践建议,并为推动农业可持续发展贡献了新的思路与方法。



Abstract  

In the face of agricultural labor shortages, reducing labor and costs in rice production while meeting demand or increasing yield is crucial for sustainable agricultural development.  Utilizing crop straw boards and high-density seedling raising can reduce labor demand and enhance rice yield.  This study aimed to investigate the effects of seeding density and transplanting age on tillering patterns, panicle formation rates, and yield to determine optimal cultivation practices for maximizing rice yield.  Two-year field experiments were conducted in Sihong County, China, using the japonica rice variety Nanjing 5718.  Five seeding densities (150–350 g/tray) and four transplanting ages (10–25 days) were evaluated to assess their impact on tillering patterns, panicle formation rates, and yield.  Innovative crop straw boards were employed to enhance planting efficiency and reduce dependence on seedling-raising soil.  This approach also lessened tillage layer destruction, promoting sustainable practices.  The results indicated that increasing seeding density significantly altered tillering and panicle formation patterns, reducing the occurrence and panicle formation rates of lower-position tillers.  Although the occurrence of middle and high-position tillers increased, the overall number of panicles per hill decreased, especially at higher densities, negatively affecting yield.  Reducing transplanting age promoted the emergence and panicle formation of lower-position tillers, mitigating these negative effects.  Specifically, compared to traditional methods (150 g/tray, 20-day seedlings), the higher seeding density (300 g/tray) and shorter transplanting age (15-day seedlings) increased total panicle number by 3.79–4.73% and yield by 3.38–5.05%.  Combining higher seeding densities with reduced transplanting ages offers significant advantages over conventional practices by enhancing resource utilization, improving tillering efficiency.  These findings provide actionable recommendations for optimizing rice cultivation practices and contribute to sustainable agricultural development.

Keywords:  rice       seeding density       seedling age       crop straw boards       tiller yield formation  
Received: 11 December 2024   Online: 24 February 2025  
Fund: 

The research was funded by the Jiangsu Key Research Program, China (BE2022338), the Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund, China (CX (23)3107), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFD2300502), the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province, China (KYCX23_3569), the Earmarked Fund for CARS (Rice, CARS-01), and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, China.

About author:  Yufei Ling, E-mail: YufeiLing96@outlook.com; #Correspondence Qun Hu, E-mail: huqun@yzu.edu.cn; Hongcheng Zhang, Tel: +86-13905278336, E-mail: hczhang@yzu.edu.cn *These authors contributed equally to this study.

Cite this article: 

Yufei Ling, Qun Hu, Yuxin Xia, Kaiwei Zhang, Dihui Fu, Yuan Feng, Fangfu Xu, Guangyan Li, Zhipeng Xing, Hui Gao, Haiyan Wei, Hongcheng Zhang. 2025. Enhancing rice yield by optimizing tillering through transplantation of high-density seedlings cultivated on crop straw boards. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.02.048

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