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Journal of Integrative Agriculture
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Effect of rice leaf color-changing patterns and nitrogen application on stem non-structural carbohydrate translocation during grain filling

1 State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology and Breeding, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou 310006, China

2 National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement/Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs/College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China

3 College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310007, China

 Highlights 

Ø Rice variety with slow leaf color change exhibited lower stem NSC remobilization efficiency than fast leaf color change variety.
Ø Stem NSC translocation efficiency was negatively correlated with leaf color change onset time while positively correlated with the leaf color change rate.
Ø N application postponed the onset of leaf color change and enhanced yield while reducing NSC translocation and its contribution to grain filling. 

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摘要  

水稻生育后期叶片的转色动态直接关系到籽粒灌浆期间叶片光合生产力和茎鞘NSC转运,最终影响产量。为了研究叶片转色与茎鞘NSC转运的关系,以及产量形成过程中碳源利用策略差异。本研究转色存在明显差异的两个水稻品种春优927CY927)和甬优1540YY1540)为材料,设置3种氮肥用量处理(LN, MN, HN),比较了不同N水平下水稻齐穗后剑叶的转色特征参数,光合生产力和茎鞘中NSC转运,以及对最终产量和收获指数的影响。结果发现,CY927因自身的滞绿特性在高温环境下更能发挥稳产潜质,产量较转色正常品种YY1540明显升高10.45%21.81%YY1540相比,CY927转色启始时间T0推迟2.14.1 d,成熟期叶色指数CIf升高16.79%−52.25%,维持生育后期较高的同化物生产能力,使地上部生物量升高10.56%42.77%。但会限制茎鞘NSC转运,使NSC转运量和转运率显著降低23.78%33.19%14.65%22.19%,最终使收获指数明显降低2.66%8.43%外源N供应有助于推迟水稻叶片的转色启始时间T0,减缓转色速率Rm,缩短转色持续期T100,提高成熟期叶色指数CIf,通过促进叶片蔗糖含量和蔗糖合酶的活性增加光合生产力,最终达到增产效果。然而,施N明显降低两个品种茎鞘中α-淀粉酶活性14.83%62.07%,使茎鞘NSC转移效率降低5.44%16.30%。相关性分析发现,叶片转色启始时间与地上部生物量积累呈极显著正相关(P<0.001),而叶片转色持续期与茎鞘NSC转运量呈极显著正相关(P<0.001)。综上,品种和N处理通过影响叶片转色动态,间接协调叶片光合碳代谢与茎鞘NSC转运的动态平衡,最终影响产量和资源利用效率。研究结果提出的“叶片转色-碳源分配-产量形成”的理论框架为水稻品种选育与氮肥精准管理提供依据



Abstract  

To elucidate the relationship between leaf color-changing and stem NSC translocation during grain filling and their impact on yield formation, two indica-japonica hybrid varieties with distinct leaf color change patterns were planted under three N fertilizer dosages (LN 0 kg ha−1; MN 150 kg ha−1; HN 300 kg ha−1). Leaf color change characteristics, photosynthetic productivity, stem NSC translocation, yield and harvest index were analyzed. The results showed that CY927 (slow leaf color change) achieved 10.45%−21.81% higher yields than YY1540 (fast leaf color change) under high-temperature conditions. Compared to YY1540, CY927 delayed the onset of leaf color-changing (T0) by 2.1−4.1 d, enhanced the final leaf color indicator at maturation (CIf) by 16.79−52.25%, contributing to 10.56−42.77% greater aboveground biomass accumulation through higher photosynthetic capacity, but significantly limited stem NSC remobilization, reduced total NSC translocation by 23.78−33.19% and NSC translocation ratio by 14.65−22.19%, resulting in a 2.66−8.43% lower harvest index. N application increased rice yield via a delay in leaf color-changing onset (T0), a reduced color-changing rate (Rm), a shortened color-changing duration (T100), and an improved final color index (CIf). This retardation of senescence enhanced photosynthetic capacity, which was associated with elevated sucrose content and sucrose synthase activity. However, N reduced stem α-amylase activity (14.83−62.07%) and NSC translocation ratio (5.44−16.30%) in both varieties. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between T0 and aboveground biomass (P<0.001), and between T100 and stem NSC translocation (P<0.001). In conclusion, rice variety and N application indirectly regulate the dynamic balances between leaf photosynthetic carbon metabolism and stem NSC translocation by influencing the leaf color-changing dynamic, ultimately affecting yield and resource use efficiency. This integrative framework, connecting leaf color-changing, carbon allocation, and yield performance, provides scientific guidance for optimizing rice cultivars and N fertilization strategies.

 

Keywords:  rice       leaf color-changing              NSC translocation              biomass              yield  
Online: 14 January 2026  
Fund: 

This study was supported by the Major Special Project of Zhejiang Province, China (2024C02001) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (32272210).

About author:  Xu Yanan, E-mail: xuyanan@caas.cn; Ye Chang, E-mail: yechang0617@163.com; #Correspondence Wang Danying, Tel: +86-571-63370191, E-mail: wangdanying@caas.cn; Huang Jianliang, E-mail: jhuang@mail.hzau.edu.cn * These authors contributed equally to this work.

Cite this article: 

Yanan Xu, Chang Ye, Yi Tao, Deshun Xiao, Junlin Zhu, Wenli Liao, Song Chen, Guang Chu, Chunmei Xu, Jianliang Huang, Danying Wang. 2026. Effect of rice leaf color-changing patterns and nitrogen application on stem non-structural carbohydrate translocation during grain filling. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2026.01.019

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