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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (1): 68-80    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.015
Crop Science Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation improves rice cooking and eating quality by optimizing lipid and fatty acid synthesis in grains

Yunji Xu1, 2, 3, Xuelian Weng1, 2, 3, Shupeng Tang1, Xiufeng Jiang1, 2, Weiyang Zhang2, Kuanyu Zhu2, Guanglong Zhu1, 2, 3, Hao Zhang2, Zhiqin Wang2, Jianchang Yang1, 2#

1 Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-product Safety of the Ministry of Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
2 Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
3 Institutes of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
 Highlights 
Alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD) regime significantly increased contents of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid and oleic acid in milled rice.
Elevated levels of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid, and oleic acid contributed more favorably to enhanced rice cooking and eating quality.
The AWMD improved rice cooking and eating quality through optimization of lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in rice grains.
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摘要  
干湿交替灌溉(AWD)对稻米蒸煮食味品质形成起着至关重要的调控作用。但是,目前关于AWD技术如何影响稻米的蒸煮食味品质尚不明确。水稻籽粒中脂质和游离脂肪酸与稻米的蒸煮食味品质呈正相关。据此,本研究以扬稻6号(YD6,普通食味籼稻品种)和南粳9108(NJ9108,优质食味粳稻品种)为供试材料,大田种植,自移栽后10天至成熟设置常规灌溉(CI)、轻干湿交替灌溉(AWMD)和重干湿交替灌溉(AWSD)3种灌溉处理,研究籽粒中脂质和游离脂肪酸的生物合成与稻米蒸煮食味品质的关系。结果表明,与CI处理相比,AWMD处理通过促进脂质合成相关酶的活性显著提高了精米中脂质、总游离脂肪酸(TFFAs)、游离不饱和脂肪酸(FUFAs)、亚油酸和油酸的含量,而AWSD处理的结果相反。相关分析表明,籽粒中脂质、TFFAs、FUFAs、亚油酸和油酸含量越高,越有利于稻米蒸煮食味品质的改善。综上,AWMD处理可通过优化籽粒中脂质和脂肪酸的生物合成来改善精米的蒸煮食味品质。


Abstract  
Alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWD) significantly influences the cooking and eating quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.).  However, the mechanisms by which AWD affects rice cooking and eating quality remain unclear.  Lipid and free fatty acid contents in grains correlate positively with cooking and eating quality of rice.  This study examined Yangdao 6 (YD6, a conventional taste indica inbred) and Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108, a superior taste japonica inbred) cultivated under conventional irrigation (CI), alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD), and alternate wetting and severe drying irrigation (AWSD) from 10 days after transplanting to maturity.  The research investigated the relationship between lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in grains and the cooking and eating quality of rice.  Compared to CI treatment, AWMD significantly enhanced the contents of lipid, total free fatty acids (TFFAs), free unsaturated fatty acids (FUFAs), linoleic acid, and oleic acid in milled rice by increasing activities of enzymes associated with lipid synthesis, while AWSD produced opposite effects.  Correlation analysis revealed that elevated levels of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid, and oleic acid contribute to improved rice cooking and eating quality.  The findings demonstrate that AWMD enhances cooking and eating quality of milled rice through optimization of lipid and fatty acid synthesis in rice grains.
Keywords:  rice (Oryza sativa L.)       cooking and eating quality       lipid content       fatty acid content       alternate wetting and drying irrigation  
Received: 29 January 2024   Accepted: 09 April 2024 Online: 13 May 2024  
Fund: This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20241931 and BK 20221371), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32071943, 32372214, and 31901444), and the National Key Research  and Development Program of China (2022YFD2300304).
About author:  Yunji Xu, E-mail: yunjixu@yzu.edu.cn; #Correspondence Jianchang Yang, Tel/Fax: +86-514-87979317, E-mail: jcyang@yzu.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Yunji Xu, Xuelian Weng, Shupeng Tang, Xiufeng Jiang, Weiyang Zhang, Kuanyu Zhu, Guanglong Zhu, Hao Zhang, Zhiqin Wang, Jianchang Yang. 2026. Alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation improves rice cooking and eating quality by optimizing lipid and fatty acid synthesis in grains. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(1): 68-80.

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