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High‐density planting with lower nitrogen application increased early rice production in a double‐season rice system
Author(s) -
Zheng Huabin,
Chen Yuanwei,
Chen Qimin,
Li Bo,
Zhang Yansheng,
Jia Wei,
Mo Wenwei,
Tang Qiyuan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.1002/agj2.20033
Subject(s) - panicle , sowing , agronomy , seedling , yield (engineering) , growing season , nitrogen , grain yield , multiple cropping , biomass (ecology) , field experiment , mathematics , biology , chemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy
High‐density planting is a strategy employed to save resources in crop production, particularly in environmentally friendly double‐season rice ( Orvza sativa L.) cropping, where it promotes high grain yield and reduces required nitrogen (N) input. We conducted a field experiment in 2014–2018 to detect the combined effect of increased seedling density and reduced N input on early rice grain yield and N use efficiency (NUE). The higher basic seedling with low N input treatment (T2) had an average grain yield of 7.01 t ha −1 , which was 16.3% greater than that of the control (CK). There was a strong linear relationship between grain yield and panicles m −2 ( R 2 = .82, P < .001). Grain yield increased significantly with above‐ground biomass before the full‐heading stage ( R 2 = .79, P < .001), which in turn promoted an increase in panicles m −2 ( R 2 = .85, P < .001). Mean agronomic efficiency (AE) in the T2 treatment was 34.3 kg kg −1 N, which was 48.1% higher than that in the CK treatment. Therefore, increasing seedling density from 62.5 to 176 seedlings number m −2 while reducing inorganic N input in the early season resulted in significantly higher grain yield in hand‐transplanted rice production. Our results indicate that dense planting with N reduction could improve early rice grain yield and enhance NUE.