Increasing plant density increased rice (Oryza sativa) yield but decreased lodging resistance when grown under wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw using unmanned aerial seeding technology
Qun Hu
A B * , Haibin Zhu A B , Yuankun Gu A B , Haiyan Wei A B and Hongcheng Zhang A B
A
B
Abstract
Unmanned aerial seeding (UAS) of rice (Oryza sativa) has inherent advantages, but may not achieve a high and stable yield when extensive stubble is returned.
This study aimed to determine the optimal planting density for achieving high yield and lodging resistance in UAS rice.
The experiment evaluated yield and lodging of two rice varieties (conventional japonica and hybrid indica–japonica) at four planting densities 105 (D1), 150 (D2), 195 (D3), and 240 (D4) seedlings m−2 for conventional japonica; 45 (D1), 82.5 (D2), 120 (D3), and 157.5 (D4) seedlings m−2 for hybrid indica–japonica).
Our results showed that yield initially increased and then decreased with increasing density, and the highest yield was obtained under treatment D3. Increasing planting density increased the proportion of main stem panicles and the effective panicles, but decreased the number of grains per panicle, seed setting rate, and 1000-grain weight. The population growth rate was lower in seeding-jointing and heading-maturity stages for treatments D1 and D2, higher in seeding-jointing stage for treatment D4 but insufficient in subsequent stages, while treatment D3 had higher population growth rate throughout the whole growth stage, especially in heading-maturity stages, ultimately achieving high yield. Densification led to a reduction in plant height and ear length, as well as slender internodes and thinner base wall.
A planting density of 195 seedlings m−2 was optimal for conventional japonica rice, and 120 seedlings m−2 for indica–japonica.
Achieving high yield of UAS rice can be facilitated by increasing planting density, but may compromise lodging resistance.
Keywords: biomass, indica–japonica, japonica, lodging, planting density, rice-wheat rotation, straw returning, unmanned aerial seeding, yield.
References
Badshah MA, Naimei T, Zou Y, Ibrahim M, Wang K (2014) Yield and tillering response of super hybrid rice Liangyoupeijiu to tillage and establishment methods. The Crop Journal 2(1), 79-86.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Cao C, Wang Y, Liu X, Yuan M, Zhu H (2013) Effects of seeding rate on growth and yield of direct-seeded early rice strain Liangyou 609. Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural Sciences 2, 129-130.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Chen Q, Zhang Y, Yang B, Ye M, Zhang Z (2022) Study on the material production characteristics and regulation pathways of high-yield and high-efficiency direct-seeded rice populations. Journal of Yangzhou University (Agricultural and Life Science Edition) 43(6), 1-12.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Guan Y, Chen G, Cheng Z, Yan B, Hou L (2017) Air pollutant emissions from straw open burning: a case study in Tianjin. Atmospheric Environment 171, 155-164.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hong W, Chen Y, Huang S, Li Y, Wang Z, Tang X, Pan S, Tian H, Mo Z (2022) Optimization of nitrogen–silicon (N-Si) fertilization for grain yield and lodging resistance of early-season indica fragrant rice under different planting methods. European Journal of Agronomy 136, 126508.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hu Y-J, Cao W-W, Qian H-J, Xing Z-P, Zhang H-C, Dai Q-G, Huo Z-Y, Xu K, Wei H-Y, Guo B-W, Gao H, Sha A-Q, Zhou Y-Y, Liu G-L (2015) Effect of planting density of mechanically transplanted pot seedlings on yield, plant type and lodging resistance in rice with different panicle types. Acta Agronomica Sinica 41(5), 743-757.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Hu Q, Jiang W-Q, Qiu S, Xing Z-P, Hu Y-J, Guo B-W, Liu G-D, Gao H, Zhang H-C, Wei H-Y (2020) Effect of wide-narrow row arrangement in mechanical pot-seedling transplanting and plant density on yield formation and grain quality of japonica rice. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 19(5), 1197-1214.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Jin Z, Zhang L, Liu H, Nie L (2021) Energy assessment of different rice–wheat rotation systems. Food and Energy Security 10(2), 394-405.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Lei X, Liu L, Liu B, Huang G, Ma R, Ren W (2014) Physicochemical properties and lodging resistance of hybrid indica rice Fyou 498 in mechanized planting. Chinese Journal of Rice Science 28(6), 612-620.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Li H, Dai M, Dai S, Dong X (2018) Current status and environment impact of direct straw return in China’s cropland – a review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 159, 293-300.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Li L, He L, Li Y, Wang Y, Ashraf U, Hamoud YA, Hu X, Wu T, Tang X, Pan S (2023a) Deep fertilization combined with straw incorporation improved rice lodging resistance and soil properties of paddy fields. European Journal of Agronomy 142, 126659.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Li Z, Deng F, Zhu L, Tang L, Zhou T, Lu H, Xia H, Zhong X, Wang L, Tao Y, Zhou W, Lei X, Chen Y, Hu J, Ren W (2023b) Fewer hills with more seedlings improved lodging resistance of whole hill and yield stability of machine-transplanted rice. Agronomy Journal 115(2), 620-634.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Liao P, Bell SM, Chen L, Huang S, Wang H, Miao J, Qi Y, Sun Y, Liao B, Zeng Y, Wei H, Gao H, Dai Q, Zhang H (2023) Improving rice grain yield and reducing lodging risk simultaneously: a meta-analysis. European Journal of Agronomy 143, 126709.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Mai W, Abliz B, Xue X (2021) Increased number of spikelets per panicle is the main factor in higher yield of transplanted vs. direct-seeded rice. Agronomy 11(12), 2479.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Meng X, Pan Y, Chai Y, Ji Y, Du H, Huang J, Chen S, Wang M, Guo S (2024) Higher light utilization and assimilate translocation efficiency produced greater grain yield in super hybrid rice. Plant and Soil 504, 529-544.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Nadeem F, Farooq M (2019) Application of micronutrients in rice-wheat cropping system of South Asia. Rice Science 26(6), 356-371.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Nakano H, Morita S, Kitagawa H, Wada H, Takahashi M (2012) Grain yield response to planting density in forage rice with a large number of spikelets. Crop Science 52(1), 345-350.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Pan J, Zhao J, Liu Y, Huang N, Tian K, Shah F, Liang K, Zhong X, Liu B (2019) Optimized nitrogen management enhances lodging resistance of rice and its morpho-anatomical, mechanical, and molecular mechanisms. Scientific Reports 9(1), 20274.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Qi P, Wang Z, Wang C, Xu L, Jia X, Zhang Y, Wang S, Han L, Li T, Chen B, Li C, Mei C, Pan Y, Zhang W, Müller J, Liu Y, He X (2022) Development of multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles versus ground seeding and outplanting: what is more effective for improving the growth and quality of rice culture? Frontiers in Plant Science 13, 953753.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Sun L, Hussain S, Liu H, Peng S, Huang J, Cui K, Nie L (2015) Implications of low sowing rate for hybrid rice varieties under dry direct-seeded rice system in Central China. Field Crops Research 175, 87-95.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Takai T (2024) Potential of rice tillering for sustainable food production. Journal of Experimental Botany 75(3), 708-720.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Tian J, Li S, Xing Z, Cheng S, Liu Q, Zhou L, Liao P, Hu Y, Guo B, Wei H, Zhang H (2022) Seedling establishment and yield performance of dry direct-seeded rice after wheat straw returning coupled with early nitrogen application. Agriculture 12(4), 565.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Tian J-Y, Li S-P, Cheng S, Liu Q-Y, Zhou L, Tao Y, Xing Z-P, Hu Y-P, Guo B-W, Wei H-Y, Zhang H-C (2023) Increasing the appropriate seedling density for higher yield in dry direct-seeded rice sown by a multifunctional seeder after wheat-straw return. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 22(2), 400-416.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Tsugawa S, Shima H, Ishimoto Y, Ishikawa K (2023) Thickness-stiffness trade-off improves lodging resistance in rice. Scientific Reports 13(1), 10828.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Wang W-X, Du J, Zhou Y-Z, Zeng Y-J, Tan X-M, Pan X-H, Shi Q-H, Wu Z-M, Zeng Y-H (2021) Effects of different mechanical direct seeding methods on grain yield and lodging resistance of early indica rice in South China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 20(5), 1204-1215.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Wang W, Shen C, Xu Q, Zafar S, Du B, Xing D (2022) Grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency and antioxidant enzymes of rice under different fertilizer N inputs and planting density. Agronomy 12(2), 430.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Won JG, Choi C, Lee SC (1999) Tillering, lodging and yield under deep water treatment in direct-seeded rice. Plant Production Science 2(3), 200-205.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Wu P, Cheng T, Yuan J, Huang H, Xing Z, Hu Y, Zhu M, Li D, Liu G, Zhang H (2019) Effects of nitrogen application rate and direct seeding density on rice yield formation characteristics. Chinese Journal of Rice Science 33(3), 269-281.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Wu Z, Li M, Lei X, Wu Z, Jiang C, Zhou L, Ma R, Chen Y (2020) Simulation and parameter optimisation of a centrifugal rice seeding spreader for a UAV. Biosystems Engineering 192, 275-293.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Wu D-H, Chen C-T, Yang M-D, Wu Y-C, Lin C-Y, Lai M-H, Yang C-Y (2022) Controlling the lodging risk of rice based on a plant height dynamic model. Botanical Studies 63(1), 25.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Xing Z-P, Hu Y-J, Qian H-J, Cao W-W, Guo B-W, Wei H-Y, Xu K, Huo Z-Y, Zhou G-S, Dai Q-G, Zhang H-C (2017) Comparison of yield traits in rice among three mechanized planting methods in a rice-wheat rotation system. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 16(7), 1451-1466.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Xinyu W, Guodong Y, Xiangcheng P, Hongshun X, Shaobing P, Le X (2022) Feasibility of improving unmanned aerial vehicle-based seeding efficiency by using rice varieties with low seed weight. Rice Science 29(4), 299-303.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Xu K, Tang L, Zhang H, Guo B, Huo Z, Dai Q, Wei H, Wei H (2014) Effects of different mechanical direct seeding methods on rice tillering characteristics and yield. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 2014(13), 43-52.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Yadav S, Singh UM, Naik SM, Venkateshwarlu C, Ramayya PJ, Raman KA, Sandhu N, Kumar A (2017) Molecular mapping of QTLs associated with lodging resistance in dry direct-seeded rice (Oryza sativa L.). Frontiers in Plant Science 8, 1431.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
Yang H, Xu M, Li Y, Xu C, Zhai S, Liu J (2020) The impacts of ditch-buried straw layers on the interface soil physicochemical and microbial properties in a rice-wheat rotation system. Soil and Tillage Research 202, 104656.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Yang J, Wang J, Xu C, Liu Y, Yin Q, Wang X, Wang L, Wu Y, Xiao G (2021) Rice supply flows and their determinants in China. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 174, 105812.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhang HC, Xing ZP, Weng WA, Tian JY, Tao Y, Cheng S, Hu Q, Hu Y, Guo BW, Wei HY (2021) Growth characteristics and key techniques for stable yield of growth constrained direct seeding rice. Scientia Agricultura Sinica 54(7), 1322-1337.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhou W, Yan F, Chen Y, Ren W (2022) Optimized nitrogen application increases rice yield by improving the quality of tillers. Plant Production Science 25(3), 311-319.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhu L, Yang M, Li W, Liao H, Huang H (2021) The spatial–temporal changes of the coupling relationship among agricultural labor force, agricultural economy, and farmland in Chongqing. Sustainability 13(16), 8780.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
Zhu H, Lu X, Zhang K, Xing Z, Wei H, Hu Q, Zhang H (2023) Optimum basic seedling density and yield and quality characteristics of unmanned aerial seeding rice. Agronomy 13(8), 1980.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
