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Paddy fields are recognized as significant sources of methane (CH 4 ) emissions, playing a pivotal role in global climate change. Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations (e[CO 2 ]) exert a profound influence on the carbon cycling of paddy fields. Understanding the effects of e[CO 2 ] on CH 4 emissions, as well as the underlying microbial processes, is crucial for enhancing carbon sequestration and reducing emissions in paddy fields. We reviewed the impacts of e[CO 2 ] on CH 4 emission in paddy fields, focusing on the activity, abundance, community structure, and diversity of carbon-cycling-related microbes. We also delineated the roles of various microbial processes in mitigating CH 4 emissions under e[CO 2 ], as well as the primary environmental determinants. Overall, the type of e[CO 2 ] experimental platforms, duration of fumigation, concentration gradients, and the methods of CO 2 enrichment all influence CH 4 emissions from paddy fields. e[CO 2 ] initially stimulates CH 4 emissions, which may decrease over time, indicating an adaptability of the methane-emitting microbial community to e[CO 2 ]. This response exhibits a trend of initial attenuation followed by an intensification of the positive effects on CH 4 emissions. Experiments with abrupt increase of CO 2 concentration might overestimate CH 4 emissions. The impact of e[CO 2 ] on microbial processes is predominantly characterized by enhanced activities and abundance of methanogens, aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs. It significantly alters the community composition and diversity of methanotrophs, with minimal effects on methanogens and anaerobic methanotrophic communities. Finally, we outlined future research directions: 1) Integrated investigations into the effects of e[CO 2 ] on CH 4 emissions, methanogenesis, and both aerobic and anaerobic methanotrophs in paddy fields could elucidate the mechanisms underlying the impacts of climate change on CH 4 emissions; 2) Long-term studies are essential to understand the mechanisms of e[CO 2 ] on CH 4 emissions and associated microbial processes more accurately and realistically; 3) Multi-scale (temporal and spatial), multi-factorial (CO 2 concentration, temperature, atmospheric nitrogen deposition, and water management practices), and multi-methodological (observational, data, and model integration) research is necessary to effectively reduce the uncertainties in assessing the response of CH 4 emissions in paddy fields and related microbial processes to e[CO 2 ] under future climate change scenarios.

The proportion and area of ratoon rice planting in China have been substantially increased, due to continuous improvement of rice breeding methods and consecutive innovation of cultivation technology, which has developed into one of rice planting modes with significant production efficiency. Combining the experience in research and practice, from the perspective of crop physiology and ecology, we reviewed the current situation and prospects of high-yielding formation and physiological mechanisms of ratoon rice. We focused on four key aspects: screening and breeding of ratoon rice cultivars and the classification; suitable stubble height for mechanically harvested ratoon rice, as well as water and fertilizer management; dry matter production and allocation in ratoon rice and the relationship with yield formation; regenerative activity and vigor of ratoon rice roots and their relationship with rhizosphere micro-ecological characteristics. As for the extending of mechanized low-cut stubbles ratoon rice technique, we should properly regulate the rhizosphere system, coordinate rhizosphere nutrient supply, germination of axillary buds, and tillering regeneration, to achieve the target of "four-high-one-low", that is high regeneration coefficient, high number of regeneration panicle, high harvest index, high yield, high quality, low-carbon and safe, aiming to improve the sustainability of ratoon rice industry.

The composition and stability of soil aggregates are important indicators for measuring soil quality, which would be affected by land use changes. Taking wetlands with different returning years (2 and 15 years) in the Yellow River Delta as the research object, paddy fields and natural wetlands as control, we analyzed the changes in soil physicochemical properties and soil aggregate composition. The results showed that soil water content, total organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon and total phosphorus of the returning soil (0-40 cm) showed an overall increasing trend with returning period, while soil pH and bulk density was in adverse. There was no significant change in clay content, electrical conductivity, and total nitrogen content. The contents of macro-aggregates and micro-aggregates showed overall increasing and decreasing trend with returning period, respectively. The stability of aggregates in the topsoil (0-10 cm) increased with returning years. Geometric mean diameter and mean weight diameter increased by 8.9% and 40.4% in the 15 th year of returning, respectively, while the mass proportion of >2.5 mm fraction decreased by 10.5%. There was no effect of returning on aggregates in subsoil (10-40 cm). Our results indicated that returning paddy field to wetland in the Yellow River Delta would play a positive role in improving soil structure and aggregate stability.

Light simplified cultivation and high quality rice are the main directions of rice production in China. Meteorological factors are the most important environmental factors affecting rice growth and yield. Few studies examined the relationship between rice yield and microclimate under different light simplified cultivation modes. To explore the relationship between rice yield and climatic factors (temperature, sunshine and water) at different growth stages of hybrid rice under different forecrops in southwest China, we carried out a split-plot design experiment in 2019 and 2020, with two forecrops of green cabbage and rape as the main plot, and three planting methods, direct-seeding, blanket-transplanting, and artificial transplanting as the subplots, taking Yixiangyou 2115 as the experimental variety. Results showed that compared with rape-paddy cropping system, cabbage-paddy cropping system significantly improved the accumulated temperature and precipitation production efficiency and consequently improved the effective panicles, setting rate, and 1000-grain weight. The yield was increased by 12.7% and 8.3% under cabbage-paddy and rape-paddy cropping system, respectively. Compared with manual transplanting, mechanical transplanting improved effective panicles, production efficiency of radiation, accumulated temperature and precipitation, and the radiation use efficiency of grain during the whole growth period. The mean yield was increased by 4.6% in 2019 and 2020. However, the above parameters of direct-seeding significantly decreased, but the yield decreased by 8.7%. Compared with 2019, mechanical transplanting and artificial transplanting were sown one month earlier in 2020 under the same stubble, which shortened growth period, reduced air temperature, and increased precipitation after flowering, leading to a significant decrease in effective accumulated temperature and light radiation; production efficiency of accumulated temperature, light energy, and precipitation; and utilization efficiency of light energy of grain, spikelets per panicle, setting rate, and 1000-grain weight. However, the yield was significantly reduced. Partial least squares regression analysis was used to establish the production forecast equation of standardized regression coefficients of meteorological factors. There was a positive correlation between rice yield and effective accumulated temperature and total radiation during the growth stage or the whole growth period. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between rice yield and precipitation during the whole growth period. In conclusion, mechanical transplanting under cabbage-paddy cropping system was a rice planting method that optimised the seasonal sunshine and temperature resources in southwest China. The method facilitated the full utilization of temperature and sunshine resources, resulting in high yield. However, it was not advisable to sow or transplant too early.

Examining the effects of silicon fertilizer on the yield of double-cropping rice and the leaching loss of soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) could provide a basis for the optimization of formula fertilizer and the comprehensive control technique of agricultural surface source pollution in typical double cropping paddy field. A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of silicon fertilizer of 0, 750, 1500, 2250 and 3000 kg·hm -2 (T 0 , T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ) on yield and N and P absorption of double-cropping rice, dynamics of N and P in the field surface water, soil available silicon, organic matter, alkali nitrogen and available phosphorus under the fixed nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. The results showed that compared with control (T 0 ), the silicon fertilizer increased the yield of early and late rice by 2.2%-30.4% and 3.9%-9.2%, respectively, enhanced rice N accumulation increased by 2.4%-47.3%, rice P accumulation by 2.2%-41.3%, straw N accumulation by 0.4%-28.3%, and straw P accumulation by 5.1%-31.0%. On the first day after fertilization, the total nitrogen (TN) content in the surface water was decreased by 3.4%-28.8% in silicon treatments compared with T 0 , the ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 + -N), total phosphorus (TP) and total soluble phosphorus (TDP) was decreased by 10.4%-25.6%, 25.5%-29.2%, 30.8%-38.0%, respectively. 45 days later, TP and TDP contents in the field surface water were significantly higher than T 0 . The silicon fertilizer treatment was beneficial to increase soil silicon level, contents of organic matter and alkali nitrogen of the double cropping rice, among which the T 1 treatment performed the best. Soil available phosphorus showed a decreasing trend with the increasing silicon fertilizer.

By field experiment and cultivation simulating, we analyzed the impacts of oilseed rape straw incorporation on root, tiller and grain yield of rice. Results showed that straw incorporation treatments decreased 1-2 in tillers and 1.0-8.6 mg per plant in bleeding sap. The activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamic-oxalacetic transa-minase (GOT) of root in straw incorporation treatments were reduced by 0.10-6.11, 0.06-0.31 and 0.52-0.84 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 respectively as compared to control, during the earlier stage (0-36 d after transplanting) of rice growth. Compared to no straw incorporation treatment, the straw incorporation by plough method increased bleeding sap by 3.4-11.7 mg per plant, and increased the activities of GS, GPT and GOT by 0.34-0.78, 0.13-0.45 and 0.18-0.20 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 respectively. During the later stage (56 d after transplanting) of rice growth, straw incorporation treatments by mulching reduced bleeding sap by 19-25 mg per plant, and increased the activities of GS, GPT and GOT in root by 0.16-0.34, 0.08-0.21 and 0.06-0.32 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 , respectively. The grain yield of total straw returning treatments (MF 2 and FH 2 ) were higher than other straw returning treatments. In comparison of MF 2 , the rice yield of FH 2 was higher by 0.13-0.48 t·hm -2 . Oil seed rape straw incorporation hindered rice root growth and delayed the reviving of rice after transplanting, by decreasing the activities of roots and nitrogen metabolizing enzymes during earlier stage. However, it promoted rice root growth by increasing activities of roots and nitrogen metabolizing enzyme during media and later stage. The increase or decrease of rice yield is a comprehensive balance of multiple factors in straw incorporation rice field. Total straw incorporation by plough method is one of the better straw returning manners for oilseed rape-rice rotation system in Sichuan Basin area.

Based on a two-year field experiment located at Shenyang Applied Ecological Experiment Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences, we examined the effects of stabilized N fertilizer combined with straw returning on rice yield and emission of N 2 O and CH 4 in aquic brown soil. Six treatments were set up, i.e. control (CK), urea(U), urea+urease inhibitor+nitrification inhibitor (U+I), straw (S), straw+urea (S+U), straw+urea+ urease inhibitor+nitrification inhibitor (S+U+I). The results showed that urea application increased rice yield, cumulative N 2 O and CH 4 emission, and global warming potential. The treatment of U+I significantly mitigated cumulative N 2 O emission. Returning rice straw to the field significantly increased cumulative N 2 O emission, cumulative CH 4 emission, global warming potential, and greenhouse gas emission intensity. The S+U+I treatment had the highest rice yield and greenhouse gas emission intensity. U+I treatment had the the second highest rice yield and the lowest greenhouse gas emission intensity. Rice yield in the S treatment showed no significant difference with CK. Our results indicated that S+U+I and U+I are relatively better agricultural strategies compared with other treatments in paddy fields on aquic soil.

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effects on soil fertility and enzyme activities in paddy field after six years of one-split rice straw-derived biochar [0 (BC 0 ), 7.5(BC 1 ), 15(BC 2 ), 22.5(BC 3 ) t·hm -2 ] and rice straw (3.75 t·hm -2 , STR) application. The results showed that soil organic carbon, available phosphorus and rapidly available potassium concentrations significantly increased, by 34.6%, 12.4% and 26.2%, respectively. Soil pH and soil bulk density were significantly reduced, but total nitrogen content had no significant difference compared with BC 0 . Biochar addition significantly increased the activities of soil urease and acid phosphatase. The soil fluorescein diacetate (FDA hydrolase) and arylsulfatase activity were inhibited to varying degrees. Among them, BC 2 treatment increased soil urease activity by 36.5%. The soil acid phosphatase activity increased with the increases of biochar application rate, which was positively correlated with soil available phosphorus concentration. FDA hydrolase and urease activity had positive correlation with soil available potassium content, while soil acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase activity had positive correlation with soil bulk density. After six years, soil dehydrogenase and polyphenol oxidase activity significantly increased by 48.8% and 27.5%, respectively, while catalase activity significantly decreased when compared with control BC 0 . STR treatment increased activities of soil urease, FDA hydrolase, dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase significantly, while decreased the catalase and polyphenol oxidase activities by 23.4% and 15.9%, respectively.

One-off fertilization is a new technology of one-time applying base fertilizer near the rhizosphere during whole crop cultivation period. It has the advantages of simplifying fertilization manage-ment and reducing labor costs, but its impacts on environment, such as leaching characteristics need further analysis. We set five treatments in the typical rice-rape rotation system in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including control treatment (CK), farmers' practice treatment (FP), optimal fertilizer treatment (OPT), one-off application of urea fertilizer treatment (UA) and one-off application of controlled release urea treatment (CRF). Using in situ leaching monitoring method, nitrogen (N) leaching characteristics at 90 cm depth of soil in rice-rape rotation system under different treatments were obtained, the impacts of one-off fertilization on N lea-ching were evaluated and its economic benefits were comprehensively analyzed. The results showed that the main forms of N in leachate were different for rape and rice. In the rape season, NO 3 - -N was the major component of leachate, while for rice season NO 3 - -N and NH 4 + -N were equally important. In the whole rotation period, the inorganic N leaching mainly occurred in the rice season, and compared with FP, OPT and UA, the total amount of inorganic N leached by CRF were significantly reduced by 33.7%, 20.8%, and 20.7%, respectively. However, the effects of different fertilization treatments on N leaching in rape season were not significantly different. Under the same N application rates, compared with OPT, UA ensured the stable yield of rape and rice and significantly increased the NAE in rape season by 15.1%, but failed to improve the NAE in rice season. There was no significant difference between OPT and CRF in rice yield and NAE, but rape yield and NAE of CRF significantly increased by 10.7% and 18.9%, respectively. From the economic front, compared with OPT, UA and CRFincreased rapeseed income by 3660 and 3048 yuan·hm -2 , and rice income by 3162 and 2220 yuan·hm -2 . Therefore, considering the effects of various fertilizer treatments on N leaching, crop yield, and economic benefits, one-off base fertilization application of controlled release fertilizer technology could ensure stable or increase crop yields, and improve farmers' income, while significantly reduce the inorganic N leaching loss. Such technology is recommended for future rice-rape rotation cultivation.

To explore the effects of winter crops recycling into paddy field on soil carbon pool, we cultivated rape, Chinese milk vetch, ryegrass and potato in winter season after harvesting double-season rice, with fallow as control (CK). The contents of soil organic carbon (SOC) and labile organic carbon (LOC) in the harvest of early and late rice were measured, and the stable carbon, activity of carbon pool, carbon pool index, carbon pool activity index and carbon pool management index (CMI) were calculated. Results showed that winter cover crops returning increased SOC content by 1%-8% and 3%-18% after harvest of early rice and late rice, respectively in comparison with CK. Cultivating rape, Chinese milk vetch and ryegrass all increased the LOC content, with enhancement of 16.2%-84.2% and 24.4%-28.1% after harvest of early rice and late rice, respectively. The CMI of all winter crop treatments presented a growth ratio of 1.4%-41.8% compared to CK. In conclusion, the cultivation of winter crop and recycling to field promoted soil carbon fixation and soil quality, among which the ryegrass and Chinese milk vetch showed better comprehensive effect.

To examine the effects of pig manure application on dry matter production, nitrogen accumulation and distribution, grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency of rice and wheat, the field trial was conducted with wheat 863 and rice 498. Fertilization treatments consisted of seven rates of organic manure supply: control (CK, no chemical nitrogen fertilizer, no pig manure), conventional fertilizing (T 1 , no pig manure), 2500 kg·hm -2 pig manure with 75% conventional fertilizing (T 2 ), 5000 kg·hm -2 pig manure with 50% conventional fertilizing (T 3 ), 10000 kg·hm -2 pig manure (T 4 ), 15000 kg·hm -2 pig manure (T 5 ) and 20000 kg·hm -2 pig manure (T 6 ). Combined application of pig manure with chemical fertilizer promoted dry matter accumulation of rice and wheat throughout the growing season. At the maturity stage of rice and wheat, the highest aboveground dry matter accumulation presented under highest pig manure input (T 6 ). The dry matter accumulation and nitrogen distribution were enriched in stem or leaf. The dry matter accumulation and nitrogen distribution rate in grain at T 6 was significantly lower than T 2 treatment. The high-est nitrogen fertilizer partial productivity, fertilizer agronomic efficiency and grain yield of rice pre-sented at T 3 treatment, which increased by 11.4%, 55.4%, 11.4% than that of conventional chemical fertilizer treatment, respectively. These vaules for wheat were at T 2 , which was 14.0%, 29.1%, 14.0% higher than that of conventional fertilizer treatment, respectively. The combined application of pig manure with appropriate rates of chemical fertilizer (T 2 and T 3 ) could promote dry matter accumulation, the migration of nitrogen to grains, the increase of yield and the nitrogen use efficiency. Too much pig manure input (15000-20000 kg·hm -2 ) could lead to excessive supply of nitrogen for crops. In this case, the transportation of dry matter to economic organs would be blocked and the nitrogen enriched to stem. The late-maturing phenomenon occurred, resulting in significant decrease of grain yield.

We aimed to explore changes in basic soil productivity (BSP) under different fertilization regimes in the Poyang Lake region, Jiangxi Province, China. Soil samples were collected from a long-term fertilization experiment (since 1981) that included treatments of no fertilization (CK), chemical fertilization (NPK), and combined chemical and organic fertilization (NPKM). Then, a three-year pot experiment (from 2012 to 2014) with double rice cropping was conducted with two different fertilization regimes (no fertilization, F 0 ; fertilization, F 1 ) using CK, NPK and NPKM soils. Grain yield and BSP were analyzed among soils with different fertilization regimes to identify the key factors driving changes in BSP. Results showed that grain yields in NPKM soil were higher than in NPK and CK soils regardless of fertilization in the pot experiment. Under the F 0 condition, annual grain yields of NPKM soil were 37.7%-143.9% and 20.8%-66.7% higher than CK and NPK soils, respectively. The BSP values of CK, NPK and NPKM soils in three years were 41.8%-53.1%, 45.2%-62.6% and 59.1%-88.1%, respectively. NPKM soil had significantly higher BSP than NPK and CK soils. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between soil organic matter and BSP as well as between organic carbon balance and BSP. These results suggested that long-term application of chemical and organic fertilizers could improve BSP in the double rice cropping system of the Poyang Lake region. In addition, soil organic matter and organic carbon balance are important factors for improving BSP in this region.

The quantitative evaluation and comparison of drought risks at each development stage and the whole growth period between transplanting rice and direct-sowing rice in Sichuan Basin can provide a scientific basis for the transformation and promotion of rice production technology in various regions. Based on the theory of natural disaster risk and the formation mechanism of rice drought risk, we evaluated and compared the drought risk in the whole growth period and the four development stages (sowing-jointing, jointing-booting, booting-full heading, full heading-maturity) between transplanting rice and direct-sowing rice, analyzed the vulnerability of disaster bodies, the sensitivity of disaster environment and the capacity of drought disaster prevention and reduction of rice drought in Sichuan Basin, using meteorological data in Sichuan Basin from 1961 to 2017, the observation data of rise production, agricultural statistics and the basic geographical information. The drought risk assessment model for Sichuan Basin was established, which was used to classify the results of evaluation. The results indicated that the drought risk of rice in Sichuan Basin was higher. The medium-risk areas in terms of the two planting methods were both the most widely distributed areas. The spatial-distribution characteristics of drought risk for the two kinds of rice were generally the same which was high in the middle and east of the basin, low in the southwest of the basin, and decreased from east to west and from the center to the surroundings. For the two planting methods, the greatest difference of rice drought risk appeared at the sowing-jointing stage. The drought risk of the direct-sowing rice at the sowing-jointing stage was significantly lower, and the distribution range was smaller than that of the transplanting rice. The distribution of the slight-low drought risk area of the direct-sowing rice was wider, but the high-risk area was slightly smaller.

The changes and renewal of soil quality are the criteria for judging agricultural development and soil management. The albic soil is the main paddy field soil in Sanjiang Plain. There is limited knowledge about the changes of soil quality after the dry field was changed into the paddy field. Taking albic soils from different years of rice planting as study objects, the changes of soil physical and chemical properties were investigated. The results showed that the total amount of soil organic carbon and reducing substances increased in the ploughing layer (16-23 cm thick) and the bottom ploughing layer (6-8 cm thick). The depth of ploughing layer gradually increased with the increases of rice planting years. There was no significant change after the bottom layer was changed into the paddy field. There was no significant difference in the subsoil layer (20 cm thick) compared with dryland. The Fe 2+ and Mn 2+ in the soil tended to migrate downward, but only to the plough bottom layer. The ratio of soil solid phase of the ploughing layer and the ploughing bottom layer increased after rice planting, with the ratio of soil solid phase of the ploughing bottom layer increased from 47.8% to 70.0% and the bulk density increased from 1.22 g·cm -3 to 1.77 g·cm -3 . Decreases of the total amount of soil porosity, increases of the proportion of micropores, and cohesive leaching deposition in the albic soil were observed after rice planting. The changes of soil physical and chemical properties of albic soil after rice planting were generally consistent with the evolution of paddy soil except for several particularities.

The area of rice production in Southern China is one of the most important farming regions in China, due to its great contribution to national food security. To assess the differences in carbon footprints (CF) of double rice production will benefit the achievement of low carbon agriculture. Base on the statistical data of crop yield and farmland investment of double rice production from 2004 to 2014, the spatiotemporal dynamics of CF and its composition of double rice in Southern China was estimated using the theory of CF and life cycle assessment method. The results showed that the CF of early and late rice in each province tended to increase, with the CF of early rice being higher than that of late rice. CF of early and late rice in Anhui were the highest (1000 kg CO 2 -eq·hm -2 ), and those in Fujian, Hubei and Hunan were the lowest (750 kg CO 2 -eq·hm -2 ). The highest component of CF in double rice was the production, transportation and utilization of fertilizers (60%), followed with the consumption of diesel. Progressive regression analysis showed that CF of double rice from 2004 to 2014 was mainly affected by diesel, compound fertilizer and K 2 O fertilizer. The analysis of net profit income showed that Hubei was a province with low-emission and high-yield, which was conducive to the sustainable development of low carbon agriculture. Given to the large transfer of rural labor from agricultural to non-agricultural sections and the development of mechanization, diesel and other mechanical inputs would increase rapidly in the future. Therefore, improving fertilizer utilization, mechanical and irrigation efficiencies in crop production would be the main approach to promote low-carbon agriculture in rice production of southern China.

Selenium (Se) is easy to be fixed in acidic rice soil of South China, and thus its availability is low. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Se fertilizer on Se availability in rice rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. The results showed that Se application increased yield and rice Se concentration. The water soluble, exchangeable, Fe/Mn oxide-bound, organic matter/sulfide-bound, and residual Se contents of the rhizosphere soil were lower than those of the non-rhizosphere soil. There was no significant difference in the migration coefficient of Se between the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. Se application had no significant effect on the migration coefficient of Se between roots and leaves but improved its migration coefficient between leaves and grains. The secretion of organic acids was increased by the application of 0.5 mg·kg -1 and decreased by the application of 1.0 and 5.0 mg·kg -1 Se. The secretion of organic acids had no significant effect on the rhizosphere soil pH. The pH of rhizosphere soil was higher than that of the non-rhizosphere soil, while the application of Se decreased the pH of the rhizosphere soil. With the increases of Se application, the intensity of the infrared absorption of clay mineral (kaolinite) in the rhizosphere soil showed an increasing trend. In this study, most of the Se was transformed into forms that were difficult to be absorbed and utilized by rice and difficult to move to rhizosphere soil. The enhancement of soil Se availability following the secretion of organic acids was not due to its effects on soil pH.

A low temperature treatment in rice booting key period was executed on the north slope of Changbai Mountains to construct the impact model of low temperature on rice shell rate, and to reveal the effects of low temperature at different stages of rice young panicle on seed setting. The results showed that effects of low temperature in the young ear formation stage on rice shell rate generally followed the logarithmic function, the lower the temperature was, the greater the temperature influence coefficient was, and the longer the low temperature duration was, the higher rice shell rate was. The seed setting rate was most sensitive to low temperature in the middle time of booting stage (the period from formation to meiosis of the pollen mother cell), followed by the early and later stages. During the booting stage, with 1 ℃ decrease of daily temperature under 2-, 3- and 5-day low temperature treatments, the shell rate increased by 0.5, 1.7 and 4.3 percentage, respectively, and with 1 ℃ decrease of daily minimum temperature, the shell rate increased by 0.4,1.8 and 4.5 percentage, respectively. The impact of 2-day low temperature was smaller than that of 3 days or more. The impact of accumulative cold-temperature on the shell rate followed exponential function. In the range of harmful low temperature, rice shell rate increased about 8.5 percentage with the accumulative cold-temperature increasing 10 ℃·d. When the 3 days average temperature dropped to 21.6, 18.0 and 15.0 ℃, or the 5 days average temperature dropped to 22.0, 20.4 and 18.5 ℃, or the accumulative cold-temperature was more than 8, 19, 26 ℃·d, the light, moderate and severe booting stage chilling injury would occur, respectively. In Northeast China, low temperature within 2 d in rice booting stage might not cause moderate and severe chilling injury.

With the common urea split application (CU) as the control, a field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of loss-controlled urea by split application (LCUS) and loss-controlled urea by basal application (LCUB) on ammonia volatilization (NH 3 ), nitrogen (N) nutrition status, grain yield and N utilization efficiency in rice plants. The results showed that the ratio of NH 3 volatilization loss to total N application were 15.8%, 13.4% and 19.7% under the conditions of CU, LCUS and LCUB treatments, respectively. Compared to CU, LCUS significantly reduced the NH 3 emission by 4.4 kg N·hm -2 , with a decrease of 18.0%, while the LCUB significantly increased the NH 3 emission by 7.2 kg N·hm -2 , which increased by 24.7%. Compared to CU, LCUS increased the chlorophyll contents of leaf, the N content and N accumulation of seed and straw and grain yield, and significantly increased the N recovery efficiency by 7.6%, while significantly reduced the amount of N translocation, apparent N translocation rate and the rate of contribution to N in spike, respectively. However, compared to CU, LCUB significantly reduced the chlorophyll contents of leaf, the N content and accumulation of seed and straw as well as N utilization efficiency, but the grain yield, the amount of N translocation, apparent N translocation rate and the rate of contribution to N in spike were not affected. In conclusion, LCUS could maintain stable production, as well as decrease NH 3 emission, improve N nutrition status and increase N utilization efficiency in rice plants.

To evaluate the long-term effects of biochar amendment on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), a field experiment was conducted to examine the effects of 3-year field-aged biochar (B 3 ) and fresh biochar (B 0 ) on global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) of methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in a typical rice-wheat rotation system. Four treatments were established as control without nitrogen fertilizer (CK), urea without biochar (N), urea with fresh biochar amended in 2015 (NB 0 ), and urea with 3-year field-aged biochar amended in 2012 (NB 3 ). Results showed that both the NB 0 and NB 3 treatments obviously increased soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and influenced the potential activity of functional microorganisms related to GHGs compared to the N treatment. Relative to the N treatment, the NB 3 treatment significantly improved crop yield by 14.1% while reduced the CH 4 and N 2 O emissions by 9.0% and 34.0%, respectively. In addition, the NB 0 treatment significantly improved crop yield by 9.3%, while reduced the N 2 O emission by 38.6% though increased the CH 4 emissions by 4.7% relative to the N treatment. Moreover, both the NB 0 and NB 3 treatments could significantly reduce both GWP and GHGI, with NB 3 being more effective in simultaneously mitigating the GHGs emissions and enhancing crop yield. Since field-aged biochar showed obvious effects on GHGs mitigation and carbon sequestration after 3 years, biochar incorporations had long-term effect on GHGs mitigation and crop production in the rice-wheat rotation system.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of exogenous regulators on plant elongation and carbohydrate consumption of rice seedlings under submergence. IR64 and IR64-Sub1 with submergence tolerance gene Sub1 were used. Twenty-day-old seedlings were sprayed with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), paclobutrazol (PB), gibberellic acid (GA), or distilled water (as control) two days prior to the submergence. Plants were completely submerged and water depth was maintained for 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 days respectively in tanks. The plants were allowed to recover for seven days after submergence. We investigated the effects of ACC, PB, and GA on the survival percentage, shoot elongation, chlorophyll degradation and recovery, as well as non-structure carbohydrate (NSC) consumption. The results showed that complete submergence resulted in significant elongation of plant shoots, rapid decline of SPAD, and quick depletion of soluble sugars in leaves. However, the initial NSC content in shoots of IR64-Sub1 was higher than that of IR64, and the consumption rate during submergence was lower, and the starch content in shoots maintained after submergence was higher. PB could significantly enhance rice seedling survival by reducing plant elongation, chlorophyll degradation and NSC consumption, and the effect of PB pretreatment on IR64-Sub1 was more pronounced. Conversely, GA increased plant elongation, leaf chlorophyll degradation and depletion of NSC, which resulted in the lowest recovery capability and survival percentage. However, the inhibition of GA on submergence tolerance of IR64-Sub1 was much poorer compared with IR64. Plant elongation treated by ACC was much lower than by GA. In conclusion, PB could restrain plant elongation effectively, retarding chlorophyll degradation, decelerating NSC consumption and retaining more NSC after de-submergence. The results suggested that PB could increase rapid recovery of rice after submergence stress which was of significance in alleviating flood and waterlogging injury in flash-flood-prone areas.

In this study, three rice varieties, including three-line hybrid indica rice Wuyou308 and Tianyouhuazhan, and inbred indica rice Huanghuazhan were used to investigate the effects of air temperature and solar radiation on rice growth duration and spikelet differentiation and degeneration. Ten sowing-date treatments were conducted in this field experiment. The results showed that the growth duration of three indica rice varieties were more sensitive to air temperature than to day-length. With average temperature increase of 1 ℃, panicle initiation advanced 1.5 days, but the panicle growth duration had no significant correlation with the temperature and day-length. The number of spikelets and differentiated spikelets revealed significant differences among different sowing dates. Increases in average temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, effective accumulated temperature, temperature gap and the solar radiation benefited dry matter accumulation and spikelet differentiation of all varieties. With increases of effective accumulated temperature, diurnal temperature gap and solar radiation by 50 ℃, 1 ℃, 50 MJ·m -2 during panicle initiation stage, the number of differentiated spikelets increased 10.5, 14.3, 17.1 respectively. The rate of degenerated spikelets had a quadratic correlation with air temperature, extreme high and low temperature aggravated spikelets degeneration, and low temperature stress made worse effect than high temperature stress. The rate of spikelet degeneration dramatically rose with the temperature falling below the critical temperature, the critical effective accumulated temperature, daily average temperature, daily maximum temperature and minimum temperature during panicle initiation were 550-600 ℃, 24.0-26.0 ℃, 32.0-34.0 ℃, 21.0-23.0 ℃, respectively. In practice, the natural condition of appropriate high temperature, large diurnal temperature gap and strong solar radiation were conducive to spikelet differentiation, and hindered the spikelet degeneration.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different barnyardgrass varieties on yield formation of rice. A Japonica rice cultivar, Nanjing 9108, was used and co-cultured with three barnyardgrass varieties from transplanting to maturity under different nitrogen (N) levels of 0, 120, 240, and 360 kg N·hm -2 , taking baynyardgrass free as control. The three barnyardgrass varieties were Echinochloa crusgalli var. mitis, E. crusgali var. zelayensis and E. colonum. The results showed that, at the same N level, the plant height of the three barnyardgrass varieties was E. crusgali var. zelayensis > E. crusgalli var. mitis > E. colonum, and the growth duration was E. crusgalli var. mitis > E. crusgali var. zelayensis > E. colonum. The biomass of baynyardgrass increased with the increase of N application rates and reached a peak at the N rate of 240 kg N·hm -2 , and it decreased at 360 kg N·hm -2 . The biomass of either E. crusgalli var. mitis or E. crusgali var. zelayensis was significantly higher than that of E. colonum. At the 0 kg N· hm -2 level, all barnyardgrass varieties showed no significant effect on rice yield. At the 120 kg N· hm -2 level, rice yield was not significantly different among the three treatments of barnyardgrass free, co-cultured with E. crusgalli var. mitis, and co-cultured with E. colonum, but it was significantly decreased when co-cultured with E. crusgali var. zelayensis. At the 240 kg N·hm -2 level, all treatments of co-cultured with barnyardgrass significantly decreased the rice yield. At the 360 kg N·hm -2 level, rice yield was significantly decreased under the treatments of co-cultured with E. crusgali var. zelayensis or with E. crusgalli var. mitis, and showed no significant difference between barnyardgrass free and co-cultured with E. colonum. All these data indicated an interaction between barnyardgrass and N fertilizer, which mediated the formation of grain yield of rice. Furthermore, at the 120 kg N· hm -2 level, the co-cultured E. crusgali var. zelayensis treatment significantly reduced leaf nitrate reductase activity and photosynthetic rate and root oxidation activity during the grain filling period, and decreased nitrogen accumulation and dry matter accumulation at the maturity stage, but other two treatments showed no significant effect when compared with barnyardgrass free treatment. These physiological indices of rice were significantly reduced by both E. crusgalli var. mitis and E. crusgali var. zelayensis treatments at either 240 or 360 kg N·hm -2 level, and showed no significant difference among all treatments at the 0 kg N·hm -2 level. Regression analysis showed that the order of effects of barnyardgrass phenotypes on rice grain yield was biomass, plant height, growth duration and tiller number. All these results suggested that the coexistence with large biomass of barnyardgrass inhibited the leaf photosynthetic rate, nitrate reductase activity, root oxidation activity, nitrogen accumulation and dry matter accumulation of rice, and consequently, reduced the rice grain yield.

Northeast China is one of the most important farming regions in China, due to its great contribution to national food security. Crop production is a main source of carbon emission. To assess the differences in carbon footprints of major grain crop production will benefit the achievement of low carbon agriculture. Therefore, this study calculated the regional carbon foot prints of rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) production in Northeast China du-ring 2004-2013 using the provincial statistical data, including crop yield, sown area and production inputs. The results showed that the highest area-scale carbon footprint was found in rice production, with the average value of (2463±56) kg CE·hm -2 , while the second was found in maize production during 2004-2013. The sharpest rise occurred in maize production, from 1164 kg CE·hm -2 in 2004 to 1768 kg CE·hm -2 in 2013, with the average rate of 67 kg CE·hm -2 ·a -1 . The application of chemical fertilizer contributed to the carbon footprint largely, accounting for 45%, 90% and 83% for rice, maize and soybean, respectively. Moreover, the contribution of electricity for irrigation in rice production ranged from 29% to 42%, which was larger than that in maize and soybean production. The carbon footprints were significantly different among the three provinces of Northeast China. The highest yield-scaled carbon footprints for three crops were found in Jilin Province, while the lowest area-scaled carbon footprints found in Heilongjiang Province. Given to the large transfer of rural labor from agricultural to non-agricultural sections and the development of mechanization, diesel and other mechanical inputs would increase rapidly in the future. Therefore, improving ferti-lizer utilization, mechanical and irrigation efficiencies in crop production would be the main approaches to promoting low-carbon agriculture in Northeast China.

The spatial-temporal characteristics of thermal resources are the main factor controlling the spatial distribution patterns of double cropping rice. Based on daily average temperature data collected from 240 weather stations in Hunan, Jiangxi and Hubei provinces, our study analyzed the change characteristics of thermal resources during thermal growth period and safe growth period of double cropping rice in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Furthermore, we quantified the change trends of spatial pattern for the rice cropping systems with different rice varieties and the northern limit of double cropping rice. The results indicated that the thermal resources of double cropping rice displayed a significant increasing trend during both thermal and safe growth periods, with an abrupt change in 2000 in terms of the Mann-Kendall test. The safe planting date of early rice advanced for 3-7 days and the safe heading date of late rice delayed for 2 days. Averagely, the safe growth period extended by about 7 days, and the planting northern limit of double cropping rice shifted 200 km northward, approaching to the latitude of 33° N. Meanwhile, many areas with cropping systems of 'early maturing early rice + mid-maturing late rice' and 'mid-maturing early rice + mid-maturing late rice' were replaced by 'mid-maturing early rice + late-maturing late rice'. Our study revealed the feasibility to shift the double cropping rice system northward and replace early and mid-maturing rice variety with mid and late maturing rice variety due to the increa-sing thermal resources during growth period of double cropping rice under climate change.

Based on the time-series map of rice area, a spatial production allocation model (SPAM) which has been applied for mapping the global level crop allocation datasets was deve-loped to simulate the spatio-temporal dynamics of rice area in Northeast China during 1980-2010 within 5'×5' grid cells. The spatio-temporal variations of rice area with temperature and precipita-tion during past 30 years were explored. The results indicated that the rice area expanded significantly northwards to46° N before 2000. After that, the increased sown area mainly occurred in the northern parts of Northeast China. Meanwhile, rice area also expanded eastwards to 131° E and toward the higher elevation regions (above 200 m). Due to a northward movement of accumulated temperature belts, the new rice area mainly appeared in the regions with an annual accumulated temperature (AAT) between 2800 and 3400 ℃·d. The trend of precipitation during the study period increased before 2000 and decreased afterwards. The increased rice area was found mainly in the regions with precipitation range from 300 mm to 600 mm.

Present study examined the influence of different types of slow/controlled release urea on rice yield and annual greenhouse gas emissions in a paddy field, and assessed the greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI, equivalent to global warming potential GWP/rice yield). The results indicated that the optimized fertilization (OPT) treatment recorded the similar yield with reduced nitrogen fertilizer (21.4%) supply compared with the farmers' fertilizer practice (FFP) treatment, and decreased the annual emissions of CH 4 (12.6%) and N 2 O (12.5%) during the rice season, and N 2 O emission (33.3%) during the fallow period. Application of controlled release urea (CRU) reduced CH 4 emission by 28.9% during the rice-growing season with respect to OPT treatment, and showed negligible CH 4 emission during the fallow season. However, nitrification inhibitor (DMPP) treatment was found to reduce the CH 4 emissions by 41.6% and 76.9%, and N 2 O emissions by 85.7% and 6.5%, during the rice growing season and fallow season, respectively, compared with OPT treatment. In the fallow season, the N 2 O emissions accounted for 76.8%-94.9% of annual N 2 O emissions, which was clearly a key point for evaluation of greenhouse gas emissions in paddy. The average values of GHGI in OPT, CRU and DMPP treatments were 0.50, 0.41 and 0.33 kg·kg -1 , respectively. Considering the benefits of higher rice yield and lower annual greenhouse gas emissions, combined application of urea and nitrification inhibitor could be the best combination in paddy fields.

This paper was aimed to assess the potential impacts of rising temperature and CO 2 concentration on the production of different rice cultivars in the cold region of China, Heilongjiang Province. Total three representative rice varieties with different maturity types were selected to conduct the simulation experiments according to the required accumulated temperature. Daily weather data and open top chamber (OTC) test yield data for year 2013 were used to initialize CERES-Rice model parameters. CERES-Rice model was executed to simulate the influence of climate change on early-mature, mid-mature and late-mature rice production under fixed weather scenarios, which consisted of three CO 2 concentrations (i.e. 390, 450 and 550 μmol·mol -1 ) and four temperature rise levels (i.e. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ℃). Results showed that with the increase in concentration of CO 2 , the rice yield would increase. With the rise in temperature, early-mature rice yield would decline significantly. However, mid-mature and late-mature rice yield would increase at first and then gra-dually decline. Without considering the effect of CO 2 fertilization, except that the medium and late varieties under 1 ℃ warming would slightly increase the yield by 3.1% and 0.27% respectively, yield under the other treatments would reduce. The most serious reduction occurred to early-mature rice, which decreased up to 57.7% when the temperature increased by 4 ℃, while mid-mature rice and late-mature rice yields decreased about 10%. Considering the effect of CO 2 fertilization, mid-mature and late-mature rice yields would even increase by 0.75% and 3.2% at 450 μmol·mol -1 CO 2 under 2 ℃ warming, respectively. Mid-mature rice yield would still increase 4.5% under 3 ℃ warming and late-mature rice yield would also increase 0.39% under 4 ℃ warming at 550 μmol·mol -1 CO 2 . However, it was identified that early-mature rice yield would always sharply decrease with temperature increasing regardless of the effect of CO 2 fertilization. Similarly, CO 2 fertilization effects could improve rice yield to certain extent with temperature increasing. However, the diffe-rence among the varieties in response to CO 2 fertilization effect was not significant. The contribution rate of CO 2 fertilization effect on rice yield was less than 10%.

The traditional rice growing practice has to change to save resource and protect environment, and it' s necessary to develop new technology in rice cultivation. Therefore, a two-year field experiment of Japonica rice (Liaoxing 1) was conducted in Northeast China in 2012 and 2013 to investigate the integrated effects of dense planting with less basal nitrogen (N) and unchanged top-dressing N (IR) on rice yield, N use efficiency (NUE) and greenhouse gas emissions. Compared with traditional practice (CK), we increased the rice seedling density by 33.3% and reduced the basal N rate by 20%. The results showed that the average N agronomy efficiency and partial factor productivity were improved by 49.6% (P<0.05) and 20.4% (P<0.05), respectively, while the area and yield-scaled greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 9.9% and 12.7% (P<0.05), respectively. Although IR cropping mode decreased panicle number and biomass production, it significantly enhanced rice seed setting rate and harvest index, resulting in an unchanged or even highei yield. NH4+-N and NO3(-)-N concentrations in rice rhizosphere soil were reduced, resulting in an increment of N recovery efficiency. Generally, proper dense planting with less basal N applicatior could be a good approach for the trade-off between rice yield, NUE and greenhouse gas emission.

With three panicle types of rice varieties and hybrids in Liaoning as entries, the effects of spacing of Japonica rice on light interception capacity, population light distribution, light conversion efficiency at full heading stage and yield were studied. The results showed that the leaf area indices at full heading stage, closely related to light interception, increased first and then decreased with the decrease of transplanting density. The extinction coefficient in one day increased first and then decreased, and the K value increased with the increase of planting density. Yield was positively correlated with canopy extinction coefficient and inclinations of the upper three leaves. In terms of energy efficiency, the yields were positively correlated to flag leaf stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration and transpiration rate. At the configuration of high (15 cm x 25 cm) and low (20 cm x 30 cm and 20 cm x 35 cm) densities, Japonica rice could increase light interception capability and optical conversion efficiency, but could not obtain high and stable yields due to limitation by lodging and panicles of per unit area, respectively. At the configurations of 15 cm x 30 cm and 20 cm x 25 cm, it was easy to get adequate panicles, optimize the structure of the canopy, reduce lodging risk, and obtain high yield.

Considering the characteristics of rice production and climate conditions in Southwest China, an agricultural drought monitoring model based on wetness index anomaly rate (Mp) by calculating the variation of deviation from average values of relative humid index was established, and was used to analyze the spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of the rice drought during the growth season in Southwest China in the past 50 years (1961-2010). The applicability of the Mp model in Southwest China was verified by using this model to monitor the rice drought. The result showed there was a decreasing trend in the frequency of rice drought in term of the decadal variability. The areas with high drought risk mainly concentrated in northwestern and mid-eastern Yunnan Province, eastern Sichuan Basin, northeastern Chongqing City, and southeastern Guizhou Province. The drought frequency was highest at the stage from transplanting to tasseling, followed by the stage from grain filling to maturity, and was lowest at the stage from tasseling to grain filling. Mp was suitable for monitoring the rice drought in Southwest China, and could be used as a reference for the rice planting areas without irrigation data.

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of nitrogen application rates and straw returning on grain yield, nutrient accumulation, nutrient release from straw and nutrient balance in late sowing wheat. The results showed that straw returning together with appropriate application of nitrogen fertilizer improved the grain yield. Dry matter, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation increased significantly as the nitrogen application rate increased. At the same nitrogen application rate (270 kg N · hm(-2)), the dry matter, phosphorus and potassium accumulation of the treatment with straw returning were higher than that without straw returning, but the nitrogen accumulation was lower. Higher-rate nitrogen application promoted straw decomposition and nutrient release, and decreased the proportion of the nutrient released from straw after jointing. The dry matter, phosphorus and potassium release from straw showed a reverse 'N' type change with the wheat growing, while nitrogen release showed a 'V' type change. The nutrient surplus increased significantly with the nitrogen application rate. At the nitrogen application rate for the highest grain yield, nitrogen and potassium were surplus significantly, and phosphorus input could keep balance. It could be concluded that as to late sowing wheat with straw returning, applying nitrogen at 257 kg · hm(-2) and reducing potassium fertilizer application could improve grain yield and reduce nutrients loss.

Based on the literature data, the N20 emission, N leaching, N runoff and NH3 volatilization were compared from different rice production regions and their effective factors were evaluated. The results showed that N2 0 emission, N leaching and N runoff in single rice in Yangtze River basin were higher than in other rice production regions, with N loss of 1.89, 6.4 and 10.4 kg N · hm(-2), and N loss rate of 0.8%, 3.8% and 5.3%, respectively. The high N20 emission, N leaching and N runoff in these regions might be attributed to high-rate N application and dry-wet alternation. The NH3 volatilization was the highest in late rice in southern China, with N loss of 54.9 kg N · hm(-2) and N loss rate of 35.2% due to higher temperature at late rice growing stage. In the field, the practice often decreased one reactive N loss but increased another one, indicating that intergated practical management is necessary to reduce reactive N loss. Reactive N loss often increase with increasing grian yield, which is associed with the high-rate N application. The N20 emission, N leaching and N runoff decreased with increasing the partial factor productivity of applied N (PFP). Therefore, reducing N losses per unit of yield is necessary for integrating higher yield with minimum environmental pollution.

A pot experiment in phytotron with controlled temperature was conducted to examine the effects of low temperature (LT) on differentiation and retrogression of branches and spikelets and grain filling of rice during panicle initiation (PI). In this study, indica inbred rice called Zhong-jiazaol7 was planted and treated at 17 and 20 °C of LT during primary branches anlage differentiation (II) and pollen mother cell meiosis stage (VI) of PI. The results showed that the numbers of differentiated and survived branches per panicle were significantly reduced under LT treatment compared with control, and the number of survived spikelets was significantly decreased by 7.2% - 12.4%, but the numbers of retrograded branches and spikelets were increased. Moreover, LT affected significantly the development of floral organ such as pollen activity and anther dehiscence, and caused harmful grain filling, particularly at 17 °C. The numbers of total differentiated and survived branches and spikelets were lower during VI (PI) than during II (PI) under LT stress, but more retrograded secondary branches and spikelets (increased by 11.6%) were found during V (PI) compared with II (PI). Meanwhile, in contrast to II (PI), the seed setting rate was significantly lowered by 3.7% during VI (PI), which was attributed to reductions in pollen activity, pollen grains on stigma, anther dehiscence coefficient and grain filling rate. LT stress impact on rice panicles was higher at 17 °C than at 20 °C during II and VI (PI). The cultivation measure could be correspondingly strengthened and improved in practice.

A field experiment was conducted on paddy soil derived from alluvial materials at Bihu Town, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, China to explore the effects of combined application of faba bean fresh straw and different-rate chemical fertilizer on nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiencies, and yields of single cropping late rice and to determine the optimal rate of chemical fertilizer under the condition of application of faba bean fresh straw at the rate of 15 t · hm(-2) (GM15) in 2012, April to December. The experiments consisted of 7 treatments: CK (no fertilizers) , CF (conventional chemical fertilizer rate) , and combined application of 15 t · hm(-2) of faba bean fresh straw and 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the conventional chemical fertilizer rate. The results showed that the highest total uptake amounts of N, P and K by the aboveground part were obtained from the treatments of GM15 + 60%CF and GM15 + 80% CF, but the highest nutrient agronomy use efficiencies of N, P and K in rice grains were obtained from the treatments of GM15 + 60% CF and GM15 + 40% CF. The agronomy use efficiencies and physiological use efficiencies of N, P, and K were significantly correlated with rice grain yields, thus they could be used for accurate comprehensive evaluation of fertilizer efficiencies of N, P, and K. Compared with no fertilizer treatment, the treatments of 100% CF and combined application of faba bean fresh straw and different-rate chemical fertilizer increased rice gain yields by 25.0% and 6.1%-29.2%, respectively. In the cropping system of faba bean-single cropping late rice, returning of 15 t · hm2 faba bean fresh straw to the paddy field did not result in the runt seedling of rice. From the point of improving fertilizer use efficiency and reducing environmental risk perspective, the optimum rate of chemical fertilizer was 60% of the conventional chemical fertilizer rate when 15 t · h(-2) of faba bean fresh straw was applied.

Two consecutive years (4-crop) experiments were conducted to study the influence of different paddy rice-upland crop rotation in cold-waterlogged paddy field on the growth of crops and soil characteristics. The result showed that compared with the rice-winter fallow (CK) pattern, the two-year average yield of paddy rice under four rotation modes, including rape-rice (R-R), spring corn-rice (C-R), Chinese milk vetch-rice (M-R) and bean-rice (B-R), were increased by 5.3%-26.7%, with significant difference observed in C-R and R-R patterns. Except for M-R pattern, the annual average total economic benefits were improved by 79.0%-392.4% in all rotation pattern compared with the CK, and the ration of output/input was enhanced by 0.06-0.72 unit, with the most significant effect found in the C-R pattern. Likewise, compared with the CK, the contents of chlorophyll and carotenoid, and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of rice plant were all increased during the full-tillering stage of rice in all rotation patterns. The rusty lines and rusty spots of soils were more obvious compared with the CK during the rice harvest, particularly in R-R, C-R and B-R patterns. The ratio of water-stable soil macro aggregates of plough layer of soil (> 2 mm) decreased at different levels in all rotation patterns while the ratios of middle aggregate (0.25-2 mm, expect for M-R) and micro aggregate of soil (< 0.25 mm) were opposite. There was a decreasing trend for soil active reducing agents in all rotation patterns, whereas the available nutrient increased. The amounts of soil bacteria in C-R and B-R patterns, fungi in B-R rotation pattern, cellulose bacteria in R-R, C-R and B-R patterns and N-fixing bacteria in B-R pattern were improved by 285.7%-403.0%, 221.7%, 64.6-92.2% and 162.2%, respectively. Moreover, the differences in all microorganisms were significant. Thus, based on the experimental results of cold-waterlogged paddy field, it was concluded that changing from single cropping rice system to C-R, R-R and B-R rotation patterns had good effect in terms of improving total yield and economic benefits, and soil physical and chemical properties were improved.

A tank experiment using conventional rice cultivar Nanjing 44 as experimental material was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Yangzhou University to investigate the dynamics of wheat straw decomposition rate and the amount of carbon release in clay and sandy soils, as well as its effects on the content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and rice yield. The two rates of wheat straw returning were 0 and 6000 kg · hm(-2), and three N application levels were 0, 225, 300 kg · hm(-2). The results showed that, the rate of wheat straw decomposition and the amount of carbon release in clay and sandy soils were highest during the initial 30 days after wheat straw returning, and then slowed down after, which could be promoted by a higher level of nitrogen application. The rate of wheat straw decomposition and the amount of carbon release in clay soil were higher than that in sandy soil. The DOC content in soil increased gradually with wheat straw returning into paddy soil and at the twenty-fifth day, and then decreased gradually to a stable value. The DOC content at the soil depth of 15 cm was significantly increased by wheat straw returning, but not at the soil depth of 30 cm and 45 cm. It was concluded that wheat straw returning increased the DOC content in the soil depth of 0-15 cm mainly. N application decreased the DOC content and there was no difference between the two N application levels. Straw returning decreased the number of tillers in the early growth period, resulted in significantly reduced panicles per unit area, but increased spikelets per panicle, filled-grain percentages, 1000-grain mass, and then enhanced grain yield.

By using rice growth period, yield and climate observation data during the recent two decades, the impact of climate warming on rice in Northeast China was investigated by mathematical statistics methods. The results indicated that in the three provinces of Northeast China, the average, maximum and minimum temperatures in rice growing season were on the. rise, and the rainfall presented a downward trend during 1989-2009. Compared to 1990s, the rice whole growth periods of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces in 2000s were prolonged 14 d, 4.5 d and 5.1 d, respectively. The increase of temperature in May, June and September could extend the rice growth period, while that in July would shorten the growth duration. The rice growth duration of registered varieties and experiment sites had a similar increasing trend in Northeast China except for the Heilongjiang Province, and the extension of registered varieties growth period was the main factor causing the prolonged growth period of rice at experiment sites. The change in daily average, minimum and maximum temperatures all could affect the rice yield in Northeast China. The increasing temperature significantly increased the rice yield in Heilongjiang Province, especially in the west region of Sanjiang Plain. Except for the south of Liaoning Province, rice yields in other regions of Northeast China were promoted by increasing temperature. Proper measures for breeding, cultivation and farming, could be adopted to fully improve the adaptation of rice to climate warming in Northeast China.

Two local rice varieties (Baijiaolaojing and Yuelianggu) were cultivated in situ in Yuanyang terraces, China, in 2012 and 2013 to investigate the effect of enhanced UV-B radiation condition (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 kJ . m2) on internode characteristics including length, culm diameter, culm wall thickness from the first to the fourth internode, as well as the lodging index. The results showed that UV-B radiation had no significant influence on internode length and culm, but significanly reduced the culm wall thickness, with that of the fourth internode region decreased by 11.6% to 19.6% under 7.5 kJ . m2 UV-B radiation. The enhanced UV-B radiation increased the lodging index of rice varieties, making them more prone to lodging. The fourth internode had the highest lodging index which was higher than the lodging critical value (200). The decrease in culm wall thickness due to the enhanced UV-B radiation could be responsible for the increasing lodging risk of rice varieties grown in Yuanyang terraces.

Improving the carbon efficiency of crop production systems is one of the important ways to realize low-carbon agriculture. A life cycle assessment approach and input-output calculation method was applied for a double-rice production system in the Hunan Province. Based on statistical data of crop yield and investment in the production system in the period from 2004 to 2012, carbon emission, carbon absorption, carbon efficiency and their dynamic changes of the double rice production systems were estimated. The results showed that the average of annual carbon emission from 2004 to 2012 was 656.4 x 10(7) kg CE. Carbon emissions from production and transport of fertilizer and pesticide accounted for a majority of agricultural input carbon emissions, approximately 70.0% and 15.9%, respectively. The carbon emission showed a decreasing trend from 2004 to 2012 in the Hunan Province, with an annual reduction rate of 2.4%, but the carbon emission intensity was in a trend of increase. The average of annual carbon absorption was 1547.0 x 10(7) kg C. The annual carbon absorption also showed a decreasing trend from 2004 to 2012 in Hunan Province, with an average annual reduction rate of 1.2%, and the carbon absorption intensity showed a trend of increase. Furthermore, production efficiency of carbon showed a slow upward trend. The economic efficiency of carbon showed a larger increasing rate with time, with an average annual growth rate of 9.9%. Ecological efficiency of carbon was stable and low, maintained at about 2.4 kg C . kg-1 CE. It indicated that the integrated carbon efficiency of Hunan double rice crop production system improved slowly with time and the key to improve the carbon efficiency of double rice production systems lies in reducing the rates of nitrogen fertilizer and pesticide, and improving their use efficiencies.

In order to investigate effects of different barnyardgrass species on growth and yiled of rice, two rice cultivars, Xinliangyou 6 hao (an indica hybrid cultivar) and Nanjing 46 (a japonica cultivar), were co-cultured with four barnyardgrass species grown at a density of six plants · m(-2) from 10 days after transplanting to maturity. The treatments were designed as follow: weed free (control), rice with Echinochloa crusgalli var. mitis (T1), rice with E. crusgalli (T2), rice with E. crusgali var. zelayensis (T3), and rice with E. colonum (T4). The result showed that barnyardgrass-induced reductions in grain yield of rice were obviously different among the four treatments. T1, T2 and T3 treatments reduced the grain yield of indicia cultivar by 19.2%, 10.8% and 21.9%, and the respective reductions in japonica cultivar were 39.7%, 25.3% and 47.3%, re- spectively. However, no significant difference was detected for T4 treatment. During rice co-culture with barnyardgrass, T1, T2 and T3 significantly reduced rice dry matter accumulation at maturity, flag leaf photosynthetic rate, root oxidation activity and the activity of adenosine triphosphate enzyme (ATPsse) in rice grains at the filling stage, and the magnitude of decrease was in the order of T3 > T1 > T2, while no significant difference was observed between T4 and CK. In addition, all treatments had no effects on the final tiller number and plant height of rice. It indicated that the negative effect of barnyardgrass on rice growth and yield differed among the four species of barnyardgrass, in the order of T3 > T1 > T2 > T4. Barnyardgrass reduced the flag leaf photosynthetic rate of rice, both root oxidation activity and ATPsse activity in grains, which resulted in the reduction in final productivity of rice when co-cultured with barnyardgrass.

Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of varying rates of nitrogen application on soil mineral nitrogen content, amount of nitrogen released from the straw, and grain yield of late sowing wheat with straw returning. The result showed that a high nitrogen fertilizer application rate enhanced the mineral nitrogen content in the soil layer of 0 to 50 cm, and also in the lower soil layers when using N at 270 and 360 kg · hm(-2) with the advance of growth stages. The amount of nitrogen released form the straw increased as the nitrogen application rate increased; the lowest appeared from overwintering to jointing, and the highest from jointing to maturity. During the whole growing season, apparent nitrogen surplus occurred when the nitrogen application rate was higher than 180 kg · hm(-2). The N surplus before jointing was significantly higher than that from jointing to maturity. Grain yield reached the highest at a nitrogen application rate of 270 kg · hm(-2), and a higher application rate obviously decreased the nitrogen use efficiency. It could be concluded that applying nitrogen at 270 kg · him(-2) could improve the grain yield of late sowing wheat with straw returning with the optimal ecological benefit.

Based on a cropping system of "winter green manure-double rice", the 4 x 4 two-factor test was used to study the effects of different nitrogen (N) application levels and winter green manure application on soil active organic carbon (AOC) and the C pool management index. The aim was to explore the ecological effects of winter green manure on soil improvement and determine the appropriate application levels of N fertilizer and winter green manure for improved rice yield. Results were as follows: 1) Compared with the control, the SOC and AOC contents increased by 22.2% and 26.7%, respectively, under the green manure only treatment, but the SOC contents decreased by 0.6%-3.4% under the single N fertilizer treatment. Compared with the control, the soil C pool management index increased by 24.55 and 15.17 under the green manure only and green manure plus N fertilizer treatments, respectively, and reduced by 2.59 under the single N fertilizer treatment. Compared with no fertilization, the average microbial biomass carbon (MBC) increased by 54.0%, 95.2% and 14.3% under the green manure, green manure plus N fertilizer and single N fertilizer treatments, respectively. 2) The soil AOC content was significantly positively correlated with the C pool management index (P < 0.01), and had a significant correlation with dis- solved organic C and MBC (P < 0.05). Rice yield was significantly positively correlated with AOC contents and the C pool management index, and the correlation coefficient was significantly greater than that with the total organic C. These results suggested that application of winter green manure at proper rates with inorganic fertilizer could increase SOC contents and the soil C pool management index, improve soil quality and fertility.

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of straw incorporation on rice dry matter accumulation and transportation, rice carbon sequestration and grain yield formation. The experiment included four levels of straw incorporation: 0 (control), 4000, 6000 and 8000 kg · hm(-2). Hybrid rice cultivar Zhongzheyou 1 was used in this experiment. The results showed that the average rice dry matter accumulation amount of the three straw incorporation treatments was increased by 63.03 g · m(-2) compared with the control, and that of straw incorporation of 6000 kg · hm(-2) showed the most favorable result, which was 154.40 g · m(-2) higher than the control. Effects of straw incorporation on rice dry matter accumulation showed the best performance from the maximum tillering stage to the full heading stage, and the dry matter accumulation at this stage was 71.25 g · m(-2) higher than the control. Compared with the control, the average dry matter exportation rate and apparent transformation rate from rice stem and leaf in the straw incorporation treatments were increased by 4.2% and 3.7%, respectively. The highest dry matter exportation rate and apparent transformation rate from rice stem and leaf were observed in the straw incorporation treatment of 6000 kg · hm(-2), which were increased by 12.8% and 11.1% compared to the control, respectively. The average rice carbon sequestration from the straw incorporation treatments was increased by 55.38 g · m(-2) compared with the control, and straw incorporation of 6000 kg · hm(-2) performed best with an increase of 17.8% compared with the control. Straw incorporation played a positive role in regulating the carbon sequestration of stem and leaf at the early growth stage and carbon sequestration of spike at the late growth stage. The average grain yield from the straw incorporation treatments was increased by 794.59 kg · hm(-2) (9.5% higher) compared with the control. Rice grain yields from the straw incorporation treatments of 6000 and 4000 kg · hm(-2) were significantly higher than the control, while rice grain yield from the straw incorporation treatment of 8000 kg · hm(-2) did not show a significant increase compared to the control. The rice grain yield was closely related to the yield components, and the increase of effective panicles may be the main reason for the higher grain yields in the straw incorporation treatments. Effective panicles in the straw incorporation treatments was averagely 8.41 spikes · m(-2) more than the control.

Abstract: To clarify the effects of different irrigation treatments in paddy field on rice gain quality, three irrigation methods, moistening irrigation (0 cm water depth), shallow water irrigation (1-2 cm water depth) and deep water irrigation (5-6 cm water depth), were established under field condition. In the experiment, rice gain physiochemical parameters including grain length, width, area and perimeter, amylose and protein contents and RVA profile characteristics of 3 rice cultivars (Shengdao 14, Shengdao 2572, Shengdao 18) with excellent quality were evaluated. Results showed that grain length, area and perimeter were significantly enhanced under shallow water irrigation when compared with the other two irrigation methods, while chalky rice rate and chalkiness performed conversely. Of all irrigation methods, moistening irrigation produced the highest peak viscosity and hot viscosity values, but deep irrigation produced the lowest peak viscosity, hot viscosity and final viscosity values. The breakdown, setback, consistence values and amylose content of rice grains of 3 varieties displayed disparate responses to the 3 irrigation treatments, largely due to the difference of genotypes. Shengdao 14 had the best eating quality under moistening irrigation and Shengdao 18 under deep irrigation. Correlation analysis indicated that RVA profile parameters were significantly related with apparent and physiochemical parameters. The relationship between apparent and eating quality was quantified by regression and pathway analyses, suggesting that grain area, perimeter and the ratio of grain length to width were the main factors controlling breakdown, the ratio of grain length to width was for setback, and grain protein and amylose contents for consistence.

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the actual impacts of nighttime warming on rice growth stage and grain yield in Danyang, Jiangsu Province, with 8 leading varieties approved and released during 1970s-2000s. The field was warmed at nighttime for an entire growth stage (i. e. sown date to harvest) with a Free Air Temperature Increase (FATI) facility. The results showed that there were significant differences in the extents of warming impact on rice growth stage and grain yield among the leading varieties, though the impact trends were similar. An increase of 0.9 degrees C in nighttime mean temperature in rice canopy could shorten the length of rice entire growth stage by 1.3 d. Nighttime warming tended to decrease post-anthesis green leaves area and the flag leaf area, and to decline rice aboveground biomass production and grain yield by 3.5% and 5.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, nighttime warming decreased the plant nitrogen concentration at maturity. Nighttime warming reduced the grain yield mainly through decreasing the effective panicles and grain numbers per panicle. There was no stable changing trend in the differences in warming impacts on the varieties released in the different periods.

Abstract: A 2-year field experiment with a yellow-clay paddy soil in Zhejiang Province was conducted to study the effects of different planting measures combined with different fertilization practices on rice yield, soil nutrients, microbial biomass C and N and activities of urease, phosphatase, sucrase and hydrogen peroxidase at the maturity stage. Results showed that mechanical transplanting of rice with controlled release bulk blending (BB) fertilizer (BBMT) could achieve a significantly higher mean yield than traditional manual transplanting with traditional fertilizer (TFTM) and direct seeding with controlled release BB fertilizer (BBDS) by 16.3% and 27.0%, respectively. The yield by BBMT was similar to that by traditional manual transplanting with controlled release BB fertilizer (BBTM). Compared with TFTM, BBMT increased the contents of soil total-N, available N, available P and microbial biomass C, and the activities of urease, sucrase and hydrogen peroxidase by 21.5%, 13.6%, 41.2%, 27.1%, 50.0%, 22.5% and 46.2%, respectively. Therefore, BBMT, a simple high-efficiency rice cultivation method with use of a light-weighted mechanical transplanter, should be widely promoted and adopted.

A series of rice pest injuries (due to pathogens, insects, and weeds) were surveyed in 286 farmers' fields for major rice varieties of three rice cropping zones of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The composition and dynamics of main pest species were analyzed, and the trend of rice pest succession in Yunnan was discussed based upon landmark publications. The results showed that the three rice cropping zones had different pest characteristics as regard to main species, dynamics and combined injuries. Sheath rot, bacterial leaf blight, rice stripe, leaf hoppers, armyworms and stem borers were serious in the japonica rice zone. Sheath blight and rice stripe were serious in the japonica-indica interlacing zone. Leaf blast, sheath blight, leaf folders and weeds above rice crop canopy were serious in the indica rice zone. False smut, plant hoppers and weeds below rice crop canopy were ubiquitous and serious in the three kinds of rice cropping zones. Many kinds of weed infestation emerged in the whole rice cropping seasons. Echinochloa crusgalli, Sagittaria pygmaea, Potamogeton distinctus and Spirodela polyrhiza were the main species of weeds in the rice cropping zones of Yunnan. Overall, levels of combined injuries due to pests in the japonica rice zone and the indica rice zone were higher than that in the japonica-indica interlacing zone. In terms of the trend of rice pest succession in Yunnan, injuries due to false smut, sheath blight and plant hoppers seemed to be in a worse tendency in all rice cropping zones of Yunnan, while dominants species of weeds in the paddy fields are shifting from the annual weeds to the perennial malignant weeds.

A 2-year field experiment of mustard-cabbage-early rice rotation was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen application on yield and accumulation of nitrate nitrogen in the soil. The results showed that the applications of 150 kg N x hm(-2) for mustard and cabbage respectively and 90 kg N x hm(-2) for early rice were the best economic application mode, which could increase the net profit by 0.2%-75.6% compared with other application modes. Nitrogen application rates were positively correlated with NO3(-)-N concentration in the soil and in the percolating water. The vegetable-paddy rice rotation decreased the surplus of nitrogen in the soil. The average soil NO3(-)-N concentration was 29.7 mg x kg(-1) under the rotation of mustard-cabbage-early rice, which was only 84.4% of that under the continuous cropping of mustard-cabbage. The average NO3(-)-N concentration in the percolating water under mustard-cabbage-early rice rotation was little different from that in basal soil. Therefore, with the optimum nitrogen application mode, the vegetable-paddy rice rotation could gain the best economic benefit while significantly decrease the accumulation of nitrate nitrogen in the soil to effectively control non-point source pollution of nitrogen from vegetable fields.

By using geo-statistics methods, an investigation was conducted on the spatial variability of soil pH, organic matter, total N, P, and K, and available N, P, K, Cu, Zn, Fe, and Mn and their relations with rice yield in Wenxing Village, Anshun City of Guizhou Province, Southwest China. The C0/(C0 + C) ratios for the soil pH, total P, and available N, P, K, and Cu and the rice yield components were lower than 25%, indicating their strong spatial correlations, while the C0/ (C0 + C) ratios for the soil organic matter, total N and K, and available Zn, Fe, and Mn and the rice yield were 25%-75%, showing a medium spatial correlation. Of all the soil nutrients, the soil available K had the closest relation with rice yield (r = 0.4669, P < 0.0001). The direct path coefficients of the soil available N, K and P to the effective panicle and thousand-grain mass were positive, in line with the partial correlation analysis. The Kriging interpolation showed that the soil organic matter, total N, and available N, K, Cu, and Zn contents presented a decreasing trend from the southwest to northeast, but the rice yield was higher in the northwest and southeast of the Wenxing Village.

In order to understand the present situation of rice fertilization and the existing problems in the farmers' nutrient resources input in the Qin-Ba mountainous area of southern Shaanxi, the survey data from 2854 households in 11 counties of this area in the project "soil testing and formulated fertilization in 2006-2009" were analyzed and evaluated, and the countermeasures for the existing problems in the farmers' nutrient resources input were proposed. In the study area, the average rice yield was 7822 kg x hm(-2) per year, and the ratio of the households obtained the medium level yield was up to 50.9%. The input of the total fertilizers N, P2O5, K2O was 169, 68, and 54 kg x hm(-2), and the chemical fertilizer rate was 159, 62, and 45 kg x hm(-2), with the partial factor productivity (PFP) of the N, P2O5, and K2O being 51.52, 135.69, and 158.26 kg x kg(-1), respectively. According to the nutrient fertilization level, the proportion of the households fertilized with rational level of chemical N, P2O5, and K2O occupied 48.0%, 42.4%, and 7.2%, that of the households fertilized with excessive level was 22.6%, 11.2%, and 0.6%, and the proportion of the households fertilized with insufficient level occupied 29.4%, 46.5%, and 92.2%, respectively. The rice yield in the Qin-Ba mountainous area could be increased by 77 thousand tons if the households fertilizing with insufficient level of chemical NPK fertilizers increased the fertilization rate to a rational level. The existing problems in the farmers' nutrient resources input were mainly the coexistence of excessive and insufficient application of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and the insufficient input of potassium fertilizer and organic manure. In the rice fertilization in this area, the focus would be the balanced application of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, the increase of the fertilization rates of potassium fertilizer and organic manure, and the increase of top dressing, especially potassium.