Effects of Postponing Topdressing-N on the Yield of Different Types of japonica Rice and Its Relationship with Soil Fertility

Abstract

N fertilizer is usually supplied via multiple applications in rice production in China. Due to the high N-recovery efficiency (NRE) of panicle fertilizer, applying large amounts of fertilizer at the booting stage is considered to be an effective measure of increasing yields, although it has adverse effects on eating quality. In this study, using six inbred and four hybrid japonica varieties, we postponed topdressing-N to increase the ratio of panicle N from 20% to 40% by correspondingly reducing the N amount applied only at the tillering stage. We also analyzed the effects of postponing the topdressing-N on grain yield and dry matter accumulation in both high- and low-fertility blue clayey paddy fields in 2016 and 2017. The effects of postponing topdressing-N applications on japonica rice were related to variety, meteorological conditions, and soil fertility. With respect to the inbred varieties, regardless of whether panicle N was applied as a single or split application, increasing the ratio of panicle N had no effect on the yield components or dry matter accumulation of plants grown in either high- and low-fertility soils. Regarding the hybrid varieties grown in the high-fertility soil, although postponing the topdressing-N application had no effect on yield under good weather conditions (no low-temperature stress during grain-filling), a single application of 40% of the total N at the panicle initiation stage significantly decreased both the dry matter accumulation after heading and the seed-setting rate of varieties that presented long growth periods under low-temperature conditions. With respect to hybrid varieties grown in low-fertility soil, postponing the application of topdressing-N had an adverse effect on the number of effective panicles. Our results suggested that the proportion of panicle N applied to japonica rice should not exceed 30% in clayey paddy fields and that fertilizer management with respect to rice production should be adjusted according to soil type, soil fertility, and variety.