Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils

This study evaluated the effects of one-time application of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) on rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) grain yield, grain quality, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE, ANUE (kg/kg) = (Grain yield with N application − grain yield without N application)/N...

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Main Authors: Xiang Zhang, Xiaoyu Geng, Yang Liu, Lulu Wang, Jizou Zhu, Weiyi Ma, Xiaozhou Sheng, Lei Shi, Yinglong Chen, Pinglei Gao, Huanhe Wei, Qigen Dai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1662
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author Xiang Zhang
Xiaoyu Geng
Yang Liu
Lulu Wang
Jizou Zhu
Weiyi Ma
Xiaozhou Sheng
Lei Shi
Yinglong Chen
Pinglei Gao
Huanhe Wei
Qigen Dai
author_facet Xiang Zhang
Xiaoyu Geng
Yang Liu
Lulu Wang
Jizou Zhu
Weiyi Ma
Xiaozhou Sheng
Lei Shi
Yinglong Chen
Pinglei Gao
Huanhe Wei
Qigen Dai
author_sort Xiang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description This study evaluated the effects of one-time application of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) on rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) grain yield, grain quality, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE, ANUE (kg/kg) = (Grain yield with N application − grain yield without N application)/N application amount) in coastal saline soils. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted using two rice varieties (Nanjing 5718 and Yongyou 4953) under four nitrogen treatments: N0 (no nitrogen fertilization), N1 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, with a ratio of 5:1:2:2 at 1-day before transplanting, 7-day after transplanting, panicle initiation, and penultimate-leaf appearance stage, respectively), N2 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, one-time application at 1-day before transplanting as 50% CRF with 80-day release period + 50% urea), and N3 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, 50% one-time application of CRF with 120-day release period at the seedling stage + 50% urea at 1-day before transplanting). Compared with N1, the N3 treatment significantly increased grain yield by 10.2% to 12.9% and improved ANUE by 18.5% to 51.6%. It also improved processing quality (higher brown rice, milled rice, and head rice rates), appearance quality (reduced chalkiness degree and chalky rice percentage), and taste value (by 19.3% to 31.2%). These improvements were associated with lower amylose, protein, and soluble sugar contents and favorable changes in starch composition and pasting properties. While N2 slightly improved some quality traits, it significantly reduced yield and ANUE. Correlation analysis revealed that starch and protein composition, as well as pasting properties, were significantly associated with taste value and related attributes such as appearance, stickiness, balance degree, and hardness. Overall, one-time application of CRF with a 120-day release period at the seedling stage, combined with basal urea, offers an effective strategy to boost yield, quality, and ANUE in coastal saline rice systems.
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spelling doaj-art-07437745baa34f8b9381b9d3f455a0f42025-08-20T03:36:10ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-07-01157166210.3390/agronomy15071662Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline SoilsXiang Zhang0Xiaoyu Geng1Yang Liu2Lulu Wang3Jizou Zhu4Weiyi Ma5Xiaozhou Sheng6Lei Shi7Yinglong Chen8Pinglei Gao9Huanhe Wei10Qigen Dai11Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaHuanghai Original Seed Factory, Yancheng 224000, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops/Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Soil Reclamation and Utilization in Coastal Areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China/Research Institute of Rice Industrial Engineering Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaThis study evaluated the effects of one-time application of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) on rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) grain yield, grain quality, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency (ANUE, ANUE (kg/kg) = (Grain yield with N application − grain yield without N application)/N application amount) in coastal saline soils. A two-year field experiment (2023–2024) was conducted using two rice varieties (Nanjing 5718 and Yongyou 4953) under four nitrogen treatments: N0 (no nitrogen fertilization), N1 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, with a ratio of 5:1:2:2 at 1-day before transplanting, 7-day after transplanting, panicle initiation, and penultimate-leaf appearance stage, respectively), N2 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, one-time application at 1-day before transplanting as 50% CRF with 80-day release period + 50% urea), and N3 (270 kg·hm<sup>−2</sup>, 50% one-time application of CRF with 120-day release period at the seedling stage + 50% urea at 1-day before transplanting). Compared with N1, the N3 treatment significantly increased grain yield by 10.2% to 12.9% and improved ANUE by 18.5% to 51.6%. It also improved processing quality (higher brown rice, milled rice, and head rice rates), appearance quality (reduced chalkiness degree and chalky rice percentage), and taste value (by 19.3% to 31.2%). These improvements were associated with lower amylose, protein, and soluble sugar contents and favorable changes in starch composition and pasting properties. While N2 slightly improved some quality traits, it significantly reduced yield and ANUE. Correlation analysis revealed that starch and protein composition, as well as pasting properties, were significantly associated with taste value and related attributes such as appearance, stickiness, balance degree, and hardness. Overall, one-time application of CRF with a 120-day release period at the seedling stage, combined with basal urea, offers an effective strategy to boost yield, quality, and ANUE in coastal saline rice systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1662controlled-release fertilizercoastal saline soilrice grain qualityRVA parameters
spellingShingle Xiang Zhang
Xiaoyu Geng
Yang Liu
Lulu Wang
Jizou Zhu
Weiyi Ma
Xiaozhou Sheng
Lei Shi
Yinglong Chen
Pinglei Gao
Huanhe Wei
Qigen Dai
Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
Agronomy
controlled-release fertilizer
coastal saline soil
rice grain quality
RVA parameters
title Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
title_full Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
title_fullStr Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
title_short Optimizing Nutrition Protocols for Improved Rice Yield, Quality, and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Coastal Saline Soils
title_sort optimizing nutrition protocols for improved rice yield quality and nitrogen use efficiency in coastal saline soils
topic controlled-release fertilizer
coastal saline soil
rice grain quality
RVA parameters
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/7/1662
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