Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars
Optimizing rice productivity is crucial for global food security, especially in Mediterranean environments. This study investigated the influence of tillering capacity on yield and other agronomic traits in nine European rice cultivars over two seasons (2021–2022). A split-plot design was used with...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Argyrios Kalaitzidis Kalliopi Kadoglidou Ioannis Mylonas Sopio Ghoghoberidze Elissavet Ninou Dimitrios Katsantonis |
| author_facet | Argyrios Kalaitzidis Kalliopi Kadoglidou Ioannis Mylonas Sopio Ghoghoberidze Elissavet Ninou Dimitrios Katsantonis |
| author_sort | Argyrios Kalaitzidis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Optimizing rice productivity is crucial for global food security, especially in Mediterranean environments. This study investigated the influence of tillering capacity on yield and other agronomic traits in nine European rice cultivars over two seasons (2021–2022). A split-plot design was used with cultivars as the main factor and five tillering levels: main stems (Mn), primary (T1), secondary (T2), tertiary (T3), and quaternary (T4) as sub-factors. The grain yield, total dry matter, harvest index, 1000-grain weight, and number of stems were measured. Significant differences were revealed among cultivars, tillering levels, and their interaction for all traits. Mn and T1 consistently outyielded later tillers, with Ronaldo’s Mn achieving 4.71 t ha<sup>−1</sup>. Mare and Olympiada displayed the highest average yields (1.52 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) through balanced resource allocation across tillers. Strong correlations between tillering levels and yield (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.73) demonstrate that early tillers significantly enhance productivity. We conclude that optimizing early tiller productivity—rather than maximizing tiller numbers—should be prioritized in breeding programs. Cultivars combining vigorous Mn and T1 development with efficient resource partitioning offer the most promising approach for improving Mediterranean rice productivity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-102be92bc0b84d28915c76b80e0a997b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj-art-102be92bc0b84d28915c76b80e0a997b2025-08-20T02:11:11ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722025-03-0115661610.3390/agriculture15060616Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice CultivarsArgyrios Kalaitzidis0Kalliopi Kadoglidou1Ioannis Mylonas2Sopio Ghoghoberidze3Elissavet Ninou4Dimitrios Katsantonis5Hellenic Agricultural Organization—“DEMETER”, Institute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceHellenic Agricultural Organization—“DEMETER”, Institute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceHellenic Agricultural Organization—“DEMETER”, Institute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceHellenic Agricultural Organization—“DEMETER”, Institute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Agriculture, International Hellenic University, 57400 Thessaloniki, GreeceHellenic Agricultural Organization—“DEMETER”, Institute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceOptimizing rice productivity is crucial for global food security, especially in Mediterranean environments. This study investigated the influence of tillering capacity on yield and other agronomic traits in nine European rice cultivars over two seasons (2021–2022). A split-plot design was used with cultivars as the main factor and five tillering levels: main stems (Mn), primary (T1), secondary (T2), tertiary (T3), and quaternary (T4) as sub-factors. The grain yield, total dry matter, harvest index, 1000-grain weight, and number of stems were measured. Significant differences were revealed among cultivars, tillering levels, and their interaction for all traits. Mn and T1 consistently outyielded later tillers, with Ronaldo’s Mn achieving 4.71 t ha<sup>−1</sup>. Mare and Olympiada displayed the highest average yields (1.52 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) through balanced resource allocation across tillers. Strong correlations between tillering levels and yield (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.73) demonstrate that early tillers significantly enhance productivity. We conclude that optimizing early tiller productivity—rather than maximizing tiller numbers—should be prioritized in breeding programs. Cultivars combining vigorous Mn and T1 development with efficient resource partitioning offer the most promising approach for improving Mediterranean rice productivity.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/616<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.Mediterranean rice cultivationtillering capacitygrain yield optimizationmultivariable analysisyield |
| spellingShingle | Argyrios Kalaitzidis Kalliopi Kadoglidou Ioannis Mylonas Sopio Ghoghoberidze Elissavet Ninou Dimitrios Katsantonis Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars Agriculture <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. Mediterranean rice cultivation tillering capacity grain yield optimization multivariable analysis yield |
| title | Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars |
| title_full | Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars |
| title_short | Investigating the Impact of Tillering on Yield and Yield-Related Traits in European Rice Cultivars |
| title_sort | investigating the impact of tillering on yield and yield related traits in european rice cultivars |
| topic | <i>Oryza sativa</i> L. Mediterranean rice cultivation tillering capacity grain yield optimization multivariable analysis yield |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/6/616 |
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