Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain

The rice variety Bomba is grown in Calasparra—a rice of origin in southeast Spain—resulting in a product with excellent cooking quality, although its profitability has declined in recent years due to low grain yields and susceptibility to rice blast disease (<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Cav...

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Main Authors: María Jesús Pascual-Villalobos, María Martínez, Sergio López, María Pilar Hellín, Nuria López, José Sáez, María del Mar Guerrero, Pedro Guirao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:AgriEngineering
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/4/231
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author María Jesús Pascual-Villalobos
María Martínez
Sergio López
María Pilar Hellín
Nuria López
José Sáez
María del Mar Guerrero
Pedro Guirao
author_facet María Jesús Pascual-Villalobos
María Martínez
Sergio López
María Pilar Hellín
Nuria López
José Sáez
María del Mar Guerrero
Pedro Guirao
author_sort María Jesús Pascual-Villalobos
collection DOAJ
description The rice variety Bomba is grown in Calasparra—a rice of origin in southeast Spain—resulting in a product with excellent cooking quality, although its profitability has declined in recent years due to low grain yields and susceptibility to rice blast disease (<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Cavara). An innovation project to test the efficacy of mechanized transplanting against traditional direct seed sowing was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at four locations for the first time. A lower plant density (67–82 plants m<sup>−2</sup>) and shorter plants with higher leaf nitrogen content were observed in transplanted plots compared with seed sowing (130–137 plants m<sup>−2</sup>) in the first year. The optimal climatic conditions for <i>P. oryzae</i> symptom appearance were determined as temperatures of 25–29 °C and a 50–77% relative humidity. The most-affected sowing plots presented 3–20% leaf area damage and a reduction in yield to values of 1.5 t ha<sup>−1</sup> in the first year and 2.12 t ha<sup>−1</sup> in the second year. In transplanted plots, there was generally less humidity at the plant level and therefore, disease incidence was low in both seasons. Grain yields did not significantly differ among the treatments studied; however, there were differences in the yield components of panicle density and the number of grains for panicles. Principal component analysis revealed two principal components that explained 81% of the variability. Variables related to yield contributed positively to the first component, while plant biomass variables contributed to the second component. Plant density, tiller density, and panicle density were found to be positively correlated (r > 0.81 ***). Overall, transplanting (frame of 30 × 15–18 cm<sup>2</sup>) resulted in uniform crop growth with less rice blast disease, as well as higher grain yields (2.92–3.89 t ha<sup>−1</sup>), in comparison with the average for the whole D.O. Calasparra (2.3–2.5 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) in both seasons and a good percentage of whole grains at milling. This is novel knowledge which can be considered useful for farmers operating in the region.
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spelling doaj-art-9ff2231617df4e049cbcbdbd50f2d5342025-08-20T02:55:35ZengMDPI AGAgriEngineering2624-74022024-10-01644090410610.3390/agriengineering6040231Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in SpainMaría Jesús Pascual-Villalobos0María Martínez1Sergio López2María Pilar Hellín3Nuria López4José Sáez5María del Mar Guerrero6Pedro Guirao7Equipo de Fitoquímicos Naturales, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainEquipo de Fitoquímicos Naturales, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainC.R.D.O. Calasparra, C/Maestro Antonio Gómez Donate, nᵒ1 1ᵒB, Calasparra, 30420 Murcia, SpainEquipo de Sostenibilidad y Calidad Hortofrutícola, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainEquipo de Mejora de Cultivos Hortícolas, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainEquipo de Horticultura, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainEquipo de Protección de Cultivos, Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Medioambiental (IMIDA), C/Mayor s/n La Alberca, 30150 Murcia, SpainDpto. de Producción Vegetal y Microbiología, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Orihuela, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Carretera de Beniel km 3.2, Orihuela, 03312 Alicante, SpainThe rice variety Bomba is grown in Calasparra—a rice of origin in southeast Spain—resulting in a product with excellent cooking quality, although its profitability has declined in recent years due to low grain yields and susceptibility to rice blast disease (<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Cavara). An innovation project to test the efficacy of mechanized transplanting against traditional direct seed sowing was conducted in 2022 and 2023 at four locations for the first time. A lower plant density (67–82 plants m<sup>−2</sup>) and shorter plants with higher leaf nitrogen content were observed in transplanted plots compared with seed sowing (130–137 plants m<sup>−2</sup>) in the first year. The optimal climatic conditions for <i>P. oryzae</i> symptom appearance were determined as temperatures of 25–29 °C and a 50–77% relative humidity. The most-affected sowing plots presented 3–20% leaf area damage and a reduction in yield to values of 1.5 t ha<sup>−1</sup> in the first year and 2.12 t ha<sup>−1</sup> in the second year. In transplanted plots, there was generally less humidity at the plant level and therefore, disease incidence was low in both seasons. Grain yields did not significantly differ among the treatments studied; however, there were differences in the yield components of panicle density and the number of grains for panicles. Principal component analysis revealed two principal components that explained 81% of the variability. Variables related to yield contributed positively to the first component, while plant biomass variables contributed to the second component. Plant density, tiller density, and panicle density were found to be positively correlated (r > 0.81 ***). Overall, transplanting (frame of 30 × 15–18 cm<sup>2</sup>) resulted in uniform crop growth with less rice blast disease, as well as higher grain yields (2.92–3.89 t ha<sup>−1</sup>), in comparison with the average for the whole D.O. Calasparra (2.3–2.5 t ha<sup>−1</sup>) in both seasons and a good percentage of whole grains at milling. This is novel knowledge which can be considered useful for farmers operating in the region.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/4/231establishment methodrice blast disease<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i>panicle densityrice yieldprotein content
spellingShingle María Jesús Pascual-Villalobos
María Martínez
Sergio López
María Pilar Hellín
Nuria López
José Sáez
María del Mar Guerrero
Pedro Guirao
Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
AgriEngineering
establishment method
rice blast disease
<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i>
panicle density
rice yield
protein content
title Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
title_full Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
title_fullStr Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
title_full_unstemmed Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
title_short Mechanized Transplanting Improves Yield and Reduces <i>Pyricularia oryzae</i> Incidence of Paddies in Calasparra Rice of Origin in Spain
title_sort mechanized transplanting improves yield and reduces i pyricularia oryzae i incidence of paddies in calasparra rice of origin in spain
topic establishment method
rice blast disease
<i>Pyricularia oryzae</i>
panicle density
rice yield
protein content
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/6/4/231
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