Relationship of Rice Panicle Morphology and Growth Factors under Different Water Management Conditions Studied

In water-saving conditions, rice yield is often measured by panicle size (quantity of grains in a panicle). Thus, Yoichiro Kato from the University of Tokyo and Keisuke Katsura of Kyoto University conducted a study to identify the relationship of panicle morphology with plant growth factors in conventional flooded and aerobic rice culture. Rice plants were sown on non-puddled, unsaturated soil in cultures with oxygen and with soil water potential at 20-cm depth kept above −60 kPa. Panicle traits of four rice cultivars were analyzed that include the number of florets per panicle (FPP); number of primary branches per panicle (BPP); number of florets per primary branch (FPB); and frequency of pre-anthesis floret abortion (FA).

Results showed that the relationship of growth factors and panicle characters are the same in flooded and aerobic rice culture. Hence, the researchers recommend the use of rice models for conventional flooded culture to forecast grain number in water-saving culture.

The research paper of this study is available at http://198.81.200.2/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6M-4YWD1X6-1&_user=6533655&_coverDate=06%2F03%2F2010&_alid=1317171350&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_cdi=5034&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=50&
_acct=C000070094&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=6533655&md5=806fe5c490791a37112f26a6860d2c96.