Comparison of Agronomic and Physiological Characteristics for Rice Varieties Differing in Water Use Efficiency under Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation
Chen Wang,
Xiaotong Fa,
Qinghao Meng,
Ying Zhang,
Weilu Wang,
Kuanyu Zhu,
Weiyang Zhang,
Junfei Gu,
Lijun Liu,
Jianhua Zhang,
Hao Zhang
Affiliations
Chen Wang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Xiaotong Fa
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Qinghao Meng
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Ying Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Weilu Wang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Kuanyu Zhu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Weiyang Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Junfei Gu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Lijun Liu
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Jianhua Zhang
Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong 999077, China
Hao Zhang
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) stands as one of the most critical staple crops globally, with its yield and water use efficiency (WUE) being pivotal for food security. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic and physiological traits and WUE of six rice varieties under two irrigation regimes: alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and conventional irrigation (CI). The results showed the significant improvements in grain yield and WUE with variety improvement under both irrigation treatments. Under AWD, high water use efficiency varieties (HWVs) demonstrated pronounced enhancements, including tillers and spikelet production, filled grain rate, 1000-grain weight, harvest index, leaf area index, non-structural carbohydrate remobilization, photosynthesis and catalase and peroxidase activities of leaf, root and shoot biomass, and root activity. AWD was observed to synchronize and amplify grain yield (2–14%) and WUE, including both leaf-level (13.94–20.72%) and yield-level (23.20–30.87%) water use efficiencies (WUEL and WUEY). The water use potential for HWVs was substantially enhanced under AWD. The integration of variety improvement with AWD irrigation strategies effectively achieves the dual objectives of high yield and WUE, offering a promising approach for sustainable rice production.
