Characteristics and High-Yield Cultivation Techniques of the Hybrid Japonica Rice Jialeyou No. 2

Jialeyou No. 2 (151A/DH32) is a new high-yield, high-quality, lodging-resistant, disease-resistant hybrid japonica rice combination bred by the Institute of Agricultural Sciences of Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City. It entered regional trials and large-area demonstrations in 2002. After 3 years of production trials and relatively large-scale demonstrations, it has performed well and is suitable for direct seeding of single-cropping late rice, dry-raised seedling transplanting, and manual transplanting.

1. Characteristics

1.1 Agronomic Traits

Jialeyou No. 2 is a dense-panicle-type hybrid combination of the semi-dwarf type, with a plant height of 95-105 cm, luxuriant growth, dark green leaf color, thick and sturdy stems, leaf sheaths wrapping the nodes, narrow and erect leaves, and an upright flag leaf. It has strong tillering ability, large panicles with many grains, and a high seed-setting rate. When grown as transplanted single-cropping late rice, it generally has 140,000-180,000 effective panicles per mu, 180-210 total grains per panicle, a seed-setting rate of about 85%, and a 1000-grain weight of 26.5-27.5 g. It is fertilizer-tolerant and lodging-resistant, widely adaptable, and has good late-stage ripening appearance and strong cold tolerance.

1.2 Growth Period

This combination is photoperiod-sensitive and is suitable for single-cropping late rice cultivation. When sown on May 25, 2003, it headed fully on September 7 and matured on November 5, with a whole growth period of 163 days, 3-5 days longer than Xiushui 110. When sown on May 15, 2004, it headed fully on September 5 and matured on November 3, with a whole growth period of 171 days, 5 days longer than Xiushui 110. When sown on May 17, 2005, it headed fully on September 7 and matured on November 6, with a whole growth period of 172 days. The average was 168.7 days.

1.3 Resistance

During 3 years of trial planting and demonstration, no major diseases such as rice blast and bacterial leaf blight occurred. According to artificial inoculation and natural induction identification by the Plant Protection Institute of the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2003, the average leaf blast grade was 0.5, with a maximum of 3.0; the panicle blast grade was 1.0, with a loss rate of 1.9%; the average bacterial leaf blight grade was 4.4; and the brown planthopper grade was 9.0. The identification results considered it resistant to rice blast, moderately resistant to bacterial leaf blight, and susceptible to brown planthopper. It has thick and sturdy stems, leaf sheaths wrapping the nodes, and strong field lodging resistance, with a per-mu yield exceeding 750 kg.

1.4 Grain Quality

According to the quality analysis results of the Rice and Rice Products Quality Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, among the 12 indicators of Jialeyou No. 2, brown rice rate, milled rice rate, head rice rate, grain length, length-width ratio, alkali spreading value, gel consistency, amylose, and protein met the first-grade standard, and transparency met the second-grade standard. After 2 years of rice milling by Luodong Rice Industry Co., Ltd., its rice grains are white and glossy, and the cooked rice is crystal clear and soft and palatable. It is deeply welcomed by grain processing enterprises and the public, and has now been developed as "Luodong" brand rice.

1.5 High Seed Production and Multiplication Yield

The male sterile line 151A has a relatively short plant, short and small flag leaves, and earlier and more concentrated flowering. The flowering time of the male and female parents matches well, and the seed production and multiplication yield is relatively high. The seed-setting rate generally reaches 45-60%, and the average per-mu yield can reach 100-200 kg. In 2005, under the damage of high temperature and drought, strong typhoons "Matsa" and "Khanun", and a major outbreak of brown planthopper, the whole district's 343 mu of seed production still averaged 95.6 kg per mu.

2. Yield Performance

In 2001, it participated in the yield identification of new hybrid japonica rice lines, with an average per-mu yield of 627.6 kg, 9.53% higher than the control Xiushui 63. In 2002 and 2003, it participated in the Jiaxing City hybrid japonica rice regional trial, with average per-mu yields of 600.7 kg and 561.3 kg, respectively 8.06% and 6.78% higher than the control Xiushui 63, reaching an extremely significant level. In the Jiaxing City Academy of Agricultural Sciences hybrid japonica rice intensive cultivation trial, the average per-mu yield was 653.2 kg, 13.25% higher than the control Xiushui 110, ranking first in yield among the 5 varieties tested. In 2004, the 312-mu demonstration block in Luoxi Village, Xincheng Town, Xiuzhou District, was inspected and accepted by provincial, municipal, and district experts, with an average per-mu yield of 667 kg. Among this, one block of 1.725 mu was actually harvested and weighed, with a converted per-mu yield of 685.4 kg. In 2005, the four demonstration blocks in Xiuzhou District totaling 1064.5 mu were inspected and accepted by provincial, municipal, and district experts, with an average per-mu yield of 650.2 kg, an increase of 121.6 kg per mu over the conventional variety Xiushui 09 (control), or a 23% increase. Among these, the 61.5 mu of large grain grower Gan Yongpei in Group 4 of Zhongzhen, Wangdian Town, averaged 715 kg per mu. Three blocks totaling 3.98 mu were actually harvested and weighed, with an average per-mu yield of 719 kg. The highest block of 1.61 mu had a converted per-mu yield of 725.7 kg.

3. Main High-Yield Cultivation Techniques

3.1 Timely Sowing and Cultivating Strong Seedlings

According to the characteristics of Jialeyou No. 2, such as large panicles, many grains, high 1000-grain weight, and a relatively long grain-filling period, the sowing date in Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City should be appropriately advanced, generally from May 15-25. The seeding rate in the seedling field is 525 kg per hectare. For manual transplanting in the main field, the seed rate is 0.5-0.75 kg per mu, and the seedling age should not exceed 30 days. For direct seeding cultivation, sowing is generally carried out from June 5-10, with a seed rate of 0.75-1 kg per mu in the main field.

3.2 Wide Rows and Narrow Plant Spacing, Reasonable Close Planting

For single-cropping late rice manual transplanting, the planting specification is preferably 25-28 cm x 20-23 cm, with 150,000-195,000 hills per hectare (10,000-13,000 hills per mu), single seedling per hill. For water-raised seedlings, the seedling density at field setting is 450,000-585,000 seedlings per hectare; for dry-raised seedlings, the seedling density at field setting is 300,000-390,000 seedlings per hectare. For single-cropping late rice direct seeding, the basic seedling population should be controlled at 300,000-400,000 seedlings per hectare.

3.3 Scientific Fertilization, Appropriate Nitrogen with Increased Phosphorus and Potassium

Jialeyou No. 2 has a relatively long growth period, with fewer and smaller seedlings in the early stage. A balanced promotive fertilization method should be adopted, that is, on the basis of applying sufficient basal fertilizer, apply tillering fertilizer, stem-thickening fertilizer, and panicle fertilizer early, while applying panicle fertilizer heavily to achieve large panicles. Appropriately increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. The total nitrogen application rate can refer to that for conventional japonica rice. No nitrogen fertilizer should be applied after mid-July in order to improve the seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight.

3.4 Rational Water Use, Shallow and Frequent Irrigation

After transplanting, irrigate promptly to protect the seedlings. After green return, use shallow water to promote tillering. When the total number of stems and tillers in the whole field reaches the target panicle number of 160,000-200,000 per mu, begin field drying. During the booting and heading stages, alternate wetting and drying. Do not cut off water too early in the late stage.

3.5 Harmless Management of Diseases, Insects, and Weeds

Use seed disinfectant to disinfect seeds to prevent bakanae disease and nematode disease. During the seedling field stage, control the small brown planthopper to prevent stripe disease. Pay attention to the control of stem borers, leaf rollers, and sheath blight, with emphasis on controlling brown planthopper.