Investigation And Analysis Of Current Status Of Ratoon Rice Production

Rice is an important staple food crop in China,and the cultivation of rice plays a key role in the agricultural sector of the country.In recent years,China’s rice production has undergone a major transformation.Ratoon rice,as an emerging rice planting mode,has many advantages such as saving labor,improving resource utilization efficiency,and increasing production and income,which has led to a rapid increase in cultivation area.Previous research on ratoon rice has mainly focused on high-yield and efficient cultivation,and there have been fewer systematic investigations based on the current production situation in China.Therefore,this study investigates the production status of ratoon rice in China and clarifies the problems that exist,which is of great significance for improving ratoon rice production and ensuring national food security.The study collected production information on ratoon rice from 14 major planting provincial regions across the country through a questionnaire survey of ratoon rice production experts on crop management and rice yield.The analysis of China’s ratoon rice production status and existing problems is aimed at providing a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of ratoon rice in China.The main results are as follows:Firstly,the average yields of the main and ratoon crops of ratoon rice were 8.96 t ha^-1and 3.57 t ha^-1,respectively,with an annual yield of 12.53 t ha^-1.The yield of the ratoon crop accounted for 42.1%of the main crop yield.The average yield ranges of the main and ratoon crops in various regions were 5.25-9.17 t ha^-1and 1.88-6.48 t ha^-1,respectively.The yield of main crop was higher in Hunan,Hubei,Sichuan,and Guangxi,all exceeding 9 t ha^-1,while the yield of ratoon crop was higher in Fujian and Zhejiang.The annual yield was higher in Fujian and Hubei,with Youxi,Fujian ranking first with an annual yield of 15.42 t ha^-1.Secondly,the average amounts of nitrogen,phosphorus,and potassium applied to the main crop were 182,87,and 137 kg ha^-1,respectively,while those applied to the ratoon crop were 99,51,and 76 kg ha^-1,respectively.The ranges of nitrogen fertilizer application in the main and ratoon crops in various provincial regions were 105-240 and45-210 kg ha^-1,respectively.The input of nitrogen fertilizer in the ratoon season was much lower than that in the main crop,and the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the ratoon crop was very limited.The use of pesticides in the ratoon crop was much lower than in the main crop,and in most areas,pesticides were not used in the ratoon crop.Fertilizer input was higher in Jiangsu and Zhejiang,while less fertilizer was applied in Sichuan,Guizhou,and Chongqing.Pesticide use was higher in Fujian and Guangxi,while the use in Guizhou and Chongqing was lower.Thirdly,the range of partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer for the main and ratoon crops varied from 23.3-82.2 kg kg^-1and 9.0-144.0 kg kg^-1in different provincial regions,with mean values of 49.2 kg kg^-1and 43.9 kg kg^-1,respectively.The partial factor productivity of phosphorus fertilizer for the main crop had a range of46.7-138.0 kg kg^-1,with a mean value of 98.8 kg kg^-1,and phosphorus fertilizer was only applied during the ratoon crop in Fujian,Hunan,and Anhui provinces.The range of partial factor productivity of potassium fertilizer for the main and ratoon crops was23.3-125.6 kg kg^-1and 12.5-112.4 kg kg^-1,with mean values of 68.3 kg kg^-1and 58.7 kg kg^-1,respectively.Labor productivity for the main and ratoon crops ranged from33.1-383.6 kg h^-1and 62.1-432.0 kg h^-1,with mean values of 127.7 kg h^-1and 196.6 kg h^-1,respectively.The ratoon rice production required less fertilizer and pesticides,especially during the ratoon crop,resulting in higher fertilizer use efficiency and lower environmental impact compared to other rice cropping systems.The ratoon crop also had lower labor demand during rice production,resulting in higher labor productivity.In summary,ratoon rice may experience significant fluctuation in yield of ratoon crop,but it has a relatively stable annual yield due to high yield of main crop.Compared with other rice cropping systems,ratoon rice requires less fertilizer and pesticide inputs,especially during the ratoon crop,in which no phosphorus and potassium fertilizers or pesticides were used in most provincial regions.As a result of its lower inputs and higher annual yield,ratoon rice has higher resource use efficiency and causes less environmental impact.However,ratoon rice production still faces challenges,such as low and unstable yields during the ratoon crop,inadequate crop management in ratoon rice,and incomplete harvesting and loss reduction techniques,harvest of main crop dominated by manual harvesting in some regions.Thus,strengthening research and development of high-yield and stable ratoon rice cultivation techniques,promoting the use of specialized harvesting machines and loss reduction technology,and lowering labor costs are critical for achieving high-yield and high yield stability of ratoon rice across regions.