Performance of temperate aerobic rice under different water regimes in North China

Since the late 1990s, aerobic rice varieties have been released to farmers in the North China Plain to grow rice as a supplementary-irrigated upland crop to cope with water scarcity. Little is known about their yield potential, water use, water productivity (WP), and flood tolerance. In 2001-2002, experiments with aerobic rice varieties HD502 and HD297 and lowland rice variety JD305 were conducted under aerobic and flooded conditions. Under aerobic conditions, five irrigation treatments were implemented. Under flooded conditions, JD305 yielded up to 8.8 t ha−1, HD502 up to 6.8 t ha−1, and HD297 up to 5.4 t ha−1. Under aerobic conditions, the aerobic varieties yielded higher than the lowland variety. HD502 produced 3-3.5 t ha−1 with 450-500 mm total water input and 5.3-5.7 t ha−1 with 650 mm water input and more. HD297 produced 3-3.5 t ha−1 with 450-500 mm total water input and 4.7-5.3 t ha−1 with 650 mm water input and more. The water productivity of aerobic rice under aerobic conditions was higher or on a par with that of the lowland variety under flooded conditions, reaching values of 0.6-0.8 g grain kg−1 water. The relatively high yields of the aerobic varieties under aerobic soil conditions were obtained under “harsh” conditions for growing rice. The soil contained more than 80% sand, was permeable, and held water above field capacity for a few hours after irrigation only. The groundwater table was deeper than 20 m, the soil moisture content in the rootzone was mostly between 50 and 80% of saturation, and soil moisture tension went up to 90 kPa. We conclude that the aerobic rice varieties HD502 and HD297 are suitable for water-scarce environments, and can stand being periodically flooded.