Contrasting responses of grain yield to reducing nitrogen application rate in double- and single-season rice

Reducing N rate without sacrificing grain yield is crucial for sustainable rice production in China. In this study, field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 to determine whether the response of grain yield to reducing N rate varied between double-season rice (DSR) and single-season rice (SSR). Three N rates were applied for each rice crop, i.e. 150 kg ha(−1) (N150, the locally recommended N rate), 90 kg ha(−1) (N90), and 0 kg ha(−1) (N0). Grain yield was lower under N90 than under N150 in DSR by 11–18%, whereas the difference was not significant in SSR. Grain yield under N0 was 36–63% lower in DSR than in SSR. There was a significant relationship between percentage change in grain yield comparing N90 to N150 with grain yield under N0. Furthermore, it was observed that grain yield under N0 was not significantly associated with growth duration but was closely associated with daily grain yield under N0, and the relationships of daily grain yield under N0 with seasonal average daily mean temperature and solar radiation were not significant. These results indicate that response of grain yield to reducing N rate was more sensitive in DSR compared to SSR due to lower soil N productivity. Growth duration and climatic conditions did not explain the difference in soil N productivity between DSR and SSR. The findings of this study should encourage more research into comparing the inherent traits of plants, especially the morphology and physiology of the root system, between DSR and SSR.