Fragrant rice performances in response to continuous zero-tillage in machine-transplanted double-cropped rice system

Zero-tillage is one of conservation tillage techniques. In order to investigate the effects of continuous zero-tillage on yield formation and grain 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP, key component of fragrant rice aroma) content of fragrant rice, present study was conducted with a six-season field experiment from 2017 to 2019. The conventional tillage (twice puddling with rotary cultivator before transplanting) was set as control (CK) and zero-tillage was set as treatment (ZT). At the first year after applying zero-tillage, yield loss was observed in the ZT treatment which was attributed to the lower effective panicle number per area and grain number per panicle. However, from late season in 2018 to late season in 2019, significant higher grain yield was recorded in ZT than CK. ZT increased the net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content (SPAD value) by 6.81–20.77% and 7.23–23.80% in the last three cropping seasons compared with CK. Higher nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus accumulations in plant tissues were also recorded in ZT than CK from late season in 2018 to late season in 2019. Other hand, higher grain 2-AP content was recorded in ZT than CT in the whole six cropping seasons which might be related to the grain proline content. Furthermore, compared with CK, ZT significantly increased the soil organic matter content and the number of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the last three cropping seasons. In conclusion, continuous zero-tillage could improve soil and increase the photosynthesis and nutrient accumulation and finally achieve the improvement of fragrant rice yield.