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| DOI：10.13522/j.cnki.ggps.2025088 |
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| Optimal root pruning to promote growth and water use efficiency of rice seedlings |
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ZHU Mei, HU Chenfan, LIU Shuoshuo, LIN Shimiao, LIU Jingzhe
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School of Engineering, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
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| Abstract: |
| 【Background and Objective】Improving water use efficiency in agriculture is a critical to alleviating global water stress. As agriculture consumes approximately 62% of global water, optimizing agricultural water use is essential for sustainable resource management. In the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC), water transport in soil-root system is a key water cycle component and has attracted increasing research attention. Recent studies have shown that rational an approximate root pruning can improve plant water use efficiency, offering promising strategies for water-efficient agriculture. However, study on root pruning in rice remains limited, with most studies focusing on either timing or intensity, while ignoring their combined effects. This study aims to address this gap.【Method】A field experiment was conducted using two rice varieties, Jingzhan 1 and Luhan 639. Root pruning was performed on the 7 th, 9 th, and 11 th day after germination by cutting the root at 1.5 cm from the root tip, removing half of the root, and retaining 2 cm root segment. An unpruned root treatment was the control. Overall, there were eight treatments, which were arranged in a randomized design with three replicates each. Key indicators such as seedling vigor index, root-to-shoot ratio, photosynthetic traits, and water use efficiency were measured during the. Using the membership function method, seven variables were used to comprehensively assess the impact of different pruning treatments.【Result】For the Jingzhan 1 variety, pruning the root at 1.5 cm from the root tip on the 9 th day after germination resulted in the greatest improvement in seedling growth and water use efficiency. For the Luhan 639 variety, removing half of the root on the 9 th day after germination produced the best results.【Conclusion】Root pruning, when applied at the optimal time and intensity, can significantly enhance rice seedling growth and water use efficiency. This study provides practical guidelines for improving water-efficient rice cultivation and contributes to the broader goal of sustainable agricultural water management. |
| Key words: rice seedlings; root cutting combination; membership function method; water use efficiency |
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