Effects of Rice-Winter Cover Crops Cropping Systems on the Rice Yield and Quality in No-tillage Paddy Field

Abstract

The propose of this study was to find out optimum conditions for no-tillage rice-winter cover crops cropping system. A field research was conducted to evaluate productivity and quality of rice cultivars (Dongjinbyeo and Junambybyeo) in rice-winter cover cropping systems at Doo-ryangmyeon., Sacheon, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea from January 2005 to October 2006. The experimental soil was Juggog series (fine silty, mesic family of Fluvaquentic Eutrndepts). The rice cultivars were experimented under some different high residue farming systems, i.e. no-tillage no treatment (NTNT), no-tillage amended with rice straw (NTRS), no-tillage amended with rye (NTR), no-tillage amended with Chinese milkvetch (NTCMV), tillage no treatment (TNT), and conventional cropping system (Control). The miss-planted rate was 8.8% in 2005 and range of 10.8% to 13.3% in 2006 at NTR, and the other treatments were carried out at miss-planted rate ranging from 1.2% to 5.0%. Tiller numbers of Junambyeo, and Dongjinbyeo in both of years were the highest in Control, and decreased nearly in NTCMV, NTR, NTRS, NTNT, and TNT in that order. The lowest grain yield was observed in TNT both cultivars due to the lower tiller numbers per area, and spikelet numbers per panicle. Also, no-tillage treatments were lower grain yield than control. On the other hand, 1,000-grain weight was lowest in control due to higher tiller numbers per area, and spikelet numbers per panicle. Ripened grain ratio was a similar aspect in all treatments. The palatability score of milled rice was lowest in control while protein content of milled rice was highest in control. The NTCMV was considered an effective sustainable farming practice for rice yield and quality.