Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate if an integrated cultivation technique could coordinately increase both grain yield and nutrient use efficiency of rice in South China. The indica hybrid rice cultivar Yueza 889 was used and six cultivation patterns were conducted in the late seasons of 2011 and 2012. i.e., zero nitrogen application, farmer’s practice (FP) and 4 integrated crop managements (M1-M4) varying in nitrogen fertilizer management and planting density. Compared with that of FP, the grain yields of M1, M2, M3 and M4 were increased by 16.7%, 20.5%, 18.3% and 24.1% in 2011, and by 6.3%, 16.0%, 22.9% and 12.8% in 2012. The M2, M3 and M4 yielded more grains by 1.3%-15.6% than M1. Compared with those of FP, the nitrogen absorption and utilization efficiency, agronomic utilization efficiency and partial fertilizer productivity of M1, M2, M3 and M4 were significantly increased by 65.2%-82.4%, 55.6%-88.1% and 7.9%-33.9% in two years. The enhanced yield was mainly attributable to the increase in both spikelets per unit area and filled grain percentage. The yield enhancement was highly correlated with dry weight at maturity, or amount of dry matter accumulated from heading to maturity. It was also significantly correlated with nitrogen accumulation at panicle initiation or maturity, and nitrogen agronomic utilization efficiency. The newly-developed cultural practices could be used in rice production for additional enhancement in grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency.

Key words: rice, nitrogen fertilizer management, planting density, grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency