LAUSR

BACKGROUND Applying organic fertilizer coupled with chemical fertilizer has been widely adopted to improve crop productivity and quality and develop sustainable agriculture. However, little information is available about the effects of organic fertilizer on the grain quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.), especially nutritional quality and starch quality. In this study, high yielding 'super' rice cultivars were grown in the field with three cultivation practices including zero N application (0N), local high yielding practice with chemical fertilizer (T1), and T1 treatment with additional organic fertilizer (T2). RESULTS Application of organic fertilizer synergistically improved rice production, nitrogen use efficiency, milling and appearance quality, and the nutritional quality including the content of glutelin, essential amino acids, and microelements, increased amylopectin and the ratio of short chain, leading to the reduction in relative crystallinity, and decreased prolamin content. Application of organic fertilizer also increased the viscosity and breakdown values, whereas decreased the pasting temperature and gelatinization enthalpy, resulting in better cooking and eating quality. CONCLUSION Overall, application of organific fertilizer could synergistically improve nitrogen use efficiency and grain quality including structure and physicochemical properties of starch, contents of high value protein and amino acids, contents of microelements, cooking and eating quality. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.