Effects of Panicle Position and Planting Density on the Physicochemical Properties of Starch in Panicle Number Type Rice

The tillering potential of panicle number type (PNT) rice greatly varies with planting density. Moreover, grain filling and ripening differ depending on the panicle position, which may further affect rice grain quality. The present study evaluated the grain quality of PNT rice sparsely planted to reduce production costs. The physicochemical characteristics of starch from the grains of PNT type rice 'Ilpum' planted at different densities (37, 50, 60, and 80 plants/3.3 m²) and at different positions of panicles (upper or lower on the culm) were determined. Overall, as the planting density decreased, the number of panicles increased but the starch content decreased, which further reduced the 1,000-grain weight. In particular, at the lowest density (37 plants/3.3 m²), protein content increased but particle size, enthalpy, and relative crystallinity decreased. The effects were more pronounced at lower than at upper panicle positions. These findings indicate that tillering potential differs with planting density, ultimately affecting the palatability of rice grains. Based on these findings, we propose restricting rice transplantation to a planting density of ≤37 plants/3.3 m² to achieve the best quality of grains at lower costs and with less labor.