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Open research questions in Rice Cultivation and Yield Improvement

47 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 351 Rice Cultivation and Yield Improvement papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Maintaining soil health and productivity in the face of increasing population pressure and limited agricultural resources. Managing soil physical and hydraulic properties to improve crop yields and reduce erosion. Balancing the need for sustainable agricultural practices with the need for increased food production.

    Inclusion of Phaseolus vulgaris in fallow rice systems improves soil physical, physico-chemical and hydraulic properties under acidic sub-tropical conditions in Bangladesh · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the effects of including Phaseolus vulgaris in fallow rice systems on soil physical, physico-chemical, and hydraulic properties. Prior work has focused on the effects of land-use and management practices on soil properties, but the specific effects of including legumes in rice systems are not well understood.

    Inclusion of Phaseolus vulgaris in fallow rice systems improves soil physical, physico-chemical and hydraulic properties under acidic sub-tropical conditions in Bangladesh · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the effects of different NPK ratios on other crops. Studies can explore the underlying mechanisms of the effects of NPK ratios on plant growth and physiological characteristics.

    Effects of different NPK ratio combinations on growth, physiology, and soil physicochemical properties of daylily seedlings · 2026 · DOI

  • Imbalanced fertilizer application ratios and low nutrient use efficiency are issues during the seedling stage. There is a need to identify the most suitable fertilization scheme for daylily seedlings.

    Effects of different NPK ratio combinations on growth, physiology, and soil physicochemical properties of daylily seedlings · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in understanding the relationship between irrigation water demand and production input costs in rice farming in Central Thailand. The study highlights the need for effective irrigation planning in the face of rapid climatic variability, rising production costs, and increasing competition for water resources.

    Mathematical modelling of irrigation water requirements for rice farming in Central Thailand · 2026 · DOI

  • The effects of nitrogen-splitting regimes on rice yield and grain quality are not well understood. The relationships between nitrogen application timing, rhizosphere ecological clusters, and yield-quality trade-offs are not well understood.

    Nitrogen application timing drives stage-specific rhizosphere ecological clusters that regulate the yield-quality trade-off in hybrid rice · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited availability of nutritionally rich rice germplasm. Lack of effective biofortification strategies to improve dietary quality and food security. Technical challenges in identifying and validating marker-trait associations in rice.

    Phytochemical evaluation, mineral assessment and SSR based marker-trait association of temperate rices of Northwestern Himalayas: a case study · 2026 · DOI

  • The increasing demand for rice production. The limited availability of land and resources. The need to improve crop development and increase yields.

    Effect of Biochar and Hydrochar Concentrations on Enhancing Germination and Seedling Growth in the Exposed Arable Crop Oryza Sativa · 2026 · DOI

  • Soil degradation and declining soil fertility are significant concerns in intensive agricultural systems. The creation of dike systems has limited the deposition of alluvial soil, exacerbating soil degradation. Climate change and soil management practices may also influence soil degradation.

    Long-term cultivation effects on soil physicochemical properties in Dong Thap Province, Vietnamese Mekong Delta · 2026 · DOI

  • The limited understanding of the relationship between rice genotype and starch digestibility. The lack of studies investigating the effects of rice genotype on starch biosynthesis and enzymatic digestibility.

    Rice Genotype Related to Starch Biosynthesis: Effects on Rice Starch Structure and Enzymatic Digestibility during <i>Shochu</i> and <i>Sake</i> Production · 2026 · DOI

  • Future studies should test whether similar cost-water links exist in other production and hydrological contexts. The study suggests that further research is needed to understand the relationship between irrigation water demand and production input costs in different regions and farming systems.

    Mathematical modelling of irrigation water requirements for rice farming in Central Thailand · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of nitrogen-splitting regimes on rice yield and grain quality. Further research is needed to develop more efficient and sustainable nitrogen fertilization strategies in intensive rice production systems.

    Nitrogen application timing drives stage-specific rhizosphere ecological clusters that regulate the yield-quality trade-off in hybrid rice · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the nutritional and morphological characteristics of local rice varieties, particularly those cultivated in Sabah, remain underexplored.

    Morphological, Proximate, Mineral, and Cooking Properties of Selected Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Varieties from Sabah, Malaysia · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the extent to which the water regime before flooding modifies rice growth and yield formation remains poorly understood.

    Controlled Irrigation Mitigates Flooding-Induced Yield Loss in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) at the Jointing Stage by Regulating Growth and Biomass Allocation · 2026 · DOI

  • Melatonin has the potential to regulate photosynthesis and nutrient metabolism; however, whether it improves the effectiveness of reduced N application by altering functional leaf N allocation remains unclear.

    Exogenous Melatonin Compensates for Moderate Nitrogen Reduction in Upland Rice by Optimizing Leaf Nitrogen Allocation and Photosynthetic Metabolism · 2026 · DOI

  • The spread of HYVs in the rice region has been less studied than in the wheat region. Most studies on HYVs are based on farm level data for a few selected districts, making generalizations outside these districts difficult to make.

    REGIONAL RESPONSE TO HIGH YIELD VARIETIES OF RICE IN INDIA · 1983 · DOI

  • One limitation is the physical barrier created by the large amounts of biomass (5–6 Mg ha−1), which can hin- der proper seed placement and seedling emergence (McKenzie-Gopsill and Farooque 2023).

    Reducing the interval between termination of a legume cover crop (Persian clover) and rice sowing increases soil mineral nitrogen and plant development · 2026 · DOI

  • Excessive basal and tillering nitrogen (BTN) application in rice production causes substantial N losses and environmental costs, yet practical soil fertility thresholds to guide safe BTN reduction (RBTN) have not been established.

    Soil Fertility Dominates the Optimal Allocation of Basal and Tillering Nitrogen in Rice Production · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can focus on the genetic basis of photosynthesis and its improvement. The use of advanced technologies such as genome editing can aid in the development of more efficient rice varieties.

    Exploring wild rices for photosynthetic efficiency improvement in rice · 2026 · DOI

  • Genetic improvement in rice through enhancing harvest index is saturated. There is a need to explore new avenues for improvement, such as enhancing photosynthesis traits.

    Exploring wild rices for photosynthetic efficiency improvement in rice · 2026 · DOI

  • Previous studies have focused on specific regions or short-term analysis, limiting the evaluation of bioenergy resource potential. The construction of datasets and analysis for administrative units is limited.

    Bioenergy Resource Mapping of Rice Paddy Fields across the Korean Peninsula Using MODIS Satellite Data and AI-based Crop Models · 2026 · DOI

  • The limitation of previous studies in evaluating bioenergy resource potential due to focus on specific regions or short-term analysis. The need for long-term time series data to evaluate bioenergy resource potential.

    Bioenergy Resource Mapping of Rice Paddy Fields across the Korean Peninsula Using MODIS Satellite Data and AI-based Crop Models · 2026 · DOI

  • The conventional rice-wheat system is associated with yield reduction and soil degradation. There is a need to diversify the conventional rice-wheat system with legumes and vegetables.

    Effect of moisture regimes and crop diversification on system productivity and soil health under North Bihar conditions · 2026 · DOI

  • The comparative advantages of straw-derived biochar over direct straw return are unclear. The effects of straw management on rice stress physiology and nitrogen use efficiency are not well understood.

    Straw-derived biochar was more effective than direct straw return in mitigating soda saline-sodic stress and improving nitrogen use efficiency in rice grown in saline-sodic fields · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies are needed to validate the associations between SSR markers and nutritional traits in larger populations. The development of functional foods using the identified nutritionally superior rice genotypes. Investigation of the potential applications of SSR markers in marker-assisted breeding programs.

    Phytochemical evaluation, mineral assessment and SSR based marker-trait association of temperate rices of Northwestern Himalayas: a case study · 2026 · DOI

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47 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 351 Rice Cultivation and Yield Improvement papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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