Progress in improving early-season rice quality in Hunan Province of China

With rising economic prosperity and improved living standards, consumer demand for high-quality rice has increased significantly in China, making quality improvement a central objective in rice breeding programs. This study aimed to evaluate the progress in improving early-season rice quality in Hunan Province, the largest producer of early-season rice in China. Trends in quality traits of early-season rice varieties released over time (1987–2024) were analyzed using data from the China Rice Data Center. Results showed significant temporal trends for head rice rate, brown rice rate, rice length, and amylose content. Specifically, head rice rate increased by 2.43% per decade, while brown rice rate, rice length, and amylose content decreased by 0.53%, 0.17 mm, and 1.38% per decade, respectively. No significant trends were observed for milled rice rate, rice length-to-width ratio, chalky grain rate, chalkiness degree, or gel consistency. This study indicates that, although some progress has been made—particularly in improving head rice rate—the overall improvement in early-season rice quality in Hunan Province remains limited. It also discusses the factors contributing to this limited progress, offering insights that may inform future efforts to improve the quality of early-season rice.