Varietal traits for achieving high yield, superior quality, and strong lodging resistance in both inbred and hybrid rice in Central China

Hybrid rice generally showed higher grain yield than inbred rice, but its overall performance is largely affected by lodging and lower grain quality. Limited attention has been given to exploring genotypic variation and varietal traits for achieving high yield, superior quality, and strong lodging resistance simultaneously in both inbred and hybrid rice. To address this gap, field experiments with five representative rice varieties from each rice type were conducted in Central China in 2020 and 2021. The results showed that the average yield of hybrid rice in 2020 and 2021 was 8.01 and 8.63 t ha^–1, respectively, representing significant increases of 10.3 and 13.4% compared to inbred rice. Importantly, hybrid rice showed comparable grain quality and lodging resistance to inbred rice. Substantial genotypic variation was observed among the varieties for yield, grain quality, and lodging-related traits. Efengsimiao (inbred) and Jinliangyou 534 (hybrid) showed the most balanced and superior agronomic performance within each variety type. Key traits associated with the integration of high yield, superior quality, and strong lodging resistance included high spikelets per unit area, low grain length–width ratio, and short basal internode. These findings highlighted the potential to select and breed rice varieties that optimize multiple desirable traits, offering a promising strategy to meet growing food demands in both quantity and quality.