Evaluation and Selection of Rice Cultivars for Dual-Purpose Grain and Forage Production System

Ratoon rice is the production of a second rice crop from the stubble left behind after the main crop has been harvested. To identify suitable ratoon rice cultivars for a dual-purpose grain and forage production system, 25 widely cultivated rice cultivars in southwestern China were systematically evaluated based on ratooning ability, forage productivity, ratoon rice yield, and Cd accumulation characteristics. Significant variations were observed among the tested cultivars, indicating substantial differences in their suitability for this production system. Principal component analysis identified three cultivars, CKY637, CKYSM, and FY498, as promising candidates because of their favorable combination of ratooning ability (1.33–1.61), silage rice yield (8.85–11.27 t ha−1), ratoon rice yield (7.83–9.65 t ha−1), and low grain Cd accumulation (0.0430–0.0457 mg kg−1). Among them, CKY637 achieved the highest comprehensive evaluation score, whereas CKYSM exhibited particularly stable performance in maintaining low Cd accumulation, and FY498 was well balanced between yield and quality. These results suggest that cultivar suitability for the dual-purpose system depends on the coordinated performance of multiple traits, particularly strong ratooning ability, high forage and ratoon rice productivity, short total growth duration, and low Cd accumulation in ratoon rice grains. Overall, CKY637, CKYSM, and FY498 represent candidate cultivar resources for the first-season forage + second-season ratoon rice system and provide practical materials for its application in subtropical rice-growing regions.