Rice Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.5, 260-266 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/rgg 260 Feature Review Open Access The Role and Mechanism of Integrated Rice-fish Farming in Enhancing Rice Quality Yue Zhu, Jinni Wu Aquatic Biology Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: jinni.wu@cuixi.org Rice Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol.16, No.5 doi: 10.5376/rgg.2025.16.0023 Received: 10 Aug., 2025 Accepted: 22 Sep., 2025 Published: 09 Oct., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhu and Wu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhu Y., and Wu J.N., 2025, The role and mechanism of integrated rice-fish farming in enhancing rice quality, Rice Genomics and Genetics, 16(5): 260-266 (doi: 10.5376/rgg.2025.16.0023) Abstract As a typical ecological agricultural model, integrated rice-fish farming has been widely promoted in many major rice-producing areas in China in recent years. This study systematically sorted out the model types, ecological structures and functional characteristics of the rice-fish system, deeply analyzed its multi-faceted effects on the appearance quality, edible quality and nutritional quality of rice, and further explored its scientific principles for improving rice quality through mechanisms such as soil nutrient cycling, microbial community improvement and plant physiological metabolism regulation. At the same time, combined with case empirical studies in typical regions, the mechanism of the influence of water and fertilizer dynamics on the formation of rice quality was revealed. The results show that integrated rice-fish farming not only helps to improve the overall quality of rice, but also provides a new path for the green and efficient development of modern agriculture. This study hopes to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the optimization and promotion of the rice-fish model in the future. Keywords Integrated rice-fish farming; Rice quality; Ecological mechanism; Soil nutrients; Microbial community 1 Introduction Integrated rice-fish farming means growing rice and raising aquatic products in the same rice field. Common combinations include rice-fish, rice-shrimp, rice-crab, rice-duck, etc. This method allows rice and fish (or other aquatic products) to live together and help each other. Fish can help rice get rid of insects and weeds, and rice also provides living space and food for fish. The two promote each other and make better use of the space and resources of paddy fields. This model can increase the number of biological species in the field, the resource utilization rate is also higher, and the ecological benefits are obvious, so many people now recognize this method. For example, fish can eat insects and weeds in the field, so that less pesticides and herbicides can be used; fish excrement can also be used as fertilizer to promote soil nutrient circulation and improve soil fertility (Nayak et al., 2018). At present, this farming method has been promoted in many places, such as the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and some areas in China. In terms of yield and ecological benefits, this method is better than growing rice alone (Ahmed and Garnett, 2011; Wan et al., 2019). The quality of rice is affected by many factors, such as soil conditions, water management methods, and the presence of pests and diseases. In the rice-fish system, the presence of fish can improve these problems. They can promote nutrient circulation and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers, making the soil healthier and the quality of rice better. If you want to know whether the rice is good, several indicators that are often looked at include protein content, chalkiness, gel consistency, and the amount of amylose. Studies have found that rice-fish farming can improve soil nutrients and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases, so these indicators perform better and the quality of rice produced is higher (Nayak et al., 2018; Wan et al., 2019; Yassi et al., 2023). In this system, some organic fertilizers are usually used, and some comprehensive pest and disease control methods are also used. These measures also help farmers grow higher quality rice (Yassi et al., 2023; Pearlin et al., 2024). This study will explore the impact of integrated rice-fish farming on improving rice quality and its mechanism of action. By analyzing the ecological, economic and social dimensions of this model, we will try to fully understand how rice-fish farming can help agricultural sustainable development and food security. The article introduces the
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