Response and Adaptation of Single-Cropping Rice Growth Periods to Sowing Date, Cultivar Shift and Extreme Temperatures in China from 1981 to 2010

Crop growth period responses to climate change directly affect yield and quality; these changes have been investigated, but few studies have researched the quantitative effects of the sowing date (SD), cultivar shift and extreme temperatures on the vegetative growth period (VGP) and reproductive growth period (RGP) of crops. Based on the observed growth periods and weather data from 30 agro-meteorological stations in Northeast China (NEC), the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR), the Sichuan Basin (SB) and on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau (YGP) during 1981–2010, we found that (1) advancing the SD resulted in the extension of the VGP but had no significant effect on the RGP. (2) Cultivar shift mainly prolonged the RGP, and its mean contribution to the trend in the RGP (68.4%) was greater than that of climate change (31.6%). (3) Increases in growing degree days (GDD) tended to lengthen the VGP and RGP, and their mean relative contribution to the VGP (65.9%) was higher than that of the RGP (58.4%). (4) Increases in killing degree days (KDD) and decreases in cold degree days (CDD) tended to shorten the VGP and RGP, and the mean relative contribution of KDD to the VGP (− 18.8%) was lower than that of the RGP (− 29.8%), while the mean relative contribution of CDD to the VGP (− 15.2%) was higher than that of the RGP (− 10.9%). The findings highlight the adverse effects of KDD and CDD on the growth periods of single-cropping rice and show how a reasonable SD scientifically matched with suitable cultivar types can make full use of climate resources and mitigate the adverse effects of extreme temperatures.