Abstract: After harvest of late rice, most farmlands in the Yangtze River basin are often fallow through winter due to tight rotation and heavy clay soil. For evaluating the possibility in application of the no-tillage and direct-seeding model for rapeseed production in the double cropping rice area, the split-plot experiments were carried out in the three locations in double cropping rice area of Hubei. Several parameters related to growth in terms of plant individual and population, grain yield and its components were measured under the three nitrogen levels and at four planting densities. The results showed that: (1) the no-tillage and direct-seeding decreased  growth duration, especially the seedling stage, and biomass accumulation from emergence to the early budding stage, while increased growth at the late budding stage in spring; (2) nitrogen rate and planting density had significant effects on growth and yield of rapeseed by improving the individual and population qualities; (3) the yields of rapeseed achieved 2 250 kg ha^–1 at the planting densities of 45×10⁴–60×10⁴ plants hm^–2 under the nitrogen level of 270 kg ha^–1, which exceeded the average yield in Hubei. The results suggested the no-tillage and direct seeding model for rape planting could be applied in double cropping rice area of Hubei, and the optimization in nitrogen rate and planting density could result in high yield of rapeseed.

Key words: Rapeseed, Double cropping rice area, No-tillage directly seed, Yield