Analysis of the effects of light and panicle fertilizer on rice eating quality based on morphological structural changes in starch and protein during cooking.

Light and panicle fertilizer are crucial environmental factors that influence rice eating quality. Currently, there is a lack of systematic research on how light and panicle fertilizer alter the morphological structures of starch and protein during cooking, subsequently affecting rice taste. To address this gap, field experiments were conducted under varying conditions of light (100 % light, L1; 50 % light, L2) and panicle fertilizer (no panicle fertilizer, N1; 81 kg/ha of panicle fertilizer, N2), followed by cooking after harvest. The results showed that, compared to L1N1, the water migration (low T2), starch and protein structural disruption (slow decline in 1047/1022 cm-1) were limited in L1N2, L2N1, and L2N2 during the cooking, making rice hard to cook. Eventually, compared to L1N1, L1N2, L2N1 and L2N2 exhibited lower peak viscosity but higher strength gel networks (higher G' and G''), leading to a decline in rice eating quality. In summary, reduced light intensity and applied panicle fertilizer restricted the disruption of starch and protein structures during rice cooking, which hindered rice cooking processes, ultimately leading to a decrease in rice eating quality. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the combination of reduced light and applied panicle fertilizer further exacerbated the decline in rice eating quality.