Abstract
Floating rice cultivation, as an innovative form of aquatic agriculture, has demonstrated significant potential in recent years for mitigating flood-related disasters, utilizing marginal water resources, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural transformation. This paper systematically summarizes the research progress in this field, tracing the technological evolution, ecological adaptation mechanisms, and future development directions. It first examines trends in optimizing floating platform materials and structures, the genetic improvement of suitable rice varieties, and the diversification of cultivation management systems. It then focuses on the ecological coupling characteristics of floating systems, discussing their environmental interactions and potential ecological risks from perspectives such as aquatic ecological adaptation, water quality dynamics, and climate resilience. Furthermore, the paper assesses the integration of digital agriculture and intelligent control technologies within the system, including environmental sensing, big data-driven cultivation models, automated management, and decision support. A comparative analysis of representative global case studies reveals regional differences and trends in technological adaptability, diffusion pathways, and potential for international cooperation. Finally, the paper highlights urgent scientific challenges and key areas for future research, including elucidating the three-dimensional coupling mechanisms among platforms, crops, and water bodies; advancing the integration of intelligent systems; achieving precise ecological niche matching in variety selection; and conducting multi-scale assessments of socioeconomic impacts. This paper aims to construct a systematic theoretical framework and technological roadmap for floating rice cultivation, providing both theoretical support and practical guidance for building resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.
