Abstract: The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are the main areas for rice production, which is vital for food security in China. The legume Chinese milk vetch (CMV, Astragalus sinicus), which is the main winter cover crop or green manure in paddy fields, is the essence of traditional agriculture and is vital for modern agriculture and the health of the environment. However, the fertilization structure has changed from organic materials to chemicals with the development of industry and agriculture, and this has led to a sharp decrease in the availability of green manure. Old, mixed, and seriously degenerated varieties of CMV and poor cultivation and management of this species are bottlenecks for the re-development and popularization of CMV. It is difficult to cultivate CMV using modern production methods and cultivation techniques that have been developed for rice. Also, the soil environmental conditions are also not suitable for CMV production. In this study, we summarize the breeding and identification of new CMV varieties, screening of compatible rhizobia, cultivation and management techniques, the effects of abiotic stresses on CMV, and the effects of planting CMV on soil ecology, rice growth and development, and the yields and quality of rice grain. Finally, we propose some future prospects for CMV cultivation in China. This paper focuses on the development and promotion of green manure as well as its comprehensive utilization value in the paddy fields of south China.

Key words: Chinese milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus), germplasm resource, rhizobium, cultivation and management, abiotic stresses, soil ecology