Abstract: The date tests of late rice varieties Xieyou 9308 and Shaonuo 119 were conducted to determine the influence of sunlight and temperature conditions on heading period and setting percentage of late rice.The results showed that the both of varieties were with a strong light sensitivity.The number of days from sowing stage to heading stage could be determined by the sunlight hours and accumulated temperature during growing period.The temperature was the main meteorological factor that affected setting percentage.The high setting percentage needed a moderate temperature from booting stage to heading stage.The decreased setting percentage of late rice in the middle of Zhejiang Province was due to low temperature during booting and flowering stages integrating the analysis of field investigation data from 1995 to 2004.The selection of sowing date of late rice in practice should consider the available sunlight hours and temperature condition during booting and heading stages.The variety Xieyou 9308 was easy to be injured by low temperature than conventional varieties and not suitable to be sowed as late rice.

Key words: Late rice, Late rice, Sunlight, Temperature, Heading stage, Setting percentage