【Objective】 The taste of cooked rice is the most critical factor determining grain quality, which is influenced not only by the genetic background of variety but also by environmental factors such as fertilizer application rate and growing season. Systematically investigating the relationship between rice taste and other quality traits—including appearance, processing, cooking, and nutritional properties—under different nitrogen application levels and planting seasons can provide an important scientific reference for breeding new rice varieties with good taste under various production conditions. 【Method】 In 2021, 17 types of rice varieties (lines) from South China were used as test materials. Four nitrogen application treatments were applied: 0 kg/hm² (N0), 90 kg/hm² (N1), 135 kg/hm² (N2), and 180 kg/hm² (N3), in a field in both early and late seasons in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. Three-way ANOVA, stepwise multiple regression analysis, and path analysis were used to explore the relationship between rice taste and other major quality traits related to appearance, processing, cooking, and nutrition. 【Result】 The results showed that: (1) Chalky grain rate (CGR), chalkiness degree (CD), gel consistency (GC), and protein content (PC) were simultaneously influenced by seven factors: season, nitrogen application rate, variety, the interaction between growing season and nitrogen level, the interaction between season and variety, and the three-way interaction among growing season, nitrogen level and variety. These are the most unstable traits. In contrast, alkali spreading value (ASV) was significantly influenced only by growing season and variety, making it the most stable trait. The other six traits—brown rice rate (BRR), milled rice rate (MRR), length-to-width ratio (LWR), transparency (TR), and amylose content (AC)—exhibited moderate instability. (2) A total of 11 quality traits significantly affecting the taste value (TV) of cooked rice were identified across different nitrogen treatments in both early and late seasons. Among them, AC and PC were consistently detected in both seasons and in the comprehensive combined analysis, both exerting negative effects on TV. MRR, CGR, CD, TR and GC were repeatedly detected in the late season and in the combined analysis. BRR, head rice recovery (HRR), and ASV were only detected under the N0 treatment in the late season and in the combined analysis, respectively, while LWR was only identified in the combined analysis. (3) Among the 11 traits significantly influencing TV, only GC and LWR showed positive direct path coefficients and overall effects, indicating a positive regulatory role on TV. Although ASV and BRR exhibited positive direct path coefficients toward TV, their overall effects were negative, implying a net negative regulatory role. The other seven traits all functioned as negative regulators of TV. 【Conclusion】 Based on the magnitude and direction of the effects of these quality traits on TV, the target profile for developing new high-taste indica rice varieties should include: LWR ≥ 3.5, HRR ≥ 58%, TR = Grade 1, CGR ≤ 10%, CD ≤ 1%, AC = 13%-17%, ASV ≥ Grade 6.0, GC ≥ 60 mm, and PC of polished rice ≤ 6.4%
