To elucidate the common traits underlying the coordinated achievement of high yield and superior grain quality in super three-line indica hybrid rice, this study compiled data from 85 super three-line indica hybrid rice cultivars released in China between 2005 and 2025. Based on yield and amylose content as key indicators, cluster analysis classified these cultivars into six distinct groups: hard-texture low-yield, medium-hard-texture low-yield, hard-texture medium-yield, medium-hard-texture medium-yield, medium-hard-texture high-yield, and soft-texture high-yield. Systematic comparisons were conducted on growth characteristics, yield components, and grain quality traits across the six groups to identify the common characteristics of soft-texture high-yielding cultivars, thereby providing a theoretical basis for breeding and cultivation practices. The results demonstrated that the soft-texture high-yield and medium-hard-texture high-yield groups achieved significantly higher yields, exceeding those of the medium-yield groups by 12.89%-16.16% and the low-yield groups by 32.50%-35.93%. The soft-texture high-yield group exhibited the lowest amylose content, which was significantly reduced by 13.78%-21.29% compared with other groups, while no significant differences in amylose content were observed among the remaining groups. Regarding yield components, the soft-texture high-yield group had the lowest number of productive panicles, which was not significantly different from that of the medium-hard-texture high-yield group but was significantly lower than that of the low-yield groups by 17.69%-20.17%. This group also recorded the highest spikelet number per panicle, showing no significant difference from the medium-hard-texture high-yield group but increasing significantly by 12.65%-39.42% relative to the other groups. The total number of spikelets was highest in the soft-texture high-yield group, representing significant increases of 8.56% and 13.39% over the medium-hard-texture medium-yield and medium-hard-texture low-yield groups, respectively. The 1000-grain weight was highest in this group, with no significant differences observed among medium-and high-yield groups but showing significant increases of 9.21%-11.52% compared with the low-yield groups. No significant differences in grain filling percentage were detected among the six groups. In terms of milling quality, the brown rice rate of the soft-texture high-yield group did not differ significantly from that of the other groups. Its milled rice rate was only significantly higher (by 3.11%) than that of the hard-texture medium-yield group, whereas its head rice rate was significantly elevated by 4.70%-20.38% relative to all other groups. Regarding cooking and appearance qualities, no significant differences were found in protein content, alkali spreading value, or gel consistency among the groups. Although the soft-texture high-yield group tended to exhibit a reduced length-to-width ratio and chalky grain rate, these differences were not statistically significant. However, its chalkiness degree was significantly decreased by 32.96%-42.29% compared with all other groups except the medium-hard-texture high-yield group. Principal component analysis revealed that spikelet number per panicle, total spikelet number, productive panicle number, and 1 000-grain weight were the primary determinants of yield, whereas gel consistency, amylose content, brown rice rate, milled rice rate, length-to-width ratio, alkali spreading value, and chalkiness degree were the main contributors to grain quality. Correlation analysis indicated that in the soft-texture high-yield group, grain yield was significantly positively correlated with growth duration, plant height, panicle length, spikelet number per panicle, total spikelet number, 1 000-grain weight, head rice rate, alkali spreading value, and gel consistency. Conversely, yield was significantly negatively correlated with amylose content, chalkiness degree, and chalky grain rate. In conclusion, compared with other cultivar types, soft-texture high-yielding super three-line indica hybrid rice achieve high yields primarily through significant increases in 1 000-grain weight and spikelet number per panicle, leading to a marked rise in total spikelet number, while maintaining a relatively high grain filling percentage. Concurrently, these cultivars demonstrate synergistic improvements in milling quality (high head rice rate) and appearance quality (low chalkiness degree and a trend toward rounder grains), coupled with a “soft-texture” cooking and eating profile. These advantages are associated with a moderately extended growth duration and increased plant height. Therefore, the promotion of soft-texture high-yielding super three-line indica hybrid rice cultivars facilitates the efficient utilization of temperature and light resources, improves eating quality, and ultimately achieves the coordinated enhancement of both grain quality and yield.
