Maize/peanut intercropping increases photosynthetic characteristics, 13C-photosynthate distribution, and grain yield of summer maize

Liu, T.-N., Gu, L.-M., Xu, C.-L. and Dong, S.-T. 2014. Responses of group and individual leaf photosynthetic characteristics of two summer maize (Zea mays L.) to leaf removal under high plant density. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 1449–1459. The present experiment was conducted during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013 using two summer maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars, Zhengdan958 (a compact cultivar) and Jinhai5 (a semi-compact cultivar) grown at a plant density of 105 000 plants ha−1, to evaluate the influence of leaf removal on canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), individual leaf photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield. Plants were subjected to the removal of two (S1), four (S2) or six leaves (S3) from the top of the plant 3 d after anthesis (DAA), with no leaf removal as control (S0). The results of 2 yr indicated that with increased intensity of leaf removal, the transmission of light to lower strata of the canopy increased. With the removal of two leaves (S1), CAP increased and longer durations of CAP and green leaf are index were maintained during grain filling, whereas CAP in S2 and S3 treatments was inhibited and drastically declined. Generally, leaf removal appeared to stimulate an increase in the net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs) and chlorophyll content of the remaining ear leaves in S2 and S3 treatments prior to 26 DAA. Nevertheless, thereafter, plants in the S1 treatment had an advantage in terms of individual photosynthetic capacity. These results indicate that excising two leaves made plants more tolerant of high plant density due to enhanced photosynthetic capacity in ear leaves as well as a more efficient canopy structure, resulting in a better coordination of groups and individuals, and finally achieved significantly higher grain yield. In addition, relative to Zhengdan958, the effects of leaf removal on Jinhai5 were more apparent.

Download Full-text

Effect of Shading at Post Flowering on Photosynthetic Characteristics of Flag Leaf and Response of Grain Yield and Quality to Shading in Wheat

ACTA AGRONOMICA SINICA ◽

10.3724/sp.j.1006.2010.00673 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 673-679 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Cui-Hua GUO ◽

Zhi-Qiang GAO ◽

Guo-Yuan MIAO

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Flag Leaf ◽

Photosynthetic Characteristics ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Grain Yield And Quality

Download Full-text

Organic Amendments Influence Soil Water Depletion, Root Distribution, and Water Productivity of Summer Maize in the Guanzhong Plain of Northwest China

Water ◽

10.3390/w10111640 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1640 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Li-Li Zhao ◽

Lu-Sheng Li ◽

Huan-Jie Cai ◽

Xiao-Hu Shi ◽

Chao Zhang

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Root Distribution ◽

Water Productivity ◽

Farmyard Manure ◽

Organic Amendments ◽

Mineral Fertilizer ◽

Northwest China ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Root Weight ◽

Summer Maize

Organic amendments improve general soil conditions and stabilize crop production, but their effects on the soil hydrothermal regime, root distribution, and their contributions to water productivity (WP) of maize have not been fully studied. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of organic amendments on soil temperature, water storage depletion (SWSD), root distribution, grain yield, and the WP of summer maize (Zea mays L.) in the Guanzhong Plain of Northwest China. The control treatment (CO) applied mineral fertilizer without amendments, and the three amended treatments applied mineral fertilizer with 20 Mg ha−1 of wheat straw (MWS), farmyard manure (MFM), and bioorganic fertilizer (MBF), respectively. Organic amendments decreased SWSD compared to CO, and the lowest value was obtained in MBF, followed by MWS and MFM. Meanwhile, the lowest mean topsoil (0–10 cm) temperature was registered in MWS. Compared to CO, organic amendments generally improved the root length density (RLD) and root weight density (RWD) of maize. MBF showed the highest RLD across the whole soil profile, while MWS yielded the greatest RWD to 20 cm soil depth. Consequently, organic amendments increased grain yield by 9.9–40.3% and WP by 8.6–47.1% compared to CO, and the best performance was attained in MWS and MBF. We suggest that MWS and MBF can benefit the maize agriculture in semi-arid regions for higher yield, and WP through regulating soil hydrothermal conditions and improving root growth.

Download Full-text

Ridge and furrow planting pattern optimizes canopy structure of summer maize and obtains higher grain yield

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2018.02.012 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 219 ◽

pp. 242-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Tiening Liu ◽

Junzhi Chen ◽

Ziyu Wang ◽

Xiaorong Wu ◽

Xiaochun Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Canopy Structure ◽

Summer Maize ◽

Planting Pattern

Download Full-text

Photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in response to fertilizer, precipitation, and soil water storage before sowing under the ridge and furrow system: A path analysis

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology ◽

10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.03.015 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 272-273 ◽

pp. 12-19 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Zhaoyun Dong ◽

Xudong Zhang ◽

Juan Li ◽

Chun Zhang ◽

Ting Wei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Triticum Aestivum ◽

Winter Wheat ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Path Analysis ◽

Soil Water ◽

Water Storage ◽

Triticum Aestivum L ◽

Photosynthetic Characteristics ◽

Soil Water Storage ◽

System A

Download Full-text

Optimal Nitrogen Application Rates of One-Time Root Zone Fertilization and the Effect of Reducing Nitrogen Application on Summer Maize

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11102979 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2979 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chaoqiang Jiang ◽

Xuexiang Ren ◽

Huoyan Wang ◽

Dianjun Lu ◽

Chaolong Zu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Root Zone ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Anhui Province ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Nitrogen Application ◽

Summer Maize ◽

N Application ◽

Application Methods

Improvement in fertilization methods, including the optimal matching of nutrient supply and root nutrient absorption by applying nitrogen (N) in the root zone of crop, is necessary to improve N use efficiency (NUE), maintain high stable yield cultivation of maize, and contribute toward future environmental protection. The current practice of split surface broadcasting (SSB) of N is labor-intensive and the surface broadcasting causes a large amount of N to leach into the environment, yet it does not substantially increase maize yield. Root zone fertilization (RZF) has been identified as an efficient way to solve such problems. However, information on the appropriate amount of N fertilizer under RZF for summer maize remains limited. Therefore, in this study, a two-year consecutive field experiment was conducted during 2015–2016 in Anhui province, China, to investigate the effect of N rate and application method on grain yield, nutrient uptake, and NUE of summer maize. The method chosen is not only important to increase grain yield but also critical for reducing N rate and potential loss in the maize cropping system. The experiment comprised six N rates (90, 135, 180, 225, 270, and 360 kg N hm−2) and two N application methods in both 2015 and 2016. The two N application methods included SSB and one-time RZF. Results showed that grain yield of summer maize increased first and then decreased with the increase of N rate; however, when the N rate increased to 270 kg hm−2, the grain yield increased slowly or even decreased. Compared with SSB, RZF increased grain yield by 4%, and the effect of N on grain yield was mainly related to the number of kernels per ear and 1000-seed weight. One-time RZF increased N apparent recovery efficiency by 18% (7.2 percentage points) compared with SSB and also improved the N agronomic efficiency, N physiological efficiency, and N partial factor productivity. In the comprehensive consideration of yield target, NUE, and soil N balance, the optimal N rate for summer maize in the vertisol soil of Anhui province was 180–225 kg hm−2 for one-time RZF, which reduced N fertilizer by 14% compared with the SSB. Overall, one-time RZF has great potential for green and sustainable agriculture, and thus fertilization machines are worthy of development and application in maize cropping systems.

Download Full-text

Simulated Assessment of Summer Maize Drought Loss Sensitivity in Huaibei Plain, China

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9020078 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 78 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Yanqi Wei ◽

Juliang Jin ◽

Shangming Jiang ◽

Shaowei Ning ◽

Yi Cui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drought Stress ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Yield Loss ◽

Agricultural Drought ◽

Summer Maize ◽

Jointing Stage ◽

Two Stages ◽

Yield Formation

In an agricultural drought risk system, crop drought loss sensitivity evaluation is a fundamental link for quantitative agricultural drought loss risk assessment. Summer maize growth processes under various drought patterns were simulated using the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES-maize, which was calibrated and validated based on pit experiments conducted in the Huaibei Plain during 2016 and 2017 seasons. Then S-shaped maize drought loss sensitivity curve was built for fitting the relationship between drought hazard index intensity at a given stage and the corresponding dry matter accumulation and grain yield loss rate, respectively. Drought stress reduced summer maize evapotranspiration, dry matter, and yield accumulation, and the reductions increased with the drought intensity at each stage. Moreover, the losses caused by drought at different stages were significantly different. When maize plants were exposed to a severe water deficit at the jointing stage, the dry matter and grain yield formation were greatly affected. Therefore, maize growth was more sensitive to drought stress at the jointing stage when the stress was serious. Furthermore, when plants encountered a relatively slight drought during the seedling or jointing stage, which represented as a lower soil water deficit intensity, the grain yield loss rates approached the maximum for the sensitivity curves of these two stages. Therefore, summer maize tolerance to water deficit at the seedling and jointing stages were weak, and yield formation was more sensitive to water deficit during these two stages when the deficit was relatively slight.

Download Full-text