scholarly journals Planting Density and Variety Modulated Root and Leaf Characteristics to Improve Grain Yield of Spring Maize

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (01) ◽  
pp. 43-51
Author(s):  
Qinglong Yang

To better understand the accumulation and transport of substances under different planting densities, the adaptation of maize root and leaf in response to increasing planting densities was investigated. In this two-year filed study, three maize varieties, Fumin108 (FM), Xianyu335 (XY) and Dika159 (DK), were sown under three different planting densities: 15,000 (D1), 60,000 (D2) and 90,000 plants ha-1 (D3) during 2018 and 2019. Increase in planting density gradually increased leaf area index along with reduced leaf area and net photosynthetic rate of individual leaves. In the 0–20 cm soil layer, the average root dry matter decreased by 55.88 and 80.92%, and the average root number decreased by 31.18 and 38.71% under D2 and D3, respectively, compared with D1. With increase in planting density, yield and dry matter per plant of maize gradually decreased while yield and dry matter per ha was increased with increase in D1-D2 density and then flattened in D2-D3 density. Compared with D1, two-year average yield per plant was decreased by 34.10 and 51.87% under D2 and D3, respectively. The difference in the number of roots of XY, FM and DK were not significant, so change in variety did not alleviate the decrease in the number of roots. At higher planting densities (above D2), the increase in density did not increase per ha grain yield. In conclusion, the suitable plant density was about 60,000 plants ha-1 to harvest more yield of spring maize while density higher than that reduced leaf area and photosynthesis per plant. Moreover, leaf area, root number and net photosynthesis per plant was higher in lower planting density coupled with overall less yield on ha basis and thus seemed wastage of soil nutrients and light resources. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers

1982 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. U. Remison ◽  
E. O. Lucas

SUMMARYTwo maize cvs, FARZ 23 and FARZ 25, were grown at three densities (37,000, 53,000 and 80,000 plants/ha) in 1979 and 1980. Leaf area index (LAI) increased with increase in plant population and was at a maximum at mid-silk. Grain yield was highest at 53,000 plants/ha. There was no relation between LAI and grain yield but there was a positive correlation between LAI and total dry matter yield.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 232
Author(s):  
Nangial Khan ◽  
Fangfang Xing ◽  
Lu Feng ◽  
Zhanbiao Wang ◽  
Minghua Xin ◽  
...  

The number of cotton plants grown per unit area has recently gained attention due to technology expense, high input, and seed cost. Yield consistency across a series of plant populations is an attractive cost-saving option. Field experiments were conducted to compare biomass accumulation, fiber quality, leaf area index, yield and yield components of cotton planted at various densities (D1, 1.5; D2, 3.3; D3, 5.1; D4, 6.9; D5, 8.7; and D6, 10.5 plants m−2). High planting density (D5) produced 21% and 28% more lint yield as compared to low planting density (D1) during both years, respectively. The highest seed cotton yield (4662 kg/ha) and lint yield (1763 kg/ha) were produced by high plant density (D5) while the further increase in the plant population (D6) decreased the yield. The increase in yield of D5 was due to more biomass accumulation in reproductive organs as compared to other treatments. The highest average (19.2 VA gm m−2 d−1) and maximum (21.8 VM gm m−2 d−1) rates of biomass were accumulated in reproductive structures. High boll load per leaf area and leaf area index were observed in high planting density as compared to low, while high dry matter partitioning was recorded in the lowest planting density as compared to other treatments. Plants with low density had 5% greater fiber length as compared to the highest plant density, while the fiber strength and micronaire value were 10% and 15% greater than the lowest plant density. Conclusively, plant density of 8.7 plants m−2 is a promising option for enhanced yield, biomass, and uniform fiber quality of cotton.


1981 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. O. Lucas

SUMMARYThe growth and development of two new maize hybrids (FARZ 27 and FARZ 23) were studied in density experiments located at two contiguous ecological zones in Nigeria. The range of planting density used was from 2·6 to 6·6 plants/m2. Within this range, the relationship between dry-matter yield and density was asymptotic at final harvest. At the forest location of Jago (7·3 °N, 4·2 °E), both varieties attained optimum grain yield at planting density of 4·4 plants/m2, while at the derived savannah location of Alagunmu (7·8 °N, 4 °E), FARZ 23 attained optimum grain yield at 4·4 plants/m2and FARZ 27 attained its optimum grain yield at 6·6 plants/ma2. This response of the new maize varieties to density treatments indicates that they could be planted at higher densities than are now used in the country.Differences between varieties did not quite reach statistical significance but, at both locations, FARZ 27 produced more dry matter and grain per unit area than FARZ 23. FARZ 27 gave its higher grain yield mainly by producing more seeds per unit area than FARZ 23. Physiological measurements like net assimilation rate, crop growth rate and leaf area index were also higher for FARZ 27, although there were no significant differences between the varieties at most sampling dates. The partition of dry matter was identical in both varieties, although FARZ 27 showed a slightly better balance by partitioning more assimilates to the grain. Also, there was an indication of remobilization of stored assimilates from the stem to the grain in both varieties. Both varieties produced more dry matter and grain at the derived savannah location of Alagunmu than at the forest location of Jago. Physiological measurements were also higher at the derived savannah location.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 2242-2248
Author(s):  
Arvind Kumar ◽  
A. P. Karunakar ◽  
Anil Nath ◽  
Bolta Ram Meena

The field experiment conducted with different plant density and different Genotypes showed significant differences in their morphological characters and phenological characters. Among the genotypes, AKA-7 possessed higher plant height (116.4 cm), No. of sympodia (19.27 plant-1) and leaf area index (3.628) compared to other geno-types but leaf area (33.02 dm-2) and dry matter weight (103.21g/plant) were recorded higher with genotype Balwan. However, Normal plant density (100%) was registered higher plant height (102.6 cm), no of sympodia (17.33 plant-1), leaf area (27.02 dm2) and dry matter weight (58.13 g/plant) but higher leaf area index (3.430) was recorded with higher plant density (200%). Among the genotypes, AKH-081 was comparatively earlier in phenological characters i.e. first square (47.9 days), first flower (67.9 days), first boll burst (116.1 days), first picking (128.7 days) and final picking (178 days). However, Higher planting density (200%) was recorded earlier in first square (49.3 day), first flower (67.8 days), first boll burst (116.9 days), first picking (130.6 day) and final picking (179.7 days). On the basis of this experiment, genotype Balwan and normal planting density level (100%) recorded higher morphological development wherever phenological development recorded earlier with the each respective phenophase in the Gen-otype AKH-081 and highest planting density level (200%).


Author(s):  
Ndzimandze Sibonginkosi ◽  
Mabuza Mzwandile ◽  
Tana Tamado

Maize is staple food and the most cultivated crop in Eswatini. However, its yield is very low partly due to use of non-optimum plant density for different maturity group maize varieties. Thus, an experiment was conducted at Luyengo, Middleveld of Eswatini during the 2018/2019 cropping season. The experiment consisted of factorial combinations of two varieties [SC 403 (early maturing) and PAN 53 (medium maturing)] and three plant densities (44444 plants/ha, 50000 plants/ha, 57143 plants/ha) in randomised complete block design in three replications. Results showed that medium maturing maize variety PAN 53 had higher leaf area, leaf area index, plant height, cob height (139.4 cm), days to 90% anthesis (69 days), dry biomass, thousand kernels mass (374.0 g), grain yield (43.1 t/ha), and stover mass (59.8 t/ha) than the early maturing variety SC 403. With respect to the effect of plant density, as the plant density increased from 44444 to 57143 plants/ha, leaf area, dry biomass at V12 and R5 growth stages, number of cobs per plant, grain yield, stover mass, and thousand kernels mass (g) were decreased while the leaf area index was increased. The interaction effects of variety and plant density were not significant on all the parameters recorded. Thus, it can be concluded that medium maturing variety PAN 53 and plant density of 44444 plants/ha (90 cm ´ 25 cm) are best options to maximum productivity of maize in the study area. However, it is recommended that the experiment be repeated with inclusion of more varieties and densities to reach at more conclusive recommendation.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangzhou Liu ◽  
Yunshan Yang ◽  
Wanmao Liu ◽  
Xiaoxia Guo ◽  
Jun Xue ◽  
...  

Increasing planting density is an important practice associated with increases in maize yield, but densely planted maize can suffer from poor light conditions. In our two-year field experiments, two morphologically different cultivars, ZD958 (less compact) and DH618 (more compact), were planted at 120,000 plants ha−1 and 135,000 plants ha−1, respectively. We established different leaf area index (LAI) treatments by removing leaves three days after silking: (1) control, no leaves removed (D0); (2) the two uppermost leaves removed (D1); (3) the four uppermost leaves removed (D2); (4) the leaves below the third leaf below the ear removed (D3); (5) the leaves of D1 and D3 removed (D4); (6) the leaves of D2 and D3 removed (D5). Optimal leaf removal improved light distribution, increased photosynthetic capacity and the post-silking source-sink ratio, and thus the grain yield, with an average LAI of 5.9 (5.6 and 6.2 for ZD958 and DH618, respectively) for the highest yields in each year. Therefore, less-compact cultivars should have smaller or fewer topmost leaves or leaves below the ear that quickly senesce post-silking, so as to decrease leaf area and thus improve light distribution and photosynthetic capacity in the canopy under dense planting conditions. However, for more compact cultivars, leaves below the ear should senesce quickly after silking to reduce leaf respiration and improve the photosynthetic capacity of the remaining top residual leaves. In future maize cultivation, compact cultivars with optimal post-silking LAI should be adopted when planting densely.


2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1097-1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui SUN ◽  
Ping ZHU ◽  
Zhi-Min WANG ◽  
Yan-Xia CONG ◽  
Ling GOU ◽  
...  

1975 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
KS Fischer ◽  
GL Wilson

Growth analysis was applied to grain sorghum (cv. RS610) grown at low, medium and high population densities, i.e. 14,352, 143,520 and 645,836 plants ha-1 respectively. The medium densities had two arrangements of plants, square (S) and rectangular (R). Crop growth rates, inflorescence growth rates, leaf area indices, net assimilation rates and leaf growth rates were calculated from growth functions of plant dry matter and leaf area over time. Differences in crop growth rate between populations in the early stages were attributed to leaf area development—specifically to the initial leaf area (dependent on seedling number) and not to differences in leaf growth rates. Peak crop growth rates were 15.0, 27.5, 26.0 and 45.8 g m-2 day-1 for the low, medium (S), medium (R) and high populations respectively.The large difference between the growth rates of the medium (S) and the high populations was not explained by differences in the amount of radiation intercepted. Although leaf area indices were 4.6 and 10.2 respectively for the two populations, both canopies intercepted almost all of the noon radiation. Light extinction coefficients were 0.45 and 0.29 respectively. The relationship between net assimilation rate and leaf area index was such that for comparable leaf area indices above 2, plants at higher densities showed greater improvement in yield per unit increment in leaf area index. A maximum grain yield of 14,250 kg ha-1 was obtained at the high population density as a result of higher dry matter production, but a similar harvest index to that of the crops grown at the other densities. Inflorescence growth rate (g m-2 day-l) slightly exceeded crop growth rate in the latter part of grain filling, which indicated that there was some retranslocation to the grain of previously assimilated material. The maximum grain yield represents an efficiency of utilization of short-wave solar radiation during crop life of 2.5 x 10-6g cal-1. *Part IV, Aust. J. Agric. Res., 26: 25 (1975).


2013 ◽  
Vol 404 ◽  
pp. 415-419
Author(s):  
Heng Jia Zhang ◽  
Jun Hui Li

The soil water contents in spring maize field were monitored continuously using soil neutron probe combined with drying-weighing method. Meanwhile, the effect of limited irrigation on crop periodic water consumption and its percentage in total water use, leaf area index, and grain yield of spring maize were explored. The results indicated that both the periodic water consumption and its percentage in total water use varied from low to high then to low within maize growing season, with the maximum valued both at silking to middle grain filling. In addition, leaf area indexes were greatly improved by full irrigation before maize filling, and grain yield was not reduced by efficient limited irrigation management, contrarily, yield increase and 31.1% of significant irrigation water saving were achieved, which was beneficial to the optimization of soil water ecological processing and limited irrigation management.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document