The Optimal Cultivar × Sowing Date × Plant Density for Grain Yield and Resource Use Efficiency of Summer Maize in the Northern Huang–Huai–Hai Plain of China

In order to explore the optimal cultivar × sowing date × plant density for summer maize (Zea mays L.) in the Northern Huang–Huai–Hai (HHH) Plain of China, field experiments were conducted over two consecutive years (2018–2019) on a loam soil in the Northern HHH Plain. A split–split plot design was employed in this study, and the main plots included three cultivars (HM1: early-maturing cultivar; ZD958: medium-maturing cultivar; DH605: late-maturing cultivar); subplots consisted of three sowing dates (SD1: June 10; SD2: June 17; SD3: June 24); sub-sub plots include two plant densities (PD1: 6.75 × 104 plants ha−1; PD2: 8.25 × 104 plants ha−1). The results showed that the effects of cultivar and plant density on grain yield of summer maize were not significant, and the sowing date was the major factor affecting the grain yield. Delayed sowing significantly decreased the grain yield of summer maize, this was due mainly to the reduced kernel weight, which is associated with the lower post-anthesis dry matter accumulation. Moreover, radiation use efficiency (RUE), temperature use efficiency (TUE), and water use efficiency (WUE) were significantly affected by cultivar, sowing date, and plant density. Selecting early- and medium-maturing cultivars was beneficial to the improvements in RUE and TUE, and plants grown at earlier sowing with higher plant density increased the RUE and TUE. The interactive analysis of cultivar × sowing date × plant density showed that the optimum grain yields of all tested cultivars were observed at SD1-PD2, and the optimum RUE and TUE for HM1, ZD958, and DH605 were observed at SD1-PD2, SD2-PD2, and SD2-PD2, respectively. The differences in the optimum grain yield, RUE, and TUE among the tested cultivars were not significant. These results suggested that plants grown at earlier sowing with reasonable dense planting had benefits of grain yield and resource use efficiency. In order to adapt to mechanized grain harvesting, early-maturing cultivar with lower grain moisture at harvest would be the better choice. Therefore, adopting early-maturing cultivars grown with earlier sowing with reasonably higher plant density would be the optimal planting pattern for summer maize production in the Northern HHH Plain of China in future.

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Corrigendum to ‘Intercropping combined with nitrogen input promotes proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) growth and resource use efficiency to increase grain yield on the Loess plateau of China’ [Agric. Water Manage. 243, 106434]

Agricultural Water Management ◽

10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106633 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 245 ◽

pp. 106633

Author(s):

Xiangwei Gong ◽

Ke Dang ◽

Long Liu ◽

Guan Zhao ◽

Siming Lv ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Resource Use ◽

Panicum Miliaceum ◽

The Loess Plateau ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

Nitrogen Input ◽

Proso Millet ◽

Use Efficiency

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Optimum Planting Density Improves Resource Use Efficiency and Yield Stability of Rainfed Maize in Semiarid Climate

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.752606 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Yuanhong Zhang ◽

Zonggui Xu ◽

Jun Li ◽

Rui Wang

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Resource Use ◽

Photosynthetic Capacity ◽

Canopy Structure ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Yield Stability ◽

Planting Density ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

Semiarid Environments ◽

Use Efficiency

Increasing planting density is an effective strategy for improving maize productivity, but grain yield does not increase linearly with the increase in plant density, especially in semiarid environments. However, how planting density regulates the integrated utilization of key input resources (i.e., radiation, water, and nutrients) to affect maize production is not clear. To evaluate the effects of planting density and cultivar on maize canopy structure, photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and resource use efficiency, we conducted a successive field experiment from 2013 to 2018 in Heyang County (Shaanxi Province, China) using three different cultivars [i.e., Yuyu22 (C1), Zhengdan958 (C2), and Xianyu335 (C3)] at four planting densities [i.e., 52,500 (D1), 67,500 (D2), 82,500 (D3), and 97,500 (D4) plants ha–1]. Increasing planting density significantly increased the leaf area index (LAI) and the amount of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), thereby promoting plant growth and crop productivity. However, increased planting density reduced plant photosynthetic capacity [net photosynthetic rate (Pn)], stomatal conductance (Gc), and leaf chlorophyll content. These alterations constitute key mechanisms underlying the decline in crop productivity and yield stability at high planting density. Although improved planting density increased IPAR, it did not promote higher resource use efficiency. Compared with the D1 treatment, the grain yield, precipitation use efficiency (PUE), radiation use efficiency (RUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) increased by 5.6–12.5%, 2.8–7.1%, and −2.1 to 1.6% in D2, D3, and D4 treatments, respectively. These showed that pursuing too high planting density is not a desirable strategy in the rainfed farming system of semiarid environments. In addition, density-tolerant cultivars (C2 and C3) showed better canopy structure and photosynthetic capacity and recorded higher yield stability and resource use efficiency. Together, these results suggest that growing density-tolerant cultivars at moderate planting density could serve as a promising approach for stabilizing grain yield and realizing the sustainable development of agriculture in semiarid regions.

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Symbiotic N2 Fixation and Grain Yield of Endangered Kersting's Groundnut Landraces in Response to Soil and Plant Associated Bradyrhizobium Inoculation to Promote Ecological Resource-Use Efficiency

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2018.02105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mustapha Mohammed ◽

Sanjay K. Jaiswal ◽

Elias N.K. Sowley ◽

Benjamin D. K. Ahiabor ◽

Felix D. Dakora

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Resource Use ◽

N2 Fixation ◽

Symbiotic N2 Fixation ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Bradyrhizobium Inoculation ◽

Kersting’S Groundnut

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Grain Yield Determination and Resource Use Efficiency in Maize Hybrids Released in Different Decades

Agricultural Chemistry ◽

10.5772/55287 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laura Echarte ◽

Lujan Nagore ◽

Javier Di ◽

Matias Cambareri ◽

Mariana Robles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Resource Use ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

Maize Hybrids ◽

Yield Determination ◽

Use Efficiency

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Agronomic Practices to Enhance Nutrient Acquisition, Grain Quality, Resource-Use Efficiency in Direct- Seeded Aerobic Rice in Eastern India

Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology ◽

10.9734/cjast/2020/v39i3331025 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 102-111

Author(s):

Arjun Singh ◽

Anchal Dass ◽

Shiva Dhar ◽

C. V. Singh ◽

S. Sudhishri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Resource Use ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Grain Quality ◽

Irrigation Scheduling ◽

Energy Output ◽

Aerobic Rice ◽

Eastern India ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

Use Efficiency

Aim: Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is mainly grown in the rainy season in eastern India on rainfed uplands with a low average productivity of 1.0-1.4 t ha-1. Erratic rainfall leading to moisture stress and poor cultivation practices are the key reasons for low yields and rice grain quality in the area. Hence, the current study was designed to investigate the effects of irrigation scheduling, soil adjuvant and sowing methods on yield, grain quality and resource-use efficiency in aerobic rice. Methodology: The experiment was conducted in a three-time replicated split-plot design during rainy-season of 2016 on a sandy loam soil in Eastern India. Treatments included 8 combinations of 4-irrigation schedules, viz., irrigation at IW/CPE 0.9, 1.2, 1.5 and no-irrigation (rainfed) and 2-soil adjutants (soil adjuvant applied and no-soil adjuvant) assigned to main-plots, and 2-planting methods (conventional dry seeding at 20 cm row spacing and spot-sowing (dibbling of 4-seeds hill-1 at 20×15 cm interval) assigned to sub-plots. Results: Irrigation at IW/CPE 1.5 increased grain yield by 37.3% over rainfed crop, 23% over crop irrigated at IW/CPE 0.9 and 13.5% over IW/CPE 1.2. Grain quality parameters were also best, in crop watered at IW/CPE 1.5. Net return, B: C ratio, net energy output, production efficiency (PE) and monetary efficiency (ME) were significantly greater with irrigation at IW/CPE 1.5 compared to other irrigation schedules. Spot-sowing proved superior to conventional drilling of seeds exhibiting about 7% improvement in grain yield and water-use efficiency (WUE). Effect of soil adjuvant application was not significant. Interpretation: This study emphatically demonstrated that aerobic rice should be spot-sown and irrigated at IW/CPE 1.5, for obtaining higher yield with better grain quality. The findings are useful for aerobic rice production in eastern India and adjoining sub-humid regions.

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Approaches to achieve high grain yield and high resource use efficiency in rice

Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering ◽

10.15302/j-fase-2015055 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 115 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Jianchang YANG

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Resource Use ◽

Resource Use Efficiency ◽

High Resource ◽

Use Efficiency

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GENOTIPSKI ODGOVOR NS HIBRIDA KUKURUZA NA POVEĆANU GUSTINU USEVA

Zbornik radova ◽

10.46793/sbt26.011dj ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ivica Djalovic ◽

◽

Vuk Radojevic ◽

Vojislav Mihailovic ◽

Sanja Vasiljevic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Plant Growth ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Plant Density ◽

Unit Area ◽

Growth Parameters ◽

Higher Plant ◽

Maize Hybrids ◽

Plant Densities ◽

Use Efficiency

Maize density is an important factor in cultivation which has significant effect on growth parameters. Newer hybrids have greater grain yield at higher plant densities than older hybrids. Differences in grain yield between older and newer maize hybrids were shown to be a function of plant population density. Optimum plant density for maximum grain yield per unit area may differ from hybrid to hybrid on account of significant interactions between hybrids and densities. Modern hybrids have shown tendencies to withstand higher levels of stress (i.e.- low N, high plant densities), which allow them to better sustain suitable photosynthetic rates, appropriate assimilate supplies, and maintain plant growth rates attributable to enhanced mineral nutrition and water use efficiency.

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