Optimum Sowing Dates for High-Yield Maize when Grown as Sole Crop in the North China Plain

The maize sole cropping system solves problems related to ground water resource shortages and guarantees food security in the North China Plain. Using optimal sowing dates is an effective management practice for increasing maize yield. The goal of this study was to explore an optimum sowing date for high-yield maize. Six sowing dates (SDs) from early April to late June with intervals of 10 to 20 days between SD—SD1 (early April), SD2 (mid to late April), SD3 (early May), SD4 (mid to late May), SD5 (early June), SD6 (late June)—were applied from 2012 to 2017. The results showed that yield was correlated with the sowing date based on the thermal time before sowing (r = 0.62**), which was defined as the pre-thermal time (PTt), and that the yield was steadily maintained at a high level (>10,500 kg ha−1) when PTt was greater than 479 °C. To satisfy the growing degree-days required for maturity, maize needs to be sown before a PTt of 750 °C. Data analysis of the results from 2014, 2015, and 2017 revealed the following: i) Most of the grain-filling parameters of late-sown dates (SD4, SD5 and SD6) were better than those in early-sown dates (SD1, SD2, and SD3) in all years, because of the high daily maximum temperature (Tmax) and wide diurnal temperature (Td) from silking to blister (R1–R2) of early-sown dates. The weight of maximum grain-filling rate (Wmax) of SD3 decreased compare with SD4 by the narrow Td from blister to physiological maturity (R2–R6) in all years (−5, −12, and −33 mg kernel−1 in 2014, 2015, and 2017, respectively). ii) In 2017, the pollination failure rates of early-sown dates were 8.4~14.5%, which was caused by the high Tmax and Td of R1–R2. The apical kernel abortion rates were 28.6 (SD2) and 38.7% (SD3), which were affected by Tmax and Td during R2–R6. iii) Compared with late-sown dates, the wide Td of early-sown dates in R1–R2 was caused by higher Tmax, but the narrow Td in R2-R6 was caused by higher Tmin. Our results indicate that high-yielding maize can be obtained by postponing the sowing date with a PTt of 480~750 °C, which can prevent the negative effects of the high Tmax of R1–R2 and high Tmin of R2–R6 on kernel number and weight formation. Moreover, these above-mentioned traits should be considered for heat tolerance breeding to further increase the maize yield.

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Open Field Simulating Nocturnal Warming on Summer Maize Performance in the North China Plain

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11050992 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 992

Author(s):

Junfang Niu ◽

Junxia Feng ◽

Xiying Zhang ◽

Suying Chen ◽

Liwei Shao

Keyword(s):

Open Field ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Carbon Allocation ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Grain Filling ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Negative Effects ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain

Climate changes show asymmetrical warming, and warming is typically greater at night than during the day. To understand how nocturnal warming (NW) affects the performance of maize (Zea mays L.), an open-field experiment with a free air temperature increase (FATI) facility was conducted for three seasons during 2014 to 2016 at Luancheng eco-agro-experimental station on the North China Plain (NCP). Three nocturnal warming scenarios were set up: the entire growing period (T1, from V4 to maturity), only the vegetative stages (T2, from V4 to a week presilking) and the reproductive stages (T3, from a week presilking to R6). The treatment without NW was the control. Maize lodged seriously in 2015 due to heavy rainfall combined with strong winds, and the experiment failed. The results from 2014 and 2016 were analyzed in this study. During the experimental duration, the average nocturnal temperature was increased by approximately 3.6 and 3.3 °C at 150 cm height and 2.0 and 1.7 °C at the soil surface during the vegetative stages. The corresponding increases were 2.1 and 2.5 °C and 0.7 and 1.2 °C at the soil surface during the reproductive stages in 2014 and 2016, respectively, as compared with that of the CK treatment. NW during the whole growth period significantly decreased maize yield for the two seasons. Treatment T2 had a smaller impact on maize yield than T1 and T3. The silking stage was delayed by 2 days in 2014 and 2016 under T1. As a result, presilking duration and VT-R1 interval were prolonged by 1–2 days; and the postsilking duration were shortened by 1–3 days under T1. The soil moisture in the warmed plots was slightly lower than that in the control plots in the 2014 and during the stages before the earlier grain-filling stages in 2016, but NW decreased soil water content greatly at the later grain-filling stages in 2016, which caused the fast green leaf senescence and exacerbated the negative effects of NW on maize yield. NW for the whole growth duration (T1) significantly decreased seed weight and harvest index. NW increased leaf nighttime respiration rate in both seasons. No significant effects of NW on ear leaf net photosynthesis, leaf area, and specific leaf weight at early grain-filling stage were observed, irrespective of the warming stage and season. The results suggested that reproductive stages were more sensitive to NW compared to vegetative stages under the growing conditions of NCP. The negative effects of NW were worsened in dry seasons. The reduction in maize yield with nocturnal warming was driven by the reduction in the aboveground carbon allocation from shoot to grain during postanthesis stage.

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Maize yield and soil fertility with combined use of compost and inorganic fertilizers on a calcareous soil on the North China Plain

Soil and Tillage Research ◽

10.1016/j.still.2015.08.006 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 155 ◽

pp. 85-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Yunlong Zhang ◽

Caihua Li ◽

Yanwei Wang ◽

Yimin Hu ◽

Peter Christie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Calcareous Soil ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Inorganic Fertilizers ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Combined Use

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Mitigating heat and chilling stress by adjusting the sowing date of maize in the North China Plain

Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science ◽

10.1111/jac.12299 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 205 (1) ◽

pp. 77-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Beijing Tian ◽

Jincheng Zhu ◽

Yanshun Nie ◽

Cailong Xu ◽

Qingfeng Meng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Chilling Stress ◽

Sowing Date ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain

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Using satellite remote sensing to understand maize yield gaps in the North China Plain

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2015.07.004 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 183 ◽

pp. 31-42 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Yi Zhao ◽

XinPing Chen ◽

ZhenLing Cui ◽

David B. Lobell

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Satellite Remote Sensing ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Maize Yield ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Yield Gaps

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Soil nitrate-N levels required for high yield maize production in the North China Plain

Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10705-008-9180-4 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 82 (2) ◽

pp. 187-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

Zhenling Cui ◽

Fusuo Zhang ◽

Yuxin Miao ◽

Qinping Sun ◽

Fei Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

High Yield ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Maize Production ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Nitrate N

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Carbon Footprint Analyses and Potential Carbon Emission Reduction in China’s Major Peach Orchards

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082908 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2908 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Chaoyi Guo ◽

Xiaozhong Wang ◽

Yujia Li ◽

Xinhua He ◽

Wushuai Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emission Reduction ◽

North China Plain ◽

North China ◽

Irrigation Management ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

High Yield ◽

Carbon Footprints ◽

The North ◽

The North China Plain ◽

Fruit Orchards

An excess of material input in fruit orchards has brought serious environmental problems, particularly in China. However, studies on the estimation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in peach orchards are limited. In this study, based on questionnaire surveys in major peach-producing regions, including the North China Plain (n = 214), as well as northwest (n = 22) and southwest (n = 33) China, the carbon footprints (CFs) of these orchards were calculated by the life cycle assessment. The potential emission reduction in each region was estimated by combining the GHG emissions and CFs with plantation areas and fruit yields. The results showed that the average GHG emissions in the North China Plain, northwest, and southwest regions were 15,668 kg CO2-eq ha−1, 10,386 kg CO2-eq ha−1, and 5580 kg CO2-eq ha−1, with corresponding CFs of 0.48 kg CO2-eq ha−1, 0.27 kg CO2-eq ha−1, and 0.20 kg CO2-eq kg−1, respectively. The main contribution source of GHG emissions in these three regions was fertilizer (77–95%), followed by electricity, pesticides, and diesel. By adopting advanced farming practices with high yield and a high partial factor productivity of fertilizer, the GHG emissions could be reduced by ~13–35%, with the highest potential reduction in the North China Plain. In conclusion, the GHG emissions and their CFs were impressively high in China’s major peach-producing regions, but these GHG emissions could be substantially decreased by optimizing nutrients and irrigation management, including the rational selection of fertilizer rates and types with water-saving irrigation systems or practices (e.g., mulching) for increasing fertilizer and water use efficiency, and maintaining a sustainable peach production in China or similar countries.

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