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Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize

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A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2023) | Viewed by 36766

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Dr. Peng Hou

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Guest Editor

Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Interests: maize; high yield; high efficiency; environmental effects; physiological and ecological mechanism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Jiwang Zhang

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Co-Guest Editor

Agronomy College, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China
Interests: maize; high yield; high efficiency; sustainable production

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the global population increases, the world will face continuous food shortages in the coming decades. To meet the food requirements of the global population, an additional 70–100% increase in food production is needed by 2050. Achieving this without expanding cultivation into natural ecosystems will depend on raising the yield per unit area. Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main staple crops and has the highest grain yield per unit area in the world. The grain yield of maize has increased considerably in many countries of the world, such as China and the U.S. However, the actual maize yield is far lower than the potential yield. Therefore, obtaining high maize yield is a constant target of agriculture, in order to ensure food security. To achieve a high yield of maize, it is necessary to clarify the cultivars, key field management practices (irrigation, fertilizer, etc.), plant patterns, and the related physiological and ecological characteristics, all of which will be useful in developing strategies for sustainable production.

This Special Issue focuses on the key cultivation measures, and the physiological and ecological characteristics of maize with a high grain yield. Original research articles about these topics will be accepted.

Prof. Dr. Peng Hou
Prof. Dr. Jiwang Zhang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

maize
high yield
sustainable production
cultivar
water and fertilizer utilization efficiency
environmental effects
canopy characteristics
physiological and ecological characteristics

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3074 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamics of Maize Grain Weight and Quality during Field Dehydration and Delayed Harvesting

by Rulang Zhao, Yonghong Wang, Xiaofang Yu, Wanmao Liu, Daling Ma, Hongyan Li, Bo Ming, Wenjie Zhang, Qiming Cai, Julin Gao and Shaokun Li

Agriculture 2023, 13(7), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13071357 - 6 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2640

Abstract

Dehydration of maize grains in the field can reduce costs associated with drying after harvest. A delayed harvest approach after physiological maturity, in which plants stand in the field to allow the stems to dry, has been widely adopted in maize production. However, it remains unclear how harvesting at different time points during the dehydration stage may affect grain yield and quality. In the present study, experiments were conducted in the Ningxia Irrigation Area of northwest China from 2019 to 2022, we continuously observed and used a linear-plateau model to analyze the changes in grain weight and quality traits (such as bulk density and levels of starch, protein, oil, fiber, and free fatty acids) during the field dehydration period of maize hybrids with differing maturity times. Harvesting at a grain moisture content of >31.0% was shown to affect grain weight, whereas harvesting at a moisture content of <25.9% did not affect grain weight or yield. The stable period for grain weight occurred during the physiological maturity stage for an early-maturing hybrid and 5–12 days before physiological maturity for the mid–late-maturing hybrids. When the field grain moisture content was <37%, harvesting did not affect the grain bulk density. Grain bulk density tended to stabilize one to two weeks earlier than grain weight and two to three weeks before the physiological maturity period. The protein, oil, fiber, and free fatty acid contents in maize kernels at 30 days after silking were not affected by the harvesting period, and the starch contents were unaffected in maize kernels harvested at any time later than 50 days after silking. Overall, maize grain should be harvested during field dehydration and delayed harvesting after physiological maturity with relatively low moisture content to get a better yield with superior quality.; delayed harvesting is therefore an important technical approach to improve the efficient production of high-quality maize. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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20 pages, 5729 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exogenous Spermidine Optimizes Nitrogen Metabolism and Improves Maize Yield under Drought Stress Conditions

by Ling Dong, Lijie Li, Yao Meng, Hongliang Liu, Jing Li, Yang Yu, Chunrong Qian, Shi Wei and Wanrong Gu

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1270; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081270 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2765

Abstract

This study was to explore the nitrogen metabolism and transcriptome mechanism of spermidine (Spd) under drought stress conditions. Firstly, maize variety Xianyu 335 (drought insensitive type) and Fenghe 1 (drought sensitive type) were chosen as experimental materials under hydroponic conditions. The effects of PEG-6000 combined with Spd application on nitrogen metabolism were studied. Secondly, we chose maize variety Xianyu 335 for the field experiment. At the flowering stage, normal water treatment and moderate drought stress were carried out, respectively. The results showed that: (1) Hydroponics experiment showed that the content of NH₄⁺ in the leaves of maize seedlings under drought stress increased significantly, while the content of NO₃⁻ and nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate synthase (GOGAT), glutamine dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) increased significantly. Spd can promote the assimilation of excess ammonia by enhancing the activities of ammonia assimilating enzymes GS/GOGAT and GDH, and transaminase (GOT and GPT), effectively alleviate the ammonia toxicity and nitrogen metabolism disorder induced by drought stress. (2) Pot experiment showed that Spd significantly promoted the root growth of maize under drought stress, so as to improve the absorption and utilization of water and nutrients. In addition, Spd can improve the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of maize leaves under drought stress. After the application of exogenous Spd, the photosynthetic green leaf area increased, the leaf senescence rate slowed down, and the dry matter accumulation increased after anthesis, resulting in the increase of grain weight and grain number per ear, and finally improve the maize yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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14 pages, 3162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Blended Controlled-Release and Normal Urea with Suitable Maize Varieties to Achieve Integrated Agronomic and Environmental Impact in a High-Yielding Summer Maize System

by Mengjin Ma, Huan Li, Dongliang Yan, Yihan Zhang, Miaomiao Song, Yongchao Wang, Hao Wang, Ruixin Shao, Jiameng Guo and Qinghua Yang

Agriculture 2022, 12(8), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12081247 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2225

Abstract

The use of blended controlled-release urea (CRU) with normal urea has appeared to effectively improve grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in summer maize systems. Nevertheless, the environmental impacts based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) and the ecosystem economic benefits with different maize varieties and ratios of CRU and urea remain unclear. In our study, a consecutive two-year field experiment was designed in the North China Plain (NCP) using two nitrogen (N) rates (0 and 180 kg N ha⁻¹), four N resources (urea-N, CRU-N:urea-N = 1:2, CRU-N:urea-N = 2:1 and CRU-N), and two maize varieties (ZD958 and YH988) in 2019 and 2020. The results showed that a once-off application of basal fertilizer in N180C2 (CRU-N:urea-N = 2:1) and N180C1 (CRU-N:urea-N = 1:2) achieved high grain yields in ZD958 and YH988 (11.0–13.5 Mg ha⁻¹ and 11.3–13.2 Mg ha⁻¹), respectively. Compared to treatment N180U, treatment N180C2 reduced reactive N losses through N leaching (−34.6%), ammonia volatilization (−17.1%), and nitrous oxide emissions (−42.0%) in variety ZD958, whereas treatment N180C1 reduced reactive N losses through N leaching (−20.3%), ammonia volatilization (−13.2%), and nitrous oxide emission (−24.2%) in variety YH988. The N180C2 and N180C1 treatments achieved the lowest C footprint (267.4 and 267.9 kg CO₂ eq Mg⁻¹) for ZD958 and YH988, respectively. Furthermore, N180C2 and N180C1 achieved the highest ecosystem economic benefits for ZD958 and YH988 of 831 and 1101 $ ha⁻¹, respectively. In summary, the application of the mixture of controlled release urea and standard urea at appropriate N rates not only achieved a high grain yield but also enhanced the ecological economic benefits while mitigating the negative environmental impacts. To sum up, using the correct CRU-N management practices coordinated with suitable genetic varieties is an effective way of achieving sustainable and environmentally friendly maize production in a high-yielding summer maize system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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12 pages, 3225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heterosis for Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Maize Hybrids Enhanced over Decades in China

by Rongfa Li, Julin Gao, Yuanyuan Li, Shaobo Yu and Zhigang Wang

Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 764; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060764 - 27 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3470

Abstract

The nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of modern maize hybrids has been greatly improved, but for decades, little was known on whether the NUE heterosis of maize hybrids had increased. A two-year field study was conducted on eight maize hybrids and their parental inbred lines from the 1970s to 2000s under two N levels (0, 150 kg N ha⁻¹). These were the most popular hybrids in China’s main maize-growing areas at the time. The results showed that the yield of the maize hybrids increased significantly at an average rate of 37.5% every 10 years. The evolution of NUE heterosis was mainly related to the increased kernel number per ear. The absolute NUE heterosis (AH_NUE) and the mid-parent NUE heterosis (MPH_NUE) of maize hybrids increased by 151.4% and 76.4% in the past four decades, or an average rate of 2.11 kg kg⁻¹ and 19.1% every 10 years. Based on the coefficient of determination, the contribution of the mid-parent nitrogen internal efficiency heterosis (MPH_NIE) to MPH_NUE (43–57%) was significantly higher than that of the mid-parent nitrogen recovery efficiency heterosis (MPH_NRE) (19–32%), indicating that the evolution of maize NUE heterosis was mainly derived from its NIE heterosis evolution. The increase of NIE heterosis in the past 40 years was closely related to the increased heterosis of kernel number per ear, the pre-silking N accumulation and the post-silking N remobilization. Therefore, the enhancement of maize NUE heterosis can be attributed to (i) heterosis improvement in post-silking N remobilization, which results mainly from greater heterosis in pre-silking N accumulation; (ii) heterosis improvement in carbon and nitrogen sink capacity, which exhibit as heterosis enhancement in grain yield and grain nitrogen concentration. To further improve yield and NUE, the pre-silking N and carbon accumulation and post-silking N remobilization should both continue to increase in maize breeding. Our results will provide new insights into NUE and help breeders select genotypes with both higher yields and higher NUE for the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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17 pages, 1322 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genotype by Environment Interaction Analysis for Grain Yield and Yield Components of Summer Maize Hybrids across the Huanghuaihai Region in China

by Haiwang Yue, Hugh G. Gauch, Jianwei Wei, Junliang Xie, Shuping Chen, Haicheng Peng, Junzhou Bu and Xuwen Jiang

Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050602 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3578

Abstract

Increasing the maize production capacity to ensure food security is still the primary goal of global maize planting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate genotypes with high yield and stability in summer maize hybrids grown in the Huanghuaihai region of China using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) technique. A total of 18 summer maize hybrids with one check hybrid were used for this study using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates at 74 locations during two consecutive years (2018–2019). A three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and an AMMI analysis showed that genotype (G), environment (E), year (Y) and their interactions were highly significant (p < 0.001) except G × E × Y for all evaluated traits viz., grain yield (GY), ear length (EL), hundred seed weight (HSW) and E × Y for hundred seed weight. The first seven interaction principal components (IPCs) were highly significant and explained 81.74% of the genotype by environment interaction (GEI). By comparing different models, the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) was considered the best model for data analysis in this study. The combination of AMMI model and BLUP technology to use the WAASB (weighted average of absolute scores from the singular value decomposition of the matrix of BLUP for GEI effects generated by linear mixed model) index was considered promising for similar research in the future. Genotypes H321 and Y23 had high yield and good stability, and could be used as new potential genetic resources for improving and stabilizing grain yield in maize breeding practices in the Huanghuaihai region of China. Genotypes H9, H168, Q218, Y303 and L5 had narrow adaptability and only apply to specific areas. The check genotype Z958 had good adaptability in most environments due to its good stability, but it also needs the potential to increase grain yield. Significant positive correlations were also found between the tested agronomic traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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10 pages, 271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pilot Study on Predictive Traits of Fresh Maize Hybrids for Estimating Milk and Biogas Production

by Radko Loučka, Filip Jančík, Petr Homolka, Yvona Tyrolová, Petra Kubelková, Alena Výborná, Veronika Koukolová, Václav Jambor, Jan Nedělník, Jaroslav Lang and Marie Gaislerová

Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040559 - 14 Apr 2022

Viewed by 2215

Abstract

Farmers need information on which maize hybrid is best and under what conditions. They demand that this information be clear, simple and easily understood. This study aims to estimate the potential for milk production (MPP) and the biochemical methane potential (BMP) production from fresh maize hybrids. Using these indicators from fresh maize, information on the differences between hybrids can be effectively obtained, albeit with some of the shortcomings of this proposed method. Samples of fresh maize plants (n = 384) from four hybrids were evaluated at two locations over four consecutive years (from 2018 to 2021). The dry matter content, averaged across all hybrids, all years and both locations, was 371 ± 42.3 g.kg⁻¹. The colder and wetter the year, the significantly higher the starch content, lower the amylase-treated neutral detergent fibre content (aNDF) and lower the crude protein (CP), which was reflected in lower BMP. Weather did not significantly affect the net energy of lactation (NEL) or MPP values. The location significantly affected all monitored indicators, except BMP. The earlier the hybrid was at harvest time, the lower the NEL and MPP but the higher BMP contents were. This study is preliminary and must be repeated with more hybrids and under more different conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

21 pages, 8048 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Temperature Effects on the Shoot and Root Growth, Development, and Biomass Accumulation of Corn (Zea mays L.)

by Charles Hunt Walne and Kambham Raja Reddy

Agriculture 2022, 12(4), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12040443 - 22 Mar 2022

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 10514

Abstract

Temperature is a critical environmental factor regulating plant growth and yield. Corn is a major agronomic crop produced globally over a vast geographic region, and highly variable climatic conditions occur spatially and temporally throughout these regions. Current literature lacks a comprehensive study comparing the effects of temperature on above versus below-ground growth and development and biomass partitioning of corn measured over time. An experiment was conducted to quantify the impact of temperature on corn’s early vegetative growth and development. Cardinal temperatures (T_min, T_opt, and T_max) were estimated for different aspects of above- and below-ground growth processes. Plants were subjected to five differing day/night temperature treatments of 20/12, 25/17, 30/22, 35/27, and 40/32 °C using sun-lit controlled environment growth chambers for four weeks post-emergence. Corn plant height, leaves, leaf area, root length, surface area, volume, numbers of tips and forks, and plant component part dry weights were measured weekly. Cardinal temperatures were estimated, and the relationships between parameters and temperature within these cardinal limits were estimated using a modified beta function model. Cardinal temperature limits for whole plant dry weight production were 13.5 °C (T_min), 30.5 °C (T_opt), and 38 °C (T_max). Biomass resources were prioritized to the root system at low temperatures and leaves at high temperatures. Root growth displayed the lowest optimum temperature compared to root development, shoot growth, and shoot development. The estimated cardinal temperatures and functional algorithms produced in this study, which include both above and below-ground aspects of plant growth, could be helpful to update crop models and could be beneficial to estimate corn growth under varying temperature conditions. These results could also be applicable when considering management decisions for maximizing field production and implementing emerging precision agriculture technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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16 pages, 899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Yield and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Two Corn (Zea mays L.) Hybrids Differing in Maturity under Different Irrigation Treatments

by Lei Wang, Baizhao Ren, Bin Zhao, Peng Liu and Jiwang Zhang

Agriculture 2022, 12(3), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12030365 - 4 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2761

Abstract

Effective irrigation strategies are of great significance for improving crop yields. There is an increasing concern that short-season corn hybrids are gradually being encouraged to plant in the North China Plain (NCP) with the development of mechanized grain harvesting, but the photosynthetic characteristics and productivity of short-season hybrids are not well documented. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different irrigation treatments on photosynthetic characteristics, dry matter accumulation (DMA) and photo-assimilate translocation (PAT/PT), grain yield (GY) and water productivity (WP) of two corn hybrids differing in maturity. In the experiment plots under the rainout shelter facility, short-season hybrid Denghai518 (DH518) and medium- and full-season hybrid Denghai605 (DH605) were grown under three irrigation levels (severe water stress, T1; mild water stress, T2; and non-stress, T3) by two irrigation methods (flood irrigation, FI; surface drip irrigation, SDI) in 2020 and 2021. The results indicated that non-stomatal limitation (NSL) was the main factor leading to the reduction in photosynthesis during the reproductive stage. Severe water stress significantly decreased net photosynthetic rate (P_n) and chlorophyll soil-plant analysis development (SPAD) value, resulting in lower DMA and GY. The contribution rate of vegetative organ photosynthate before flowering (CRP) decreased with the irrigation levels increasing. DMA, GY and WP of SDI increased by 16.23%, 21.49% and 51.31%, respectively, compared to FI. The yields of DH518 were 7.22% lower than those of DH605. The WP penalty for DH605 was attributed to a relatively larger ET. It suggested that applying the optimum irrigation level (T3) under SDI could increase DMA, GY and WP of summer corn in the NCP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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18 pages, 5865 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effects of Solar Radiation on Dry Matter Distribution and Root Morphology of High Yielding Maize Cultivars

by Xiaoxia Guo, Yunshan Yang, Huifang Liu, Guangzhou Liu, Wanmao Liu, Yonghong Wang, Rulang Zhao, Bo Ming, Ruizhi Xie, Keru Wang, Shaokun Li and Peng Hou

Agriculture 2022, 12(2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12020299 - 20 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5025

Abstract

The root system connects the plant with the soil, which is a key factor in determining the utilization of soil resources and plant growth potential. Solar radiation can change maize shoot and root growth and affect grain formation. In this study, the effects of different solar radiation conditions on root morphology of three maize cultivars XY335, ZD958 and DH618 and their quantitative relationships were studied by conducting shading experiments. This study was conducted in maize high yield region of Qitai and Yinchuan, China, in 2018 and 2019. The planting densities were 7.5 × 10⁴ (D1) and 12 × 10⁴ (D2) plants ha⁻¹. The shading levels were natural light (CK), shading 15% (S1), 30% (S2) and 50% (S3). The results showed that maize responded to the decreased solar radiation through the increase in ratio of shoot dry weight (SWR) to whole plant dry weight and the decrease in ratio of root dry weight (RWR) to whole plant dry weight. As the solar radiation decreased, the root length density (RLD), root surface area (RSA), average root diameter (ARD) and root length ratio (RLR) decreased, while the specific root length (SRL) increased. With 100 MJ m⁻² decrease in solar radiation, the RWR, RLD, RSA and RLR each decreased by 1.47%, 0.5 mm cm⁻³,0.4 m m⁻² and 0. 19 m g⁻¹, respectively. Among the cultivars, the changes of DH618 were the fastest followed by XY335 and ZD958 but DH618 maintained the largest root system under any solar radiation condition. After the decrease of solar radiation, RWR, RLD and RLR were significantly positively correlated with the yield. This indicated that large root systems were conducive to the rapid response to decreased solar radiation and important for achieving stable and high yield. Maize cultivars with these type of root systems should be recommended to better adapt low solar radiation induced by regional variation or climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological and Ecological Characteristics, and Sustainable Production of High Yield Maize)

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