UNDERSTANDING PLANT DENSITY EFFECTS ON MAIZE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO MAXIMIZE GRAIN YIELD

By L. Sangoi. 2001

380 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Maize is the agronomic grass species that is most sensitive to variations in plant density. For each production system, there is a population that maximizes grain yield. This article presents an overview of the factors that affect optimum plant population, emphasizingthe effects of dense stands on ear development and discussing important changes in plant traits that have contributed to increase the tolerance of modern hybrids to high plant densities. Population for maize maximum economic grain yield varies from 30,000 to over 90,000pl.ha-1, depending on water availability, soil fertility, maturity rating, planting date and row spacing. When the number of individuals per area is increased beyond the optimum plant density, there is a series of consequences that are detrimental to ear ontogeny and result in barrenness. First, ear differentiation is delayed in relation to tassel differentiation. Later-initiated earshoots have a reduced growth rate, resulting in fewer spikelet primordia transformed into functional florets by the time of flowering. Functional florets extrude silks slowly, decreasing the number of fertilized spikelets due to the lack of synchrony between anthesis and silking. Limitations in carbon and nitrogen supply to the ear stimulate young kernel abortion immediately after fertilization. Availability of earlier hybrids, with shorter plant height, lower leaf number, upright leaves, smaller tassels and better synchrony between male and female flowering time has enhanced the ability of maize to face high plant populations without showing excessive barrenness. Improved endurance in high stands has allowed maize to intercept and use solar radiation more efficiently, contributing to the remarkable increase in grain yield potential experienced by this crop.

Subfields: Agronomy and Crop Science, Plant Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/0b0c6de5dbe4428c6c875774d43f7f44a0906495

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Citations in the corpus

Yield Responses to Planting Density for US Modern Corn Hybrids: A Synthesis-Analysis (2016, background): “…supply), available plant nutrients (soil plus fertilizer), and planting date are among the main factors influencing the yield–density relationship (Keating et al., 1988; Abbas et al., 2012; Sangoi, 2001; Sangakkara et al., 2004; Nik et al., 2011; Tajul et al., 2013; Lindsey and Thomison, 2016).”
Effects of EDAH, a novel plant growth regulator, on mechanical strength, stalk vascular bundles and grain yield of summer maize at high densities (2017, background): “However, at high densities, per-plant growth rates decline and young kernel abortion is exacerbated (Sangoi, 2001; Tollenaar et al., 2006; Borrás et al., 2007).”
Effect of plant population densities on yield of maize. (2011, background): “The limited carbon and nitrogen supply to the ear finally stimulates young kernel abortion immediately after fertilization (Sangoi, 2001).”
Survey of Plant Density Tolerance in U.S. Maize Germplasm (2014, background): “Sangoi (2000) reported that a smaller tassel produces less auxin, which decreases auxin-mediated apical dominance, thus minimizing the effect of apical dominance on the axillary bud (ear).”