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Acta Agronomica Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (10): 3037-3053.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2026.63016

• TILLAGE & CULTIVATION·PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Responses of root-shoot coordination and grain-filling characteristics to increased planting density in maize cultivars with varying density tolerance

Li Si-Yuan1(), Li Si-Jia1, Zhang Sen-Yan1, Qiao Po1, Cui Xin-Fei1, Yang Meng-Tao1, Wang Yi-Bo4, Zeng Bo2, Liu Gui-Zhen3, Li Hong-Ping1,*(), Liu Tian-Xue1, Tang Ji-Hua1,*()   

  1. 1 College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University / Key Laboratory of Crop Growth and Development Regulation, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
    2 National Agro-Tech Extension and Service Center, Beijing 100125, China
    3 Henan Provincial Seed Industry Development Center, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
    4 Beijing Lantron Seed Co., Ltd., Beijing 100081, China
  • Received:2026-01-30 Accepted:2026-07-15 Online:2026-10-12 Published:2026-07-23
  • Contact: Li Hong-Ping, E-mail: hongpingli2019@163.com; Tang Ji-Hua, E-mail: tangjihua@henau.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Henan Province Key Research and Development Special Project(241111114300);2025 Henan Province Science and Technology Research Project(252102111076)

Abstract:

This study investigated the responses of root and leaf architecture, canopy light utilization, and grain-filling characteristics to increased planting density in maize cultivars with varying density tolerance. A two-factor field experiment was conducted during the 2023 and 2024 maize growing seasons using three maize cultivars differing in density tolerance: Xianyu 335 (XY335), Zhengdan 958 (ZD958), and MY73. Five planting density treatments were established: 60,000 (D1), 75,000 (D2), 90,000 (D3), 105,000 (D4), and 120,000 plants hm-2 (D5). Traits related to root-leaf architecture, canopy light distribution, leaf photosynthetic parameters, leaf area, photosynthetically active radiation use efficiency, and grain filling were measured. The results showed that XY335, ZD958, and MY73 achieved high yields at D1-D2, D2-D3, and D3-D4, respectively, with their optimum density ranges centered around D1, D2, and D3. Across all density treatments in the two-year experiment, the density-tolerant cultivar MY73 had significantly greater root angle, root projected area, root number, root-shoot ratio, leaf orientation value, light transmittance in each canopy layer, and net photosynthetic rate under high density than ZD958 and XY335, whereas its leaf area and dry matter radiation use efficiency were significantly lower. At low densities, XY335 had significantly higher yield and grain radiation use efficiency than ZD958 and MY73, whereas under high-density conditions, MY73 significantly outperformed XY335 and ZD958. With increasing density, root biomass, root-shoot ratio, root architecture, leaf angle, light transmittance in each canopy layer, and leaf area at different leaf positions decreased significantly across cultivars, while leaf orientation value and dry matter radiation use efficiency increased significantly. Potential grain weight and the maximum grain-filling rate showed decreasing trends, whereas the time to reach the maximum grain-filling rate and the active grain-filling period increased. Cultivars with different density tolerance exhibited different magnitudes of trait variation in response to increased density. Among the three cultivars, the density-tolerant MY73 showed the smallest reductions in root projected area and root weight, with two-year mean reductions that were 3.9% and 16.1% lower than those of ZD958 and 4.4% and 0.6% lower than those of XY335, respectively. MY73 also showed a smaller reduction in leaf angle in the ear-leaf layer and a greater increase in leaf orientation value; the mean reduction in leaf angle was 3.0%-47.9% lower than that of ZD958, while the mean increase in leaf orientation value was 14.0%-357.5% greater. MY73 exhibited the smallest reduction in light transmittance in each canopy layer; its two-year mean reduction was 37.0% and 46.9% lower than that of ZD958 and XY335, respectively, at the midpoint between the canopy top and ear position, and 32.4% and 49.6% lower at the ear position. The leaf area in the upper canopy was the most sensitive to increased density across cultivars, and the two-year mean reduction in MY73 was 22.1% and 32.3% lower than that in ZD958 and XY335, respectively. In conclusion, the density-tolerant cultivar MY73 showed less deterioration in root traits, stronger regulation of leaf orientation, more favorable canopy light transmittance, higher leaf net photosynthetic rate under high density, and a smaller reduction in individual plant leaf area as density increased. It also maintained a shorter time to reach the maximum grain-filling rate, a longer active grain-filling period, and higher grain radiation use efficiency under high-density conditions. These characteristics may represent the population quality regulation mechanism underlying the high yield of MY73 under dense planting.

Key words: maize cultivar, density tolerance, planting density, root and leaf architecture, canopy light utilization, grain filling characteristics

Table 1

Variation in root architecture, biomass, and root-shoot ratio of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments"

年地组合
Year-site combination
品种
Cultivar
种植
密度
Density
根开角
Root opening angle (°)
根系投影面积
Root projected area (cm2)
最大根系宽度
Maximal width (cm)
总结构投影长度Total projected structure length (cm) 根条数
Number of root
根干重
Root dry weight (g)
根冠比Root-shoot ratio (%)
2023-
Xuchang
XY335 D1 114.5±1.0 aA 111.0±3.1 aA 15.1±0.2 aA 2022.8±71.4 aA 62.0±1.7 aB 20.3±0.1 aA 5.4±0.1 aB
D2 96.5±1.9 bA 81.3±7.6 bB 14.0±0.6 bA 1682.8±62.3 bA 53.0±1.0 bB 15.0±0.8 bA 4.1±0.2 bB
D3 84.2±1.9 cB 74.7±6.0 bB 11.8±0.6 cA 1417.4±71.0 cA 49.3±0.6 cB 10.4±0.4 cA 3.1±0.1 cB
D4 66.1±1.3 dB 63.8±4.1 cB 10.6±0.5 dA 1181.4±9.6 dA 48.0±2.0 cA 8.8±0.4 dA 3.1±0.1 cB
D5 56.5±1.9 eB 48.6±2.9 dB 9.5±0.5 eA 950.7±55.8 eA 44.3±0.6 dA 5.4±0.3 eB 2.1±0.0 dB
ZD958 D1 70.0±2.5 aB 84.1±4.1 aC 11.3±0.3 aB 1699.9±69.2 aB 55.7±0.6 aC 15.9±0.3 aC 5.6±0.1 aB
D2 68.9±0.9 aB 69.7±0.9 bC 10.9±0.4 aB 1375.1±32.2 bB 42.7±0.6 bC 10.5±0.4 bB 4.0±0.1 bB
D3 64.4±1.0 bC 63.6±4.1 cC 9.4±0.7 bB 1138.2±27.7 cB 40.7±0.6 cC 7.4±0.2 cC 2.9±0.1 cC
D4 60.4±2.3 cC 48.5±1.2 dC 8.7±0.2 bB 1009.1±49.0 dB 39.3±0.6 dB 6.4±0.5 dC 2.6±0.1 dC
D5 54.8±2.5 dB 45.9±2.1 dB 7.8±0.5 cB 845.9±50.5 eB 36.7±0.6 eB 4.9±0.4 eB 2.1±0.2 eB
MY73 D1 115.0±2.3 aA 104.9±0.9 aB 15.3±0.3 aA 2019.5±20.2 aA 66.0±1.7 aA 19.0±0.9 aB 7.2±0.3 aA
D2 96.5±1.9 bA 94.7±1.4 bA 13.6±0.1 bA 1815.1±93.9 bA 56.7±2.5 bA 15.0±0.6 bA 6.2±0.1 bA
D3 88.3±2.3 cA 87.7±2.4 cA 12.4±0.5 cA 1457.2±33.4 cA 53.0±0.0 cA 9.5±0.6 cB 4.1±0.1 cA
D4 83.6±0.3 dA 72.3±1.7 dA 11.2±0.3 dA 1257.4±45.7 dA 49.7±0.6 dA 7.3±0.5 dB 3.7±0.0 dA
D5 77.2±1.2 eA 63.6±1.6 eA 10.3±0.9 dA 1026.6±37.7 eA 45.3±3.1 eA 6.6±0.3 eA 3.3±0.1 eA
2024-
Hebi
XY335 D1 104.8±3.3 aB 129.9±1.6 aB 15.8±0.6 aA 2218.8±95.6 aB 61.0±0.9 aB 22.3±1.4 aA 5.8±0.3 aB
D2 100.4±2.7 bA 103.5±3.4 bB 14.2±0.8 bA 1829.6±35.3 bA 49.3±0.4 cB 15.0±0.9 bA 4.5±0.1 bB
D3 90.4±1.4 cA 92.7±3.0 cA 13.5±0.6 bA 1598.5±77.0 cA 48.3±0.2 dB 11.4±0.2 cA 3.5±0.0 cB
D4 78.9±1.7 dB 74.0±5.5 dB 12.0±0.7 cA 1233.2±104.3 dA 53.3±0.4 bA 9.9±1.5 dA 3.2±0.1 dB
D5 67.0±1.9 eB 60.2±1.5 eB 10.8±0.8 dA 952.7±91.2 eA 53.3±0.6 bA 5.9±0.8 eB 4.3±0.1 bA
ZD958 D1 70.0±1.8 aC 94.5±4.0 aC 10.3±0.7 aB 1793.1±88.8 aC 57.3±0.1 aC 16.3±0.2 aB 4.8±0.1 aC
D2 63.7±1.0 bB 78.3±3.5 bC 8.8±0.1 bB 1454.6±20.4 bB 41.7±1.2 bC 10.5±3.4 bB 3.9±0.1 bC
D3 54.3±1.5 cB 64.9±1.3 cC 8.8±0.7 bB 1199.2±61.0 cC 42.7±0.8 bC 7.7±0.1 bcC 3.1±0.1 cC
D4 49.1±1.2 dC 54.6±1.7 dC 8.6±0.6 bB 1076.5±65.1 dB 39.3±1.2 cC 6.8±0.5 cB 2.8±0.1 dC
D5 47.6±3.1 dC 51.1±1.3 dC 7.6±0.6 cB 769.1±9.1 eB 38.0±0.3 cB 4.8±1.0 dB 2.4±0.2 eB
MY73 D1 110.8±0.3 aA 141.8±6.5 aA 16.5±0.3 aA 2466.3±126.1 aA 77.3±0.5 aA 21.0±1.4 aA 7.6±0.1 aA
D2 99.5±1.5 bA 112.0±1.2 bA 14.5±0.1 bA 1857.3±70.7 bA 56.3±1.0 bA 15.1±0.6 bA 6.0±0.1 bA
D3 88.4±2.1 cA 86.0±2.9 cB 12.6±0.9 cA 1475.4±37.8 cB 54.7±1.0 cA 8.7±0.1 cB 4.3±0.0 cA
D4 91.3±1.9 cA 79.0±4.1 cdA 11.4±0.2 dA 1343.2±29.4 dA 44.3±0.5 dB 7.6±0.3 cdB 4.2±0.1 cA
D5 73.2±1.9 dA 65.0±2.8 dA 11.0±0.4 dA 1043.0±8.1 eA 53.3±1.0 cA 7.1±0.1 dA 4.1±0.0 dA
变异来源
Source of variation
年地组合
Year-site
combination (Y)
ns * ns ns ns ns ns
密度Density (D) *** ** *** *** *** *** **
品种Cultivar (C) ** ** * ** ** ** **
Y×D ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
Y×C ns ns ** ns ns ns ns
D×C * ns * ns *** *** **
Y×D×C *** *** ns ** *** ns ***

Fig. 1

Changes in root morphology of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments Abbreviations and treatments are the same as those given in Table 1. For each cultivar, the left image shows the original root photograph, and the right image shows the scanned analytical image. The values marked on the scanned images indicate the left root angle, root opening angle, and right root angle from left to right, respectively. Scale bar = 10 cm."

Table 2

Variation in leaf angle and leaf orientation value of the ear leaf and the two leaves above it in maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments"

年地组合
Year-site combination
品种
Cultivar
密度
Density
叶夹角 Leaf angle (°) 叶向值 Leaf orientation value
穗位叶
Ear-leaf
穗上1叶
1st leaf upper ear
穗上2叶
2nd leaf upper ear
穗位叶
Ear leaf
穗上1叶
1st leaf upper ear
穗上2叶
2nd leaf upper ear
2023-
Xuchang
XY335 D1 35.2±1.1 aB 28.6±0.6 aA 27.9±3.3 aA 40.1±0.9 eC 48.1±0.4 eC 56.2±0.3 bB
D2 32.7±0.4 abA 26.6±1.0 bA 24.5±0.4 abA 43.7±0.8 dB 50.2±0.6 dC 56.3±0.6 bB
D3 32.0±1.2 bA 23.8±0.3 cA 22.8±0.3 bcA 46.8±0.8 cC 52.4±0.4 cC 56.2±0.7 bC
D4 23.9±2.0 cA 20.2±1.3 dA 19.8±2.6 cA 48.7±0.6 bC 54.3±0.3 bC 56.3±0.6 bC
D5 22.7±1.9 cA 20.9±1.2 dA 19.4±1.3 cA 51.3±0.6 aC 56.3±1.3 aB 58.6±0.3 aC
ZD958 D1 38.8±1.0 aA 26.5±0.6 aB 20.3±0.5 aB 43.2±0.2 eB 50.8±1.9 cB 56.8±0.4 dA
D2 31.2±1.7 bA 19.1±1.0 bC 18.0±0.5 bB 45.5±1.2 dB 55.0±0.7 bB 57.6±0.4 cdA
D3 28.4±0.6 cB 17.6±0.6 cC 17.7±0.8 bB 49.5±0.7 cB 56.8±0.7 abB 57.8±0.5 cB
D4 25.6±0.5 dA 16.6±0.4 cB 15.6±1.2 cB 53.5±0.5 bB 56.7±0.5 abB 59.1±0.4 bB
D5 19.1±0.9 eB 14.5±1.1 dC 12.7±0.4 dC 56.7±1.1 aB 58.0±0.6 aB 60.6±0.5 aB
MY73 D1 33.6±1.0 aB 24.6±1.3 aC 21.3±1.2 aB 56.4±1.0 cA 54.8±0.7 dA 57.0±0.3 eA
D2 32.1±1.1 aA 22.5±0.7 bB 18.5±0.5 bB 57.9±1.1 cA 59.3±1.0 cA 58.7±0.8 dA
D3 26.4±0.8 bC 21.8±0.9 bB 16.8±0.5 cB 61.9±0.6 bA 60.1±1.6 cA 62.7±0.2 cA
D4 20.2±1.1 cB 19.0±0.7 cA 15.5±0.6 cdB 69.8±1.1 aA 69.1±0.7 bA 69.0±1.1 bA
D5 19.1±0.9 cB 18.5±0.7 cB 15.2±0.7 dB 70.9±0.9 aA 70.9±0.6 aA 70.6±0.7 aA
2024-
Hebi
XY335 D1 38.7±0.4 aB 28.4±0.8 aA 28.2±1.2 aA 39.0±1.9 cB 48.4±0.5 cC 59.2±1.0 aA
D2 33.3±0.2 bA 26.9±0.3 bA 25.9±1.5 bA 42.8±1.9 bB 53.4±1.0 bC 59.7±0.7 aA
D3 31.2±1.1 cA 24.3±0.3 cA 23.2±1.0 cA 44.6±2.0 bB 54.8±2.1 abB 55.5±0.3 cB
D4 24.3±1.4 dA 23.2±0.8 cA 23.1±0.4 cA 49.8±2.1 aB 55.6±0.4 aC 55.0±0.3 cC
D5 21.6±1.4 eA 21.0±0.9 dA 18.6±1.6 dA 51.5±1.4 aB 56.1±0.6 aB 57.7±0.6 bC
ZD958 D1 40.8±0.8 aA 24.0±1.1 aB 21.6±1.6 aB 37.5±2.6 dB 52.8±1.2 cB 56.7±0.6 bB
D2 32.0±0.5 bA 19.6±0.4 bC 18.8±0.4 bB 40.2±2.7 cB 55.2±1.1 bB 55.5±0.6 cC
D3 28.7±1.2 cA 18.3±0.5 bcC 17.5±1.2 bB 45.0±2.3 bB 55.1±1.9 bB 55.5±0.5 cB
D4 26.3±0.7 dA 16.9±0.6 cC 15.2±0.3 cC 48.6±3.7 aB 57.6±1.0 aB 60.2±0.5 aB
D5 19.9±2.3 eA 13.5±1.0 dB 12.4±0.2 dB 50.8±4.3 aB 57.5±0.6 aB 60.8±0.5 aB
MY73 D1 33.4±2.6 aC 26.0±1.6 aAB 21.8±1.2 aB 45.2±1.5 eA 55.1±0.4 dA 56.6±0.4 cB
D2 33.0±2.2 aA 23.6±0.4 bB 19.5±0.3 bB 50.8±1.0 dA 58.4±0.7 cA 57.5±0.9 cB
D3 24.3±2.1 bB 22.3±0.4 bcB 17.3±1.0 cB 56.4±2.1 cA 59.7±1.4 cA 63.8±0.6 bA
D4 21.1±1.6 bcB 21.1±0.4 cB 16.0±0.4 cB 62.7±0.9 bA 67.0±0.8 bA 64.6±0.4 bA
D5 19.9±2.0 cA 19.4±0.9 dA 14.1±1.0 dB 69.1±3.6 aA 70.1±1.4 aA 67.5±0.2 aA
变异来源
Source of variation
年地组合
Year-site combination (Y)
ns ns ns ns ns ns
密度Density (D) ** *** *** *** *** ***
品种Cultivar (C) ** ** ** ** * **
Y×D ns ** ns ns ns ns
Y×C ns ** ns ns * ns
D×C ** *** ** * * ***
Y×D×C *** ns ns ns ns *

Fig. 2

Variation in light transmittance across canopy layers of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments Abbreviations and treatments are the same as those given in Table 1. TE: midpoint between the canopy top and the ear position; E: ear position; EG: midpoint between the ear position and the ground; G: 20 cm above the ground. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among planting densities within the same cultivar at the 0.05 probability level. Different uppercase letters indicate significant differences among cultivars under the same planting density at the 0.05 probability level."

Table 3

Variation in photosynthetic characteristics of the ear leaf in maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments"

年地组合
Year-site combination
品种
Cultivar
密度
Density
净光合速率
Pn
(μmol m-2 s-1)
气孔导度
Gs
(mol m-2 s-1)
胞间二氧化碳浓度
Ci
(μmol m-2 s-1)
蒸腾速率
Tr
(mmol m-2 s-1)
2023-Xuchang XY335 D1 32.8±0.8 aA 0.40±0.03 aA 285.2±4.5 aA 7.85±0.50 aA
D2 27.5±0.8 bC 0.32±0.02 bA 259.1±6.3 bAB 6.38±0.80 bA
D3 24.1±0.6 cB 0.24±0.00 cB 226.2±2.2 cB 4.71±0.15 cB
D4 21.8±0.8 dB 0.20±0.00 dB 203.5±4.8 dB 3.98±0.03 dAB
D5 16.3±0.5 eA 0.16±0.01 eA 171.4±3.3 eB 3.28±0.23 eAB
ZD958 D1 33.8±1.3 aA 0.41±0.02 aA 276.0±7.9 aA 7.56±0.44 aA
D2 28.3±0.9 bB 0.31±0.04 bA 241.0±6.5 bB 5.67±0.33 bB
D3 24.7±0.8 cB 0.26±0.02 cA 233.8±2.9 bA 5.07±0.21 cAB
D4 23.0±0.7 dA 0.21±0.00 dA 201.7±2.0 cB 4.07±0.08 dA
D5 15.5±0.6 eB 0.16±0.00 eA 179.5±2.4 dA 3.32±0.03 eA
MY73 D1 32.9±0.5 aA 0.42±0.03 aA 277.0±7.7 aA 8.25±0.41 aA
D2 29.1±0.3 bA 0.35±0.03 bA 265.3±13.0 aA 6.48±0.17 bA
D3 26.7±0.8 cA 0.26±0.02 cA 237.6±4.2 bA 5.39±0.26 cA
D4 23.1±0.7 dA 0.20±0.01 dB 210.6±2.1 cA 3.88±0.01 dB
D5 13.9±1.0 eC 0.14±0.00 eB 169.5±2.3 dB 3.02±0.04 eB
2024-Hebi XY335 D1 27.1±0.3 aB 0.34±0.03 aA 253.6±4.5 aA 6.75±0.50 aA
D2 24.7±0.4 bA 0.26±0.02 bB 229.1±6.3 bA 5.66±0.80 bA
D3 23.2±0.9 bcA 0.23±0.00 cA 211.4±2.2 cB 5.06±0.15 cA
D4 21.3±1.3 cA 0.21±0.00 dA 200.7±4.8 dA 4.28±0.03 dA
D5 15.8±1.3 dA 0.13±0.01 eA 159.9±3.3 eB 3.71±0.23 eA
ZD958 D1 29.7±1.7 aA 0.34±0.02 aA 234.2±7.9 aB 6.44±0.44 aA
D2 24.7±0.9 bA 0.23±0.04 bB 209.5±6.5 bB 4.91±0.33 bB
D3 22.7±0.7 bcAB 0.19±0.02 cB 207.5±2.9 bB 4.33±0.21 cB
D4 21.0±0.6 cA 0.18±0.00 cB 176.3±2.0 cB 4.16±0.08 cAB
D5 16.3±0.4 dA 0.12±0.00 dA 178.8±2.4 cA 3.13±0.03 dB
MY73 D1 28.2±0.6 aAB 0.39±0.03 aA 257.5±7.7 aA 6.77±0.41 aA
D2 25.9±0.3 bA 0.29±0.03 bA 231.6±13.0 bA 5.78±0.17 bA
D3 22.4±1.1 cB 0.23±0.02 cA 221.3±4.2 bA 4.90±0.26 cA
D4 20.1±1.0 dA 0.15±0.01 dC 181.3±2.1 cB 3.91±0.01 dB
D5 12.2±1.0 eB 0.09±0.00 eB 177.6±2.3 cA 2.71±0.04 eC
变异来源
Source of variation
年地组合
Year-site combination (Y)
ns * ** *
密度Density (D) ** *** *** ***
品种Cultivar (C) * ns * **
Y×D ns * ns *
Y×C * ns ns ns
D×C ** * * **
Y×D×C *** * ns ns

Fig. 3

Variation in leaf area at different leaf ranks of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments Abbreviations and treatments are the same as those given in Table 1."

Table 4

Variation in radiation use efficiency and yield of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments"

年地组合
Year-site
combination
品种
Cultivar
密度
Density
籽粒产量辐射利用率
Radiation utilization of grain yield (g MJ-1)
地上生物量辐射利用率
Radiation utilization of aboveground
dry matter (g MJ-1)
产量
Yield
(t hm-2)
2023年许昌
2023-Xuchang
XY335 D1 1.28±0.02 aA 2.29±0.04 dA 12,680±183 aA
D2 1.30±0.06 aA 2.73±0.06 cA 12,923±588 aA
D3 1.25±0.01 aA 3.00±0.04 bA 12,393±140 bA
D4 1.04±0.03 bB 3.01±0.02 bA 10,290±255 cC
D5 0.81±0.03 cB 3.17±0.15 aA 8012±325 dB
ZD958 D1 1.01±0.01 bB 1.73±0.04 eB 10,060±139 bB
D2 1.10±0.06 abB 2.00±0.02 dB 10,975±563 abB
D3 1.15±0.08 aB 2.35±0.06 cB 11,457±816 aB
D4 1.08±0.05 abB 2.55±0.00 bB 10,745±516 abB
D5 0.75±0.02 cB 2.79±0.08 aB 7460±173 cC
MY73 D1 0.93±0.04 cC 1.60±0.04 dC 9260±367 dC
D2 1.10±0.09 bB 1.84±0.07 cC 10,950±909 cB
D3 1.24±0.08 aA 2.11±0.02 bC 12,300±749 abA
D4 1.33±0.05 aA 2.22±0.03 bC 13,248±459 aA
D5 1.34±0.03 aA 2.41±0.15 aC 13,280±346 aA
2024年鹤壁
2024-Hebi
XY335 D1 1.16±0.04 aA 2.39±0.01 dA 11,190±391 aA
D2 1.18±0.03 aA 2.68±0.06 cA 11,370±265 aB
D3 1.02±0.04 bC 3.00±0.01 bA 9855±345 bC
D4 0.76±0.01 cC 3.24±0.01 aA 7335±64 cC
D5 0.26±0.02 dC 1.76±0.09 eC 2490±164 dC
ZD958 D1 1.05±0.01 bB 2.08±0.01 cB 10,142±54 bB
D2 1.19±0.04 aA 2.12±0.01 cB 11,476±424 aB
D3 1.19±0.05 aB 2.34±0.07 bB 11,444±485 aB
D4 1.07±0.04 bB 2.76±0.04 aB 10,307±359 bB
D5 0.84±0.10 cB 2.30±0.04 bA 8067±940 cB
MY73 D1 1.05±0.01 dB 1.71±0.10 bC 10,157±75 dB
D2 1.23±0.01 bA 1.98±0.04 aC 11,915±136 bA
D3 1.32±0.04 aA 2.10±0.04 aC 12,702±365 aA
D4 1.27±0.02 bA 1.98±0.07 aC 12,279±181 bA
D5 1.17±0.02 cA 2.07±0.08 aB 11,316±216 cA
变异来源
Source of variation
年地组合
Year-site combination (Y)
ns ns ns
密度Density (D) *** ** **
品种Cultivar (C) ** ** ***
Y×D ns ns *
Y×C ** ** ns
D×C *** *** **
Y×D×C * *** ***

Table 5

Yield potential index and density sensitivity index of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance"

品种
Cultivar
2023年许昌2023-Xuchang 2024年鹤壁2024-Hebi
丰产性指数
YPI (t hm-2)
密度敏感性指数
DSI (%)
最适密度
OSD
丰产性指数
YPI (t hm-2)
密度敏感性指数
DSI (%)
最适密度
OSD
XY335 12,923 2.99 D2 11,370 7.45 D2
ZD958 11,457 5.21 D3 11,476 5.95 D2
MY73 13,248 3.70 D4 12,702 4.76 D3

Fig. 4

Variation in grain-filling curves of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments Abbreviations and treatments are the same as those given in Table 1."

Table 6

Variation in grain-filling characteristics of maize cultivars differing in density tolerance under different planting density treatments"

年地组合Year-site combination 品种Cultivar 密度Density 决定系数
R2
潜在粒重
A
参数B
Parameter B
参数K
Parameter K
达最大灌浆速率的天数
Tmax (d)
最大灌浆速率
Gmax
(g d-1)
活跃灌浆期
Active grain filling period (d)
2023-
Xuchang
XY335 D1 0.9950 38.97 13.98 0.1051 25.10 1.02 57.09
D2 0.9945 37.11 16.05 0.1035 26.82 0.96 57.97
D3 0.9971 36.19 18.29 0.1030 28.22 0.93 58.25
D4 0.9943 36.70 19.30 0.1087 27.23 1.00 55.20
D5 0.9948 36.54 18.45 0.1074 27.14 0.98 55.87
ZD958 D1 0.9980 35.37 14.51 0.1139 23.48 1.01 52.68
D2 0.9989 34.80 16.09 0.1122 24.76 0.98 53.48
D3 0.9946 32.62 16.14 0.1105 25.17 0.90 54.30
D4 0.9980 33.19 16.47 0.1154 24.28 0.96 51.99
D5 0.9940 35.65 16.45 0.1140 24.56 1.02 52.63
MY73 D1 0.9978 29.54 11.88 0.1101 22.48 0.81 54.50
D2 0.9988 29.71 11.97 0.1069 23.22 0.79 56.13
D3 0.9972 29.72 12.43 0.1056 23.86 0.78 56.82
D4 0.9952 29.26 12.52 0.1029 24.56 0.75 58.31
D5 0.9967 28.99 13.60 0.1020 25.59 0.74 58.82
2024-Hebi XY335 D1 0.9911 38.26 24.70 0.1461 21.95 1.40 41.07
D2 0.9917 37.21 33.79 0.1459 24.13 1.36 41.12
D3 0.9926 36.55 34.01 0.1457 24.20 1.33 41.18
D4 0.9936 35.43 35.26 0.1410 25.27 1.25 42.55
ZD958 D1 0.9948 32.30 40.12 0.1546 23.88 1.25 38.81
D2 0.9941 32.03 38.89 0.1494 24.50 1.20 40.16
D3 0.9946 31.55 36.80 0.1455 24.78 1.15 41.24
D4 0.9977 31.14 39.78 0.1439 25.60 1.12 41.70
D5 0.9949 29.56 44.56 0.1426 26.63 1.05 42.08
MY73 D1 0.9900 30.32 25.99 0.1256 25.94 0.95 47.77
D2 0.9901 29.26 26.46 0.1268 25.83 0.93 47.32
D3 0.9910 28.48 29.79 0.1271 26.70 0.90 47.21
D4 0.9908 28.21 28.29 0.1273 26.26 0.90 47.13
D5 0.9903 27.80 25.89 0.1205 27.00 0.84 49.79

Fig. 5

Mantel test correlation analysis based on maize biomass, canopy light transmittance, photosynthetic characteristics, and yield traits CLT: canopy light transmittance; CS: canopy structure; PC: photosynthetic characteristics; RSA: root system architecture; ADMW: aboveground dry matter weight per plant; GWE: grain weight per ear; HI: harvest index; KR: kernel ratio; HGW: hundred grain weight; HGV: hundred grain volume; RUG: radiation utilization of grain yield; RUA: radiation utilization of aboveground dry matter. ** and * indicate significant correlations at P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 levels, respectively."

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