Scientia Agricultura Sinica ›› 2013, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (17): 3562-3570.doi: 10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2013.17.004

• TILLAGE & CULTIVATION·PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY·AGRICULTURE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Maize Crop Yield and Plant Density from 1950s to 2000s in China

 YANG  Jin-Zhong, CHEN  Ming-Li, ZHANG  Hong-Sheng   

  1. College of Agronomy and Plant Protection, Qingdao Agricultural University/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Dry Farming Techniques, Qingdao 266109, Shandong
  • Received:2013-01-21 Online:2013-09-01 Published:2013-04-21

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Abstract: 【Objective】 The objective of the study is to reveal the general characteristics of yield-density relationships of maize plant density experiments in China, and to evaluate the suitability of meta-analysis as a tool to study maize yield response to plant density. 【Method】Based on requirements for meta-analysis, a collection of historical maize plant density experiments from 1950s to 2000s in China was built with some 1 500 pairs of plant densities and their crop yields. All eligible data sets were subject to statistical analysis such as gradients, boundary curves and 2-D kernel density. 【Result】Variation coefficient was 20.4% for optimum density, 33.65% for the highest yield and 30.8% for yield per plant under optimum density. Relative importance of yield components varied with combination zones of plant density and yield per plant. Upper boundary yields as a function of plant density followed the equation of Y＝-0.0134x3＋3.15x, within plant density range of [0.99, 15.0] plant/m2. Upper boundary yields as two stage functions of yield per plant were that increased along Y1＝113.1x, then declined along Y2＝-69.84x＋33.87 when yield per plant is larger than 0.185 kg. Plant density range within which there is the highest possibility for the yield of 15 mg?hm-2 fell in [7.0, 9.7] plant/m2. The 90th quantile for yield loss percentage was 6.18% due to 15% offset from the optimal plant density, and the 90th quantile due to 1 plant/m2 offset was 0.88 t?hm-2. 【Conclusion】Meta-analysis facilitates the distillation and abstraction of bulk data from maize yield-density experiments with multiple views, and it is applicable to other crop science areas.

Key words: maize , optimal density , meta-analysis , gradient analysis , 2-D kernel density , boundary curve

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