Optimizing row spacing to boost maize yield via enhanced photosynthesis and post-silking biomass allocation

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.04.033

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Optimizing row spacing to boost maize yield via enhanced photosynthesis and post-silking biomass allocation

Xiangpeng Ding¹, Zaiju He¹, Ming Zhang², Jing Bai³, Jiwang Zhang¹, Peng Liu¹, Hao Ren¹, Baizhao Ren¹, Bin Zhao^1#

¹College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an 271018, China

²Shandong Denghai Seed Industry Co., Ltd., Yantai 265147, China

³Tengzhou Agriculture and Rural Bureau, Zaozhuang 277599, China

Highlights:

Optimizing canopy architecture enhances photosynthetic productivity.

Allocation of assimilates to the grains is promoted by optimizing canopy architecture.

Balancing source-sink relationships and increasing yield require optimizing canopy architecture.

Abstract
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摘要

高密度种植能更好地发挥现代品种的增产潜力。然而，在传统行距条件下，增加种植密度会导致光照分布不佳和产量提升受限，这凸显了进一步探索与种植密度相适应的最佳行距的必要性。为评估通过改变行距延迟冠层下部叶片衰老对冠层光合性能的影响及其对产量的调控作用，本研究以郑单958为材料进行了为期两年的田间试验（2019-2020年）。设置了四个处理：LR60（6.75 株·m⁻², 60 cm 行距，常规种植）；HR60、HR80 和 HR100（均为 8.25 株·m⁻², 行距分别为 60、80 和 100 cm）。对冠层结构、群体光合作用和籽粒产量进行了定量分析。测定了玉米冠层叶面积指数（LAI）、光合有效辐射（PAR）、冠层表观光合作用（CAP）、生物量分配和产量。结果表明，与 LR60 相比，高密度处理显著提高了产量。在高密度处理中，与 HR60 相比，HR80 两年的平均产量增加了 8.47%。这主要归因于 HR80 增强了吐丝后冠层下部对光合有效辐射的利用，延缓了穗下层叶面积指数（LAI）的下降，并提高了冠层表观光合速率（CAP），从而显著增加了生物量积累。与 HR100 相比，HR80 平均增产 8.17%，这是由于其在灌浆期的辐射利用效率（RUE）显著提高。此外，与 HR60 和 HR100 相比，HR80 的源库比显著增加，¹³C 光合产物向籽粒的分配增加，穗粒数也显著增加。因此，行距配置应与种植密度相适应以获得最佳产量。具体而言，适宜的行距可以优化群体结构，增强冠层中下部的光照分布，提高冠层表观光合作用和光能利用率，从而支持玉米获得更高产量。

Abstract

High-density planting can better utilize the yield potential of modern varieties. However, under traditional row spacing conditions, increasing planting density brings about poor light distribution and limited yield improvement, highlighting the need for further exploration of optimal row spacing in relation to planting density. To assess the effect of delaying leaf senescence in the lower canopy by changing row spacing on the photosynthetic performance of the canopy and its regulatory impact on yield. A two-year field trial (2019-2020) was conducted on Zhengdan 958 for this study. Four treatments were set up: LR60 (6.75 plants m^-2, 60 cm row spacing, conventional planting); HR60, HR80, and HR100 (8.25 plants m^-2, with row spacings of 60, 80, and 100 cm, respectively). Quantitative analysis was conducted on canopy structure, population photosynthesis, and grain yield. Maize canopy leaf area index (LAI), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), biomass distribution, yield were measured. The results showed that the high-density treatments significantly increased the yield compared to LR60. Among the high-density treatments, HR80 exhibited an average yield increase of 8.47% compared to HR60 over two years. This was primarily attributed to HR80 enhancing the utilization of photosynthetically active radiation in the lower canopy after silking, delaying the decrease of LAI in the layers below the ear, and increasing CAP, resulting in a significant increase in biomass. HR80 increased yield by an average of 8.17% over HR100, due to significant increase in RUE during the grain-filling period. Furthermore, HR80 showed a significant increase in source-sink ratio compared to both HR60 and HR100, as well as an increase in ¹³C-photosynthetic products partitioning to the grains, and a significant increase in kernel number. Thus, row spacing configuration should be adapted to the planting density for optimal yield. Specifically, appropriate row spacing can optimize the population structure, enhancing light distribution within the middle and lower canopy layers, and improving the canopy apparent photosynthesis and light utilization, which will support higher yields in maize.

Keywords: maize grain yield row spacing configuration canopy apparent photosynthesis light distribution ¹³C-photosynthate distribution

Online: 25 April 2025

Fund:

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32071960) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFD0300603, 2023YFD2303304).

About author: #Correspondence Bin Zhao, E-mail: zhaobin@sdau.edu.cn

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Xiangpeng Ding, Zaiju He, Ming Zhang, Jing Bai, Jiwang Zhang, Peng Liu, Hao Ren, Baizhao Ren, Bin Zhao. 2025. Optimizing row spacing to boost maize yield via enhanced photosynthesis and post-silking biomass allocation. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.04.033

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