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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (6): 2389-2395    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.04.016
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Radiation use efficiency of maize under high-density optimal growth conditions in Jilin Province, China

E Li1, Zhijuan Liu1#, Xiaomao Lin2, Tao Li3, Dengyu Shi1, Huazhe Shang4, Suliang Qiao1, Guangxin Zhu1, Wanrong Yang1, Zhenzhen Fu1, Jingjin Gong1, Wanghua Yang1, Zhenkang Yang1, Xiaomeng Lu1, Jingjing Wang1, Lexuan Wang1, Jin Zhao1, Chuang Zhao1, Xiaoguang Yang1

1 College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China

2 Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, 2108 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA

3 International Rice Research Institute, Los Baños 4031, Philippines

4 State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth/Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Highlights: 

During the entire growth period, maize radiation use efficiency (RUE) averaged 5.71 g MJ–1 absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) under high-density optimal growth conditions. 

Within the vegetative and reproductive growth periods, maize RUE averaged 6.85 and 5.64 g MJ–1 APAR, respectively.  

An RUE of 5.07–5.85 g MJ–1 APAR can be used to derive the optimal potential yield in maize simulation models.

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摘要  

准确测定玉米的辐射利用效率(RUE)对评估气候变化对玉米生产的影响至关重要。本研究选取了我国吉林省三个玉米品种:郑单958ZD958)、先玉335XY335)和良玉99LY99),在高密度(9 /m²)的最优种植条件下,对玉米在营养生长期、生殖生长期及整个生育期的辐射利用效率进行研究。结果表明,玉米群体光截获量在开花期达到峰值,开花后玉米植株生物量持续积累。基于吸收光合有效辐射(APAR),计算了玉米不同品种不同阶段的RUE。从整个生育期来看,三个玉米品种的RUE平均为5.71 g MJ-1 APAR,三个品种由高到低依次为ZD9585.85 g MJ-1 APAR>XY3355.64 g MJ-1 APAR>LY995.07 g MJ-1 APAR)。三个玉米品种营养生长期和生殖生长期平均RUE平均为6.85 g MJ-1 APAR5.64 g MJ-1 APAR。以APSIM为代表的基于RUE的作物模型预测玉米地上部生物量积累时,RUE值(3.6 g MJ-1 APAR)显著低于在高密最优种植条件下测得的值。因此,为准确估算此类种植条件下玉米的潜在产量,建议将RUE调整至5.07-5.85 g MJ-1 APAR



Abstract  

To evaluate the impact of climate change on maize production, accurately measuring the radiation use efficiency (RUE) of maize is critical.  This study focused on three maize cultivars in Jilin Province, China: Zhengdan 958 (ZD958), Xianyu 335 (XY335), and Liangyu 99 (LY99).  Under the optimal growing conditions for high density planting (9 plants m–2), the maize RUE was determined during the vegetative and reproductive phases, and the entire growth period.  The results showed that the canopy light interception for maize peaked during anthesis.  After anthesis, maize plant biomass continued to accumulate.  The maize RUE was calculated based on the absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR).  During the entire growth period, maize RUE averaged 5.71 g MJ–1 APAR among the three cultivars, with a high-to-low order of ZD958 (5.85 g MJ–1 APAR)>XY335 (5.64 g MJ–1 APAR)>LY99 (5.07 g MJ–1 APAR).  Within the vegetative and reproductive growth periods, maize RUE averaged 6.85 and 5.64 g MJ–1 APAR, respectively.  When utilizing maize models that depend on RUE to predict aboveground biomass accumulation, such as APSIM, the current RUE value of 3.6 g MJ–1 APAR is considerably lower than the measured value obtained under high-density optimal growing conditions.  Consequently, to derive the optimal potential yield for maize in such planting conditions, we recommend adjusting the RUE to a range of 5.07–5.85 g MJ–1 APAR.

Keywords:  radiation use efficiency (RUE)        absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR)       maize cultivars       growth period       high density  
Received: 09 October 2024   Accepted: 14 March 2025 Online: 18 April 2025  
Fund: 

This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project, China (2022ZD0119503), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42175190), and the 2115 Talent Development Program of China Agricultural University.

About author:  #Correspondence Zhijuan Liu, E-mail: zhijuanliu@cau.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

E Li, Zhijuan Liu, Xiaomao Lin, Tao Li, Dengyu Shi, Huazhe Shang, Suliang Qiao, Guangxin Zhu, Wanrong Yang, Zhenzhen Fu, Jingjin Gong, Wanghua Yang, Zhenkang Yang, Xiaomeng Lu, Jingjing Wang, Lexuan Wang, Jin Zhao, Chuang Zhao, Xiaoguang Yang. 2026. Radiation use efficiency of maize under high-density optimal growth conditions in Jilin Province, China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(6): 2389-2395.

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