Enhancing maize high-density population uniformity and yield through timely drip irrigation after sowing

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.014

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2026, Vol. 25

Issue (9): 3629-3638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.014

Crop Science

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Enhancing maize high-density population uniformity and yield through timely drip irrigation after sowing

Zhenhua Yan^{1, 2, 3}, Yi Liu^{2, 3}, Shang Gao^{2, 3}, Hongye Yang², Dayun Feng², Kexin Gao², Yuan Lu², Bo Ming², Keru Wang², Zhiguo Zhou¹, Ruizhi Xie^{2, 3}, Shaokun Li^2#

¹College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

²Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Resources and Breeding, Beijing 100081, China

³Zhongyuan Research Center, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinxiang 453500, China

Highlights

● Timely application of drip irrigation for seedling emergence within 3 days after sowing in summer maize can significantly improve the emergence rate, increase the number of harvested ears and kernel weight per ear, while enhancing population uniformity, thereby boosting the final yield.

● The critical operation window for drip irrigation management is within 3 days after seeding, and the yield increase effect of drip irrigation cannot be fully realized if the window period is missed.

● Population uniformity is critically linked to yield; delayed irrigation disrupts uniformity through intensified resource competition, diminishing the yield potential of drip irrigation.

Abstract
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摘要

作物出苗不均是由出苗时间的自然差异造成的，这种差异受播种后不同灌溉措施的影响。在追求高产玉米群体的过程中，玉米出苗率和整齐度是关键因素。本研究探讨了不同灌溉方式以及播种后不同天数的滴灌对夏玉米出苗整齐度和产量的影响。试验设置六种处理方式：播种后第0天、第3天、第6天、第9天和第12天滴灌（DAS0、DAS3、DAS6、DAS9和DAS12），以及播种后第0天喷灌（SI0）。在关键生长阶段测定主要农艺性状、收获期果穗性状及产量以及群体整齐度。结果表明，及时滴灌处理（DAS0-3）出苗率和收获穗数分别较喷灌处理显著增加9.57%（8621.61 株 ha^-1）和10.54%（8017.05 穗 ha^-1）。DAS0-3处理的穗长和穗粒重分别较喷灌处理显著增加13.50%和24.85%。随着玉米的生长发育，延迟滴灌（DAS6-12）处理玉米群体质量逐渐下降。在吐丝期，植株高度和穗位高度的整齐度分别较DAS0-3处理显著降低47.19%和44.85%。在收获期，玉米干物质量和叶面积指数整齐度分别较DAS0-3处理显著降低28.24%和41.83%。相关性分析表明，穗粒重整齐度与产量的相关性最为显著，相关系数为 0.90**。DAS0-3处理的产量较SI处理显著提高23.71%。DAS6-12处理的产量较DAS0-3处理显著降低13.18%-23.97%，与SI处理的产量相当。玉米播种后若不及时滴水出苗，将无法充分发挥滴灌的增产潜力。播种后第三天起，每延迟一天进行滴水出苗，产量平均降低 0.32 t ha^-1。玉米播种后及时进行滴灌能显著提高出苗率和群体整齐度，增加收获穗数和单穗粒重，进而提高最终产量。播种后三天内利用滴灌进行滴水出苗，能充分发挥滴灌的增产潜力。

Abstract

Uneven crop stands arise from natural variations in emergence time, which are influenced by different irrigation measures applied post-sowing. In the pursuit of high-yielding maize populations, the emergence rate and uniformity of maize stands are critical factors. This study investigates the effects of different irrigation methods and drip irrigation at various days after sowing on the emergence uniformity and yield of summer maize. The experiment consisted of six treatments: drip irrigation on the 0th, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th days after sowing (DAS0, DAS3, DAS6, DAS9, and DAS12), and sprinkling irrigation on the 0th day after sowing (SI0). Agronomic traits, ear characteristics, harvest yield, and indices of population uniformity were evaluated at critical growth stages. Results indicated that timely drip irrigation (DAS0-3) significantly increased the emergence rate and number of harvestable ears by 9.57% (8621.61 plants ha^-1) and 10.54% (8017.05 ears ha^-1) compared to the SI treatment. Treatment with DAS0-3 resulted in a significant increase of 13.50% in ear length and 24.85% in kernel weight per ear compared to the SI treatment. Maize populations subjected to delayed drip irrigation (DAS6-12) demonstrated a progressive decline in quality throughout the growth period. At the silk stage, the uniformity of plant height and ear height decreased by 47.19 and 44.85%, respectively, compared to the DAS0-3 treatment. Furthermore, at harvest, the uniformity of dry matter accumulation and leaf area index (LAI) was reduced by 28.24 and 41.83%, respectively, relative to the DAS0-3 treatment. Correlation analysis reveals that the uniformity of kernel weight per ear is most significantly associated with yield, as indicated by a correlation coefficient of 0.90^**. The yield in the DAS0-3 treatment was significantly higher than that in the SI treatment by 23.71%. The yields of the DAS6-12 treatments were notably lower than those of the DAS0-3 treatment, ranging from 13.18 to 23.97% lower, and were comparable to the yields observed in the SI treatment. The suboptimal implementation of drip irrigation technology has prevented it from realizing its potential for increasing crop yields. Each day’s delay in initiating drip irrigation after the third day post-sowing reduces yield by an average of 0.32 Mg ha^-1. Timely drip irrigation following maize seeding significantly enhances emergence rate and population uniformity, increases the number of harvestable ears and kernel weight per ear, ultimately leading to higher final yields. Drip irrigation for seedling emergence within three days after sowing can better bring out the yield-increasing potential of drip irrigation.

Keywords: summer maize irrigation methods kernel weight harvest ears uniformity yield

Received: 17 January 2025 Accepted: 18 April 2025 Online: 16 May 2025

Fund:

This work was supported by the grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFD2303300), the Key Research and Development Project of Henan Province, China (241111112000), the earmarked fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-02-15), and the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program, China (CAAS-ZDRW202004).

About author: #Correspondence Shaokun Li, E-mail: Lishaokun@caas.cn

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Zhenhua Yan, Yi Liu, Shang Gao, Hongye Yang, Dayun Feng, Kexin Gao, Yuan Lu, Bo Ming, Keru Wang, Zhiguo Zhou, Ruizhi Xie, Shaokun Li. 2026. Enhancing maize high-density population uniformity and yield through timely drip irrigation after sowing. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(9): 3629-3638.

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