A study on the response of planting density to 3D plant shape plasticity and population light transmittance of maize

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.011

Journal of Integrative Agriculture

2026, Vol. 25

Issue (8): 3208-3217 DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.011

Crop Science

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A study on the response of planting density to 3D plant shape plasticity and population light transmittance of maize

Guangtao Wang^{1, 2}, Guanmin Huang², Weiliang Wen², Sheng Wu², Xianju Lu², Bo Chen², Xinming Ma^1#, Xinyu Guo^2#, Chunjiang Zhao^{1, 2#}

¹College of Agronomy, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China

²Beijing Key Lab of Digital Plant/National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China

Highlights
● During vegetative growth, maize exhibited enhanced vertical and horizontal development under increased planting density.
● At the silking stage, plants showed reduced spatial occupancy with pronounced lateral growth inhibition under increased planting density.
● The light transmission model based on support vector regression achieved reliable prediction accuracy.

Abstract
References

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摘要

传统的二维分析在研究不同种植密度下玉米（Zea mays. L）株形可塑性及冠层透光率时，由于难以捕捉空间异质性而存在局限性。本研究利用运动恢复结构技术和多视角三维（three-dimensional，3D）表型平台探究不同玉米品种和种植密度下的株形可塑性。开发了7种新的3D结构参数，并构建了3D冠层模型用于光分布仿真。在V9时期，与低密度（37500株/公顷，LD）相比，中密度（67500株/公顷，MD）使植株侧宽和凸包体积分别增加7.2%和11.4%，高密度（97500株/公顷，HD）较MD增加4.2%和17.8%。在V13时期，保持了一致的变化。在吐丝期，体素体积（number of voxel volume plant，NVP）和投影面积（projected area，PJA）下降6.2%和11.9%（从LD到MD）以及4.9%和3.6%（从MD到HD）。不同密度下，MC812和JNK728的PJA比ZD958分别低17.2-20.0%和6.2-7.6%，NVP分别低20.0-26.5%和15.4-21.1%。结合点云参数和支持向量回归构建的底部透光率估算模型具有较高预测精度（R²=0.76，RMSE=2.89%）。3D冠层模型能较好地模拟群体光分布（R²=0.83，RMSE=8.53%）。NVP和PJA是影响冠层底部透光率的关键参数，可作为玉米耐密性育种的3D选择指标。这些发现深入揭示了特定阶段的结构可塑性和光截获，为耐密玉米的分子设计育种提供了支持。

Abstract

Traditional two-dimensional (2D) analyses of maize (Zea mays L.) plant shape plasticity and canopy transmission under varying planting densities have limitations in capturing spatial heterogeneity. This study used a three-dimensional (3D) phenotyping platform to investigate architectural plasticity across different maize varieties and planting densities. Seven novel 3D architectural parameters were developed, and 3D canopy models were constructed for light distribution simulation. At the vegetative stage 9 (V9) stage, medium planting density (67,500 plants ha^–1, MD) increased plant side width and convex hull volume by 7.2 and 11.4%, respectively, compared to low planting density (37,500 plants ha^–1, LD). High planting density (97,500 plants ha^–1, HD) increased the width and volume by 4.2 and 17.8%, respectively, compared with MD. Similar changes were maintained at the V13 stage. At the silking stage, the number of voxel volume plant (NVP) and projected area (PJA) decreased by 6.2 and 11.9%, respectively, under MD compared with LD, and by 4.9 and 3.6%, respectively, under HD compared with MD. Across all densities, PJA and NVP in both MC812 and JNK728 were consistently lower than in ZD958. A bottom light transmittance estimation model combining point cloud parameters with support vector regression achieved reliable predictions (R²=0.76, RMSE=2.89%). The 3D canopy model effectively simulated population light distribution (R²=0.83, RMSE=8.53%). NVP and PJA were identified as critical parameters affecting bottom canopy transmittance, suggesting their potential as 3D selection indices for maize density tolerance breeding. These findings provide insights into stage-specific architectural plasticity and light interception, supporting molecular design breeding of density-tolerant maize.

Keywords: maize planting density 3D phenotyping light transmittance 3D canopy model

Received: 15 December 2024 Accepted: 16 April 2025 Online: 16 May 2025

Fund:

The work was funded by the Construction of Collaborative Innovation Center of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, China (KJCX20240406), the State Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (32330075), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M730314).

About author: #Correspondence Xinming Ma, E-mail: xinmingma@126.com; Xinyu Guo, E-mail: guoxy73@163.com; Chunjiang Zhao, E-mail: zhaocj@nercita.org.cn

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Guangtao Wang, Guanmin Huang, Weiliang Wen, Sheng Wu, Xianju Lu, Bo Chen, Xinming Ma, Xinyu Guo, Chunjiang Zhao. 2026. A study on the response of planting density to 3D plant shape plasticity and population light transmittance of maize. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(8): 3208-3217.

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