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Optimising yield and resource utilisation of summer maize under the conditions of increasing density and reducing nitrogen fertilization

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Abstract

The inefficient use of resources always poses risks of maize (Zea mays L.) yield reduction in China. We performed this research to monitor the effects of increasing plant density and reducing nitrogen (N) rate on radiation-use efficiency (RUE), N efficiency traits, grain yield (GY) and their inter-relationships. Besides, whether GY and resource-use efficiency can both be maximized was examined. Hence, a 2-year field experiment was conducted using a widely grown variety “Denghai 618” in Shandong, China. Treatments contained two different plant densities [67,500 (D1) and 97,500 (D2) plant ha−1] and three N levels [0 (N−2), 180 (N−1), 360 (Nck) kg ha−1], set D1Nck as control. Significant increases in grain yield, biomass, RUE, above-ground N uptake (AGN) and N efficiency were observed when density increased from D1 to D2. Declining N application was accompanied by reductions in yield, RUE and AGN especially under high density, yet an obvious improvement in N recovery efficiency (NRE), agronomic N efficiency and N partial factor productivity. The increased GY was positive related with population biomass (r = 0.895**), RUE (r = 0.769**) and AGN (r = 0.923**), whereas it has no significant correlation with N efficiency. In this study, D2Nck obtained 18.8, 17.9, 24.8 and 29.7% higher grain yield, RUE, AGN and NRE respectively, compared to control, optimizing both yield and the efficiencies of radiation and N use. Furthermore, higher yield and RUE with more desirable N efficiency may be possible via optimizing density and N rate combination.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the national key research and development program of China (no. 2016YFD0300308), the grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (no. BK20170720), the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 3117 1497), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, no. 2011CB100105), the National Food Science and Technology of High-yield Program of China (no. 2011BAD16B09), and the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of China (no. 20120306).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agronomy/Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture/Hi-Tech Key Laboratory of Information Agriculture of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Shanshan Wei, Qicen Zhu & Dong Jiang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, 271018, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Shanshan Wei, Xiangyu Wang & Shuting Dong

  3. College of Life Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

    Xiangyu Wang

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  1. Shanshan Wei
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  2. Xiangyu Wang
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  3. Qicen Zhu
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  4. Dong Jiang
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  5. Shuting Dong
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Correspondence to Dong Jiang or Shuting Dong.

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Communicated by: Sven Thatje

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Wei, S., Wang, X., Zhu, Q. et al. Optimising yield and resource utilisation of summer maize under the conditions of increasing density and reducing nitrogen fertilization. Sci Nat 104, 86 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-017-1509-x

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