Dry Matter Accumulation in Maize in Response to Film Mulching and Plant Density in Northeast China

Abstract

Film mulching in combination with high plant density (PD) is a common agronomic technique in rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) production. However, the effects of combining colored plastic film mulching and PD on dry matter accumulation (DMA) dynamics and yield of spring maize have not been thoroughly elucidated to date. Thus, a 2-year field experiment was conducted with three mulching treatments (no mulching (M0), transparent plastic film mulching (M1), and black plastic film mulching (M2)) and five plant densities (60,000 (D1), 67,500 (D2), 75,000 (D3), 82,500 (D4), and 90,000 plants ha−1 (D5)). A logistic equation was used to simulate the DMA process of spring maize by taking the effective accumulated air temperature compensated by effective accumulated soil temperature as the independent variable. The results showed that compared with M0 treatment, the growth period of M1 and M2 treatments was preceded by 10 and 4 days in 2016, and 10 and 7 days in 2017, respectively. The corrected logistic equation performed well in the characterization of maize DMA process with its characteristic parameter (final DMA, a; maximum growth rate of DMA, GRmax; effective accumulated temperature under maximum growth rate of DMA, xinf; effective accumulated temperature when maize stops growing, xmax; effective accumulated temperature when maize enters the fast-growing period, x1). Plastic film color mainly affected DMA by influencing xinf. PD mainly affected DMA by affecting GRmax and x1. During the first slow growing period, the DMA of M1 treatment was the largest among the three mulching treatments, however, during the fast growing period, the DMA of M2 treatment accelerated and exceeded that of M1 treatment, resulting in the largest final DMA(a) and yield. When the PD was increased from D1 to D4, the maximum growth rate (GRmax) continued to increase, and the effective accumulated temperature when maize enters the fast growing period (x1) continued to decrease, which substantially increased the final DMA(a) and yield. The application of M2D4 treatment can harmonize the relevant factors to improve the DMA and yield of spring maize in rainfed regions of Northeast China.

Effects of Oxygenated Brackish Water on Pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) Growth Characteristics Based on a Logistic Crop Growth Model

“…However, due to different climate conditions and crop growth times in different regions, the crop growth stage expressed by growth time alone will produce larger deviations [33]. Since the heat required by crops to complete a certain growth stage is constant, we used effective accumulated temperature instead of time to simulate crop growth and development [34,35].…”

The Effects of Zinc Oxide/Silicon Dioxide Composite Coating on Surface Wettability and the Mechanical Properties of Paper Mulching Film

“…With the increase in economic benefits, the demand for plastics in agriculture is increasing, and the nondegradation of plastics brings huge problems to society and the environment [1,2]. In order to protect the environment in which human beings live, scholars at home and abroad are vigorously studying and popularizing degradable paper mulching film [3][4][5], and agricultural paper mulching film technology has demonstrated remarkable effects in expanding the planting area of crops, increasing the yield of crops, and coping with natural disasters [6][7][8][9].…”