Abstract
Drought stress has been a great challenge for the sustainability of maize (Zea mays L.) production in arid and semi-arid regions. The utilization of drought-tolerant hybrids and proper irrigation regimes represent a management strategy to stabilize maize production under water-limited conditions. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the leaf gas exchange, growth, grain yield, and water use efficiency in two cultivars of maize, i.e., Zhengdan 958 (H1) and Zhongdan 909 (H2), under different water regimes, i.e., full irrigation (FI), reproductive irrigation (RI), and rainfed (RF). Plant samples were collected at different growth stages to measure the maize growth and development under the three irrigation regimes. The grain yield in RF was significantly reduced by 30.4% (H1) and 31.1% (H2); and the water use efficiency (WUE) by 8.5% (H1) and 9.3% (H2) compared with FI. On the other hand, irrigation application at the flowering stage was shown to significantly boost the grain yield by 40.3% (H1) and 25.5% (H2); and the WUE by 27.6% (H1) and 14.1% (H2) compared to RF. This indicated that H1 benefited more from irrigation use compared to H2. The improved grain yield through reproductive irrigation was due to the greater soil plant analysis development (SPAD), net photosynthesis, and biomass production when compared to zero irrigation. Zhengdan 958 was shown to be relatively more resistant to drought stress during flowering compared to Zhongdan 909. Thus, to achieve reliable maize production in Huaibei Plain, reproductive irrigation is recommended, combined with Zhengdan 958.
Highlights
Increased vulnerability due to climate change may occur in many regions
RF was significantly reduced by 22.3% for Zhengdan 958 (H1) and 23.7% for Zhongdan 909 (H2) in 2017; and 23.1% (H1) and 24.8% (H2) in 2018 compared to the full irrigation (FI) at the grain filling stage
We found a substantial difference in the grain yield under rainfed conditions due to the increased anthesis-silking interval (ASI) due to flowering drought stress
Summary
Climate change will lead to more frequent or severe drought stress, resulting in more risk for crops [1]. Drought is one of the most fundamental environmental stresses that limits crop yield in many places in the world, especially in arid and semi-arid areas [2]. Huaibei Plain is an important area for food supply in China, located at south Huai-Huai-Hai, where the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize crops (Zea mays L.) are cultivated with a rotation [3]. Maize is known as one of the world’s leading and most vital food security and feed crops [4]. Maize utilization has continued to grow gradually with exceeding demand in China because it serves as a valuable source of industrial material and urban nutrition products [5]. The demand for maize is expected to be doubled between and
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