Abstract
Information on yield-maturity relationships is important for maize breeding and cultivation, but it is seldom available in geographic zones where there are limited heat resources for summer maize. Two novel systematic crop yield models were put forward in terms of production efficiency. These models as well as three other conventional models were used to analyze the crop yield and maturity dataset of 23,691 records that were collected from the annual reports for the national summer maize zonal trials conducted in the Huanghuaihai Plain of China during 2003 to 2017. (1) Crop yield increases were usually below 14.5 kg/666.7 m2 due to longer maturity days, varying from 1 d to 15 d increments. Maize hybrids with later maturity fell into five categories: statistically significantly less, not significantly less, the same, not significantly more, or statistically significantly more output than their earlier counterparts. (2) Three yield components acted on crop yield gaps in the order of descending effects as kernel number per ear ≈ 1000-kernel weight > ear number per unit land area. (3) Space production efficiency was more important than canopy volume to crop yield. (4) Time production efficiency was dominant and maturity was negligible in crop yield formation. The findings provide insights into yield–maturity relationships in maize and useful information for summer maize breeding and cultivation strategies.
Highlights
Plant growth duration is an important factor in the development of yield in maize (Zea mays L)
Based on the dataset of 23,691 records from the national summer maize zonal trials conducted in the Huanghuaihai Plain of China during 2003 to 2017, the objectives of this paper are: (1) to propose and validate two novel production efficiency models for cropping systems; (2) to determine whether and how maturity days of hybrids affect maize crop yield; (3) to compare model components for the yield effect sizes associated with maturity days by means of several systematic models; and (4) to evaluate the relative importance of the gaps in model components to maize crop yield changes with respect to maturity days
In order to estimate the share of crop yield changes for individual components, we introduced the interlocking substitution analysis, which is a popular method in economic analysis[6]
Summary
Plant growth duration (maturity) is an important factor in the development of yield in maize (Zea mays L). Meng[1] and Di2 found that the main phenological stages of summer maize are delayed significantly in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and Shandong Province, but they are advanced in Henan Province based on phenological records for summer maize from agro-meteorological stations during 1989–2001 in the Huanghuaihai Plain. Based on the dataset of 23,691 records from the national summer maize zonal trials conducted in the Huanghuaihai Plain of China during 2003 to 2017, the objectives of this paper are: (1) to propose and validate two novel production efficiency models for cropping systems; (2) to determine whether and how maturity days of hybrids affect maize crop yield; (3) to compare model components for the yield effect sizes associated with maturity days by means of several systematic models; and (4) to evaluate the relative importance of the gaps in model components to maize crop yield changes with respect to maturity days.
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