Proper fertilizer managements can improve the starch gelatinization and retrogradation properties of waxy maize(Zea mays L.Ceratina Kulesh).The split-design experiment was conducted using waxy maize cultivar Suyunuo 4 with four main plots subjected to basal fertilizer treatments of N 75 kg ha-1,N 75 kg ha-1+K2O 70 kg ha-1,N 75 kg ha-1+P2O5 65 kg ha-1,and N 75 kg ha-1+P2O5 65 kg ha-1+K2O 70 kg ha-1,respectively in 2007 and 2008.The three split plots were topdressed with nitrogen of 0,150,and 300 kg ha-1 at jointing stage,respectively.Though onset temperature(To),peak temperature(Tp) and conclusion temperature(Tc) of native starch and retrogradated starch were affected by fertilizer treatments,the variation was little.No significant effects were observed for basic fertilizer treatments on the enthalpy of gelatinization(ΔHgel),and for N topdressing treatments on gelatinization range(R) and peak height index(PHI).The R-value was the lowest in the treatment with only N and K in basal fertilizer,and the highest in the treatment with N,P,and K in basal fertilizer.The changes of PHI showed an opposite trend to R.The ΔHgel was the highest in the treatment with medium N topdressing(150 kg ha-1).Gelatinized starch became retrograded with lower To,Tp,Tc,enthalpy of retrogradation(ΔHret),and PHI,as well as wider R.Compared with the treatment of only N applied in basal fertilizer,the percentage of retrogradation and ΔHret decreased when P and/or K added in the basal fertilizer.The two indicators were higher in the treatments with N topdressing than without N topdressing.The percentage of retrogradation was posi-tively correlated with ΔHret(r = 0.90,P 0.01) and PHI of retrograded starch(r = 0.41,P 0.05).ΔHgel was positively correlated with PHI(r = 0.65,P 0.01) and ΔHret(r = 0.44,P 0.05),but negatively correlated with Tc(r =-0.41,P 0.05).It is recommended to apply balanced fertilization with N,P,and K combining with moderate N topdressing under conditions similar to the experiment to improve gelatinization and retrogradation properties of waxy maize starch.
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