Nitrogen application affects maize grain filling by regulating grain water relations

作     者：WU Ya-wei ZHAO Bo LI Xiao-long LIU Qin-lin FENG Dong-ju LAN Tian-qiong KONG Fan-lei LI Qiang YUAN Ji-chao WU Ya-wei;ZHAO Bo;LI Xiao-long;LIU Qin-lin;FENG Dong-ju;LAN Tian-qiong;KONG Fan-lei;LI Qiang;YUAN Ji-chao

作者机构：College of AgricultureSichuan Agricultural UniversityChengdu 611130P.R.China Chongqing Key Laboratory of Economic Plant Biotechnology/Collaborative Innovation Center of Special Plant Industry in Chongqing/Institute of Special PlantsChongqing University of Arts and SciencesChongqing 402160P.R.China Crop Ecophysiology and Cultivation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceChengdu 611130P.R.China 

出 版 物：《Journal of Integrative Agriculture》 (农业科学学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2022年第21卷第4期

页      面：977-994页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 0832[工学-食品科学与工程（可授工学、农学学位）] 0830[工学-环境科学与工程（可授工学、理学、农学学位）] 1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 0905[农学-畜牧学] 0906[农学-兽医学] 09[农学] 0901[农学-作物学] 0703[理学-化学] 0902[农学-园艺学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：funding support from the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFD0301206 2016YFD0300209 2016YFD0300307 and 2017YFD0301704) 

主　　题：maize grain filling grain drying down nitrogen maximum water content 

摘      要：Grain water relations play an important role in grain filling in maize. The study aimed to gain a clear understanding of the changes in grain dry weight and water relations in maize grains by using hybrids with contrasting nitrogen efficiencies under differing nitrogen levels. The objectives were: 1) to understand the changes in dry matter and percent moisture content(MC) during grain development in response to different nitrogen application rates and 2) to determine whether nitrogen application affects grain filling by regulating grain water relations. Two maize hybrids, high N-efficient Zhenghong 311(ZH311) and low N-efficient Xianyu 508(XY508), were grown in the field under four levels of N fertilizer: 0, 150, 300, and 450 kg N ha;during three growing seasons. Dry weight, percent MC and water content(WC) of basal-middle and apical grains were investigated. The difference in the maximum WC and filling duration of basal-middle and apical grains in maize ears resulted in a significant difference in final grain weight. Grain position markedly influenced grain drying down;specifically, the drying down rate of apical grains was faster than that of basal-middle grains. Genotype and grain position both influenced the impact of nitrogen application rate on grain filling and drying down. Nitrogen rate determined the maximum grain WC and percent MC loss rate in the middle and the late grain-filling stages, thus affecting final grain weight. The use of high N-efficient hybrids, combined with the reduction of nitrogen application rate, can coordinate basal-middle and apical grain drying down to ensure yield. This management strategy could lead to a win-win situation in which the maximum maize yield, efficient mechanical harvest and environmental safety are all achieved.