Yield Responses to Planting Density for US Modern Corn Hybrids: A Synthesis‐Analysis

作者：Yared Assefa, P. V. Vara Prasad, Paul Carter, M. Hinds, Gaurav Bhalla, Ryan Schon, Mark R. Jeschke, Steve Paszkiewicz, Ignacio A. Ciampitti · 发表于：Crop Science · 年份：2016 · DOI：10.2135/cropsci2016.04.0215 · 被引用次数：196 · 研究领域：Crop Yield and Soil Fertility、Genetics and Plant Breeding、Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology

Identifying an optimal plant density is a critical management decision for corn (Zea mays L.) production. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) investigate the grain yield responses to plant density (yield–density relationship), (ii) identify best fitted yield–density response curves, and (iii) explore genotype (G) × environment (E) interaction effect on yield–density response models. Analysis was conducted on meta‐data (124,374 observations) gathered from 22 US states and 2 Canadian provinces, diverse sites (E), for years from 2000–2014 on multiple hybrids (G). Yield data were further grouped into four yield environments (low [LY], <7 Mg ha−1; medium [MY], 7–10 Mg ha−1; high [HY], 10–13 Mg ha−1; and very high [VHY], >13 Mg ha−1 yielding groups). Primary outcomes from this analysis were: (1) strong G × E interaction; (2) a quadratic model best fitted yield–density relationship; (3) four contrasting yield–density responses identified as dominant in each yield productivity environment, i.e., a declining, a constant, an increasing, and ever‐increasing type; (4) the yield productivity environment varied for the different corn comparative relative maturity (CRM) groups, i.e., the LY environment for long‐maturing hybrids matched with a MY or HY environment for short maturing hybrids; and (5) maximum yielding plant density (MYPD) was lower but maximum yield was greater for long‐ versus short‐maturing hybrids. In summary, optimal plant density should be decided based on deta...