Effects of plastic mulch, sowing date and cultivar on the yield and maturity of forage maize grown under marginal climatic conditions in Northern Ireland

The effects of growing forage maize (Zea mays) with or without plastic mulching treatments on the dry‐matter (DM) yield, cob yield, DM content and starch content was investigated in Northern Ireland in 1996 and 1997. Cultivars differing in maturity characteristics were sown in spring at a range of dates in three replicated plot experiments and were used to compare the effects of two plastic mulches and an untreated control: one plastic mulch completely covered the rows (floating); the other had holes punched in the plastic, through which the plants grew (punch). Between April and October in 1996 and 1997, the Ontario heat units (OU) received were above average at 2489 and 2660 respectively; in those years without plastic mulches, the earliest maturing cultivar, Melody, yielded 11·0 and 13·6 t DM ha^–1, with dry‐matter contents of 214 and 215 g kg^–1 respectively. Mean daily increases in soil and air temperature under plastic mulches of up to 6°C and 11°C, respectively, were closely related to solar radiation. Under plastic mulches, 15% fewer OU were required to reach silking, and 33% more OU were available between silking and harvest. Meaned over three experiments, two years and three cultivars, plastic mulches, when compared with the unmulched control, increased maize yield from 12·0 to 14·7 t DM ha^–1, cob yield from 3·7 to 6·8 t DM ha^–1, dry‐matter content from 230 to 270 g kg^–1 and starch content from 198 to 272 g kg^–1. The effect of plastic mulch on the maturation of the crop was greatest at earlier sowings. In 1997, plants from an early sowing date (10 April) that had recently emerged through the punch plastic mulch were damaged by frost, whereas those in the floating plastic mulch plots were unaffected. When the floating plastic mulch was left on after the six‐ to eight‐leaf stage of the first‐early maize cultivar Hudson, the plants were physically damaged and the yield reduced, but DM and starch contents continued to increase. The increases in yield and dry‐matter content under the plastic mulch were greater in Diamant (second‐early cultivar) than in Melody (first‐early cultivar). It was concluded that, under marginal climatic conditions, plastic mulches ought to be used to improve the reliability of early cultivars rather than growing later maturing cultivars.     

Yield and quality of forage maize grown under marginal climatic conditions in Northern Ireland

The expansion of maize (Zea mays) into cooler areas has been facilitated by the availability of early maturing cultivars and by cultivation under plastic mulch. However, year‐to‐year variation in harvest quality remains a problem. The yield and quality of ‘Goldcob’, an early maturing forage maize, were assessed over 5 years from plots grown in the open and under plastic mulch. For both treatments, there was significant between‐year variation in yield and quality (starch content, metabolizable energy, organic matter and D‐value), and starch content was particularly variable. The use of plastic mulch to warm the soil advanced the establishment of the crop, with silking occurring on average 19 days earlier. This resulted in significantly higher yields under plastic mulch, with a mean increase of 3·9 t ha^?1. The plastic mulch also resulted in significant increases in quality parameters, with starch content showing a mean increase of 36%. The Ontario heat unit model explained much of the variability in yield, both in the open and under plastic mulch. Plastic mulch had no consistent effect on Ontario heat units accumulated prior to silking, but Ontario heat units accumulated between silking and harvest (OHU_post‐silk) were found to be an adequate predictor of yield. The response of starch content was more complex, showing a clear plateau in the response to temperature at 1200 OHU_post‐silk, above which the accumulation of starch appears limited by other factors.     

Agronomic factors affecting the yield and quality of forage maize in Ireland: effect of sowing date and plastic film treatment

The objectives of these studies were to examine the effects of sowing date and plastic film on the yield and quality of forage maize ( Zea mays L.) in Ireland, a marginal maize-growing area. In 1989–95, comparisons were made of maize sown through clear plastic film (PP treatment), and maize sown in the conventional manner without plastic (NP treatment), in terms of dry-matter (DM) yield and quality (cob, grain and starch contents). The PP treatment significantly increased DM yields in five years, with a mean yield increase of 3·10 t ha⁻¹. Whole-plant DM content increased (significant in four years) by a mean of 0·15; cob content increased (significant in five years) by a mean of 0·32; grain content increased (significant in all of the three years examined) by 0·75; and starch content increased from 236 to 318 g kg⁻¹ DM ( P  < 0·01) in 1995 where the plastic film treatment was used. Organic matter digestibility values were similar for both treatments in 1995. Sowing date in the April-May period had no consistent effect on DM yields, but early sowings did increase cob (significant, except in 1994), grain (significant in one (1995) of the two years tested) and starch ( P  < 0·05) contents (only tested in 1995). Sowing on 11 April 1995 through perforated plastic gave lower yields than the NP treatment sown on the same date, due to severe frost damage in early May.     

Modelling leaf production and crop development in maize (Zea mays L.) after tassel initiation under diverse conditions of temperature and photoperiod

Prediction of the initiation, appearance and emergence of leaves is critically important to the success of simulation models of crop canopy development and some aspects of crop ontogeny. Data on leaf number and crop ontogeny were collected on five cultivars of maize differing widely in maturity and genetic background grown under natural and extended photoperiods, and planted on seven sowing dates from October 1993 to March 1994 at Gatton, South-east Queensland. The same temperature coefficients were established for crop ontogeny before silking, and the rates of leaf initiation, leaf tip appearance and full leaf expansion, the base, optimum and maximum temperatures for each being 8°C, 34°C and 40°C. After silking, the base temperature for ontogeny was 0°C, but the optimum and maximum temperatures remained unchanged. The rates of leaf initiation, appearance of leaf tips and full leaf expansion varied in a relatively narrow range across sowing times and photoperiod treatments, with average values of 0.040 leaves (°Cd)⁻¹, 0.021 leaves (°Cd)⁻¹, and 0.019 leaves (°Cd)⁻¹, respectively. The relationships developed in this study provided satisfactory predictions of leaf number and crop ontogeny (tassel initiation to silking, emergence to silking and silking to physiological maturity) when assessed using independent data from Gatton (South eastern Queensland), Katherine and Douglas Daly (Northern Territory), Walkamin (North Queensland) and Kununurra (Western Australia).     

Agronomic factors affecting the yield and quality of forage maize in Ireland: effect of plastic film system and seeding rate

The objectives were to compare the effects of two plastic film systems [perforated (PP) and complete‐cover (CC) systems] on the yield and quality of forage maize, and to study the effects of seeding rate on maize grown with, and without, plastic film. Between 1995 and 1998 (Experiments 1 and 2), comparisons were made of maize without plastic film systems (NP), sown through clear plastic film (PP) and covered with clear plastic film (CC). In the CC system, the plastic was removed manually from the crop. Two dates of removal (CC1 and CC2) were compared in 1995, while four removal dates (CC1, CC2, CC3 and CC4) were examined in 1996–98. In 1996–98, three sowing dates (early, mid‐April; mid, early‐May; late, mid‐May) were also examined. Four seeding rates (78 200, 93 900, 107 000 and 126 000 seeds ha^?1) were examined in two experiments (Experiment 3 in 1996 and Experiment 4 in 1996–98). No plastic was used in Experiment 3, while three plastic treatments (NP, PP and CC) were examined in Experiment 4. In the CC treatment, the plastic film was removed at the six‐ to eight‐leaf stage. In Experiment 1, the PP treatment gave lower DM yields than the NP treatment due to frost damage which killed 0·30 of the plants in the PP treatment. Plants were undamaged by frost in both CC treatments, and the CC2 treatment (plastic removal at the six‐leaf stage) gave significant increases in DM and grain yields. In Experiment 2, averaged over years and sowing dates, DM yields were significantly increased by all plastic film treatments except CC4. All plastic film treatments gave significantly earlier tassel emergence than the NP treatment, and significantly increased grain yields and contents of DM and grain. The highest yields of DM and grain were obtained from the PP system. Within the CC treatments, leaving the plastic film intact until the ten‐leaf stage (CC4) gave lower yields of DM and grain than removing the plastic film at an earlier stage. Averaged over years, the largest DM yields were obtained from the CC system with early‐sown material, while the yield differences between treatments with late‐sown crops under this system were not significant. Highest DM and grain yields were obtained with early sowing, while late sowing gave lower contents of DM and grain, and later tassel emergence. In Experiments 3 and 4, DM and grain yields increased as seeding rate increased up to 126 000 seeds ha^?1 with NP and CC plastic treatments. With the PP treatment, DM yield reached a plateau at 107 000 seeds ha^?1. Seeding rate did not significantly affect DM content in either experiments but grain content declined in both experiments as seeding rate increased.     

Responses of time of anthesis and maturity to sowing dates and infrared warming in spring wheat

Reliable prediction of the potential impacts of global warming on agriculture requires accurate data on crop responses to elevated temperatures. Controlled environments can precisely regulate temperature but may impose unrealistic radiation, photoperiod and humidity regimes. Infrared warming with automatic control of temperature rise has shown potential for warming field plots above ambient temperatures, while avoiding such biases. In a field experiment conducted at Maricopa, AZ, we assessed the utility of a temperature free-air controlled enhancement (T-FACE) approach by comparing phenology of wheat from a series of six sowing date treatments using T-FACE and an additional nine sowing dates that exposed crops to an exceptionally wide range of air temperatures (<0 °C to >40 °C). The T-FACE treatments were intended to achieve a warming of +1.5 °C during the daytime and +3.0 °C at night; the achieved warming averaged +1.3 °C during daytime and +2.8 °C at night. T-FACE and sowing date treatments had large effects on phenology. A regression-based analysis of simulations with the CSM-CROPSIM-CERES model showed that effects of T-FACE on phenology were similar to what would be expected from equivalent changes in air temperature. However, systematic deviations from the expected 1-to-1 relation suggested that assumed cardinal temperatures for phenology should be revised. Based on the single cultivar and location, it appeared that the base temperature for emergence to anthesis should be reduced from 0 °C to −5 °C, whereas the base temperature for grain filling should be increased from 0 °C to 4 °C and the optimal temperature, from 30 °C to 34 °C. Both T-FACE and extreme sowing date treatments proved valuable for improving understanding of high temperature effects on plant processes, as required for accurate prediction of crop responses to elevated temperatures under climate change.     

Growth and yield of bell pepper as influenced by growing environment,mulch, and planting date

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum Sendt.) production is often constrained by prevailing sub-optimal temperature conditions. The treatments that enhance earliness and extend availability period may substantially increase value of the crop. This two-year study (2010–11 and 2011–12) was conducted to investigate the comparative effect of two growing environments (open field vs. polyhouse), three planting dates (15 October, 30 October, and 15 November), and four mulch treatments (black polythene, clear polythene, paddy straw, and no-mulch) on growth and yield of bell pepper. The highest fruit number, fruit weight, early yield, marketable yield, and total yield were obtained when the crop was planted in the polyhouse on 30 October under black polythene mulch. Thus, the use of polyhouse and black plastic mulch, when combined with appropriate planting date, improves early and total yields of bell pepper in areas where the production is constrained by sub-optimal temperature conditions.     

播期、收获期对玉米生长发育及冠层性状的调控

采用均匀试验设计,研究6个播期配合6个收获期对郑单958和伟科702生长发育、株型结构和产量性状的影响,通过播期、收获期调控实现高产。结果表明,冀中地区6月12日前播种,玉米抽雄和吐丝持续时间更为集中,播期每推迟3 d,抽雄和吐丝日期后推1 d;继续推迟播期,抽雄和吐丝日期后推4~5 d。2014年6月12日播种处理吐丝期冠层温度最高,不利于玉米授粉;6月15日后播种穗位叶SPAD值降低,尤其是生育后期伟科702叶片SPAD值降低幅度较大。播期对株高、穗位高和基部茎粗影响较大,播期与收获期对产量及其构成影响均显著,穗粒数随播期推迟而降低,千粒重随生育期延长而提高。经回归分析得出,夏玉米每提早播种1 d,产量平均增加98.4 kg/hm2;每推迟收获1 d,平均增产103.3 kg/hm2。郑单958获得较高产量的播期、收获期最佳组合为6月6日至6月12日播种,10月4日至10日收获。     

鄂北双季花生高产栽培技术初探

一年内连续两次种植花生是鄂北地区花生种植方式的一项重要改革。通过三年的试验，研究了在鄂北条件下双季连作花生栽培的良种选用、播种期、种植密度和管理措施等关键栽培技术，结果表明以早熟高产的中花４号等品种，第一季地膜覆盖于３月下旬播种，第二季在８月初露地播种并适当增加种植密度，能够获得双季花生７５００ｋｇ／ｈｍ２以上的产量。     

Sowing date, harvest date and the yield of forage brassica crops

The effect of sowing date, within the period from late May to mid-August, on the DM yield of five leafy forage brassica crops sown to a stand was examined over the period 1976–78. Kale was the crop most sensitive to variation in sowing date and yields declined progressively with later sowings. There was no yield benefit from sowing rapes or stubble turnips earlier than mid- to late-June. Raphanobrassica produced yields as good as rape when sown in June. In 1978, DM yields of rape, kale and Raphanobrassica increased from September to early November, largely as a result of stem growth; kale was slower to accumulate DM than rape in late summer but continued growing longer into the autumn. The DM concentrations of all crops increased from September to December. Rape had a higher DM concentration than stubble turnip. Raphanobrassica was 10–25 g kg^-1 lower in DM concentration than rape or kale. Raphanobrassica produced 23–59% flowering plants from late-May to early-June sowing. Harvest date affected DM yield and concentration, leaf: stem ratio and flowering percentage. The effects of sowing dale on DM concentration were small.     

Yield,quality and ensilage characteristics of whole‐crop maize and of the cob and stover components: harvest date and hybrid effects

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of maize hybrid and harvest date on the yield, quality and subsequent conservation characteristics of whole‐crop, cob and stover silages. The experiment had a split‐plot design, with three main plots (date of harvest) and six subplots (hybrid) in each of three replicate blocks. Four maize hybrids (Tassilo, Beethoven, Andante and Nescio) were conventional hybrids used in commercial livestock production in Ireland, and two were categorized as high‐biomass hybrids (Atletico and KXA 7211). The three harvest dates – 16 September, 7 October and 28 October – represented early, normal and late harvests respectively. Averaged across hybrids, harvesting on 16 September reduced the DM yield (P < 0·05) and starch concentration (P < 0·01) of whole‐crop and cob, and decreased the neutral detergent fibre (P < 0·05) and acid detergent fibre (P < 0·01) contents of stover. Later harvesting date generally resulted in a more restricted, heterolactic fermentation that was associated with increased dry‐matter (DM) content at ensiling. Whole‐crop and stover from Atletico and KXA 7211 generally had higher DM yields (P < 0·05) and a more extensive fermentation compared to Tassilo, Andante and Nescio. Despite the high‐biomass hybrids having a higher DM yield than conventional hybrids, the high‐biomass hybrids had a lower (P < 0·05) content of cob and a corresponding higher (P < 0·05) content of stover. The changes in proportions of cob and stover in whole‐crop maize with later harvesting significantly influenced its silage digestibility and conservation characteristics.     

播期对早春双膜菜用花生生育、鲜果产量及效益的影响

适期早播双膜覆盖栽培菜用花生，可以有效地提早鲜果上市时间，提高花生种植效益。试验以不同播期处理研究提早播种对花生生长发育，鲜果产量、产值以及效益的影响，研究结果初步明确、泰州及相近地区早春双膜覆盖栽培菜用花生，最早播期为３月１４，安全播期为３月２４日，适宜播期为３月２０日前后。     

密植夏玉米穗部脱水及力学特性研究

以仲玉3号和正红6号玉米为试材,设置6.75×10⁴、8.25×10⁴株/hm²两个种植密度,研究密植条件下夏玉米子粒、穗轴脱水及力学特性的变化规律,探明二者之间的关系。结果表明,随着种植密度的增加,穗部器官脱水减慢、含水率增加,力学强度呈下降趋势。品种间穗部脱水及力学强度存在显著差异,且远大于种植密度及二者交互作用的影响。与正红6号(ZH6)相比,仲玉3号(ZY3)脱水较快,到达适宜机械粒收含水率时所需吐丝后积温较少,收获时ZY3子粒压碎强度与穿刺强度大,穗轴抗折断力小,茎秆倒伏率低,机收性能更好。相关性分析显示,子粒与穗轴力学强度与含水率均呈显著负相关;穗轴抗折断力与干重、单位长度干重及单位体积干重呈极显著正相关,与穗轴长、长粗比呈极显著负相关。密度与品种对子粒产量存在无显著差异,随着种植密度的提高,茎秆倒伏率显著增大,ZY3生理成熟后脱水速率显著降低,达到宜机收子粒含水率所需积温增多。     

Modeling the dependence of the crop calendar for rain-fed rice on precipitation in Northeast Thailand

Rain-fed lowlands are major agricultural ecosystems used for rice production in Northeast Thailand. Developing a tool to assess the effects of variable water conditions on the regional scale yield is also important to predict the effects of climate change on food supply. To estimate regional yields, we need a simple but accurate measure of the crop calendar (i.e., the distribution of planting dates), which has a strong influence on grain yield. In this article, we modeled the dependence of the crop calendar on rainfall patterns based on a survey of the region’s farmers as a part of an effort to provide a stronger basis for regional yield estimates. Our survey, conducted in 11 provinces for 2 years, confirmed the existence of large windows for sowing and transplanting versus narrow windows for heading and harvesting for rain-fed lowland rice culture in all the provinces. Variable water, soil, and toposequential conditions in the paddy fields were responsible for the large sowing and transplanting windows, whereas the use of photoperiod-sensitive varieties explained the narrow windows for heading and harvesting. The crop calendar was well expressed as a function of cumulative precipitation from June onward. When the crop calendar model was combined with a simple phenology-based model that uses growing degree-days adjusted by a day-length factor, we could estimate the rice crop calendar under rain-fed lowland conditions with acceptable accuracy. The model described in this article will be combined with a crop growth model to improve regional yield estimates for rain-fed lowland rice.     

基于称重式蒸渗仪的玉米耗水特性及影响因素研究

以我国玉米生产主导品种京科968和郑单958(对照)为供试材料,采用称重式蒸渗仪系统研究其耗水特性及影响因素。结果表明,京科968的全生育期需水量低于郑单958,水分利用效率高于郑单958。京科968的全生育期需水量为347.81 mm,较郑单958低78.98 mm;水分利用效率为3.16 kg/m^3,显著高于郑单958;京科968各生育阶段的平均日耗水量不同,分别为2.04、3.54、3.34、3.35 mm/d,分别比郑单958低1.62、1.43、0.55、1.10 mm/d。影响玉米各生育阶段日耗水量的气象因素不同,影响出苗至吐丝和播种至收获阶段日耗水量的主要气象因素为空气温度、光辐射和平均风速,影响吐丝至收获阶段日耗水量的主要气象因素是空气温度和光辐射。     

不同耕作方式对春玉米土壤水分、温度及产量的影响

研究覆膜与露地、垄作与平作及膜下与膜侧播种对黑龙港区域春玉米产量形成过程的调节效应。结果表明,覆膜、垄作和膜下播种均显著提高耕层土壤温度,玉米吐丝前增温效果更明显;覆膜对耕层土壤含水量的调控效应达显著水平,吐丝前后分别提高11.08%和10.38%;覆膜能显著提高春玉米苗期、吐丝期和成熟期叶面积指数和干物质积累量,垄作和膜下播种仅显著提高了苗期叶面积指数和干物质积累量;覆膜、垄作和膜侧播种显著提高春玉米产量,增产幅度分别为10.3%~21.7%、8.5%~12.3%和2.8%~6.6%,增产的原因主要是穗粒数的显著增加。     

覆膜滴灌对玉米光合特性、物质积累及水分利用效率的影响

采用田间试验方法,以雨养条件为对照,研究3种灌溉处理(滴灌、覆膜滴灌、覆膜限量补灌)对玉米相对叶绿素质量浓度(SPAD值)、光合特性及产量和水分利用效率的影响,探讨不同膜下滴灌节水增产的效果及内在机制。结果表明,覆膜增加玉米苗期叶绿素质量浓度,在拔节期覆膜的作用减弱,抽雄期SPAD值依次为覆膜限量补灌覆膜滴灌滴灌雨养。与对照相比,覆膜滴灌、覆膜限量补灌玉米地上部干物质重分别增加22.8%~52.8%和20.3%~48.0%;玉米产量增加1 261 kg/hm2和1 300 kg/hm2,增产12.7%和13.1%;提高水分利用效率0.83 kg/m3和1.23 kg/m3,提高水分生产效率0.30 kg/m3和0.36 kg/m3。覆膜限量补灌在不影响光合产物积累的基础上,比覆膜滴灌节水60%。     

Potato growth with and without plastic mulch in two typical regions of Northern China

Plastic film mulching is an important agricultural practice to save water and improve crop productivity in Northern China. Three field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of plastic mulch on soil temperature, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation in two typical regions of Northern China in 2001 and 2006. Results suggest that daily mean soil temperature under mulch was 2–9 °C higher than without mulch, especially during the early growth. Potato growth was restrained under mulching conditions in the North China Plain mainly due to the higher air temperature in this region and thus the higher soil temperature. The negative effects of mulching included a lower emergence and fewer marketable tubers per plant. Evapotranspiration and potato tuber yield were both reduced by mulch, especially in the North China Plain. In northwest China, mulch favorably increased the weight of jumbo tubers (W ≥ 300 g) per plant. Mulching duration had little effect on potato evapotranspiration in northwest China. However, both tuber yield and water use efficiency (WUE) decreased with increases in mulch duration, which suggests the plastic mulch should be removed early.     

播期和育秧方式对水稻早熟品种欣荣优6307秧苗素质和产量的影响

以欣荣优6307为供试材料,采用大棚地热旱育秧和常规大田竹拱盖膜旱育秧两种育秧方式,设置4个不同播期进行育秧试验,研究了播期和育秧方式对水稻秧苗素质和产量的影响。结果表明,在3月15日采用大棚地热育秧,秧苗素质较好,产量高,且较竹拱盖膜育秧提早5 d收获。本研究结果可为水稻的高产高效栽培提供理论依据和技术参考。     

A COMPARISON OF THE YIELDS OF FORAGE MAIZE GROWN FOR SILAGE IN 1972 AND 1973 AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN DAIRYING

The DM production from INRA 200, an early maturing hybrid maize grown for silage, was 10±6 and 14 5 t/ha in mid-October 1972 and 1973 (4±2 and 5±8 tons/ac). The plant population in both years was approximately 112,000/ha (45,320/ac). Whole-crop and cob DM percentages were 18±2 and 21±3 for 1972 and 39±9 and 53±0 for 1973, respectively. The cob yields were 49 and 10±4 t/ha (2±0 and 4±1 tons/ac) in 1972 and 1973 and cob in the two years accounted for 46 and 72% of total yield. At harvest the 1973 crop was 4–6 weeks more mature than the 1972 crop. These differences were attributed to the difference in accumulated temperature recorded from May till October, which was 567°C days in 1972 and 817 in 1973. Whole-crop DM content, yield of cob and yield of cob as a percentage of total yield were studied against seasonal temperature accumulation. In the case of DM percentage there was a highly significant linear regression which showed that 627°C days were needed to mature maize to 24% DM content.