Mixing trait-based corn (Zea mays L.) cultivars increases yield through pollination synchronization and increased cross-fertilization
Hongping Li,
Kui Liu,
Zhibin Li,
Moubiao Zhang,
Yongen Zhang,
Shuyan Li,
Xiuling Wang,
Jinlong Zhou,
Yali Zhao,
Tianxue Liu,
Chaohai Li
Affiliations
Hongping Li
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Kui Liu
Swift Current Research and Development Centre, Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3X2, Canada
Zhibin Li
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Moubiao Zhang
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Yongen Zhang
Agricultural Information Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100081, China
Shuyan Li
Henan Institute of Meteorological Sciences/CMA· Henan Key Laboratory of Agrometeorological Support and Applied Technique, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Xiuling Wang
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Jinlong Zhou
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Yali Zhao
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Tianxue Liu
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
Chaohai Li
Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Co-construction State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Corresponding author.
Abiotic stress such as high temperature at flowering is one of many conditions reducing yield of corn (Zea mays L.). Mixing corn cultivars with diverse functional traits increases within-crop diversity and provides a potential means of mitigating yield losses under stress conditions. We conducted a three-year field study to investigate the effects of cultivar mixtures on kernel setting rate, pollen sources, and yield. This study consisted of six treatments, including two high temperature-tolerant (HTT) monocrops of WK702 and DH701, two high temperature-sensitive (HTS) monocrops of DH605 and DH662, and two HTT–HTS mixtures of WK702-DH605 and DH701-DH662. The anthesis–silking interval (ASI) was 0.9–1.6 days shorter in mixtures than in monocrops. Kernel setting rate was increased in mixtures (86.4%–88.7%) compared with those in monocrops (74.7%–84.1%) as a result of synchrony and complementarity of pollination. Grain yields of the HTT–HTS mixtures increased by 13.3%–18.7%, equivalent to 1169 to 1605 kg ha−1, in comparison with HTS corn monocrops. The results of SSR markers showed that cross-fertilization percentage in corn cultivar mixtures ranged from 29.3% to 47.8%, partially explaining yield improvement. Land equivalent ratio (LER) was 1.12 for corn mixtures and the partial land equivalent ratio (e.g., > 0.5) showed the complementary benefits in corn mixtures. The results indicated that mixing corn cultivars with diverse flowering and drought-tolerance traits increased yields via pollination synchrony.
