Enhancing root lodging resistance of maize with twin plants in wide-narrow rows: a case study

Abstract

Root lodging is known to reduce the yield and quality of maize, which will be more serious driven by the changes in agriculture such as the higher planting density and the more extreme precipitation events. Here we describe a new cultivation method to reduce the root lodging of maize. We designed two planting layouts: twin plants (TP) and single plant (SP) in a hole with the same density. The vertical root-pulling resistance, angle and rate of natural root lodging, root and shoot morphology related to root lodging and maize yield were compared between two planting layouts. TP planting significantly increased the vertical root-pulling resistance and angle of natural root lodging. This can be partly attributed to the gripping force between the staggered crown roots of the two adjacent plants. Moreover, the TP planting could increase root-lodging resistance by increasing the root angle (acute angle between the stem direction and root) and stem diameter. Additionally, TP planting did not reduce the maize yield and biomass. Consequently, our study demonstrated that the twin plants in a hole are effective to decrease the root lodging of maize in southwest of China. This technique is simple, inexpensive, safe, stable, and has broader potential for increasing maize yield and quality.

Keywords

• root lodging
• twin plants in wide-narrow rows layout
• crown roots
• high plant density
• root morphology
• maize