Abstract
In an attempt to explain plant-to-plant variation in dry weight of maize (Zea mays L.), a computer program was developed to predict daily assimilation per plant and its distribution throughout the shoot at flowering. Inputs to the model were meteorological data, photosynthetic rate-irradiance curves, measurements of intraplant assimilate distribution at flowering, and the positions of individual leaves of plants grown in the field at three densities (50 000, 100 000 and 150 000 plants/ha). Dry weights were recorded on these same plants following black layer formation. Predicted effects of plant density on shoot growth compared favorably with available data. The correlation coefficient between predicted assimilation 1 day after anthesis and grain yield on the same plants, with treatment effects removed, was 0.67 (N = 360). The coefficient of variation of predicted assimilate flux per plant increased significantly with increasing density, and the fluxes were generally normally distributed. Results supported the concept of a threshold assimilation rate per plant below which grain would not normally form, and this appears to be the cause of the bimodal frequency distribution of grain yield per plant observed at high densities.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Model-predicted effects of plant density on maize shoot growth compared favorably with available data.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Predicted effects of plant density on shoot growth compared favorably with available data”
t0“INDIVIDUAL MAIZE PLANTS”
Claim · model-written summary
The correlation coefficient between predicted assimilation 1 day after anthesis and grain yield on the same maize plants, with treatment effects removed, was 0.67 (N = 360).
- Outcome
- correlation coefficient between predicted assimilation 1 day after anthesis and grain yielde0
- Value
- 0.67e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The correlation coefficient between predicted assimilation 1 day after anthesis and grain yield on the same plants, with treatment effects removed, was 0.67 (N = 360)”
t0“INDIVIDUAL MAIZE PLANTS”
Claim · model-written summary
The coefficient of variation of predicted assimilate flux per maize plant increased significantly with increasing plant density.
- Treatment
- increasing densitye0
- Outcome
- coefficient of variation of predicted assimilate flux per plante0
- Direction
- increasede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The coefficient of variation of predicted assimilate flux per plant increased significantly with increasing density”
t0“INDIVIDUAL MAIZE PLANTS”
Claim · model-written summary
Predicted assimilate fluxes per maize plant were generally normally distributed.
- Outcome
- fluxes were generally normally distributede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the fluxes were generally normally distributed”
t0“INDIVIDUAL MAIZE PLANTS”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude results supported a threshold assimilation rate per plant below which grain would not normally form, appearing to cause the bimodal distribution of grain yield per plant at high densities.
- Treatment
- high densitiese0
- Outcome
- bimodal frequency distribution of grain yield per plante0
- Qualifier
- threshold assimilation rate per plant below which grain would not normally forme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Results supported the concept of a threshold assimilation rate per plant below which grain would not normally form, and this appears to be the cause of the bimodal frequency distribution of grain yield per plant observed at high densities”
t0“INDIVIDUAL MAIZE PLANTS”