Abstract
Evaluating changes in the accumulation of grain minerals, including nitrogen (N), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), phosphorus (P), and zinc (Zn), across different genotypes can provide valuable information for the development of nutrient-enriched maize varieties. Meanwhile, N rates can affect maize yield and quality, but their effects on element accumulation remain to be elucidated. Here, field experiments were conducted at three locations in China over two years (2010 and 2011). Under a normal N application rate (240 kg N ha-1), 24 maize hybrids that had been bred and released between 1930 and 2010 were evaluated for the elemental concentrations in their grains. Old (1930-1990) and new (1991-2010) era maize hybrids were selected to investigate grain element accumulation in response to different levels of N (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N ha-1). The results showed that element concentrations were significantly affected by genotype, year, N rates and their interactions. Grain yield tended to increase with the year of hybrid release, while the concentrations of N, Cu, Mn, and Zn in the grain significantly declined in the more modern varieties. The element concentrations of grains were mainly influenced by N rate or N × year interactions. As N levels increased, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations rose, while K, P, Zn and Mg concentrations decreased. Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%; however, they demonstrated decreases in Fe, Zn, Cu, and N concentrations of 10.01%, 11.93%, 21.09%, and 8.25%, respectively. In the modern varieties the reduction in Cu, P, K, and Zn concentrations were significantly exacerbated by high N rates, but this was not the case in the old varieties, except for Zn. However, the optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1) could increase N, Fe, Mg, and Mn concentrations without affecting grain yield in the modern varieties. It is concluded that maize breeding processes have improved grain yield, but reduced grain nutrient element concentrations. Enhanced concentrations of certain elements in maize grain could be achieved with optimal rates of N fertilizer being applied.
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Claims 18
Claim · model-written summary
Element concentrations varied significantly with genotype, year, nitrogen rate and their interactions.
Zea maysNot reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The results showed that element concentrations were significantly affected by genotype, year, N rates and their interactions.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain yield tended to rise with hybrid release year.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Grain yield tended to increase with the year of hybrid release”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Modern varieties had significantly lower grain N, Cu and Mn concentrations.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the concentrations of N, Cu, Mn, and Zn in the grain significantly declined in the more modern varieties”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Modern varieties had significantly lower grain Zn concentration.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Zn in the grain significantly declined in the more modern varieties”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing nitrogen raised grain N, Cu and Fe concentrations.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As N levels increased, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations rose”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing nitrogen raised grain Mn concentration.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As N levels increased, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations rose”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing nitrogen reduced grain K, P and Zn concentrations.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As N levels increased, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations rose, while K, P, Zn and Mg concentrations decreased.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing nitrogen reduced grain Mg concentration.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“As N levels increased, N, Cu, Fe, and Mn concentrations rose, while K, P, Zn and Mg concentrations decreased.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
New-era hybrids yielded 26.08% more than old-era hybrids.
- Material
- new-era hybridse0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Value
- 26.08%e0
- Comparator
- old-era hybridse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
New-era hybrids had 10.01% lower Fe concentration than old-era hybrids.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%; however, they demonstrated decreases in Fe, Zn, Cu, and N concentrations of 10.01%, 11.93%, 21.09%, and 8.25%, respectively.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
New-era hybrids had 11.93% lower Zn concentration than old-era hybrids.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%; however, they demonstrated decreases in Fe, Zn, Cu, and N concentrations of 10.01%, 11.93%, 21.09%, and 8.25%, respectively.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
New-era hybrids had 21.09% lower Cu concentration than old-era hybrids.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%; however, they demonstrated decreases in Fe, Zn, Cu, and N concentrations of 10.01%, 11.93%, 21.09%, and 8.25%, respectively.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
New-era hybrids had 8.25% lower N concentration than old-era hybrids.
- Material
- new-era hybridse0
- Outcome
- N concentrationse0
- Direction
- decreasese0
- Value
- 8.25%e0
- Comparator
- old-era hybridse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with old-era hybrids, new-era hybrids showed an increase in grain yield of 26.08%; however, they demonstrated decreases in Fe, Zn, Cu, and N concentrations of 10.01%, 11.93%, 21.09%, and 8.25%, respectively.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
High nitrogen significantly exacerbated declines in Cu, P and K in modern varieties.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the modern varieties the reduction in Cu, P, K, and Zn concentrations were significantly exacerbated by high N rates”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
High nitrogen significantly exacerbated Zn concentration decline in modern varieties and old varieties.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the modern varieties the reduction in Cu, P, K, and Zn concentrations were significantly exacerbated by high N rates, but this was not the case in the old varieties, except for Zn.”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
An optimal 120 kg N ha-1 rate increased N, Fe and Mg concentrations in modern varieties.
- Material
- modern varietiese0
- Treatment
- optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1)e0
- Outcome
- N, Fe, Mge0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1) could increase N, Fe, Mg, and Mn concentrations without affecting grain yield in the modern varieties”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
An optimal 120 kg N ha-1 rate increased Mn concentration in modern varieties.
- Material
- modern varietiese0
- Treatment
- optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1)e0
- Outcome
- Mn concentrationse0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1) could increase N, Fe, Mg, and Mn concentrations without affecting grain yield in the modern varieties”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
Claim · model-written summary
An optimal 120 kg N ha-1 rate did not affect grain yield in modern varieties.
- Material
- modern varietiese0
- Treatment
- optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1)e0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- without affectinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the optimal N rate (120 kg N ha-1) could increase N, Fe, Mg, and Mn concentrations without affecting grain yield in the modern varieties”
t0“Maize Cultivars”
The same questions in other papers
nitrogen · nutrient: content · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
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- no effect
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See all 2,185 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.