Abstract
Planting maize at high densities leads to early leaf senescence, and the resulting reduction in the number of lower leaves affects the plant’s root function and lowers its grain yield. However, the nature of the process by which lower leaf senescence affects biomass accumulation and grain yield formation in maize is not clear. This study aimed to shed light on how these factors are related by investigating the effects of the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants. In two maize cultivars planted at densities of 67,500 (low density, LD) and 90,000 (high density, HD) plants ha−1, plants treated with 6-BA maintained a high green leaf area index (LAI) longer than control (CK) plants, enabling them to maintain a higher photosynthetic rate for a longer period of time and produce more biomass before reaching physiological maturity. Spraying the lower leaves of maize plants with a 6-BA solution increased the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to their roots, lower leaves and bracts, a result that can be ascribed to a decreased retention of 13C-photosynthates in the stem and grain. In both seasons of the experiment, maize plants treated with 6-BA accumulated more N in grain and maintained a higher N content in roots and leaves, especially in lower leaves, than CK. Increased C assimilation in the lower leaves may explain why N uptake in plants subjected to the 6-BA treatment exceeded that in CK plants and why both photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation were maintained throughout grain filling. Our results suggest that a suitable distribution of C and N in leaves post-silking may maintain plant root function, increase N use efficiency, maximize the duration of high LAI, and increase grain yield.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA maintained a high green LAI longer than control plants.
- Treatment
- 6-BAe1
- Outcome
- green leaf area index (LAI)e1
- Direction
- maintainede1
- Qualifier
- longere1
- Comparator
- control (CK)e1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
e1“plants treated with 6-BA maintained a high green leaf area index (LAI) longer than control (CK) plants, enabling them to maintain a higher photosynthetic rate for a longer period of time and produce more biomass before reaching physiological maturity”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA maintained a higher photosynthetic rate for a longer period than control plants.
- Treatment
- 6-BAe1
- Outcome
- photosynthetic ratee1
- Direction
- highere1
- Qualifier
- for a longer period of timee1
- Comparator
- control (CK)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
e1“plants treated with 6-BA maintained a high green leaf area index (LAI) longer than control (CK) plants, enabling them to maintain a higher photosynthetic rate for a longer period of time and produce more biomass before reaching physiological maturity”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA produced more biomass before reaching physiological maturity than control plants.
- Treatment
- 6-BAe1
- Outcome
- biomasse1
- Direction
- moree1
- Qualifier
- before reaching physiological maturitye1
- Comparator
- control (CK)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
e1“plants treated with 6-BA maintained a high green leaf area index (LAI) longer than control (CK) plants, enabling them to maintain a higher photosynthetic rate for a longer period of time and produce more biomass before reaching physiological maturity”
Claim · model-written summary
Spraying lower leaves with 6-BA increased the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to roots, lower leaves and bracts.
- Organ / stage
- roots, lower leaves and bractse2
- Treatment
- 6-BA solutione2
- Outcome
- distribution of 13C-photosynthatese2
- Direction
- increasede2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“Spraying the lower leaves of maize plants with a 6-BA solution increased the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to their roots, lower leaves and bracts, a result that can be ascribed to a decreased retention of 13C-photosynthates in the stem and grain”
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
Claim · model-written summary
The distribution of 13C-photosynthates in maize may be explained by a decreased retention of 13C-photosynthates in the stem and grain.
- Outcome
- distribution of 13C-photosynthatese2
- Qualifier
- a decreased retention of 13C-photosynthates in the stem and graine2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“Spraying the lower leaves of maize plants with a 6-BA solution increased the distribution of 13C-photosynthates to their roots, lower leaves and bracts, a result that can be ascribed to a decreased retention of 13C-photosynthates in the stem and grain”
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA accumulated more N in grain than control plants in both seasons.
- Treatment
- 6-BAe3
- Outcome
- N in graine3
- Direction
- moree3
- Comparator
- CKe3
- Setting
- both seasons of the experimente3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“In both seasons of the experiment, maize plants treated with 6-BA accumulated more N in grain and maintained a higher N content in roots and leaves, especially in lower leaves, than CK”
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA maintained a higher N content in roots and leaves, especially in lower leaves, than control plants.
- Organ / stage
- roots and leaves, especially in lower leavese3
- Treatment
- 6-BAe3
- Outcome
- N contente3
- Direction
- highere3
- Comparator
- CKe3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“In both seasons of the experiment, maize plants treated with 6-BA accumulated more N in grain and maintained a higher N content in roots and leaves, especially in lower leaves, than CK”
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA had N uptake exceeding that of control plants.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
e4“Increased C assimilation in the lower leaves may explain why N uptake in plants subjected to the 6-BA treatment exceeded that in CK plants and why both photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation were maintained throughout grain filling”
Claim · model-written summary
Plants treated with 6-BA maintained photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation throughout grain filling.
- Treatment
- 6-BA treatmente4
- Outcome
- photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulatione4
- Direction
- maintainede4
- Qualifier
- throughout grain fillinge4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
e4“Increased C assimilation in the lower leaves may explain why N uptake in plants subjected to the 6-BA treatment exceeded that in CK plants and why both photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation were maintained throughout grain filling”
Claim · model-written summary
A suitable distribution of C and N in leaves post-silking may maintain root function and increase grain yield in maize.
- Outcome
- suitable distribution of C and N in leaves post-silkinge5
- Qualifier
- may maintain plant root function, increase N use efficiency, maximize the duration of high LAI, and increase grain yielde5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“Our results suggest that a suitable distribution of C and N in leaves post-silking may maintain plant root function, increase N use efficiency, maximize the duration of high LAI, and increase grain yield”
e0“the plant growth regulator 6-benzyladenine (6-BA) on the senescence of lower leaves of maize plants”
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