Abstract
High-density maize cultivation can enhance yield, but water scarcity on the Loess Plateau may limit this potential. Mulching is a sustainable practice that conserves soil moisture, yet limited studies exist on the combined effects of planting densities and mulching types on maize performance in this region. Over two years, an experiment investigated the effects of mulching (no mulching (NM), plastic film mulching (PM), and straw mulching (SM)) at various densities (60,000 to 90,000 plants ha−1). The results showed that mulching significantly improved grain yield and other metrics compared to NM. PM and SM enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha−1, while NM was more favorable at 67,500 plants ha−1. Physiological responses varied with density, showing a decreased photosynthesis rate alongside an increased transpiration rate. PM exhibited a 32 and 13% increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, while malondialdehyde content was reduced by 7% compared to NM. The average of both years indicates that PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content by 5.8, 26.8, and 26.9%, while SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM. In conclusion, the combination of mulching and optimized planting density could enhance maize cultivation in the Loess Plateau.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record; open copy licensed cc-by. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 16
Claim · model-written summary
Mulching significantly improved grain yield and other metrics compared with no mulching.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“mulching significantly improved grain yield and other metrics compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha-1.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM and SM enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha−1”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha-1.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM and SM enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha−1”
Claim · model-written summary
No mulching was more favorable for yields at 67,500 plants ha-1.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM and SM enhanced yields notably at 75,000 plants ha−1, while NM was more favorable at 67,500 plants ha−1”
Claim · model-written summary
Photosynthesis rate decreased with planting density.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“Physiological responses varied with density, showing a decreased photosynthesis rate alongside an increased transpiration rate”
Claim · model-written summary
Transpiration rate increased with planting density.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“Physiological responses varied with density, showing a decreased photosynthesis rate alongside an increased transpiration rate”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching increased catalase activity by 32% compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM exhibited a 32 and 13% increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, while malondialdehyde content was reduced by 7% compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching increased superoxide dismutase activity by 13% compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM exhibited a 32 and 13% increase in catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, while malondialdehyde content was reduced by 7% compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Malondialdehyde content was reduced by 7% under plastic film mulching compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“malondialdehyde content was reduced by 7% compared to NM”
e1“PM exhibited a 32 and 13% increase”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching significantly increased grain yield by 5.8% compared with no mulching (two-year average).
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content by 5.8, 26.8, and 26.9%, while SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching significantly increased net photosynthesis rate by 26.8% compared with no mulching (two-year average).
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content by 5.8, 26.8, and 26.9%, while SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Plastic film mulching significantly increased chlorophyll content by 26.9% compared with no mulching (two-year average).
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content by 5.8, 26.8, and 26.9%, while SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching increased grain yield by 3% compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
e1“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching increased net photosynthesis rate by 12% compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
e1“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content”
Claim · model-written summary
Straw mulching increased chlorophyll content by 12% compared with no mulching.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“SM showed a 3, 12, and 12% increase, respectively, compared to NM”
e1“PM significantly increased the grain yield, net photosynthesis rate, and chlorophyll content”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that combining mulching with optimized planting density could enhance maize cultivation on the Loess Plateau.
- Outcome
- enhance maize cultivatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Maize”
e0“the combination of mulching and optimized planting density could enhance maize cultivation in the Loess Plateau”
The same questions in other papers
mulching · physiology: photosynthesis · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
10 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- positive
- positive
8 papers more in this group
See all 12 papers →mulching · physiology: pigments · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
11 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction
- negative
- positive
- positive
9 papers more in this group
See all 13 papers →organic · physiology: pigments · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
19 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- positive
- positive
17 papers more in this group
See all 21 papers →mulching · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
329 papers in the same direction as this paper · 31 in the opposite direction · 3 reporting no difference from an alternative
- positive
- positive
- positive
360 papers more in this group
See all 364 papers →organic · yield · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
329 papers in the same direction as this paper · 32 in the opposite direction · 11 reporting no difference from an alternative
- no effect
- negative
- no effect
369 papers more in this group
See all 373 papers →mulching · physiology: antioxidant enzymes · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
2 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
mulching · physiology: oxidative · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
organic · physiology: photosynthesis · Zea mays (maize)Results agree
15 papers in the same direction as this paper
- positive
- positive
- positive
12 papers more in this group
See all 16 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.