Abstract
Increasing the nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) of modern high-yield maize hybrids is essential for food security and reducing environmental risks. However, the relationship between dry matter (DM), N accumulation, and reallocation among different high-yield maize hybrids and NUE, particularly under various N fertilization levels, is not well understood. The field experiment was conducted in Jilin Province, Northeast China. In this study, two maize hybrids, Zhengdan958 (ZD958) and Tie 391 (T391), were grown under four N fertilizer levels: 0 (NN), 120 (LN), 240 (MN), and 360 (HN) kg ha−1. We examined the effects of N input on grain yield, NUE, DM, and N accumulation, partitioning, and reallocation of these two high-yielding maize hybrids during the 2023–2024 growing season. The results showed that N input significantly increased grain yield but reduced NUE. There was no significant difference in yield and NUE between the two maize hybrids at the HN level. However, under LN conditions, the grain yield and NUE of ZD958 were higher by 16.2% and 15.6%, respectively, compared to T391. Meanwhile, ZD958 exhibited greater per-silking and post-silking DM (5.0% and 7.9%) and N accumulation (11.6% and 32.7%), as well as a higher amount of reallocated DM (45.6%) and N (17.5%) compared to T391. Moreover, 15.5–38.1% of grain N for ZD958 and 17.2–46.7% for T391 still needed to be reallocated from vegetative organs, with a larger fraction coming from the stem rather than the leaves. The middle leaves and lower stems of the canopy tended to reallocate more N to the grain, and lower-layer stem N reallocation was significantly related to grain yield. In conclusion, higher accumulation of DM and N, along with greater N reallocation—especially from the lower-layer stem—could be regarded as important traits in maize breeding to improve the NUE of high-yield maize hybrids under insufficient N supply.
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Claims 18
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrogen input significantly increased grain yield.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“N input significantly increased grain yield but reduced NUE.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrogen input significantly reduced nitrogen-use efficiency.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“N input significantly increased grain yield but reduced NUE.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The hybrids did not significantly differ in yield at high nitrogen.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There was no significant difference in yield and NUE between the two maize hybrids at the HN level.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The hybrids did not significantly differ in NUE at high nitrogen.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“There was no significant difference in yield and NUE between the two maize hybrids at the HN level.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
At low nitrogen ZD958 had 16.2% higher grain yield than T391.
- Material
- ZD958e0
- Outcome
- grain yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 16.2%e0
- Qualifier
- LN conditionse0
- Comparator
- T391e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“under LN conditions, the grain yield and NUE of ZD958 were higher by 16.2% and 15.6%, respectively, compared to T391.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
At low nitrogen ZD958 had 15.6% higher NUE than T391.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“under LN conditions, the grain yield and NUE of ZD958 were higher by 16.2% and 15.6%, respectively, compared to T391.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 had 5.0% greater pre-silking dry matter than T391.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZD958 exhibited greater per-silking and post-silking DM (5.0% and 7.9%) and N accumulation (11.6% and 32.7%)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 had 7.9% greater post-silking dry matter than T391.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZD958 exhibited greater per-silking and post-silking DM (5.0% and 7.9%) and N accumulation (11.6% and 32.7%)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 had 11.6% greater pre-silking nitrogen accumulation.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZD958 exhibited greater per-silking and post-silking DM (5.0% and 7.9%) and N accumulation (11.6% and 32.7%)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 had 32.7% greater post-silking nitrogen accumulation.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“ZD958 exhibited greater per-silking and post-silking DM (5.0% and 7.9%) and N accumulation (11.6% and 32.7%)”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 reallocated 45.6% more dry matter than T391.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a higher amount of reallocated DM (45.6%) and N (17.5%) compared to T391.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 reallocated 17.5% more nitrogen than T391.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a higher amount of reallocated DM (45.6%) and N (17.5%) compared to T391.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
ZD958 grain nitrogen needed 15.5–38.1% remobilization from vegetative organs.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“15.5–38.1% of grain N for ZD958 and 17.2–46.7% for T391 still needed to be reallocated from vegetative organs”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
T391 grain nitrogen needed 17.2–46.7% remobilization from vegetative organs.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“15.5–38.1% of grain N for ZD958 and 17.2–46.7% for T391 still needed to be reallocated from vegetative organs”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
More grain nitrogen came from stem than leaves.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“with a larger fraction coming from the stem rather than the leaves.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Middle leaves and lower stems tended to reallocate more nitrogen to grain.
- Organ / stage
- middle leaves and lower stemse0
- Outcome
- reallocate more N to the graine0
- Direction
- moree0
- Qualifier
- tendede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The middle leaves and lower stems of the canopy tended to reallocate more N to the grain”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Lower stem nitrogen reallocation was significantly related to grain yield.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“lower-layer stem N reallocation was significantly related to grain yield.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose high dry matter and nitrogen accumulation and remobilization as breeding traits under low nitrogen.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“higher accumulation of DM and N, along with greater N reallocation—especially from the lower-layer stem—could be regarded as important traits in maize breeding to improve the NUE of high-yield maize hybrids under insufficient N supply.”
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