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Historical Trends in Sweet Corn Plant Density Tolerance Using Era Hybrids (1930-2010s).

ABSTRACT: Over the last six decades, steady improvement in plant density tolerance (PDT) has been one of the largest contributors to genetic yield gain in field corn. While recent research indicates that PDT in modern sweet corn hybrids could be exploited to improve yield, historical changes in PDT in sweet corn are unknown. The objectives of this study were to: (a) quantify the extent to which PDT has changed since introduction of hybrid sweet corn and (b) determine the extent to which changes over time in PDT are associated with plant morpho-physiological and ear traits. An era panel was assembled by recreating 15 sugary1 sweet corn hybrids that were widely used at one time in the United States, representing hybrids since the 1930s. Era hybrids were evaluated in field experiments in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement of treatments, including hybrid as the main factor and density as the split-plot factor. Plant density treatments included "Low" plant density (9,900 plants/ha) free of crowding stress or "High" plant density (79,000 plants/ha) with crowding stress. On average, per-area marketable ear mass (Mt/ha) increased at a rate of 0.8 Mt/ha/decade at High densities, whereas per-plant yield (i.e., kg/plant) remained unchanged over time regardless of the density level. Crate yield, a fresh market metric, improved for modern hybrids. However, processing sweet corn yield metrics like fresh kernel mass and recovery (amount of kernel mass contributing to the fresh ear mass) showed modest or no improvement over time, respectively. Modern sweet corn hybrids tend to have fewer tillers and lower fresh shoot biomass, potentially allowing the use of higher plant density; however, plant architecture alone does not accurately predict PDT of individual hybrids.

SUBMITTER: Dhaliwal DS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8492913 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Recent research shows significant economic benefit if the processing sweet corn [Zea mays L. var. rugosa (or saccharata)] industry grew crowding stress tolerant (CST) hybrids at their optimum plant densities, which may exceed current plant densities by up to 14,500 plants ha-1. However, optimum plant density of individual fields varies over years and across the Upper Midwest (Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin), where processing sweet corn is concentrated. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the extent to which environmental and management practices affect optimum plant density and, (2) identify the most appropriate recommendation domain for making decisions on plant density. To capture spatial and temporal variability in optimum plant density, on-farm experiments were conducted at thirty fields across the states of Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, from 2013 to 2017. Exploratory factor analysis of twelve environmental and management variables revealed two factors, one related to growing period and the other defining soil type, which explained the maximum variability observed across all the fields. These factors were then used to quantify the strength of associations with optimum plant density. Pearson's partial correlation coefficients of 'growing period' and 'soil type' with optimum plant density were low (ρ1 = -0.14 and ρ2 = -0.09, respectively) and non-significant (P = 0.47 and 0.65, respectively). To address the second objective, six candidate recommendation domain models (RDM) were developed and tested. Linear mixed effects models describing crop response to plant density were fit to each level of each candidate RDM. The difference in profitability observed at the current plant density for a field and the optimum plant density under RDM level represented the additional processor profit ($ ha-1) from a field. The RDM built around 'Production Area' (RDMPA) appears most suitable, because plant density recommendations based on RDMPA maximized processor profits as well grower returns better than other RDMs. Compared to current plant density, processor profits and grower returns increased by $448 ha-1 and $82 ha-1, respectively at plant densities under RDMPA.

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Historical Trends in Sweet Corn Plant Density Tolerance Using Era Hybrids (1930-2010s).

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