Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density
Increasing plant density seems to improve the productivity of maize crops, and the understanding of how the metabolism of non-structural carbohydrates is affected in plants under high crop density is critical. Thus, with the objective of further clarifying this issue, maize plants were subjected to...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/8/11/243 |
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| author | Jairo O. Cazetta Marcos D. Revoredo |
| author_facet | Jairo O. Cazetta Marcos D. Revoredo |
| author_sort | Jairo O. Cazetta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing plant density seems to improve the productivity of maize crops, and the understanding of how the metabolism of non-structural carbohydrates is affected in plants under high crop density is critical. Thus, with the objective of further clarifying this issue, maize plants were subjected to densities from 30,000 to 90,000 plants ha<sup>−1</sup>, and the plant growth, soluble sugars and starch contents, invertase and sucrose synthase activities, and plant production were evaluated. We found that the stalk is more sensitive to the increasing plant density than leaves and kernels. The dry weight of the stalk and leaves per single plant decreased more drastically from low to intermediate plant densities, while grain production was reduced linearly in all plant density ranges, leading to higher values of harvest index in intermediate plant densities. The sucrose concentration did not change in leaves, stalk, or kernels of plants subjected to increasing plant densities at the R4 stage. Also, the specific activity of soluble invertase, bound invertase, and sucrose synthase did not change in leaf, stalk, or kernels of plants subjected to increased plant density. The productivity was increased with the increase in plant density, using narrow row (0.45 m) spacing. |
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| id | doaj.art-0526d2101a2048a9af864281541e0ca0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T19:19:02Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-0526d2101a2048a9af864281541e0ca02022-12-21T18:15:25ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952018-11-0181124310.3390/agronomy8110243agronomy8110243Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant DensityJairo O. Cazetta0Marcos D. Revoredo1Department of Technology, Unesp—São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal SP 14884-900, BrazilDepartment of Technology, Soil Science Graduation Program, Unesp—São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal SP 14884-900, BrazilIncreasing plant density seems to improve the productivity of maize crops, and the understanding of how the metabolism of non-structural carbohydrates is affected in plants under high crop density is critical. Thus, with the objective of further clarifying this issue, maize plants were subjected to densities from 30,000 to 90,000 plants ha<sup>−1</sup>, and the plant growth, soluble sugars and starch contents, invertase and sucrose synthase activities, and plant production were evaluated. We found that the stalk is more sensitive to the increasing plant density than leaves and kernels. The dry weight of the stalk and leaves per single plant decreased more drastically from low to intermediate plant densities, while grain production was reduced linearly in all plant density ranges, leading to higher values of harvest index in intermediate plant densities. The sucrose concentration did not change in leaves, stalk, or kernels of plants subjected to increasing plant densities at the R4 stage. Also, the specific activity of soluble invertase, bound invertase, and sucrose synthase did not change in leaf, stalk, or kernels of plants subjected to increased plant density. The productivity was increased with the increase in plant density, using narrow row (0.45 m) spacing.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/8/11/243<i>Zea mayz</i>, L.plant densityinvertasesucrose synthasecarbohydratesproduction components |
| spellingShingle | Jairo O. Cazetta Marcos D. Revoredo Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density Agronomy <i>Zea mayz</i>, L. plant density invertase sucrose synthase carbohydrates production components |
| title | Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density |
| title_full | Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density |
| title_fullStr | Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density |
| title_short | Non-Structural Carbohydrate Metabolism, Growth, and Productivity of Maize by Increasing Plant Density |
| title_sort | non structural carbohydrate metabolism growth and productivity of maize by increasing plant density |
| topic | <i>Zea mayz</i>, L. plant density invertase sucrose synthase carbohydrates production components |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/8/11/243 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jairoocazetta nonstructuralcarbohydratemetabolismgrowthandproductivityofmaizebyincreasingplantdensity AT marcosdrevoredo nonstructuralcarbohydratemetabolismgrowthandproductivityofmaizebyincreasingplantdensity |