Effects of Plant and Row Spacing on the Root System and Nutrient Absorption of Dense Corn Planting Population
This study focused on effects of plant density and plant spacing configuration on corn yield.In field experiment,two planting densities(high density,100 050 plants/ha;medium density,67 500 plants/ha),and two row spacings(40 cm and 60 cm)were used.Grain yield increased with decreased row spacing as well as with increased plant density.Yield increased by 13.9%from 67 500 to 100 050 plants/ha.Yield increased by 1.0%from 40 cm to 60 cm row spacing at 67 500 plants/ha and by 26.1%at 100 050 plants/ha.Under high plant density,reduced row spacing increased root length,root surface area and root volume in both horizontal and vertical directions,and in-creased above-ground plant accumulation of nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,and dry matter by 4.9%,8.1%,25.8%and 4.5%,respectively.Root traits,plant nutrient content,and plant dry weight all were significantly positive-ly correlated with yield.In conclusion,reducing row spacing and increasing plant spacing at high densities can fur-ther improve corn yield by reducing inter-plant root competition and promoting uptake of soil nutrients.
CornPlant densityPlant and row spaceRoot systemNutrient absorptionYield