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CROP PHYSIOLOGY & METABOLISM

Modeling Anthesis to Silking in Maize Using a Plant Biomass Framework

^a Agronomy Dep., Iowa State Univ., 1301 Agronomy Hall, Ames, IA 50011-1010, U.S
^b Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Pergamino, INTA, Pergamino CP 2700, Buenos Aires, Argentina
^c Current address: Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, S2125ZAA Zavalla, Santa Fe, Argentina
^d Current address: Pioneer Hi-Bred Intl., Rutas 31-191, Salto, CP 2741, Buenos Aires, Argentina

^* Corresponding author (lucasborras{at}hotmail.com).

The capacity to predict time to silking relative to anthesis in maize (Zea mays L.) has important implications for breeding and seed production. We developed a theoretical quantitative framework for simulating the anthesis to silking interval (ASI) based on plant growth and biomass partitioning to the ear. We tested this framework to simulate the progress of silking relative to anthesis in nine inbreds and four hybrids whose plant growth rate (PGR) during flowering was altered by stand density, thinning, or defoliating treatments. Time to 50% anthesis varied with genotype but was not affected by canopy modifications (P < 0.01). The ASI, however, varied with genotype and canopy modifications (P < 0.01). The proportion of plants reaching silking ranged from 12 to 100% across treatments. There were significant (P < 0.001) genotype x treatment interactions for PGR around anthesis and plant-to-plant variability in growth rate. Genotypes differed in biomass partitioning to the ear, the pattern of ear biomass (EB) accumulation, and the EB required to achieve silking. Despite these effects, the plant biomass framework accurately simulated silking dynamics relative to anthesis for the 36 treatment combinations (R² = 0.86, RMSE = 16.7%). These results show that coupling the expansion growth process of silking with plant growth around flowering is a useful and robust approach for modeling ASI at the population level.

Abbreviations: ASI, anthesis to silking interval • C, curvature • CV, coefficient of variation • EB, ear biomass • EB_t, ear biomass threshold at which silking occurs • EB14DAA, ear biomass 14 days after 50% anthesis • EB14DAA_g, ear biomass 14 days after 50% anthesis for fraction g of the population • IS, initial slope • LAI, leaf area index • PGR, plant growth rate • PGR_50%, average plant growth rate • PGR_b, base plant growth rate for ear growth • PGR_g, plant growth rate for fraction g of the population • PGR_SD, standard deviation of plant growth rate