Soil Tillage Methods On Root Lodging Resistance Of Summer Maize

Experiment was conducted at Shenzhou experimental station of Hebeiagricultural university, Hebei Province during2011-2012. In this paper, the effects ofdifferent tillage methods on root lodging resistance of summer maize were studied onagronomic traits, root morphological indicators and mechanical characters of rootusing three summer maize hybrids, Xianyu335(Low resistance), Xundan20(Lowresistance) and Jingdan28(High resistance). It can provide a theoretical support forhigh yield and root lodging resistance of summer maize in Hebei province. The resultswere showed as follows:1.Tillage methods had a significant effect on root lodging of summer maize.Rotary could significantly enhance the capacity of plant resistance to root lodging andreduce the rate of root lodging. Jointing stage earth increased the rate of root lodging.2. Tillage methods had effect on agronomic traits of summer maize. The resultsshowed that rotary tiller had reduced plant height and ear height and the height ofgravity centre and enhanced the capacity of plant resistance to root lodging. Jointingstage earth had slightly increased plant height and ear height and the height of gravitycentre and reduced ability to resist plant root lodging.3. The development of root was significantly affected by tillage methods. Therewere more root number, longer root length, thick root diameter and larger root rangeand root dry weight under rotary tiller treatment. Rotary could promote thedevelopment of root of maize and enhance the capacity of plant resistance to rootlodging. Jointing stage earth could increase root number and root dry weight.However, there were shorter root length, thinner root diameter and smaller root range.4. Tillage methods had a significant effect on mechanical characters of root ofsummer maize. Uprooting force, aerial roots vertical tensile strength, plant tensilestrength, were significantly increased under tiller treatment. Rotary could promote thedevelopment of root mechanical properties of maize and enhance the capacity of plantresistance to root lodging. Uprooting force, plant tensile strength were significantlyreduced under jointing stage earth.5. Agronomic traits, root development, root mechanical properties and summermaize resistance to root lodging were intrinsically linked. Agronomic traits, root development and root mechanical properties could be used as resistance to rootlodging evaluation. Root lodging rates had very significant positive relation with earheight and the height of gravity centre. Root lodging rates had very significantpositive relation with root length root pieces and root dry weight.There were alsosignificant positive relation among the root lodging rates and uprooting force andplants tensile strength.6. Tillage methods on corn yield was not significant. There werre no significantdifference among four treatments.