Abstract:

The objective of this study is to explore the variation trend and correlation of maize grain water content and dehydration rate in every growth period. Three maize hybrids (‘Xundan1538’, ‘Gaoyu1668’, and ‘Xundan18’) were used as materials. The main agronomic characters were analyzed with correlation analysis and regression analysis. The results showed that grain water content and dehydration rate were obviously different among different hybrids, and the variation trends were different. The grain water content and ear water content had significantly positive correlation with leaf water content, and they had strong positive correlation with the upper internodes of ear and bract water content, while strong negative correlation with the third internodes above ground and ear dehydration rate, but none of them reached the significant level. The grain dehydration rate had obviously positive correlation with the whole ear dehydration rate, while it had strong negative correlation with the third internodes above ground and ear dehydration rate, but not significant. The whole ear water content measured by probe moisture meter had obviously positive correlation with drying water data, a mathematical model for calculating the true moisture content of corn seeds was established: y=1.565x-91.455 (R ²=0.63); the method of measuring grain water content with probe moisture meter was optimized. The results of seed dehydration rate analysis using the positive value of seed water branch were basically consistent with the results of drying method. There was little correlation between stem moisture content and leaf moisture content measured by probe moisture meter and drying method.

Key words: maize, moisture meter, dehydration rate, regression analysis, correlation analysis