Abstract:

In China, different row spacing was applied in different regions for maize cultivation, ranging from 33 cm to 90 cm. Although different row spacing provided different canopy architectures and thus high grain yield, it limited trans-regional machine harvest. Therefore, it is urgent to determine a relatively uniform row space which could achieve high grain yield and simultaneously easy for machine operation. Thus, a two-year field experiment was conducted in Pinggu District of Beijing in 2007 and 2008. The crop development and yield parameters were compared to evaluate the yield difference as affected by row spacing under machine harvest. The results were as follows: row spacing had little effect on plant height, ear height, leaf area per plant and LAI, and thus grain yield was not affected by row spacing. Therefore, we concluded that harvest machine with uniform row spacing could be applied in order to reduce the cost for machine production and realize trans-regional operations in the future.