Abstract:

In order to further understand maize production characters in the Northern east - Northern China spring maize region and the Huang-huai-hai summer maize region. The two regions were compared on grain yield and some main agronomic characters of two cultivars (Nongda108 and Zhengdan958) based on National Maize Cultivar Regional Trial. Grain yield of spring maize in Northern east - Northern China was 1.4-2.0 t ha-1 higher than that of summer maize in Huang-huai-hai region. And this advantage could be displayed on growing period, plant height and ear height, and yield components as well. Comparing to summer maize, spring maize had ±30 d longer growing period, 0.15-0.23 m higher plant height, 0.09 -0.15 m higher ear height, 19.9-25.4% more kernel number per ear, and 9.7-16.5% higher thousand kernel weight. Yield increase of summer maize in Huang-huai-hai region could be promoted by increasing either kernel weight or kernel number per ear, while that of spring maize in Northern east – Northern China mainly depends on increasing kernel number per ear relatively.