Yield Performance and Resource Efficiency of Double-Cropping Maize in Yellow-Huai-Hai River Valleys Region

The winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-summer maize (Zea mays L.) relay system (W-M system) is the main cropping pattern in the Yellow-Huai-Hai River Valleys region of China. In recent years, winter freezing and drought stress occur frequently in this area, which causes great loss of wheat yield. In this study, the double-cropping maize system (M-M system) was tested in Xinxiang, Henan Province in 2009 and 2010 growing seasons to compare grain yield and resource efficiency between M-M and W-M systems. Compared to the W-M system, the M-M system produced 2.3% higher annual yield and increased 26.1% annual light energy efficiency and 6.5% annual temperature production efficiency. Besides, the economic benefit in the M-M system was 1628 RMB ha−1 higher than that in the W-M system, and the total growth duration was reduced 140 d in the M-M system. This result suggests that the M-M system not only facilitates land fallow and avoids winter freezing and drought stress, but also obtains high light and temperature efficiencies and economic benefit.

摘要冬小麦–夏玉米一直是黄淮海两熟区的主要种植模式, 近年来由于气候变化, 冬季冻害和干旱时有发生, 为了充分发挥玉米C4作物高光效、高资源利用效率的特点, 探索了双季玉米的新型种植模式。于2009年和2010年在河南新乡以冬小麦–夏玉米传统种植为对照, 进行了双季籽粒玉米产量性能与资源效率测定, 结果表明, 双季玉米与传统冬小麦-夏玉米模式相比, 周年产量略高, 两年平均增幅2.3%; 周年光、温生产效率平均增加26.1%和6.5%, 周年经济效益显著增加, 平均为1 628元 hm−2, 还有140 d农田休闲期。说明双季玉米模式是光温生产效率高、经济效益好的高效和简化的种植模式, 也是一种有利于土壤休闲和避开冬季冻害和干旱的生态安全的模式, 该模式将成为黄淮海地区长期冬小麦/夏玉米模式的补充, 也是冬小麦冬季受灾的一种补救技术。