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High plant density of maize (Zea mays L.) reduces the stalk quality of the basal internodes and increases stalk lodging. The objective of this experiment was to explore the mechanism by which plant density influences basal internodes. The morphological, mechanical, anatomical, and biochemical characteristics of the third basal internode were compared at three plant densities. High plant density increased internode length due to an increase in the rate of rapid elongation. High plant density decreased the duration of internode thickening and dry matter accumulation, causing the diameter and dry weight per unit length to decline. However, rind penetration strength (RPS) did not increase rapidly until after the termination of rapid morphological growth. The mid‐to‐late stage of dry matter accumulation was critical for RPS formation. The rapid increase in RPS was closely related to cellulose and lignin accumulation. High plant density reduced the rates of cellulose and lignin accumulation, which was adverse to the formation of cortex tissue and RPS. High plant density caused rapid elongation, thickening, and structural carbohydrate accumulation to begin and end earlier. These results indicate that measures should be implemented as early as possible in the growing season to increase lodging resistance at high plant density of maize. These measures need to reduce the rate of rapid internode elongation and increase the rate of rapid cellulose and lignin accumulation.

No abstract

Surface vegetation has a substantial impact on soil aggregate stability, which is an important indicator of soil quality. However, there is still limited research on the response of soil aggregate stability indicators and the organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus content in soil aggregates for different vegetation patterns in rocky desertification fragile ecological areas. Therefore, in order to study the effects of different vegetation restoration models on soil aggregate stability and aggregate related nutrient content and their promoting relationships in the karst rocky desertification areas in southwest China, soil samples under three artificial restoration vegetation measures (Juglans regia L.- Rosa roxburghii Tratt., Rosa roxburghii Tratt.- Lolium perenne L., Juglans regia L.- Lolium perenne L.) were collected in 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm soil, and the traditional farmland (Zea mays L.) was used as the control, combined with dry and wet sieving experiments for the research and analysis. The results showed that there were significant differences in the distribution of aggregates and soil nutrients among the four types of plots. Compared with traditional agricultural land, artificial afforestation increased the content of soil large macroaggregates (LMAs) and decreased the proportion of microaggregates (MIAs) and silt+clay (SCA), which enhanced the soil aggregate stability and reduced the soil fragmentation and erodibility. The afforestation restoration increased the content of soil aggregate-related SOC, TN, and TP, and increased with the decrease in the aggregate particle size. Research has found that soil aggregate stability indicators are significantly influenced by the particle size distribution of soil aggregates. In the positive succession process of vegetation types, soil nutrient accumulation is controlled by changes in the soil aggregate particle size, which affects the soil aggregate stability and reduces soil erodibility, thereby protecting the soil nutrient loss. The composite management of forest and irrigation in degraded ecological areas has certain reference and indicative significance for ecological restoration in rocky desertification areas.