Evaluation of maize varieties for mechanical grain harvesting in mid‐latitude region, China

Abstract

How to allocate heat resources during yield formation and grains drying in the field to ensure food security while reducing the grain moisture content (GMC) is an important issue in maize (Zea mays L.) production in China. In this study, we established three production scenarios (traditional production (TPS, GMC > 30% at harvest), mid-moisture grain harvest (MMHS, GMC ≤ 25% at harvest), and low-moisture grain harvest (LMHS, GMC ≤ 20% at harvest)). Five varieties (DMY1, FK139, DK159, XY335, and JK968) were selected as model varieties to establish a grain drying prediction model, and the model prediction accuracy was good (RMSE = 2.96-4.04%, R 2 = .408-.733). Results revealed that the production loss of the LMHS was 23.7% compared to the TPS, while the MMHS had a production loss of 6.5%. By replacing new varieties with high yield potential and fast grain drying rate, even small production increases can be achieved in MMHS. By adjusting the layout, it was possible to achieve 25% GMC in Inner Mongolia, which can promote the mechanical grain harvesting. However, the conditions for further reducing GMC (20%) at harvest are not yet available, and this requires more detailed future research.

Improving maize quality from mechanical grain harvesting by matching maize varieties with accumulated temperature in northeast China

“…Then, we calculated the first frost as the harvest date of maize for each climate grid. Based on the sowing and harvest date, we calculated the available accumulated temperature above 0 °C (AcT, °C d) as follows: 24,25 a As there are some varieties that are tested at multiple sites, the total number of varieties tested is not simply the sum of the number of varieties at each s.…”

“…Then, we calculated the first frost as the harvest date of maize for each climate grid. Based on the sowing and harvest date, we calculated the available accumulated temperature above 0 °C (AcT, °C d) as follows: 24,25 where is daily average temperature (°C), is the daily of day (°C), and is the number of days from sowing to harvesting.…”

Study on the Dehydration Characteristics of Spring Maize after Physiological Maturity and the Suitable Period of Mechanical Grain Harvest

“…PD1-PD4 showed an increasing trend in the number of days required to reduce the moisture content of the seeds to 20% in sequence, with the distribution of days required ranging from 20 d to 59 d. The higher moisture content at harvest not only reduces the quality of the harvest but also increases the cost of postharvest drying, resulting in higher production costs for the growers [17,18]. Therefore, standing pole drying and selecting the appropriate mechanical grain harvesting period based on the dehydration rate at different maturity stages can reduce the cost to growers and help them to choose timely mechanical grain harvesting times [19,20].…”