Radiation use efficiency increased over a century of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding in the US corn belt.
| Title: | Radiation use efficiency increased over a century of maize (Zea mays L.) breeding in the US corn belt. |
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| Authors: | Messina CD; Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.; Rotundo J; Corteva Agriscience, 8305 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA.; Hammer GL; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.; Gho C; Corteva Agriscience, 8305 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA.; Reyes A; Corteva Agriscience, 18369 County Rd 96, Woodland, CA, USA.; Fang Y; Corteva Agriscience, 8305 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA.; van Oosterom E; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.; Borras L; Corteva Agriscience, 8305 62nd Avenue, Johnston, IA 50131, USA.; Cooper M; Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. |
| Source: | Journal of experimental botany [J Exp Bot] 2022 Sep 12; Vol. 73 (16), pp. 5503-5513. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9882906 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1460-2431 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00220957 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Exp Bot Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Oxford, UK : Oxford University Press |
| MeSH Terms: | Zea mays*/genetics ; Plant Breeding*; Crops, Agricultural/genetics |
| Abstract: | In the absence of stress, crop growth depends on the amount of light intercepted by the canopy and the conversion efficiency [radiation use efficiency (RUE)]. This study tested the hypothesis that long-term genetic gain for grain yield was partly due to improved RUE. The hypothesis was tested using 30 elite maize hybrids commercialized in the US corn belt between 1930 and 2017. Crops grown under irrigation showed that pre-flowering crop growth increased at a rate of 0.11 g m-2 year-1, while light interception remained constant. Therefore, RUE increased at a rate of 0.0049 g MJ-1 year-1, translating into an average of 3 g m-2 year-1 of grain yield over 100 years of maize breeding. Considering that the harvest index has not changed for crops grown at optimal density for the hybrid, the cumulative RUE increase over the history of commercial maize breeding in the USA can account for ~32% of the documented yield trend for maize grown in the central US corn belt. The remaining RUE gap between this study and theoretical maximum values suggests that a yield improvement of a similar magnitude could be achieved by further increasing RUE.; (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.) |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Leaf angle; maize; photosynthesis; plant breeding; radiation use efficiency; respiration |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20220531 Date Completed: 20220914 Latest Revision: 20250728 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/jxb/erac212 |
| PMID: | 35640591 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article