Effects of waterlogging at different stages and durations on maize growth and grain yields

Lysimeter experiments were conducted under a rain shelter to investigate the effects of waterlogging imposing at different stages and with different durations on maize growth, grain yield and yield components in 2017–2019 seasons. The waterlogging treatments were implemented for different durations (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days respectively) at the seedling (V3), jointing (V6), tasseling (VT) and milk maturity (R3) stages, with non-waterlogging treatment as control (CK). Results shown that waterlogging stage, duration, and the interaction of stage and duration have significant affects (P < 0.01) on all growth index, all yield index, and nearly all yield components indexes in the three seasons. The waterlogging stress decreased plant height, leaf area index, chlorophyll content index, ear length, ear diameter, grain row number per ear, 100-grain weight, grain number per ear, aboveground biomass and harvest index, and increased the bald tip length, and eventually a significant reduction in the grain yield of summer maize. In addition, the severity of the adverse effects increased generally with the lengthening of waterlogging duration. The results of dominant influencing factors indicated that waterlogging occurred at V6 stage have the greatest effects on maize growth and grain yield, followed by V3, VT, and R3 stages, and that the 100-grain weight and grains per ear had the largest effect on grain yield, and other indexes affected maize yield by affecting the 100-grain weight and grains per ear.