Abstract
Straw incorporation combined with suitable nitrogen (N) fertilizer is considered a key strategy for improving soil health, optimizing resource use efficiency, and thus developing environmentally friendly agricultural systems. However, the effects of straw incorporation practices and N fertilizer rates on the complex relationships between crop starch synthesis and yield are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of two straw incorporation practices and four N fertilizer levels on the key physiological parameters of grain filling and yield during 2023–2024. Compared to rotary tillage combined with straw incorporation (RTS), plow tillage combined with straw incorporation (PTS) significantly increased leaf photosynthetic metabolism and grain sugar accumulation by enhancing enzyme activity, contributing to higher starch accumulation, plant biomass, and grain yield over the two years of study. The treatment using 187 kg N per ha -1 (N2) resulted in a higher leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain sugar contents compared with the other N fertilizer treatments. The stimulative physiological features were conducive to regulating the grain-filling process and providing a higher filling rate and longer filling period in the PTS treatment combined with N2 practices. In contrast, RTS combined with a low N content was beneficial for optimizing the pasting quality of starch. Overall, our results establish a physiologically grounded framework for reconciling yield and nutritional enrichment, offering actionable strategies for transforming maize production demands through straw incorporation and N fertilizer stewardship. • Straw and N fertilizer affected photosynthetic metabolism and sugar accumulation • High N reduced enzyme activities for starch synthesis in both straw incorporations • PTS combined with 187 kg N ha -1 significantly improved maize grain yield • RTS provided superior starch pasting properties to PTS
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
PTS increased leaf photosynthetic metabolism and grain sugar accumulation relative to RTS.
- Treatment
- plow tillage combined with straw incorporation (PTS)e0
- Outcome
- leaf photosynthetic metabolism and grain sugar accumulatione0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Comparator
- rotary tillage combined with straw incorporation (RTS)e0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared to rotary tillage combined with straw incorporation (RTS), plow tillage combined with straw incorporation (PTS) significantly increased leaf photosynthetic metabolism and grain sugar accumulation”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
PTS produced higher starch accumulation, biomass and grain yield.
Not reportedTreatmentComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“contributing to higher starch accumulation, plant biomass, and grain yield over the two years of study”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The N2 nitrogen treatment raised photosynthetic capacity and grain sugar content.
- Treatment
- 187 kg N per ha -1 (N2)e0
- Outcome
- leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain sugar contentse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- other N fertilizer treatmentse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The treatment using 187 kg N per ha -1 (N2) resulted in a higher leaf photosynthetic capacity and grain sugar contents compared with the other N fertilizer treatments”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
PTS plus N2 increased grain filling rate and duration.
- Treatment
- PTS treatment combined with N2 practicese0
- Outcome
- filling rate and longer filling periode0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a higher filling rate and longer filling period in the PTS treatment combined with N2 practices”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
RTS plus low nitrogen improved starch pasting quality.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“RTS combined with a low N content was beneficial for optimizing the pasting quality of starch”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
High nitrogen reduced enzymes for starch synthesis.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High N reduced enzyme activities for starch synthesis in both straw incorporations”
t0“maize”
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