Influence of Meteorological Factors and Sowing Dates on Growth and Yield Traits of Summer Maize in Northeastern Sichuan, China

Yun Long (), Yun Yang, Chuan He and Xiaohong Liu
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Yun Long: College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China
Yun Yang: Nanchong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong 637000, China
Chuan He: Nanchong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong 637000, China
Xiaohong Liu: College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-16

Abstract: This study investigates meteorological factors’ effects on summer maize growth, agronomic traits and yield in northeastern Sichuan, China, under different sowing dates. A five-gradient sowing date experiment was conducted with three varieties from 2023 to 2024. The results showed delayed sowing prolonged total growth period mainly in the joint–tasseling and silking–maturity stages. Early sowing (5th May and 20th May) significantly improved key agronomic traits and increased grain yield, with Xianyu 1171 achieving the highest yield of 9.77 t ha −1 under early sowing. Meteorological factors had limited influence during vegetative growth but strongly affected reproductive growth. Among them, average temperature (AT) and growing degree days (GDDs) were critical throughout the growth cycle, though their effects varied by stage. These findings suggest that adjusting sowing dates to align key growth stages with favorable weather—particularly by avoiding high-temperature stress during flowering and ensuring sufficient warmth during grain filling—can enhance yield stability. This study provides a basis for constructing a climate-resilient cultivation system and promoting stable and high summer maize yields in the hilly areas of northeastern Sichuan.

Keywords: summer maize; sowing date; variety; meteorological factor; growth period; agronomic traits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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