Mechanistic Model of Spike Differentiation and Phenological Development of Maize (Zea mays) Based on the Physiological Development Time.

A simulation model for maize spike differentiation and phenophase was established by analysis of temperatures and illumination treatments effects on maize growth and development process based on physiological development time constancy. Specific Bata function was applied in the model to calculate the daily thermal effect, and Gaussian function for photoperiodic effects. Temperature sensitivity, photoperiod sensitivity, intrinsic earliness and filling fractions which are genetic coefficients used to express genetic differences of maize development process. The model was tested at different growth stages and nitrogen factor was corrected by the actual nitrogen content, the critical nitrogen content and the lowest nitrogen content of plant. Results demonstrated that the absolute simulation error on growth stages (including emergence, jointing, silking, filling and maturity) and tassel and ear differentiation stages (including growing tip lengthening, spikelet differentiation, floret differentiation stage and sexual organ development) in different maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars was between 0-5 d, and the root mean square error was found less than 3.5 d. The proposed model demonstrated that the mechanism is rational and practical. © 2015 Friends Science Publishers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]