Examining the Corn Seedling Emergence-Temperature Relationship for Recent Hybrids: Insights from Experimental Studies

Sahila Beegum; Charles Hunt Walne; Krishna N Reddy; Vangimalla Reddy; Kambham Raja Reddy

doi:10.3390/plants12213699

Examining the Corn Seedling Emergence-Temperature Relationship for Recent Hybrids: Insights from Experimental Studies

Plants (Basel). 2023 Oct 27;12(21):3699. doi: 10.3390/plants12213699.

Authors

Sahila Beegum^{1

2}, Charles Hunt Walne³, Krishna N Reddy⁴, Vangimalla Reddy¹, Kambham Raja Reddy³

Affiliations

¹ Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
² Nebraska Water Center, Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, 2021 Transformation Drive, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
³ Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
⁴ United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Crop Production Systems Research Unit, 141 Experiment Station Road, P.O. Box 350, Stoneville, MS 38776, USA.

Abstract

Corn seedling emergence is a critical factor affecting crop yields. Accurately predicting emergence is crucial for precise crop growth and development simulation in process-based crop models. While various experimental studies have investigated the relationship between corn seedling emergence and temperature, there remains a scarcity of studies focused on newer corn hybrids. In the present study, statistical models (linear and quadratic functional relationships) are developed based on the seedling emergence of ten current corn hybrids, considering soil and air temperatures as influencing factors. The data used for model development are obtained from controlled soil plant atmospheric research chamber experiments focused on corn seedling emergence at five different temperatures. Upon evaluating the developed models, the quadratic model relating the air temperature with time to emergence was found more accurate for all corn hybrids (coefficient of determination (R²): 0.97, root mean square error (RMSE): 0.42 day) followed by the quadratic model based on soil temperature (R²: 0.96, RMSE: 1.42 days), linear model based on air (R²: 0.94, RMSE: 0.53 day) and soil temperature (R²: 0.94, RMSE: 0.70 day). A growing degree day (GDD)-based model was also developed for the newer hybrids. When comparing the developed GDD-based model with the existing GDD models (based on old hybrids), it was observed that the GDD required for emergence was 16% higher than the GDD used in the current models. This showed that the existing GDD-based models need to be revisited when adopted for newer hybrids and adapted to corn crop simulation models. The developed seedling emergence model, integrated into a process-based corn crop simulation model, can benefit farmers and researchers in corn crop management. It can aid in optimizing planting schedules, supporting management decisions, and predicting corn crop growth, development, and it yields more accurately.

Keywords: SPAR; base temperature; corn seedling emergence; functional relationship; growing degree days; hybrids.

Abstract

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