Response of stalk lodging resistance traits, yield and quality of silage maize to high density

A two-factor randomized block experiment was conducted in 2024 to investigate three silage maize varieties under three high densities (150,000, 180,000, and 210,000 plants [Formula: see text]). The study aimed to explore how high-density environments affect stalk lodging. The results showed that: (1) The increase in density significantly altered the traits related to the stalks. Meanwhile, as the planting density increased, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and yield all showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. (2) The highest yield and the starch content was achieved at the density of 180,000 plants [Formula: see text] with DajingJiu23. (3) Correlation analysis demonstrated that stalk mechanical traits were positively associated with yield and significantly correlated with internal structural and quality attributes. (4) Multiple regression analysis was employed to calculate the contribution rate of stalk-related traits to yield, identifying the number of large and small vascular bundles as well as stalk mechanical traits as key factors influencing yield. This study elucidated the impact of high-density environments on stalk traits related to toppling resistance, yield, and silage quality, while quantifying the contribution of stalks to yield. The test results provide technical references for variety selection and density regulation under high-density planting, and also offer theoretical basis for future targeted improvement of stalk structure traits to enhance the adaptability of varieties in high-density environments.