Subsoil tillage improved the maize stalk lodging resistance under high planting density

Lodging reduces maize yield and quality. The improvement in maize lodging resistance has proven to be instrumental in maximizing the yield potential of maize varieties under high-density planting. Tillage practices accommodate larger groups by enhancing soil conditions. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of subsoil tillage in reducing the maize stalk lodging rate. The maize cultivars Xianyu 335 (XY335) and Zhongdan2 (ZD2) were selected for field experiments including two tillage methods, shallow rotary (RT) and subsoil (SS), and two densities, 75,000 plants ha−1 (D1) and 105,000 plants ha−1 (D2), were set up to investigate and analyze the changes of maize lodging rate and the related indexes of lodging resistance under SS and RT conditions. The findings revealed that under high density, as compared to rotary tillage, SS tillage decreased the plant and ear height by 9.01–9.20 cm and 3.50–4.90 cm, respectively. The stalk dry matter accumulation was enhanced by 8.98%–24.98%, while stalk diameter between two and seven internodes increased by 0.47– 4.15 mm. Stalk cellulose increased by 11.83% –12.38%, hemicellulose increased by 6.7%–15.97%, and lignin increased by 9.86%–15.9%. The rind puncture and crushing strength improved by 3.11%–20.06% and 11.90%–27.07%, respectively. The bending strength increased by 6.25%–27.96% and the lodging rate decreased by 1.20%–6.04%. Yield increased by 7.58%–8.17%. At SS tillage when density increased, the index changes in ZD2 were mostly less than those in XY335. The rind penetration strength, bending strength, crushing strength, stalk diameter, and dry matter accumulation all had a negative correlation with the lodging rate. It suggested that SS tillage was beneficial to lodging resistance and, in combination with stalk lodging-resistant varieties, can effectively alleviate the problem of stalk lodging after increased planting density.