Managing Soil Biota-Mediated Decomposition and Nutrient Mineralization in Sustainable Agroecosystems

Figure 5

Pattern of (a) dry matter accumulation and (b) nitrogen uptake in maize hybrids (modified from [20]). The graphs illustrate the partitioning of dry matter and nitrogen in above-ground components—leaves, stalks, reproductive components, and grain—by growth stages. As described by Abdendroth et al. [21], refers to vegetative emergence and each subsequent vegetative growth stage is designated where is the number of leaves with visible collar. The stage indicates tasselling, the final vegetative growth stage when the whole tassel is visible. The subsequent reproductive growth stages are numbered (silking, which coincides with pollen shed) to (physiological maturity).

(a)

(b)