| Maize, a major grain crop in northwest China, is also an important raw material for feed production. To identify suitable irrigation, fertilization, and planting density practices for maize cultivation in the sandy land of northern Shaanxi, this study compared and analyzed the effects of three irrigation levels, four fertilization levels, and five planting densities on the agronomic traits and yield of maize. The results showed that the optimal irrigation amount for the entire growth period, using integrated water and fertilizer drip irrigation, was 3 750 m3/hm2. The optimal fertilization included 4 500 kg/hm2 of bio-organic fertilizer, 15 kg/hm2 each of zinc and boron fertilizer, and 375–225–225 kg/hm2 of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N–P–K). The optimal planting density was 90,000~105,000 plants/hm2. |
