Table 5.

The critical thresholds and critical RSM of sensitive growth characteristics of maize in the seedling stage in 2014.

Sensitive growth characteristics	Parameters of regression models			R2	Critical thresholds	Critical RSM
	a	b	c			Estimated values	95% confidence interval
SMC	-0.001	0.248	77.187	0.936	89.18	72%	[69%, 75%]
LMC	-0.002	0.468	62.734	0.886	82.63	65%	[62%, 68%]
Tr	-0.002	0.459	-12.595	0.686	6.76	62%	[56%, 67%]
Pn	-0.012	2.108	-59.197	0.711	24.60	60%	[55%, 64%]
Gs	-6.461E-5	0.013	-0.382	0.670	0.148	58%	[51%, 63%]
LA	-0.029	4.732	-74.822	0.495	82.1	46%	[39%, 52%]

SMC, stem moisture content (%); LMC, leaf moisture content (%); Pn, net photosynthetic rate (μmol CO₂ m^-2s^-1); Gs, stomatal conductance (mol H₂O m^-2s^-1); Tr, transpiration rate (mmol H₂O m^-2s^-1); LA, leaf area (cm² plant^-1).