Table 3. Effects of experimental treatments on the water use efficiency of maize leaves (WUEL, µmol CO2 mmol H2O−1) in 2015–2016.
Abbreviations for different treatments are defined in Fig. 3. Values followed by different letters within a column are significantly different at the 5% probability level (least significant difference; n = 3).
| Years | Planting densities | Irrigation modes | Before irrigation at 11-leaf stage | After irrigation at 11-leaf stage | Before irrigation at silking stage | After irrigation at silking stage | Filling stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | L | NI | 4.53ab | 4.73a | 5.54a | 5.62a | 4.86abc |
| IV | 4.44ab | 4.17ab | 5.56a | 5.66a | 5.24ab | ||
| IS | 4.52ab | 4.56ab | 5.62a | 5.16ab | 5.56a | ||
| IVS | 4.43b | 4.18ab | 5.69a | 5.18ab | 5.49a | ||
| M | NI | 4.80ab | 4.59ab | 5.43a | 5.51ab | 4.51cd | |
| IV | 4.80ab | 4.13b | 5.54a | 5.57ab | 4.98abc | ||
| IS | 4.84ab | 4.58ab | 5.44a | 5.10ab | 5.51a | ||
| IVS | 4.70ab | 4.26ab | 5.55a | 5.04ab | 5.53a | ||
| H | NI | 5.04ab | 4.46ab | 5.05a | 4.96ab | 4.16d | |
| IV | 5.10a | 4.13b | 5.37a | 5.40ab | 4.57bcd | ||
| IS | 5.04ab | 4.40ab | 5.06a | 4.88ab | 5.01bc | ||
| IVS | 4.89ab | 4.12b | 5.32a | 4.82b | 4.99bc | ||
| Average | L | 4.48B | 4.41A | 5.60A | 5.41A | 5.29A | |
| M | 4.78A | 4.39A | 5.49AB | 5.30AB | 5.13A | ||
| H | 5.02A | 4.28A | 5.20B | 5.01B | 4.70B | ||
| NI | 4.79A | 4.59A | 5.34A | 5.36AB | 4.51C | ||
| IV | 4.78A | 4.15B | 5.49A | 5.54A | 4.93B | ||
| IS | 4.80A | 4.51A | 5.37A | 5.05B | 5.39A | ||
| IVS | 4.67A | 4.19B | 5.52A | 5.01B | 5.34A | ||
| ANOVA | PD | ** | ns | * | ns | ** | |
| IM | ns | ** | ns | * | ** | ||
| PD × IM | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns | ||
| 2016 | L | NI | 5.06ab | 4.91ab | 5.76ab | 5.46a | 4.57ab |
| IV | 5.23a | 4.31bc | 5.43abc | 5.73a | 4.92a | ||
| IS | 5.26a | 5.07a | 5.99a | 5.19a | 5.04a | ||
| IVS | 5.25a | 4.37bc | 5.42abc | 5.11a | 5.03a | ||
| M | NI | 4.80ab | 4.64abc | 5.21bc | 5.09a | 4.42ab | |
| IV | 5.01ab | 4.27c | 5.57abc | 5.76a | 4.77ab | ||
| IS | 5.23a | 5.03a | 5.89ab | 5.10a | 4.99a | ||
| IVS | 5.28a | 4.36bc | 5.41abc | 5.11a | 5.02a | ||
| H | NI | 4.41b | 4.36bc | 4.96c | 4.94a | 4.20b | |
| IV | 4.71ab | 4.23c | 5.21bc | 5.38a | 4.49ab | ||
| IS | 5.02ab | 4.65abc | 5.41abc | 5.04a | 4.78ab | ||
| IVS | 5.07ab | 4.28c | 5.27abc | 5.02a | 4.80ab | ||
| Average | L | 5.20A | 4.66A | 5.65A | 5.37A | 4.89A | |
| M | 5.08AB | 4.57A | 5.52AB | 5.26A | 4.80AB | ||
| H | 4.80C | 4.38A | 5.21B | 5.09A | 4.57B | ||
| NI | 4.76B | 4.64AB | 5.31B | 5.16B | 4.40B | ||
| IV | 4.98AB | 4.27C | 5.40AB | 5.62A | 4.73A | ||
| IS | 5.17A | 4.91A | 5.76A | 5.11B | 4.94A | ||
| IVS | 5.20A | 4.34BC | 5.36AB | 5.08B | 4.95A | ||
| ANOVA | PD | * | ns | * | ns | * | |
| IM | * | ** | * | * | ** | ||
| PD × IM | ns | ns | ns | ns | ns |
Notes.
ANOVA, analysis of variance
**
significance at 1% probability level
*
significance at 5% probability level
- ns
- not significant
- IM
- irrigation mode
- PD
- planting density
Lowercase and uppercase letters in columns indicate significant differences among planting density and irrigation mode treatments, respectively.