Background Stalk lodging (breaking of agricultural plant stalks prior to harvest) results in millions of dollars in lost revenue each year. Despite a growing body of literature on the topic of stalk lodging, the structural efficiency of maize stalks has not been investigated previously. In this study, we investigate the morphology of mature maize stalks to determine if rind tissues, which are the major load bearing component of corn stalks, are efficiently organized to withstand wind induced bending stresses that cause stalk lodging. Results 945 fully mature, dried commercial hybrid maize stem specimens (48 hybrids, ~ 2 replicates, ~ 10 samples per plot) were subjected to: (1) three-point-bending tests to measure their bending strength and (2) rind penetration tests to measure the cross-sectional morphology at each internode. The data were analyzed through an engineering optimization algorithm to determine the structural efficiency of the specimens. Conclusions Hybrids with higher average bending strengths were found to allocate rind tissue more efficiently than weaker hybrids. However, even strong hybrids were structurally suboptimal. There remains significant room for improving the structural efficiency of maize stalks. Results also indicated that stalks are morphologically organized to resist wind loading that occurs primarily above the ear. Results are applicable to selective breeding and crop management studies seeking to reduce stalk lodging rates.

中文翻译：

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不同的玉米杂交种在抵抗导致茎倒伏的风引起的弯曲力方面在结构上效率低下。

背景 秸秆倒伏（在收获前破坏农业植物茎秆）每年会导致数百万美元的收入损失。尽管关于茎倒伏的文献越来越多，但以前没有研究过玉米茎的结构效率。在这项研究中，我们研究了成熟玉米茎秆的形态，以确定作为玉米茎秆主要承重成分的外皮组织是否能够有效地组织以承受导致茎秆倒伏的风引起的弯曲应力。结果 对 945 个完全成熟、干燥的商业杂交玉米茎样本（48 个杂交种，~2 个重复，每块地 10 个样品）进行了：（1）三点弯曲试验以测量它们的弯曲强度和（2）外皮穿透试验测量每个节间的横截面形态。通过工程优化算法对数据进行分析，以确定试件的结构效率。结论 发现具有较高平均弯曲强度的杂种比较弱的杂种更有效地分配外皮组织。然而，即使是强杂种在结构上也不是最理想的。提高玉米秸秆结构效率仍有很大空间。结果还表明，茎的形态组织可以抵抗主要发生在耳朵上方的风荷载。结果适用于寻求降低茎秆倒伏率的选择性育种和作物管理研究。结论 发现具有较高平均弯曲强度的杂种比较弱的杂种更有效地分配外皮组织。然而，即使是强杂种在结构上也不是最理想的。提高玉米秸秆结构效率仍有很大空间。结果还表明，茎的形态组织可以抵抗主要发生在耳朵上方的风荷载。结果适用于寻求降低茎秆倒伏率的选择性育种和作物管理研究。结论 发现具有较高平均弯曲强度的杂种比较弱的杂种更有效地分配外皮组织。然而，即使是强杂种在结构上也不是最理想的。提高玉米秸秆结构效率仍有很大空间。结果还表明，茎的形态组织可以抵抗主要发生在耳朵上方的风荷载。结果适用于寻求降低茎秆倒伏率的选择性育种和作物管理研究。