Drought and Waterlogging Status and Dominant Meteorological Factors Affecting Maize (Zea mays L.) in Different Growth and Development Stages in Northeast China

Abstract

Drought and floods affect the growth and yield of maize, affecting food security. Therefore, it is crucial to assess maize’s drought and waterlogging status in various growth stages. We used phenological and daily meteorological data and spatial analysis to identify the drought and waterlogging conditions of spring maize in Northeast China in eight growth stages. We calculated the crop water surplus/deficit index and used the national standard for maize drought and waterlogging. The results indicate a significant decreasing trend of effective precipitation in Northeast China. The maize’s water requirements changed during the growing period. The ranking of the daily water requirements of maize from high to low in the different growth stages was the flowering stage to the silking stage (6.9 mm/d), the tasseling stage to the flowering stage (6.1 mm/d), the jointing stage to the tasseling stage (4.9 mm/d), the seven-leaf stage to the jointing stage (3.4 mm/d), the silking stage to the harvesting stage (2.0 mm/d), the emergence stage to the three-leaf stage (1.4 mm/d), the three-leaf stage to the seven-leaf stage (1.3 mm/d), and the sowing stage to the emergence stage (1.2 mm/d). Drought occurred primarily in the early growth and development stage, and the most severe drought conditions were observed in the sowing to emergence stages and the emergence to the three-leaf stages in most areas in Northeast China. Waterlogging occurred predominantly in the flowering to the silking stages and the silking to the maturity stages in southeast Liaoning and parts of Jilin. Inner Mongolia had the lowest soil moisture conditions and was unsuitable for maize growth, followed by Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. The dominant meteorological factors affecting the drought and waterlogging status of maize in different growth stages were precipitation and wind speed, followed by the minimum temperature, relative humidity, sunshine hours, and maximum temperature. The average temperature did not influence the drought and waterlogging status. The results provide a basis for selecting drought-resistant varieties and preventing waterlogging.