Effects of Different Planting Densities on Photosynthesis in Maize Determined via Prompt Fluorescence, Delayed Fluorescence and P700 Signals.

The mutual shading among individual field-grown maize plants resulting from high planting density inevitably reduces leaf photosynthesis, while regulating the photosynthetic transport chain has a strong impact on photosynthesis. However, the effect of high planting density on the photosynthetic electron transport chain in maize currently remains unclear. In this study, we simultaneously measured prompt chlorophyll fluorescence (PF), modulated 820 nm reflection (MR) and delayed chlorophyll fluorescence (DF) in order to investigate the effect of high planting density on the photosynthetic electron transport chain in two maize hybrids widely grown in China.