The summer maize (cv. ‘Zheng dan 9580) was sown at a density
of ca. 63,000 seeds ha1 with a row spacing of 60 cm and intra-row
spacing of 27 cm in the middle of June and was harvested in early
October. All of the basic fertilizers were broadcast and incorporated
into the upper 20 cm of the soil profile by rotary tillage prior to
sowing. The management of herbicides, insecticides and irrigation
was based on local conventional farming practice.