EDAH increases bleeding sap intensity and grain yield of maize under high-density cultivation on saline-alkali soils in Xinjiang.

EDAH application under high-density maize cultivation on saline-alkali soils in Xinjiang increases bleeding sap intensity and grain yield by up to 16.2% in maize.

• Why it matters: Understanding how growth regulators like EDAH influence vascular and bleeding sap traits is crucial for improving maize yield and lodging resistance in saline-alkali environments, where high-density planting poses challenges.
• What they did: Field experiments with two maize cultivars and three planting densities tested the effects of foliar-applied EDAH versus water control, measuring vascular traits, bleeding sap characteristics, dry matter accumulation, and yield-related parameters.
• The result: EDAH significantly increased bleeding sap quantity and intensity, improved vascular bundle traits, and enhanced dry matter allocation, with peduncle bleeding sap intensity explaining 54.0% of yield variation, thereby boosting theoretical yield under high-density conditions.