Abstract: Exploring the influence of chilling damages on maize growth and development has great significance to prevention and reduction of agricultural disasters. Based on parameter adjustment of WOFOST growth model, we analyzed the impacts of different intensities and durations of low temperature on maize biomass and yield in Hetao irrigation region by numerical simulation. The results showed that the response of biomass accumulation and yield to the intensity and duration of low temperature was basically identical during each single developmental stage from emergence to filling stages. Low temperature at filling stage had the most serious impact on maize biomass accumulation and yield under same duration of low temperatures. When the low temperature lasted one day, low temperature at jointingtasseling stage had the most serious impact on maize biomass accumulation and yield. When the low temperature lasted more than 3 days, the low temperature during filling stage had the biggest influence on maize biomass accumulation and yield. The maize biomass and yield deceased with the increasing duration of low temperature from emergence to jointing stages, but different low temperature intensities had quite similar impacts on the biomass and yield when the duration was same. Moreover, the maize biomass and yield declined with the longer duration and greater low temperature intensity during other developmental stages. The results reflected the actual impacts of chilling damage on maize growth in the study area, providing scientific basis for the local agricultural production decision making.

Key words: living culm, Dendrocalamus latiflorus, biomass allocation, truncation