# Maize Replacement for Controlling Invasive _Eupatorium adenophorum_
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Light Competition Between Maize and Eupatorium adenophorum  
The field PAR at different height levels above the ground during the vigorous growth stage of maize is shown in Figure 3. The light intensity at the top of plants was higher than 80 kLux (Figure 3a). Combined with the climate parameters shown in Figure 2b, the range of LPR\({}_{10}\) (2.32-3.63%) to LPR\({}_{75}\) (14.71-19.82%) in the CK, M2, M3 and M4 treatments were lower than in the CS and M1 treatments (Figure 3b). LPR decreased with the decrease in ground clearance (height). The sunlight source in the field experiments was competed for by maize and _E. adenophorum_. Therefore, it was suitable for maize controlling _E. adenophorum_.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**Treatment** & **Height (cm)** & **Density (ind./m\({}^{2}\))** & **Diameter (cm)** & **S\({}_{\rm max}\) (cm\({}^{2}\))** & **S\({}_{\rm total}\) (cm\({}^{2}\)/m\({}^{2}\))** \\ \hline CK & \(131.68\pm 15.65\) b & \(98.98\pm 10.23\) & \(0.79\pm 0.06\) b & \(36.68\pm 3.31\) b & \(9688.38\pm 1077.65\) d \\ CS & \(28.46\pm 3.37\) c & \(112.88\pm 6.91\) & \(0.22\pm 0.02\) c & \(3.52\pm 0.25\) c & \(766.51\pm 80.26\) de \\ M1 & \(25.76\pm 2.12\) c & \(0/68.50\pm 5.57\)* & \(0.27\pm 0.03\) c & \(4.27\pm 0.50\) c & \(563.23\pm 43.11\) de \\ M2 & \(196.37\pm 21.31\) a & \(4/0\)* & \(3.15\pm 0.33\) a & \(516.62\pm 61.03\) a & \(15,985.76\pm 1698.30\) c \\ M3 & \(205.18\pm 22.68\) a & \(6/0\)* & \(3.11\pm 0.26\) a & \(500.67\pm 46.61\) a & \(20,133.27\pm 2435.72\) b \\ M4 & \(207.66\pm 27.66\) a & \(8/0\)* & \(3.08\pm 0.29\) a & \(479.32\pm 51.22\) a & \(29,852.65\pm 3139.35\) a \\ \hline \end{tabular} Note: Different letters followed by data in the same column indicate significant difference (\(p<0.05\)). * Left side data of slash indicates density of replacement plants, and right side indicates _E. adenophorum_.  
\end{table}
Table 4: Plant traits of replacement plants and _Eupatorium adenophorum_ in different treatments in 2018.  
Figure 3: (a) PAR and (b) light penetration rate at different height in six field treatments.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**No.** & **Height (cm)** & **Density (ind./m\({}^{2}\))** & **Diameter (cm)** & **S\({}_{\rm max}\) (cm\({}^{2}\))** & **S\({}_{\rm total}\) (cm\({}^{2}\)/m\({}^{2}\))** \\ \hline CK & \(143.75\pm 11.23\) b & \(105.80\pm 13.89\) & \(0.85\pm 0.06\) b & \(29.96\pm 2.12\) b & \(10,692.79\pm 1146.25\) d \\ CS & \(33.40\pm 2.71\) c & \(119.50\pm 9.91\) & \(0.24\pm 0.02\) d & \(2.93\pm 1.05\) c & \(831.34\pm 67.58\) de \\ M1 & \(26.15\pm 12.6\) c & \(0/68.50\pm 5.17\)* & \(0.22\pm 0.02\) d & \(2.33\pm 1.72\) c & \(336.23\pm 367.58\) de \\ M2 & \(210.63\pm 11.66\) a & \(4/0\)* & \(2.46\pm 0.20\) a & \(537.62\pm 66.53\) a & \(16,665.61\pm 1862.23\) c \\ M3 & \(220.51\pm 16.38\) a & \(6/0\)* & \(2.43\pm 0.16\) a & \(513.52\pm 58.96\) a & \(23,235.11\pm 2755.92\) b \\ M4 & \(217.83\pm 29.19\) a & \(8/0\)* & \(2.40\pm 0.17\) a & \(489.97\pm 55.64\) a & \(30,468.25\pm 3628.63\) a \\ \hline \end{tabular} Note: Different letters followed by data in the same column indicate significant difference (\(p<0.05\)). * Left side data of slash indicates density of replacement plants, and right side indicates _E. adenophorum_.  
\end{table}
Table 3: Plant traits of replacement plants and _Eupatorium adenophorum_ in different treatments in 2017.