Maize plants grow better when they get more nitrogen or are planted closer together. This helps them use water more efficiently and produce more biomass. The researchers studied how different nitrogen levels and plant densities affected maize crops in Argentina. They found that higher nitrogen levels and plant densities increased the plants' water use efficiency by making them use water more effectively and reducing soil water evaporation. The plants' ability to take in water through their leaves also decreased as the plants grew more leaves. This study shows that changing nitrogen levels and plant densities can help maize plants grow better and use water more efficiently.