Results from Night Lighting Corn (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

This study was to determine effects of wiight lighting on plant development and production of field corn (Zea mays L.). Night was provided by lamps on poles with reflectors directing the on the corn. Corn grown under 0, 11, 55 and 110 lux of night lighting during 1971 was progressively taller, matured progressively later, and produced progressively higher forage yields. Corn grown in 1972 was increasingly taller and increasingly delayed in maturity from treatments of no night through 15 minutes of per night from enwrgence to tassel differentiation, all night from emergence to tassel differentiation, and all night throughout the season. Trans. Kans. Acad. Sci., Vol. 77 (2), 1974. INTRODUCTION Light is one of many ecological parameters that affect plant growth. Crop yields have been increased by supplementing such factors as water and fertilizer. Crops' requirements also have been increasing. Growth rate of corn is closely associated with the amount of it intercepts and its leafarea (1,6). Only about 5 % of the sun's visible reaches theground in adense standof corn on aclear day (7). Supplemental lightcan be provided by additional daylight intensity or by at night. Using sunlight reflectors to produce a light rich environment during the day has increased corn yields (4,5). Light at night lengthens the time for photosynthesis. However, lengthening the photoperiod delays tasseling in sensitive strains of corn (2,3). This experiment was to determine effects of night lighting on plant development and corn yield of field corn (Zea mays L.). Methods and b1aterials A General Electric3 400 watt multi-vapor lamp was placed atop a 7 meter pole in an irrigated corn Sleld near Oighton, Kansas, in 1971. A bat-wing reflector directed the downward and outward4. Corn was planted in 76cm rows May 13; the was first turned onJune 7 when the corn (DeKalb variety 1006) was about 25 cm tall. The lamp was used each night until early September. A photo cell turned the lights on during the night. Corn from 4.6 m2 areas receiving 0, 11, 55, and 110 lux of night lighting (approximately 13, 23, and 38 m from the source, respectively) were harvested September 9, although the corn was not yet mature. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 77, No. 2, 1974. Published August 15, 1975. tContribution No. 115, Garden City Branch Experiment Station, Garden City 67846 and 1362, Agronomy Department, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan G6506. 2Research Agronomist, Grden City Branch Experiment Station and Research Agronomist, Agronomy Department, Kansas State University. 3Use of product names does not imply endorsement over similar products not named. 4Electricity was supplied by lane-Scott Electric Cooperative, Inc., Dighton, Kansas.