The effect of crop density on maize grain yield

Violeta Mandic,Zorica Bijelic,Zorica Tomic,Violeta Caro-Petrovic,Aleksandar Stanojkovic,Vesna Krnjaja,Aleksandra Stanojkovic-Sebic

doi:10.2298/bah1601083m

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to estimate the effects of crop density on the plant height (PH), ear height (EH), leaf number per plant (LN), ear length (EL), number of rows per ear (NRE), number of grain per row (NGR), number of grain per ear (NGE), grain weight per ear (GWE), cob weight (CW), 1000-grain weight (1000-GW), ear diameter (ED) and grain yield (GY) in staygreen maize hybrid Dijamant 6 (FAO maturity group 600). Three crop densities (51020 plants ha-1, 59524 plants ha-1 and 71429 plants ha-1) were tested. The field experiment was carried out during 2006 and 2007 at Srem region (Putinci: latitude 44? 59? 19" N; longitude 19? 58? 11" E). Plots were organized as completely randomized block system design in four replications. PH (284.3 cm), EH (119.9 cm), LN (13.9), EL (20.8 cm), GWE (232.5 g), CW (56.4 g), 1000-GW (378.4 g) and GY (13.56 t ha-1) were significantly higher in 2006 (favorable climatic conditions) than in 2007 (258.5 cm, 112.8 cm, 13.2, 17.9 cm, 192.9 g, 46.9 g, 232.7 g and 11.50 t ha-1, respectively). Increasing crop density significantly increased the PH, EH and GY, and significantly decreases the EL, NGR, NGE, GWE, CW and 100-GW. The crop density of 71429 plants ha-1 is the optimal for growing this hybrid in Srem region. On that crop density hybrid more efficiently used available resources and achieved the highest grain yield.

Highlights

In Serbia, maize (Zea mays L.) is very important agricultural plant which is grown on 1.2 million hectares of land
Mandić (2011) found that the ear length, number of grain per row, number of grain per ear, grain weight per ear, cob weight, 1000-grain weight decreases, grain yield increases and number of rows per ear and leaf number per plant did not change with the increase of plant density
Ear height and grain yield is greater under high density and ear length and number of grain per row decreases with increase in plant density in maize (Silva et al, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

In Serbia, maize (Zea mays L.) is very important agricultural plant which is grown on 1.2 million hectares of land. The total annual production of maize is about 6 million tons and an average grain yield of 4.9 t ha-1. Mandić (2011) found that the ear length, number of grain per row, number of grain per ear, grain weight per ear, cob weight, 1000-grain weight decreases, grain yield increases and number of rows per ear and leaf number per plant did not change with the increase of plant density. Amiri et al (2014) concluded that increasing crop density increases grain yield, decreases number of grain per ear, and not change ear length, number of rows per ear, 1000-grain weight and ear diameter. Ear height and grain yield is greater under high density and ear length and number of grain per row decreases with increase in plant density in maize (Silva et al, 2014). Maize grain yield declines due to a decline in the harvest index, total biomass per plant and increased stem barrenness (Boomsma et al, 2009; Mandić, 2011)

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