engleski

Responses of grain composition traits to high plant density in irrigated maize hybrids

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplemental irrigation and higher plant density on grain composition traits of ten maize hybrids. The experiment was grown in Osijek (Eastern Croatia) in 2002, 2003, 2004 on eutric cambisol, and consisted of factorial combination of two irrigation levels (non-irrigated and irrigated), two plant densities (standard – 57140 and high – 63492 plants ha-1, respectively), and ten commercial maize hybrids of FAO maturity groups 500-700. A self-moving sprinkler was used for irrigation to maintain water content in soil from 60% to 100% of field water capacity. Irrigation consistently affected grain yield across the years, but not the composition traits. Higher density did not affect grain traits except for water content, protein and oil concentration in 2002. Averaged across ten hybrids and two irrigations levels in 2002, higher density decreased protein concentration from 8.92% to 8.76%, and oil concentration from 3.71% to 3.65%.

maize; plant density; irrigation; grain composition

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