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Effects of Plant Population and Harvest Date on Stem Yield and Growth Components of Kenaf in Maryland 1
Author(s) -
Higgins J. J.,
White G. A.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1970.00021962006200050037x
Subject(s) - kenaf , biology , yield (engineering) , population , pulp (tooth) , crop , main stem , agronomy , horticulture , botany , chemistry , materials science , medicine , demography , organic chemistry , pathology , sociology , metallurgy , fiber
Kenaf is a potential new annual crop source of paper pulp. To minimize storage stockpiling of this new, bulky raw material, pulp processors may begin harvesting well before killing frosts and continue for several months beyond. Possible stem yield reductions with this extended harvesting system and the influence of plant populations on the reductions becomes of practical concern. The effects of four populations and five harvest dates on stem yields and other growth components on kenaf variety ‘Everglades 71’ were studied at Glenn Dale, Md., in 1966 and 1967. Populations of 99, 198, 297, and 395 thousand plants/ha did not affect stem yield or plant height in 1966 or yield in 1967. Basal stem diameters decreased as populations increased. There was a gradual loss of plants as harvesting was delayed. The greatest loss of about 25% was for the highest population. The best stem yields across the four populations were obtained from Oct. 4, 1966, (13.5 mt/ha) and Nov. 7, 1967, (11.7 mt/ha) harvests. These data indicate that populations of 200 to 300 thousand plants/ha and harvesting at about the time of killing frosts will result in the highest stem yields of kenaf under Maryland conditions.