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Influence of Row Width and Plant Population on Yield of two Varieties of Corn ( Zea mays L.) 1
Author(s) -
Brown R. H.,
Beaty E. R.,
Ethredge W. J.,
Hayes D. D.
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/agronj1970.00021962006200060025x
Subject(s) - zea mays , agronomy , yield (engineering) , population , biology , mathematics , physics , demography , sociology , thermodynamics
Abstract Two varieties of corn ( Zea mays L.) were evaluated for grain yield at row widths of 51 and 102 cm and within‐row spacings of 15, 23, 31, 38, and 46 cm. Both varieties, ‘Pioneer 309B’ (P‐309B) and ‘DeKalb XL 65’ (D‐XL 65), were grown with and without irrigation at Plains, Ga., in 1967 and 1968. Pioneer 309B was grown under irrigation at Calhoun, Ga., during the same years. Yields of irrigated corn were higher in 51‐cm than in 102‐cm rows. Without irrigation, P‐309B yielded more grain in 51‐cm than 102‐cm rows, but yields of D‐XL 65 were similar for both row spacings. Increasing populations in the 51‐cm rows from about 50,000 to 100,000 plants/ha did not increase yields except in irrigated D‐XL 65. Yield decreased with increased population in the above range for nonirrigated P‐309B. Increased populations within 102 cm rows increased yields except for P‐309B at Calhoun and unirrigated P‐309B at Plains. Optimum populations were estimated from relationships between log grain yield per plant and population. Estimated optimum populations were higher for 51‐cm than for 102‐cm rows, for irrigated than for nonirrigated corn, and for D‐XL 65 than for the P‐309B variety. Estimated optimum population appeared to be related to plant size with smaller plants requiring a higher population for maximum grain yield. Leaf area per plant for D‐XL 65 was only 0.7 of that for P‐309B. This difference in leaf area was also probably related to estimates of optimum population.