Performance of second-crop maize hybrids in different population densities
Revista Agrogeoambiental
Performance of second-crop maize hybrids in different population densities
Autor Correspondente: A. Ulrich | [email protected]
Palavras-chave: grain yield, plant density, off-season maize, Zea mays L.
Resumos Cadastrados
Resumo Inglês:
The cultivation of second-crop (off-season) maize (Zea mays L.) has progressed in Brazil. However, the maize plant population recommendation for the second crop is drastically reduced. This work was developed with the objective of evaluating the agronomic performance of maize hybrids subjected to different plant populations in the off-season maize. The experiment was cultivated in a no-tillage system in the second crop of the 2019/2020 agricultural year in Unaí-MG and carried out according to a randomized block design in subdivided plots, with the five simple maize hybrids KWS (K9105VIP3, K9960VIP3, K9606VIP3, K9555VIP3, and K8774PRO3) considered as parcels and four populations (35,000; 50,000; 65,000 and 80,000 plants ha-1), considered as subplots. Maize hybrids did not influence (P>0.05) the variables. The populations of 35,000, 65,000 and 80,000 plants ha-1 resulted in the highest (P<0.05) number of rows, number of grains per row, and ear length. Increasing plant population influenced (P<0.05) positively the grain yields up to the population of plants of 68,200 plants ha-1 with a grain yield of 9,302 kg ha-1. Population densification, even increasing competition for resources, negatively influencing most plant and ear characters, increases grain yield due to the greater amount of ear per area.
