Quantitative and Qualitative Responses of Corn 704 Singel-Cross to Different Planting Patterns and Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels

Abstract

In this study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of planting pattern and different amounts of nitrogen on the quantitative and qualitative yield of maize based on split plot design with randomized complete block design in Salmanabad area, Pishva city, Tehran. The factors included planting pattern as the main factor in single-row and double-row cultivation, and the sub-factors were different amounts of urea fertilizer at four levels (zero), 120, 240, and 360 kg urea per ha. First, the highest plant height, ear height from ground level, leaf area index, grain yield, nitrogen percentage of shoot, seed, and soil after harvest, crude protein percentage were obtained by consuming 360 kg urea per ha. Maximum stem diameter, ear diameter, number of rows per ear, number of seeds per row, ear weight per plant, and shoot nitrogen percentage were observed in the single row cultivation method, while maximum plant height, ear height above ground, leaf area index, and crude fiber percentage was reported in the double-row cultivation. In addition, the single row cultivation under the application of 360 kg urea per ha led to the highest number of grain per row and grain yield (34.6 and 13784.6 kg ha^-1, respectively) compared to the control treatment increased by 13.5 and 37.4%, respectively. The increasing levels of urea fertilizer indicated a significant increase in nitrogen percentage of seed, shoot, and soil after harvest. Further, the highest mean percentage of shoot nitrogen (1.89%), seed (2.05%), and post-harvest soil (0.13%) was observed under 360 kg urea per ha treatment. Additionally, maximum digestible dry matter (DMD) was obtained in double row cultivation and the use of 360 kg urea per ha with an average of 53.05%, which was 8.55% more than the control treatment. Furthermore, thee highest amount of crude protein was observed in single row culture (19.27%) and the use of 360 kg urea per ha (20.20%). Based on the results, the regression model was significant and 78.54% of the grain yield variations were justified by stem diameter, leaf area index, ear length, and 1000-seed weight. In general, using the methods of single row for grain production and double row for age production cultivation under 360 kg urea per ha yielded the most favorable results.