Effect of hybrid and plant density on grain yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays)

A study was carried out to find out optimum plant densities for maize (Zea mays L.), hybrids mostly cultivated as a second crop in Hatay, Turkey, during 2000 and 2001. Five maize hybrids [‘Cargill 6127’, ‘Dekalb 626, ’ ‘Dracma’ (‘Novartis’), ‘Pioneer 3394’ and Ttm 815] were examined at 6 plant densities [50, 000, 60, 000, 70, 000, 80, 000, 90, 000 and 100, 000 plants/ha]. The effects of hybrids and plant densities on yield and yield components were statistically significant, however, hybrid x plant density interaction effects were not significant. The highest grain yield was obtained from ‘Dracma’ and ‘P 3394’ hybrids (9, 591 kg/ha and 9, 170 kg/ha respectively). Grain yield increased with increasing plant densities up to 90, 000 plants/ha (9, 406 kg/ha) but slightly decreased at 100, 000 plants/ha.