Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield

Maize planting is normally accomplished by hand in the developing world where two or more seeds are placed per hill with a heterogeneous plant spacing and density. To understand the interaction between seed distribution and distance between hills, experiments were established in 2012 and 2013 at Lak...

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Main Authors: Bee Khim Chim, Peter Omara, Natasha Macnack, Jeremiah Mullock, Sulochana Dhital, William Raun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:International Journal of Agronomy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125258
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author Bee Khim Chim
Peter Omara
Natasha Macnack
Jeremiah Mullock
Sulochana Dhital
William Raun
author_facet Bee Khim Chim
Peter Omara
Natasha Macnack
Jeremiah Mullock
Sulochana Dhital
William Raun
author_sort Bee Khim Chim
collection DOAJ
description Maize planting is normally accomplished by hand in the developing world where two or more seeds are placed per hill with a heterogeneous plant spacing and density. To understand the interaction between seed distribution and distance between hills, experiments were established in 2012 and 2013 at Lake Carl Blackwell (LCB) and Efaw Agronomy Research Stations, near Stillwater, OK. A randomized complete block design was used with three replications and 9 treatments and a factorial treatment structure of 1, 2, and 3 seeds per hill using interrow spacing of 0.16, 0.32, and 0.48 m. Data for normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), grain yield, and grain N uptake were collected. Results showed that, on average, NDVI and IPAR increased with number of seeds per hill and decreased with increasing plant spacing. In three of four site-years, planting 1 or 2 seeds per hill, 0.16 m apart, increased grain yield and N uptake. Over sites, planting 1 seed, every 0.16 m, increased yields by an average of 1.15 Mg ha−1 (range: 0.33 to 2.46 Mg ha−1) when compared to the farmer practice of placing 2 to 3 seeds per hill, every 0.48 m.
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issn 1687-8159
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language English
publishDate 2014-01-01
publisher Wiley
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spelling doaj-art-11a7bee372d543f5a23ac813c2cb5ed32025-08-20T02:01:56ZengWileyInternational Journal of Agronomy1687-81591687-81672014-01-01201410.1155/2014/125258125258Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain YieldBee Khim Chim0Peter Omara1Natasha Macnack2Jeremiah Mullock3Sulochana Dhital4William Raun5Department of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74075, USAMaize planting is normally accomplished by hand in the developing world where two or more seeds are placed per hill with a heterogeneous plant spacing and density. To understand the interaction between seed distribution and distance between hills, experiments were established in 2012 and 2013 at Lake Carl Blackwell (LCB) and Efaw Agronomy Research Stations, near Stillwater, OK. A randomized complete block design was used with three replications and 9 treatments and a factorial treatment structure of 1, 2, and 3 seeds per hill using interrow spacing of 0.16, 0.32, and 0.48 m. Data for normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), grain yield, and grain N uptake were collected. Results showed that, on average, NDVI and IPAR increased with number of seeds per hill and decreased with increasing plant spacing. In three of four site-years, planting 1 or 2 seeds per hill, 0.16 m apart, increased grain yield and N uptake. Over sites, planting 1 seed, every 0.16 m, increased yields by an average of 1.15 Mg ha−1 (range: 0.33 to 2.46 Mg ha−1) when compared to the farmer practice of placing 2 to 3 seeds per hill, every 0.48 m.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125258
spellingShingle Bee Khim Chim
Peter Omara
Natasha Macnack
Jeremiah Mullock
Sulochana Dhital
William Raun
Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
International Journal of Agronomy
title Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
title_full Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
title_fullStr Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
title_short Effect of Seed Distribution and Population on Maize (Zea mays L.) Grain Yield
title_sort effect of seed distribution and population on maize zea mays l grain yield
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/125258
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AT jeremiahmullock effectofseeddistributionandpopulationonmaizezeamayslgrainyield
AT sulochanadhital effectofseeddistributionandpopulationonmaizezeamayslgrainyield
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