Alternate Row Spacing and Plant Density Effects on Forage and Dry Matter Yield of Corn Hybrids (Zea mays L.)

Irrigated field experiments were conducted in the Marmara region of Turkey in 2002 and 2003 to compare alternate 40 : 25 cm row spacings and conventional 65 cm with four different plant densities (65 000, 85 000, 105 000 and 125 000 plants ha -1 ) of three corn hybrids (DK-585, ADA 95-10 and C-955) in some morphological traits and forage and dry matter yield. Morphological traits such as plant height, leaf per plant. stem diameter, ear per plant and ear percentage were measured, forage and dry matter yield was also determined in this study. Hybrids, row spacings and plant densities significantly affected some morphological traits, forage and dry matter yield at 0.01 level. Later maturing hybrids tended to produce taller and thicker stemmed plants. Row spacings and plant densities did not affect plant height. Average stem diameter increased significantly with population density. Row spacings did not influence leaf number, whereas leaf number increased slightly with plant density. On average, all corn plants had slightly more than 1.0 ear per plant in our experiment. Row spacings and plant densities did not affect significantly number of ear per plant. Early maturing DK-585 had the highest ear percentage whilst late maturing C-955 lowest. Yields usually increased with hybrid maturity. When averaged across years, row spacings and plant densities, late maturing C-955 performed significantly better in forage and dry matter yield in all experimental years and combined years. The studies showed favourable advantage for alternate 40 : 25 cm rows over conventional 65 cm row spacings at all plant densities. Average forage and dry matter yields were greater for alternate 40 : 25 cm row spacings than for 65 cm row spacings. However, strong hybrid x row spacing interactions for both forage and dry matter yield were detected.