Paper Details

Yield and quality of forage corn (Zea mays L.) cultivar single cross 704 in response to nitrogen fertilization and plant density

Ali Reza Safari, Saeed Sadeghzadeh Hemayati, Faegheh Salighedar, Ahmad Reza Barimavandi

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/4.10.146-153

Int. J. Biosci. 4(10), 146-153. May, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

The producers of forage corn need more information on agronomic managements such as plant density and nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, a split-plot experiment was carried out to investigate the growth, yield and quality of forage corn (Zea mays L.) responses to nitrogen fertilization and plant density. The nitrogen treatment of the main plot included four levels 0, 75, 150 1nd 225 kg and the sub-plot was of plant density at three levels 75000, 100000 and 125000 plant h-1. Plants harvested in the soft dough stage and plant height, stem diameter, cab weight, crude protein, protein yield, dry matter content and forage yield were determined. The results showed that plant height significantly affected by nitrogen treatment and nitrogen × plant density interaction. Nitrogen treatment, plant density and their interaction had significantly effect on stem diameter, crude protein, protein yield and forage yield as the highest amount was found in 150 and 225 kg nitrogen treatment with 100000 and 125000 plant h-1 densities. Cab weight increased with increasing in amount of nitrogen treatment, whereas increasing of plant density reduced cab weight. Moreover, dry matter content significantly affected by nitrogen treatment and plant density had no affected on dry matter content. Overall, 150 and 225 kg nitrogen treatment with 100000 and 125000 plant h-1 densities are recommended to obtaining higher fodder yield and quality of forage corn cultivar Single Cross 704.