Objective of this work was to investigate how plant density and nitrogen
rate affects the growth , yield and its components in maize (Bassel 2 hybrid).
The experiment was carried out, at the agricultural research centre in Snoubar
Jableh, during t
he 2008 and 2009 seasons, included 12 treatments which were
the combination three plant population densities 71428/ha, 57142/ha, and
47619/ha and four N rates (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg/ha). The experimental design
was a split-plot, with different densities as main plots, randomized in three
complete blocks, and the fertilization as subplots. The data were analyzed by
using “Mstat” statistical package. Increasing planting population density
delayed anthesis and silking date, increased the anthesis-silking interval, plant
height, ear height, grain yield, agronomic nitrogen efficiency and nitrogen use
efficiency, but decreased ear leaf area, chlorophyll content, 1000 seed weight,
number of grains/ear, shelling percentage (%), and grain protein content.
Nitrogen fertilizer decreased tassilling and silking date, and nitrogen use
efficiency, increasing plant and ear height, ear leaf area, chlorophyll content,
number of grains/ear, ear weight,1000-grains weight, Shelling percentage,
grain yield up to 120 kg N/ha, agronomic nitrogen efficiency and grain protein
content.
