EFFECT OF PLANT DENSITY ON AGRONOMIC TRAITS AND PHOTOSYNTHETIC PERFORMANCE IN THE MAIZE IBM POPULATION

Abstract

Photosynthesis is a vital process in plant physiology. Performance index is an indicator of plant vitality and is used as a main parameter in chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Plant density is an important factor in maize production that can affect grain yield. Objective of this paper was to estimate the effect of plant density on agronomic traits and photosynthetic efficiency in the maize IBM population. The results showed a decrease in grain yield per plant basis (20 plants per plot) in higher plant density (normal density - 3.88 kg per plot, high density - 2.95 kg per plot) and an increase in grain yield per unit area (yield/ha) in higher plant density (normal density - 11.03t ha-1, high density - 13.64 t ha-1). Performance index was decreased in higher plant density (normal density - 5.31, high density - 4.95). Statistical analysis showed highly significant effect (p<0.001) of density on performance index and highly significant effects (p<0.001) of plant density and genotype on maize yield. Low positive correlation was observed between grain yield per plot and performance index (r = 0.36, p<0.001).

Keywords

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• plant density
• photosynthetic performance
• maize
• yield