EFFECT OF HILL SPACING AND NITROGEN LEVEL ON FORAGE YIELD OF TEOSINTE (Zea mexicana, L.) | ||||
| Journal of Plant Production | ||||
| Article 3, Volume 25, Issue 2, February 2000, Page 657-663 PDF (291.2 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpp.2000.258543 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
| G. S. Gheit, | ||||
| Forage Crops Res. Section, Field Crops Institute Agric. Res. Center | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Two field experiments were conducted during two consecutive summer seasons 1997 and 1998 at Sakha Agricultural Research Station. The study aimed to investigate the effect of three hill spacings 10, 20 and 30 cm and 60 cm between ridges (35000, 23333 and 17500 hills/fad) and three nitrogen levels, 20, 30 and 40 kg N/fad/cut on forage yield of teosinte (Zea mexicana L.). The experimental design used was a split-plot with four replications. The results revealed that plant height (cm), leaf/stem ratio (fresh and dry); and fresh and dry forage yields were significantly affected by hill spacing and nitrogen levels. Twenty centimeters hill spacing gave the highest values for the two characters. It produced 28.525 and 4.172 ton/fad fresh and dry forage yields, respectively (combined total). Concerning nitrogen level, 40 kg/fad/cut led also to high values; and it gave the highest fresh and dry forage yields; 30.363 and 4.358 ton/fad., respectively (combined total). The data of stem diameter revealed no significant differences among the different treatments due to hill spacing or nitrogen levels. Crude protein content was slightly affected by hill spacing, where 10 cm and 20 cm gave the same percentage. Crude protein content was gradually increased by increasing nitrogen level up to 40 kg/fad/cut. For fresh and dry forage yields, the interaction between hill spacing and nitrogen levels was significant at the three cuts and their total in 1997 as well as at second and third cuts in 1998 season. In conclusion, 20 cm hill spacing combined with 40 kg N/fad/cut gave the highest fresh and dry yields. | ||||
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