Nitrogen dose and plant density effects on popcorn grain yield
Keywords:
Popcorn, nitrogen, density, yield
Abstract
Popcorn (Zea mays everta Sturt.) is a popular and nutritious snack food. Environmental factors affecting grain yield and yield-related components of popcorn are needed to compensate increasing demand. This research was conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen fertilizer application ratesand plant densities on grain yield and yield-related plant characteristics of popcorn in Hatay, located at Southern Mediterranean region of Turkey, during 2002 and 2003. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement with three replications. Nitrogen doses of 0, 120, 180 and 240 kg ha¹ were arranged in the main plots and plant densities of 60,000, 74,000, 88,000 and 102,000 plants ha¹ were arranged in the sub-plots. Popcorn grain yield and yield-related
traits were significantly affected by nitrogen doses and plant densities. Our results indicated that suitable nitrogen dose and plant density were 180 kg N ha¹ and 88 000 plants ha¹ for popcorn grown as a second crop in Hatay ecological conditions in Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey.
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