The effect of planting dates and plant density on grain yield and some growth traits of yellow maize (Zea mays L.) in Kufra region, Libya
الملخص
The study was conducted in 2019/2020 at the Agricultural Research Station in the Kufra region, Which is located in the southeast of Libya between latitudes -12 - 24° north and -17 - 23° south, with the aim of determining the best planting dates and densities for maize plants under the environmental conditions of the Kufra region, used a split-plot design with three replications, planting dates were set in the main plots, which are (25/4, 15/5, 4/6, 25/6) , In the sub plots there are four plant densities: (50,000, 58,338, 66,672, 83,334 thousand plants/ha), The experiment data were statistically analyzed and the results concluded that Planting dates and plant densities differed significantly in the traits of plant height (cm), ear length (cm), number of rows per ear, number of grains per ear, and grain yield (tons/ha), while the trait of 1000-grain weight (g) was affected by plant density and did not differ significantly for the same trait between planting dates. However, the traits of number of days required for flowering of 50% of male and female in fluorescence, ear diameter (cm), and number of ears per plant were not affected. It was also noted that there was no significant interaction between planting dates and planting densities for most of the studied traits, and that the highest grain yield could be achieved for yellow corn under the conditions of this study when planted on the 25/6 date and at a density of 66,672 thousand plants/ha.