Maize Response to Different N Levels Following Different Preceding Crops

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Crop Science Department, Faculty of Agricultural, Alexandria University, Egypt.

2 Crop Intensification Station, Field Crop Institute, A.R.C., Egypt.

Abstract

Response of maize growth traits to different preceding crops was estimated at 105, 120 and 135 kgN/ fed., during 2013 and 2014 summer seasons.
Preceding crops significantly affected maize grain yield and its attributes, i.e. number of grains/ ear, 100-grain and ear grain weights in addition to harvest index.
Maize gave maximum and minimum values of those traits after faba bean and sugar beet, producing lower estimates than those that contained faba bean.
Grain weight/ ear and grain yield/ fed., in addition to harvest index, significantly responded to N application levels, where their highest values were obtained from 135 kgN/fed.
Response of grain yield and harvest index to crop sequence ´ N level interaction effects were significant during the two seasons. Data indicated that S6 sequence produced the greatest values of grain yield and harvest index with 135 kgN/ fed, while, the reverse occurred with the result of S1 sequence ´ 105 kgN/ fed interaction. Interaction data, also, showed that S6 and S5 sequences, under 135 kgN/ fed were similar in their effects on both traits in the two seasons.
Data indicated the importance of relay cropping as a way to save time for a third or fourth crop growing.
Results of stepwise regression revealed that both 100-grain weight and number of grains/ ear explained about 96% of the variation in grain yield in both seasons, indicating the importance of these two traits in determining productivity of maize. Also, factors affecting these two traits, such as N fertilization, might have an effect on grain yield production.

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