Physical and physiological seed quality in function of the density of population in two maize hybrids

Abstract

Population density affects some agronomic traits in varieties such as physical and physiological quality of the seed. In order to assess this effect, two female genotypes were grown of two commercial hybrids of maize (Zea mays L.); the evaluated densities were 52 630, 65 789, 78 789, 92 013 and 105 263 plants ha-1 in the experimental field of Roque Institute of Technology, Guanajuato. A factorial experiment was chosen, using a randomized complete block design with four replications. We evaluated plant height, ear size, days to silking, photosynthetically active leaves, tillering, attack of Fusarium spp., stalk lodging, plant “horras” and grain yield; seed quality was evaluated by volumetric weight, purity analysis, weight of 1000 seeds and seed classes. The physiological quality, through the standard germination and vigor. The results show that, the density of population had statistically significant effects on the following agronomic traits: plant height and ear size, photosynthetically active leaf number, tillering, percentage of plants “horras” and grain yield; so, at least one density is higher or allow to see differences between them; in none of the variables of this group, showed interaction effects between genotypes and densities, indicating independence among these factors.