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Growth and yield of highland maize in Mexico

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

P. R. Goldsworthy  and
M. Colegrove
P. R. Goldsworthy
Affiliation:
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Mexico
M. Colegrove
Affiliation:
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Mexico
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Summary

The growth and yield of five highland varieties of tropical maize were studied. Grain yields were between 4·7 and 8·8 t/ha. Crop growth rates (C) increased to a maximum of between 25 and 35 g/m2/day at silking and then declined. Grain growth rates (maximum 21 g/m2/day) exceeded current C during most of the grain-filling period.

After silking, when C exceeded grain growth rate, dry matter accumulated in the stem and husk, resulting in an increase of from 200 to 600 g/m2. Later, as grain growth rate increased and exceeded current C, some of this accumulated material was incorporated into the grain, and stem weight decreased. A comparison of the dry weight changes after flowering in these varieties with those reported for a hybrid that yielded 12 t grain/ha indicates that the smaller yield of the Mexican varieties was associated with smaller grain growth rates and the incorporation into the grain of a smaller fraction of the dry weight produced after flowering. These results suggest that the capacity of the grain ‘sink’ to utilize assimilates limited yields in the tropical varieties.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 83 , Issue 2 , October 1974 , pp. 213 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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References

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