PLANT-TO-PLANT VARIABILITY OF MAIZE PLANTS GROWN AT DIFFERENT DENSITIES

Development of plant-to-plant variability in plant height, flowering characteristics and grain yield was studied in two maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids grown over 2 yr at 62 000, 93 000 and 124 000 plants/ha. The purpose of the research was to provide fundamental data on patterns of interplant variability in maize, as a foundation for more applied studies on effects of cultural practices on within-crop variability and yield. Plant height was normally distributed early in the season but tended to become negatively skewed as the plants grew. The same tendency for negative skewness existed in calculations of rate of elongation. The standard deviations of height and of rate of elongation increased as plants enlarged. Frequency distributions of days to anthesis or silking were positively skewed as was the distribution of number of days from anthesis to silking at high density. The standard deviations of days to silking, and days from anthesis to silking increased with increasing density. Grain yield per plant was ...