EFECTO DEL NITRÓGENO Y LA DENSIDAD DE POBLACIÓN EN EL CONTENIDO DE LISINA EN LA SEMILLA DE MAÍZ EN MÉXICO 1

Effect of nitrogen and plant population density on lysine in maize in Mexico. This study was carried out to identify the availability of lysine in maize cultivars and its relationship to nitrogen fertilization and plant population density by means of S. commune. Maize varieties QPM, opaque-2, synthetic-white and yellow kernels were evaluated in the Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN) Coahuila, Mexico, in the 2005. There were three levels of plant population density and four for nitrogen fertilization. Kernel lysine content was determined utilizing a microbiologic method (Schizophyllum commune) and a comparative scale that permitted to select high and low lysine content cultivars. In the fi eld experiment a complete block design was utilized and arranged as a split-plot design. In the laboratory experiments, a complete randomized design and multiple ranges Duncan’s test were utilized. Lysine content was estimated to range from 18,73% to 21,29% and from 9,04% to 10,36% for embryo and endosperm, respectively. For cultivars Opaque-2, contained 35.1% germ protein and 60,7% endosperm protein. Lysine contents varied from 17 % in whitekernel varieties to 58 % in Opaque-2 hybrid. Lysine content was highly affected by the genetic the structure of the individuals and environment factors, but mostly by plant population density and nitrogen fertilization.