Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments
Corn (Zea mays L.) production in the Southeast can be negatively impacted by erratic summer rainfall and drought-prone, coarse-textured soils, but irrigation combined with conservation tillage and cover crops may support greater plant densities arranged in different row configurations to improve yie...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Agronomy |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/4518062 |
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| author | Kipling S. Balkcom Kira L. Bowen |
| author_facet | Kipling S. Balkcom Kira L. Bowen |
| author_sort | Kipling S. Balkcom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Corn (Zea mays L.) production in the Southeast can be negatively impacted by erratic summer rainfall and drought-prone, coarse-textured soils, but irrigation combined with conservation tillage and cover crops may support greater plant densities arranged in different row configurations to improve yield. We examined five site-years of data across two soil types in Alabama to compare corn yields in a conservation system across three plant densities for single- and twin-row configurations in dryland and irrigated moisture regimes. Treatments were arranged with a split plot treatment restriction in a RCB design with three replications. Main plots were irrigation level (no irrigation and irrigation), and subplots were a factorial arrangement of three plant densities (5.9, 7.4, and 8.9 plants m−2) and row configurations (single and twin). A moisture environment (low and moderate) variable, defined by growing season rainfall, was used to average over site-years. In general, irrigation in the moderate-moisture environment improved each measured variable (plant height, stover yield, corn yield, and test weight) and decreased grain N concentration and aflatoxin levels compared to the low-moisture environment with no irrigation. Benefits of increased rainfall and irrigation to reduce soil moisture stress across drought-prone soils were evident. Pooled results across all site-years indicated no yield response as plant density increased, but greater yields were observed with the greatest plant densities in the moderate-moisture environments. No advantage for twin-row corn production was observed across five site-years in Alabama, which indicates either row configuration can be successfully adopted. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7ba91a6db92842b2b55fd718e1a48175 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-8159 1687-8167 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-7ba91a6db92842b2b55fd718e1a481752025-02-03T06:06:55ZengWileyInternational Journal of Agronomy1687-81591687-81672020-01-01202010.1155/2020/45180624518062Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture EnvironmentsKipling S. Balkcom0Kira L. Bowen1USDA-ARS, National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, 411 S. Donahue Dr., Auburn, AL 36832-3439, USADepartment of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 209 Rouse Bldg., Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5412, USACorn (Zea mays L.) production in the Southeast can be negatively impacted by erratic summer rainfall and drought-prone, coarse-textured soils, but irrigation combined with conservation tillage and cover crops may support greater plant densities arranged in different row configurations to improve yield. We examined five site-years of data across two soil types in Alabama to compare corn yields in a conservation system across three plant densities for single- and twin-row configurations in dryland and irrigated moisture regimes. Treatments were arranged with a split plot treatment restriction in a RCB design with three replications. Main plots were irrigation level (no irrigation and irrigation), and subplots were a factorial arrangement of three plant densities (5.9, 7.4, and 8.9 plants m−2) and row configurations (single and twin). A moisture environment (low and moderate) variable, defined by growing season rainfall, was used to average over site-years. In general, irrigation in the moderate-moisture environment improved each measured variable (plant height, stover yield, corn yield, and test weight) and decreased grain N concentration and aflatoxin levels compared to the low-moisture environment with no irrigation. Benefits of increased rainfall and irrigation to reduce soil moisture stress across drought-prone soils were evident. Pooled results across all site-years indicated no yield response as plant density increased, but greater yields were observed with the greatest plant densities in the moderate-moisture environments. No advantage for twin-row corn production was observed across five site-years in Alabama, which indicates either row configuration can be successfully adopted.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/4518062 |
| spellingShingle | Kipling S. Balkcom Kira L. Bowen Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments International Journal of Agronomy |
| title | Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments |
| title_full | Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments |
| title_fullStr | Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments |
| title_short | Corn Response Across Plant Densities and Row Configurations for Different Moisture Environments |
| title_sort | corn response across plant densities and row configurations for different moisture environments |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/4518062 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kiplingsbalkcom cornresponseacrossplantdensitiesandrowconfigurationsfordifferentmoistureenvironments AT kiralbowen cornresponseacrossplantdensitiesandrowconfigurationsfordifferentmoistureenvironments |