An experiment was set up at five locations in Hungary in 2005, in a randomised block design with four replications. At each location 24 hybrids were tested from each of four maturity groups (FAO 200, FAO 300, FAO 400, FAO 500). Evaluations were made of the yield average (t/ha) and the yield components of the sample ears: ear length, number of kernel rows, thousand-kernel mass and kernel/cob ratio. This was followed by chemical analysis to determine the protein, oil and starch contents of the kernels. The chemical quality parameters were recorded for almost 100 hybrids, and the correlations of the protein, oil and starch contents with yield and yield components were analysed. It was found that in all the maturity groups the yield was closely correlated with the thousandkernel mass (0.72). In each maturity group the highest yield averages were associated with the greatest average starch contents, except for the FAO 500 group in the Szarvas location, where the development of secondary ears contributed to the achievement of the highest yield average. A very close correlation was found between the starch content and the thousand kernel mass (0.91). The variety caused greater differences in protein content than the location. This was also true for the oil content in the FAO 200 and FAO 400 groups, but only in the FAO 400 group in the case of starch content. More starch was incorporated at wetter locations, where the protein content of the samples was lower.
The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hübn.), which is to be found almost universally in Europe and America, is an extremely important pest from the economic point of view. Losses caused by the pest range from 250-1000 kg/ha depending on the degree of infestation, the year and the yield averages. This fact justifies protection measures in Hungary on the whole of the seed production and sweetcorn fields and on 40% of the commercial maize sowing area. In addition to the direct damage, indirect losses are also considerable, since the injuries caused by the pest facilitate infection by Fusarium species. For the above reasons it is worth reviewing the habits of this pest, the extent of the economic loss resulting from the damage, and ways of controlling it.
Non‐infected and infected cereal crops, respectively, are treated in the afterglow of Ar/N2‐O2 surface‐wave microwave discharges at 2–8 mbar pressure. It is shown, that the germination and vigour of non‐infected seeds are not significantly effected, when barley is treated max 120 s at 2 mbar and maize 240 s at 4 mbar. On the other hand, seeds can be disinfected from the germination inhibitors Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides. The most efficient treatment, which also increases the germination of infected seeds above 80%, for barley is the 3 min Ar‐20%O2 afterglow at 4 mbar, while for maize the 4 min Ar‐20%O2 + 2 min N2‐2%O2 at 8 mbar. The high NO content mixtures and the heating of seed surface by the recombination of O and N‐atoms inhibit barley germination.
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