Growth and Productivity of Four Corn Hybrids as Affected by Tillage¹

Abstract

Conservation-tillage systems produce different soil environments for corn (Zw mays L.) growth and development than do intensive tillage systems. Development of com hybrids specifically adapted to conservation-tillage environments may be one way to increase and stabilize grain yield. A 2-yr field study on a Typic Haplaquolls near Ames, lA, with four hybrids and three tillage systems (no-till, disk, and moldboard plow) was conducted to examine the effects of tillage systems, hybrids, and their interactions on shoot and root dry weights, leaf development, mature-plant height, final plant stand, and grain yield. Moldboard plowing or disking increased vegetative growth relative to no-till. Hybrids responded differently to the three tillage systems only during vegetative growth. Hybrids 2 and 3 had greater increases in shoot growth in response to moldboard plowing than to disking. Hybrid 3 also bad a greater increase in root dry weight and leaf stage With moldboard ploWing than With disking. Response to tillage for mature-plant measurements differed between years but not between hybrids. No-till plots had shorter mature plant heights (1.87 m) and lower grain yields (6.98 Mg ba-1 ) than moldboardplowed plots (1.96 m; 8.34 Mg ba-1 ) only in 1982. Grain moistures of no-till plots averaged over years were 28 g kg-• greater than those of moldboard-plowed plots. Results of this study indicate that during vegetative growth, corn hybrids respond differently to tillage systems. Further evidence of hybrid X tillage interactions, however, is needed to justify development of corn hybrids adapted to specific tillage systems.

Maize hybrid response to tillage under irrigated and dryland conditions

“…This conclusion is in agreement with the findings of Hallauer and Colvin ( 198 5 ) , Anderson ( 1986), Newhouse and Crosbie ( 1986) and Kaspar et al ( 1987 ). However, the significant hybridxsite-year interaction (Table 4) indicated that, although hybrids should perform similarly under various tillage practices, there is a need to select the appropriate hybrid for specific site-year combinations.…”

“…Carter and Barnett ( 1987 ) also forlnd no-tillage reduced emergence more than conventional tillage (plow), with as much as 26% difference between numbers of seeds planted and the number of plants emerged in no-tillage. Kaspar et al ( 1987) reported reduced plant populations at harvest with no-tillage compared to tilled treatments in one year of a two-year study. Although differences in population were found during one site-year in this study, the tillage x hybrid interaction was not significant at any of the site-years, indicating that all hybrids were reacting similarly to the condition which caused the reduced population in no-tillage at Lincoln-1983 (Table 2B).…”

“…However, from four recent investigations (Hallauer and Colvin, 1985;Anderson, 1986;Newhouse and Crosbie, 1986;Kaspar et al, 1987) which assessed the tillagexhybrid interaction, it has been suggested that no significant interactions exist for grain-yield in maize. Three of these studies were conducted in the central maize production area of the U.S.A. (Hallauer and Colvin, 1985;Newhouse and Crosbie, 1986;Kaspar et al, 1987) and one in the eastern U.S. (Anderson, 1986). In contrast, Brakke et al (1983) reported a significant genotype (inbreds, lines, and hybrids) x cropping-system [combination of tillage (conventional, conservation tillage, or ecofallow) and water-management (irrigation or dryland) practices] interaction for grain-yield of maize at several sites in the Central Great Plains.…”

Performance of silage corn (Zea mays L.) in a cool climate ecosystem: effects of photodegradable plastic mulch

“…Soil temperature also affects the growth and development of corn because the minimum temperature for germination, emergence and growth of roots is approximately 9 to 10°C (Crevecoeur et al 1983). Colder soils reduce corn emergence, delay silking, increased harvest moisture (Imholte and Carter 1987) while reducing root and shoot dry weights (Kasper et al 1987). Corn sowed in colder soils required more growing degree days for the growing point to reach the soil surface (Swan et al 1987).…”

Do different production environments justify separate maize breeding programs?

“…Although researchers reported evidence of signiWcant GT (Brakke et al 1983;Wall and Stobbe 1983;Carter and Barnett 1987), the majority of the available studies reported non-signiWcant GT (Funnermark and Hallauer 1985;Hallauer and Colvin 1985;Karlen and Sojka 1985;Anderson 1986;Newhouse and Crosbie 1986;Kaspar et al 1987;Hersterman et al 1988;Duiker et al 2006). Brakke et al (1983) evaluated 169 maize genotypes in an experiment arranged in a partially balanced lattice design evaluated across three Nebraska locations (Alliance, ScottbluVs, and Sidney) in 1980.…”