The effects of plant population and nitrogen on sweet corn yields

Graduation date: 1975The response of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa cultivar\ud Jubilee) to 12 populations and four nitrogen rates was studied in a\ud field experiment. Populations ranged from 43, 904 to 329,800\ud plants/ha with nitrogen levels ranging from 0 to 224 Kg/ha. A systematic\ud spacing design was used. Plant height, weight of leaves, stalk\ud diameter, and total plant weight were shown to be significantly\ud affected by plant populations and nitrogen treatments. Total yields\ud were increased 3.8% as plant population increased from 43,904 to\ud 158,481 plants/ha. Populations above 109,762, reduced marketable\ud yields. The weight of the first and second ears were significantly\ud reduced as populations increased from 43,904 to 329,800 plants/ha.\ud The nitrogen rates of 56,112, and 224 Kg/ha significantly increased\ud the ear weight over the 0 Kg/ha rate. (There were no significant\ud population-nitrogen interactions on any of the plant and ear characteristics\ud measured.