Effects of intraspecific competition on the development of a corn hybrid inflorescences

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 1978/79 at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRS) Agronomy Experimental Station, in Guaíba, RS, Brazil, study the maize (Zea mays L.) ear and tassel development as affected by interplant competition. Increase in competition (10, 20, 40, 80 and 160.000 plants/ha) antecipated tassel differentiation (except at the highest population), but ear differentiation and development were delayed. The top three ears' dry weight was reduced by competition from the time of ear differentiation up to final harvest.