The effect of different sowing times on fresh ear yield and yield components in sweet corn (Zea mays L. Saccharata Sturt.) varieties

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of different sowing times on duration of tasselling, plant height, first ear height, ear length, ear diameter, number of ears per plant, fresh ear yield with husk, fresh ear yield unhusked, and marketable number of ears of different sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata Sturt.) varieties in Diyarbakır between the years of 2010-2012. The trial was conducted as split plots in randomised complete blocks with three replications. The main plots were sowing times, and the sub-plots were varieties. The trials were carried out at eight different sowing times (1 April, 15 April, 1 May, 15 May, 1 June, 15 June, 1 July and 15 July) with ‘Merit’, ‘Jubilee’, ‘Lumina’, ‘Vega’ and ‘Sakarya’ composite sweet corn varieties. From the variance analysis of the three-year combined average, the duration of tasselling, plant height, first ear height, ear length, ear diameter, number of ears per plant, fresh husked ear yield, fresh unhusked ear yield and marketable ear number were statistically significant for sowing times and varieties. According to the sowing time × variety interaction, except ears per plant and first ear height values, all other traits were significant. The fresh husked and unhusked ear yields varied between 8541.7-19396.8 kg ha-1 and 5065.0-13485.7 kg ha-1, respectively. The highest fresh husked and fresh unhusked ear yields were obtained from the 15 April sowing time of ‘Vega’ variety. The results state that optimal sowing dates for different varieties of sweet corn could be from 1 April to 1 May, and the most suitable variety to be planted is ‘Vega’ in Diyarbakır conditions.