Response of Introduced Egyptian Maize Varieties to Varying Plant Densities in the Middle and Western Regions of Iraq.

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of several imported Egyptian   maize varieties (four varieties: TW-78E, TW-345E, IY-355E, IY-207E) compared to two local varieties (Baghdad 3I and Al MahaI), under the influence of three different plant densities (60, 70, and 80 thousand plants ha⁻¹), in two different agricultural environments in Iraq: the middle region (Baghdad) and the western region (Anbar), during the fall season of 2024. The experiment was designed using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with a split-plot arrangement of three replications, where the main plots included the plant densities and the subplots included the varieties. Aggregative analysis was then performed on the two experimental locations. The most important findings of the study are: The Baghdad location significantly outperformed the Anbar location in all studied traits (days to tassling and silking, plant height, ear height, number of green leaves, and leaf area).Plants in Baghdad reached the tassling and silking earlier (54.70 ,57.52 days)) compared to Anbar (71.37 ,  75.11 days).The highest average plant height and ear height  was recorded in Baghdad (215.09 cm,125.18) compared to Anbar (146.55 cm,71.52). Increasing plant density from 60.000 to 80.000 plants h-1 delayed tassling and silking. The density of 80.000 plants h-1 recorded the highest average plant height (182.22 cm), which was not significantly different from that of 70.000 plants h-1.The density of 70.000 plants h-1 recorded the highest average number of green leaves (13.767 leaves).The Egyptian variety IY-207E was the fastest to reach the tassling and silking (59.56 ,64.17 days).   The Egyptian variety TW-345E recorded the highest average plant height, ear height, number of leaves and leaf area (189.62 cm,103.53 cm,13.989 leaves and 5252 cm²) sequentially.

Best response to the triple interaction (location ×plant density × variety) was observed in variety IY-207E at a density of 70.000 plants ha⁻¹ at the Baghdad location. It reached early tassling in 51 days and early silking in 54 days. It also recorded the highest average leaf area (6759 cm²) at a density of 80,000 plants ha⁻¹ at the Baghdad location.