Effect of planting pattern on grain yield and agronomic traits of corn cultivars in Jiroft, Iran

In order to find the most appropriate planting patter and cultivar of grain corn, an experiment was conducted in Agriculture Research Station of Jiroft and Kahnooj, Iran for two years in 2007 and 2008 as a split-plot experiment based on a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The main plot was planting patter at four levels of normal planting (single-row on one furrow), double-row on one furrow, in-furrow, or in-furrow planting and the conversion to normal. The sub-plot was the corn cultivars at four levels of hybrid single-cross 704, hybrid single-cross Karaj 700, hybrid single-cross 647 or hybrid single-cross 500. The results of two consecutive years showed that the effect of planting patter was significant on corn grain yield at 5% statistical level and the effect of cultivar was significant on corn grain yield at 1% statistical level. The highest grain yields were produced by the planting pattern of in-furrow and the conversion of normal and the pattern of double-row planting on one furrow (14.95 and 14.18 t/ha, respectively). In addition, the highest grain yield were produced by the cultivars hybrid single-cross 704 and hybrid single-cross Karaj 700 (15.81 and 14.60 t/ha, respectively). Therefore, given the availability of planting machines, the most appropriate planting patter of corn in Jiroft and Kahnooj is the in-furrow pattern and the conversion normal patter at 5-7-leaf stage as well as double-row planting on one furrow.