INFLUENCE OF SOWING DEPTH AND SEED QUALITY ON CORN BIOMASS AND GRAIN YIELD

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the Vilnius district, in the village of Parudaminys. The experimental field was characterized by light loam, deeper carbonate, shallow gleyic brown soil  (ŽŪDC). A two-factor field experiment was conducted to determine how seed quality and sowing depth affect maize biomass and grain yield

The experiment was carried out using a randomized microplot block design. The experiment was conducted in 6 different variants with 4 replications, a total of 24 microplots. The size of one microplot is 6.75 m², the size of the microplot block is 162 m². Experimental variants: certified seed and 3 cm sowing depth; certified seed and 6 cm sowing depth; certified seed and 9 cm sowing depth; farm-saved seed and 3 cm sowing depth; farm-saved seed and 6 cm sowing depth; farm-saved seed and 9cm sowing depth. The study showed that seed quality significantly affected both total crop biomass and grain yield. It was also found that the quality of seed material does not affect the grain yield of one plant, and a significantly higher amount of biomass per plant was obtained using farm-saved corn seed.