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• Examination of the chlorophyll content of maize hybrids of different maturity groups at different N fertiliser doses

  159-162

  Péter Ragán

  Views:

  133

  Nitrogen fertilisation is a critical point of maize production. Five hybrids of different maturity dates were examined in a field experiment, three treatments (different application dates) and three basic fertiliser doses (0, 60, 120 kg ha^-1 N) were used. At the 6-leaf-stage of maize, each fertilisation level of the 2nd and 3rd treatment was given 30 kg N ha^-1 fertiliser active ingredient in addition to the basic fertiliser doses with the exception of the control plots and further 30 kg N ha^-1 fertiliser was applied at the 12-leaf-stage. The final fertiliser doses were 0, 90 and 150 kg N ha^-1 in the second treatment and 0, 120 and 180 kg N ha^-1 in the 3rd treatment. The whole amount of the basic fertiliser (ammonium nitrate) was applied in the spring, one month before sowing.

  The relative chlorophyll content of the maize leaves was measured, with a Minolta SPAD-502 measurement device. The measurements were carried out at the 6-leaf growth stage (V6) of maize on the youngest fully developed leaf of the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th plants from the second row of each plot.

  There were significant differences in the SPAD-readings measured at the V6 phenophase of maize between the hybrids (p<0.001) and the fertiliser treatments (p<0.05). The regression analysis did not show any correlation between the SPAD-values and fertilisation.

  The highest significant SPAD-reading and yield were obtained by applying 120 kg ha^-1 N. As a result of the regression analysis performed on yield, it can be concluded that the correlation between fertilisation and yield in the 1^st and 2^nd treatment was moderately close (r=0.439, r=0.480) and it was close in the 3^rd treatment (r=0.513). The correlation between the SPAD-readings and yield was the closes in the 2^nd treatment (r=0.639), while the SPAD-value had a 40.9% influence on yield (p<0.001).

• Study on the cold tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines in Phytotron

  41-45

  Eszter Csepregi-Heilmann

  Ágnes Áldott-Sipos

  Anita Mészáros

  Anett Klaudia Kovács

  Tamás Spitko

  Csaba Szőke

  János Pintér

  Tamás Berzy

  Adrienn Széles

  Csaba L. Marton

  Views:

  112

  Maize has come a long way from the tropics to the temperate zone. In the beginning, the spreading of maize was prevented by its sensitivity to cold. Improved cold tolerance at germination is one of the most important conditions for early sowing. The advantage of cold tolerant hybrids is that they can be sown earlier, allowing longer growing seasons and higher yields, due to the fact that the most sensitive period in terms of water requirements, flowering, takes place earlier, i.e. before the onset of summer drought and heat.

  In Martonvásár, continuous research is carried out to improve the cold tolerance of maize. In the present experiment, the cold tolerance of 30 genetically different maize inbred lines was investigated in a Phytotron climate chamber (PGV-36). The aim of our research is to identify cold tolerant lines that can be used as parental components to produce proper cold tolerant hybrids and/or as sources of starting materials for new cold tolerant inbred lines. After observing and evaluating changes in phenological traits under cold-test, the results of the cold-tolerance traits of interest have been used to highlight several inbred lines that could be good starting materials for further research on genetic selection for cold tolerance.

• Possibilities of selection and production of blue and ornamental corn (Zea mays L.)

  15-19

  Zoltán Bódi

  Pál Pepó

  Views:

  122

  The cultivation of alternative crops has an important role in world agriculture. Their market share is continuously growing in the food industry sector. In the present study, we show the cultivation and breeding perspectives of ornamental and blue corn. There exists possibility to cultivate ornamental corn in Hungary. There are many cultivars of ornamental corn, with various kernel colors, husks, stalks and leave colors. Blue corn is unique among other corns. Blue corn higher in protein, iron and zinc than commercial dent corn. Pests affective ornamental and blue corn are the same as those of other commercial corns. Ornamental and blue corns need to be grown a minimum of 500 m away from commercial yellow dent corn to minimize any cross pollination which may result in off-color kernel. Our aim in the presentation of this review was to broaden Hungarian literature.