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Evaluation of the yield and quality of maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) with different genotypes
Views:20The nutritional values of maize – protein, starch and oil content – play a decisive role in its use in industry, animal feed and the food industry. The development of these nutritional characteristics is influenced by numerous factors, including genetic background, crop year, agronomic factors and the ecological environment. By selecting the appropriate hybrid and applying appropriate cultivation techniques, these nutritional parameters can be tailored to different objectives, thereby ensuring economical and sustainable use. Precision technologies enable sustainable, climate-responsive farming and help farmers make faster, real-time, data-driven decisions. In these long-term field trials, smart machinery and tools are used and smart irrigation management ensures an optimal water supply, whilst sensor data supports the reliability of smart decisions. The analyses were aimed at reliably assessing the yield and yield quality of maize hybrids with different genotypes and growth periods (FAO 300, 400, 480) across two different growing seasons. In 2024 and 2025, in an experiment designed to assess field yield potential, the maize hybrids achieved varying but outstanding yields. Based on an analysis of the effects of the growing seasons, it was found that the average yield achieved in the more favourable year of 2024 (19.96 t/ha) significantly exceeded the yield achieved in 2025 (18.44 t/ha) by 1.52 tonnes per hectare. The genotypes studied achieved different yield and nutritional composition results in the years under investigation (2024, 2025). The greatest difference was observed in the FAO 300 hybrid, where, in the favourable growing season (2024), the yield was reliably 3.27 tonnes per hectare higher. The FAO 400 hybrid demonstrates good adaptability; its yield was reliably 1.07 tonnes per hectare higher in 2024 compared with the 2025 result. The FAO 480 hybrid produced an excellent yield, but this did not differ significantly between the two years studied. From a feed perspective, the nutritional values of maize kernels are very important. The starch content of the maize hybrids of different genotypes and maturity stages under investigation was very stable across the two crop years examined (62.18–63.42%). In the favourable growing season (2024), the starch content of the FAO 480 hybrid was favourable (63.15%), but did not differ significantly from that of the shorter-maturing hybrids. In the more favourable growing season (2025), a significant difference was observed only between the starch content of the FAO 300 and FAO 480 hybrids. The starch content of the FAO 300 hybrid was 1.24% higher than that of the FAO 480 hybrid. Protein content is a key characteristic of maize genotypes, and crop years also have a significant effect on it. Analysing the values for the two different crop years examined, it was found that the crop year has a significant effect on the protein content of maize kernels. The oil content of maize kernels is important in animal feed, but is of particular value in industrial processing. The oil content, averaged across the maize hybrids, showed a significant difference between the two crop years.
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Stimulating maize growth under different water regimes through foliar application of micronutrients
Views:29Drought and nutrient stress constrain maize growth, production and productivity. Precision agricultural tools such as foliar fertilisation and irrigation enhance maize growth through mitigation of stresses at different growth stages. The study conducted at Látókép Crop Production Experimental Site, University of Debrecen, Hungary during year 2023, assessed the physiological and growth performance of two maize hybrids exposed to foliar fertilisation under precision drip irrigation and non-irrigated conditions. Foliar fertilizers composed of; nitrogen (10 g/l), zinc (8 g/l), K2O (8.5 g/l), P2O5 (0.83 g/l), and S (8.93 g/l). Data on plant height, leaf area index (LAI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and relative chlorophyll content (SPAD) were collected at the V12, R1, R4, and R6 analysed using a T-test in Genstat software (12th edition). Results showed significant increases in all parameters at the V12, R1, and R4, but NDVI, LAI, and SPAD declined at R6 under both irrigation and non-irrigated conditions. Foliar fertilisation of the two maize hybrids under precision drip irrigation conditions showed that NDVI and plant height had a significant difference (p < 0.05) while no significance difference was noted for SPAD and leaf area index. The percentage LAI due to foliar fertilisation under irrigated conditions was 16.86% and 18.39% for FAO490 and FAO290 respectively however the effect was slightly higher for FAO290 than FAO490. FAO490 and FAO290 hybrids recorded a 23.45% and 10.05% foliar fertilisation effect respectively over control under non-irrigated conditions. FAO490 hybrid consistently performed better under irrigated conditions compared to FAO290 which performed better under non-irrigated conditions. FAO490 hybrid consistently performed better under irrigated conditions compared to FAO290 which performed better under non-irrigated conditions.
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Effects of solar radiation and night temperature on potential maize yield in two different crop years
Views:309Hungary's climate is undergoing change, and the heat unit (GDD) values have increased annually in the past nearly 50 years. In this study, we evaluate the performance of a maize hybrid in normal (2021) and drought (2022) crop years, along with the optimal agrotechnical factors (drip irrigation and high nutrient). In the potential experiment, we obtained a yield of 20.65t/ha in 2021 and 13.8t/ha in 2022. We examined the reasons for the large (33%) yield difference between the two years. By breaking down the weather data daily, it can be determined that the solar radiation (SR) and sunshine duration during the V6-V8 stage have an effect, and cloud cover affects the development of the reproductive organs of maize (ear differentiation). In the two years studied, we measured a significant difference in the SR value in the V6-V12 development stages (36% and 30% less SR was measured in 2022 vs 2021). The higher temperature (R1-R6) (2022) accelerated the phenological development of maize, so maize reached the black layer formation faster. The results indicate that in the future, we must also address the responses of maize to temperature changes with different levels of solar radiation and their dry matter incorporation dynamics.