Effect of planting methods on grain yield and leaf orientation at different stages of corn cultivars

Recent studies showed that maize leaf orientation at the horizontal side could cover all empty canopies' spaces to appropriate solar radiation absorption. Hill planting method is the agronomical practice in maize production that with competition in plants hill, significant reduction in grain yield was seen. In order to evaluate the effect of planting methods and cultivars on grain yield and leaf orientation of maize, an experiment was conducted in 2010, at Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch (Esfahan), Iran. A factorial layout within randomized complete block design with three replications was used. Cultivars were ZP 633, ZP 677 and SC 704, and planting patterns were included single and hill planting. Each experimental plot had 8 m length. Seed plantation was done on June 21. The results showed that at single planting method, leaf orientation of two cultivars, namely, SC 704 and ZP 677 was in the form of distich. The ZP 633 form was randomized. Hill planting had no significant influence on ZP 633, but leaf orientation of SC 704 and ZP 677 in hill planting and single planting was randomized and distich, respectively. Grain yield of SC 704 and ZP 677 at single planting method with distich leaf orientation was more than ZP 633 with randomized leaf orientation. Hill planting caused significant increase in planting height and significant decrease in. cultivars grain yield. On the basis of the results, SC 704 and ZP 677 in hill and single planting method had obtained the highest grain yield.