Interaction of spatial planting arrangement and plant density on intraspecific competition in two maize cultivars
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24425/jppr.2026.3649Abstract
A three-year field study was carried out to assess the intraspecific competitiveness of selected maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars under different plant densities and spatial arrangements during the growing season. The central hypothesis posited that plant spacing, population density per unit area, and cultivar type significantly influence maize morphology and yield performance. Furthermore, these factors were expected to affect growth dynamics and the level of competition between individual plants within the same species. Intraspecific competition is closely tied to plant density, as higher population levels intensify competition for light, water, and nutrient availability. The field experiment was conducted at the Institute of Plant Protection – National Research Institute, utilizing a rigorous three-factor split-split-plot design with four replications in a randomized complete block design. The first factor included two maize cultivars, 'Wilga' and 'Wigo', which differed in their vegetation period according to the FAO maturity scale. The second factor involved plant arrangement patterns, specifically square and rectangular. The third factor was plant density, set at 5, 7, and 10.5 plants·m-² corresponding to 50,000, 70,000, and 105,000 plants per hectare, respectively. This study showed that plant spatial arrangement and population density strongly influenced maize morphology, canopy structure, and yield by affecting intraspecific competition and resource use. The square planting pattern outperformed the conventional rectangular pattern, promoting more uniform canopies, better light distribution, and improved resource efficiency, resulting in more consistent yields at moderate densities. Certain hybrids performed better under high density conditions.
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