Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Farm of Nasser's Fac. of Agric. Sci., during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons, to study some growth , physiological and productivity characters of three maize cultivars (Kneja-36, City Lagoos 7931 and Tehama-1) at different levels of plant density (56000, 67000 and 83000 plant/hectare). The results of combined analysis of the data of the two seasons indicated that plant densities significantly affected a number of green leaves/plant, leaf area index at 45 and 60 days from planting date, plant height, stem diameter, net assimilation rate, relative growth rate, crop growth rate and yield components ear length, number of grains/row, 100-grain weight, number of ears/plant and grain weight ear, except a number of rows/ ear , shelling percentage and grain yield / hectare. Plant height and leaf area index were significantly increased by increasing plant density, while the other previous characters were significantly increased by decreasing plant density, but grain yield was not significantly affected by plant densities. Cultivars showed significant differences in all characters under study, except a number of ears/plant and grain yield/hectare. Interaction between cultivars and plant densities significantly affected grain yield/hectare and the highest yield was at 83000 plant density for City Lagoos 7931 cultivar (4.95 ton/ hectare) and was at 67000 plant density for Kneja-36 cultivar (5.15 ton/hectare), while it was at 56000 plant density for Tehama-1 cultivar. (5.30 ton/ hectare)