Changes in the corn yield structure depending on genetic characteristics, background mineral nutrition and sowing time in the Khabarovsk Krai

This study presents the results of a three-factor experiment on corn yield structure depending on the genetic characteristics and hybrids, mineral nutrition background and sowing dates. The experiment was carried out in Khabarovsk Krai in fourfold repetition on corn crops of local selection varieties Birsu, ALitet 2 and Guran 2 and hybrids of foreign selection Moldavsky 215 SV, P 7515, P 8521, P 7460; on three mineral nutrition backgrounds: № 1 (control) – N₉₀P₉₀K₉₀, № 2 – N₁₁₀P₁₁₀K₉₀, № 3 – N₁₃₀P₁₃₀K₉₀; in 2 sowing dates with 5 days apart. The studies were carried out in 2021–2022 on the experimental field of the Far Eastern Agricultural Research Institute, the soil of the experimental section was meadow-brown, heavy loamy. The highest grain yield up to 125.3 c/ha was noted on the mineral nutrition background № 2 (N₁₁₀P₁₁₀K₉₀) and № 3 (N₁₃₀P₁₃₀K₉₀). Yield structure indicators depended more on varietal features of plants (46.0–73.4%) rather than on mineral nutrition background (6.2–17.8%) and sowing dates had sufficient influence (0.18–2.59%). However, the weight of 1000 grains was more influenced by additional application of nitrogen and phosphorus (40.67%) rather than varietal features (32.71%). In this study varieties of local breeding Alitet 2 and Guran 2 are recommended for cultivation in Khabarovsk Krai as they give a good grain yield, responsive to the additional application of nitrogen and phosphorus, correspond to the region conditions in terms of precocity, suitable both for harvesting silage and green fodder and for harvesting grain forage.