SEED-ORIENTED PLANTING IMPROVES LIGHT INTERCEPTION, RADIATION USE EFFICIENCY AND GRAIN YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.)

SUMMARYSeed-oriented planting provides a manner to influence canopy structure. The purpose of this research was to improve maize light interception using seed-oriented planting to manipulate leaf azimuth across the row thereby minimizing leaf overlap. To achieve leaf azimuths oriented preferentially across the row, seeds were planted: (i) upright with caryopsis pointed down, parallel to the row (upright); and (ii) laying flat, embryo up, perpendicular to the row (flat). These treatments were compared to conventionally planted seeds with resulting random leaf azimuth distribution. Seed orientation effects were contrasted with three levels of plant population and two levels of hybrid specific canopy structures. Increased plant population resulted in greater light interception but yield tended to decrease as plant population increased. The planophile hybrid produced consistently greater yields than the erectophile hybrid. The difference between planophile and erectophile hybrids ranged from 283 to 903 kg ha−1. Overall, mean grain yield for upright and flat seed placement increased by 351 and 463 kg ha−1 compared to random seed placement. Greater cumulative intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (CIPAR) was found for oriented seeds rather than random-oriented seeds. At physiological maturity upright, flat and random-oriented seeds intercepted 555, 525 and 521 MJ m−2 of PAR, respectively. Maize yield responded positively to improved light interception and better radiation use efficiency. Under irrigated conditions, precision planting of maize increased yield by 9 to 14% compared to random-oriented seeds.