Grain yield responses to planting density in twin and narrow row cultivation of early cultivars in maize

We investigated how the responses of grain yield of maize to planting density depended on planting pattern (twin row, TR; narrow row, NR; narrow twin row, NTR; compared with conventional row (CR) cultivation) over 2 years using cultivars with relative maturity of 93 days. Grain yields were higher in order of NTR >= TR >= NR >= CR in all planting densities. Changes in grain yield and total dry matter yield with planting density followed significant negative quadratic regression curves in all planting patterns, increased with dense planting from 9.7 to 10.4 planting density and decreased thereafter. Changes in number of grains per ear and hundred grain weight with planting density followed significant negative linear regression in all planting pattern, and number of grain per ear, hundred grain weight and harvest index decreased with dense planting. The quadratic coefficient of the quadratic regression model, which indicates the changeability of the planting density response of grain yield, was lowest for NTR, followed by TR, NR and CR. The decline in number of grains per ear in response to increasing planting density for different planting patterns was NTR <= TR <= NR <= CR. The planting density response of total dry matter yield closely follows that of the grain yield in all planting pattern. But decrease in harvest index due to increased planting density for different planting patterns was lowest for NTR, followed by TR, NR and CR. Considering the relationship of grain yield to their related traits, the improved stability of grain yield for the specific planting patterns from the fact that the decline in number of grains per ear for different planting patterns is NTR TR <= NR CR. The specific planting patterns moderate the decline in harvest index and number of grains per ear with increasing planting density by enabling the maintenance of greater inter-individual distance a given planting density.