Effects of planting density and tiller removal on growth and yield of sweet corn hybrids

Two sweet corn hybrids, 'Tanok 1' and 'Golden Cross Bantam 70 (GCB 70)' were grown at five plant densities, of 4,167, 5,556, 6,667, 8,333, and 11,111 plants per 10 ares, with or without tiller removal, to determine effects of tiller removal on growth and yield of sweet corn hybrids at various plant densities. Tillers were pulled when less than 15 cm tall. The number of tillers per plant linearly decreased as plant density increased. The two hybrids had similar plant height, ear length and diameter, ear weight and the number of ears per plant and 10 ares. Tanok 1 lodged approximately 20 % at above 8,333 plants per 10 ares, while GCB 70 did not lodge at all, at any plant density. Tanok 1 had higher leaf area index (LAI), ear and stover yields than GCB 70. Except for root lodging and LAI, hybrid x plant density interaction was not significant at 5 % probability level. Plant density did not affect silking data. Increasing plant density linearly increased plant height, LAI, and stover yield, but linearly decreased ear length, ear weight, and the number of ears per plant. Increase in LAI was greater in Tanok 1 than in GCB 70, with increasing plant density. The relationships between the number of ears and ear yield per 10 ares and plant density were quadratic. The optimum plant density was estimated to be approximately 6500 plants per 10 ares, using the equation based on ear yield. Except for ear height and LAI, hybrid x tiller removal and plant density x tiller removal interactions were not significant. Hybrid x plant density x tiller removal interaction was not significant for any characters. When averaged over hybrids and plant densities, tiller removal reduced plant height and ear and stover yields by about 3, 10, and 16 %, respectively, but did not significantly affect silking date, root lodging, ear length and diameter and the number of ears per plant and per 10 ares. The results indicate that the optimum plant density is approximately 6500 plants per 10 ares, regardless of tiller removal and tillers are not to be removed at any plant density